The Setting Aside of Israel—the Wicked Husbandmen
Matt. 21:33-4533Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. (Matthew 21:33‑45); Mark 12:1-121And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. 10And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 11This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 12And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. (Mark 12:1‑12); Luke 20:9-199Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 14But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. (Luke 20:9‑19)
“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits οf it. And. the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first; and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and. slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.”—Matthew 21:33-4533Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. (Matthew 21:33‑45).
Our Lord’s own words give us the interpretation of this parable: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Jews], and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” This was the result, after constant and repeated failure of yielding fruit to the householder, and at last of open rebellion and murder.
The figure is taken from the East, where men do not generally pay rent for the land in money, but in fruits—a certain percentage of the increase of the land, according to the nature of the soil, and other circumstances. In some cases it may have been paid in money, as we read in the Cantides (chap. 8:11): “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon: he let out the vineyard unto keepers: every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.” And verse 12 would seem to point out the proportion that was to be the keeper’s share, and what paid to the Owner: “My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, Ο Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.” This would, doubtless, be, as in our parable, when the owner provided vines, winepress, tower, and everything but the labor; for when arable fields are let in the East, a percentage much less than this is paid as rent, the tenant having to find seed, implements, &c, as well as labor. It has been stated as about a tenth of the produce.
The owner providing all things, and calling for the chief part of the fruits, is the more applicable to what God did for Israel. He took them up as Syrians ready to perish (Deut. 26:55And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: (Deuteronomy 26:5)), did everything for them, and then looked for fruit.
We read that “when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” They could not well fail to see the application of this parable, because of what they had read in the prophet Isaiah: “Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.” (Isa. 5:1, 21Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:1‑2).)
The appeal is then very pathetic: “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?” There was, alas! no remedy: the hedge was taken away, the wall broken down, and the vineyard laid waste. Neither could there be any mistake as to who this vineyard was: “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”
Now, in our Lord’s day on earth, Israel had but to look back, and see that this prophecy had been fulfilled. Israel was not at that time the flourishing vine, nor the fruitful vineyard, it had formerly been—at least in measure. Now they were to hear that the guilt was brought home to them. They had ill-treated God’s prophets, stoned the messengers, and now the Son was there: how would they treat Him? He was the stone that was to become the head of the corner, but which the builders rejected, for it would indeed set them all aside. He was the stone on which they stumbled and fell when He was here in grace; but when He comes in judgment, He will grind His rejecters to powder.
But though the chief men of Israel knew that our Lord spoke of them, and though they had seen the prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled in their very midst, yet it all had no effect on them: they wished to seize Him then and there, but feared the people. Thus they sought to verify the parable. The vineyard should be taken from them, and “given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”
A useful lesson we may surely learn from this parable. God had asked what more could He have done for Israel? May we not ask, What more could He have done for His church? And when we look at what it was at the first, and what it still is in the mind of God—“the pillar and ground of the truth;” “the body of Christ:” “one body;” “His house,” &c.—and now see its broken and corrupt state, we can but sigh, and cry, by reason of its state, and lament that Christ will have to say to that which bears the name of His church, “ Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” Thank God, He also says, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Rev. 3:10-1110Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:10‑11).)
The Two Sons
“What think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily, I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”—Matt. 21:28-3228But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. (Matthew 21:28‑32).
We have our Lord’s own explanation also of this parable. The chief priests and the elders of the people had come to Him, demanding by what authority He was acting. The day before He had entered into Jerusalem in triumph, fulfilling the prophecy that said, “Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass.” Garments were strewn in the way, and branches of trees; and the multitude cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!” He then went into the temple, and cast out those that sold and bought, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers; but He healed the blind and the lame who came to Him. At all this the chief priests were “sore displeased,” and in the morning they demanded of Him on what authority He did these things.
Our Lord then asked them a question respecting John; and because they could not, or would not, answer Him, neither would He tell them by whose authority He had done those things. “But”—He would tell them something—“what think ye? A certain man had two sons,” &c. They were those who said, “I go, sir,” and went not. The people were to observe what the scribes and the Pharisees said, for they sat in the seat of Moses (chap, 23:2), but they were not to follow them—they “went not.” They were blind leaders of the blind, and were not to be followed. He Himself would answer the question He had asked them: “John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not:” neither were they following Christ. On the other hand, those who made no profession—the publicans and the harlots—had believed John, and were entering into the kingdom of God before them. This parable is evidently spoken emphatically against the chief men of Israel.
Alas! we see the same great profession in these days. Men in high position in the so-called church assume to be God’s priests on earth, but, alas! are not many of them blind? By profession they say, “I go, sir;” but when we contrast Christianity with Christendom, we find that many of them “go not,” and they really mislead those that would know the way of life.
This parable may, indeed, have a wider application. Those who have heard the good news of salvation may be compared to those who say, “I go, sir,” and to those who say, “I will not.” Alas! how many who say, “I go, sir,” do not really go. They are satisfied with the lip service and the routine of observances, which, indeed, is but a solemn, but in many cases a fatal, way of saying, “I go, sir:” while God, in His mercy, is blessing His message of salvation to the careless and ignorant, and they believe the gospel of God (1 Pet. 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)), and are saved.
The Barren Fig-Tree
“A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none; cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down”—Luke 13:6-96He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:6‑9).
There were some present at that time who told our Lord of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. By our Lord’s reply, it appears evident that those who related this, judged the sufferers to have been great sinners, or God would not have allowed such a dreadful thing. This, alas! is a conclusion men are always too ready to draw when any calamity happens: they think what sinners such must have been, rather than take warning to themselves.
Our Lord asked if they supposed these Galileans were “sinners above all” others, because they had suffered such things? or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell? He said, “Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” They should look to themselves: they were equally guilty. He knew how they despised the Galileans (see John 4:41, 5241And many more believed because of his own word; (John 4:41)
52Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. (John 4:52)), and prided themselves on their fancied superiority: they should also perish, unless they repented. Yea, more, He would give them a true description of themselves, and in a parable tell them their end.
They were compared to a fig-tree, from which fruit had been sought—sought, not once only, but for three years, answering, doubtless, to their probation under the law, under the prophets, and then under grace. Under the law the Master found no fruit—they broke it entirely; under the prophets, they heeded them not—He found none; and under grace He found none—they went about to kill our Lord. The Master ordered the fig tree to be cut down.
Still grace lingered: the “dresser” hewed it might have one more trial—a fourth year, as we may say; and we know our Lord prayed for His murderers that their sin might not be laid to their charge; and in sending forth His apostles to preach “repentance and remission of sins,” they were to begin at Jerusalem.
Alas! it was all in vain. Our Lord had wept over Jerusalem. He would often have gathered them under His wing, but they would not. Still they had one more trial. Remission of sins was preached to them, and the Holy Ghost was sent down, convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 16:8-118And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16:8‑11).) Still there was no fruit, and Stephen had to charge home their sin upon them, reminding them of the three former trials their nation had had: “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-5351Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. (Acts 7:51‑53).)
The Master’s sentence hung over the guilty people: “Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” Why occupy the ground, if useless? Why be there to hinder others? This was the very thing charged home upon their rulers—they would not enter the kingdom themselves, and hindered those desirous of doing so. Yea, more: the apostle declared that the name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles through them. (Rom. 2:2424For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:24).) The judgment, though long delayed, fell at last upon that guilty city, and more guilty people, once the fig-tree in the vineyard of God.
The same principle applies to the professing church as a whole, and to each one in particular. Where much is given, much will be required. The servant which knows his Lord’s will, and does not prepare himself, nor doeth His will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (Luke 12:47, 4847And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47‑48).) Can we not almost hear our Lord saying, “why cumbereth it the ground?” The time hastens on when “Judgment shall begin at the house of God.” Let each that bears the name of Christ look around, and seek to get God’s judgment as to the whole professing church, and then ask himself, What fruit am I yielding to my Lord? He has done much for me. Oh, His love, His death, for me!—His long-suffering, His patience, His care over me! How do I requite it all? What fruit do I bear that is pleasing in His eyes? We are exhorted to “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:1010That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10).) May it be so, and to Him be all the glory!