Covenant Keepers
Jesus had a way with words, and no wonder…He is the Word (John 1:1). His parables are perfect illustrations for His listeners to understand spiritual concepts. Here in Matthew 21:33-46, it is titled the parable of the tenants, but it’s more than a story about people renting. Those in this parable are those whom the owner has left his vineyard under the care of. Their job was simple: care for the vineyard as the owner would and at harvest he will send someone to collect it. We might understand this arrangement as share-cropping.
So here is the premise: the owner did his job. He provided everything necessary for success. He was faithful in the arrangement. The tenants, however, were not. I assume that they did in fact plant and harvest, though I can be wrong in that assumption since it is not stated. However, when the owner sends servants, they do not respect his authority and they beat one, killed another and stoned yet another. That’s bad enough, but then the owner sends his son and they killed him. Our sense of justice is peaked by the story – how dare they kill servants and then the son! So, Jesus puts the question to the hearer – What will the owner do when he comes? The answer is obvious – put them to death and find new tenants!
This parable is an illustration. It’s not about a vineyard, but about God and his relationship with those who are supposed to be His people. However, they have not been faithful. They did not keep their end of the covenant, and they will be judged accordingly. The Jews thought they were God’s people and nothing could take that away, but they have not been faithful, and they WERE going to kill the Son, Jesus. They were the tenants, which is why Jesus quotes Psalm 118. They will give false witness and set Jesus up to be killed by the Romans, but they are the ones guilty. They are not going to win. The stone they rejected will crush them! Jesus will be victorious!
We must be covenant keepers. God is faithful to keep His end. In fact, He is so faithful in that covenant that He will forgive us when we breech it, provided we are walking in the light (1 John 1) and repenting when we sin. We do not want to live a life thinking we are in that covenant, only to find out we didn’t take it seriously and are rejected!