When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
These tenants seemed to forget that the vineyard was not their own, that it was only leased to them. The landowner himself established and provided for his vineyard with utmost care, doing everything he could to ensure its growth, to that extent that there was nothing to do for his vineyard that he had not done. But, rather than recognizing the way in which the landowner was sharing a treasure dear to his heart with them, the tenants instead came to see the landowner as a threat, all the more because of the magnitude of his love for the vineyard. For if he truly loved his vineyard, if it was not merely business, he would not leave well enough alone. He would not rest until the good fruit that the vineyard was meant to bear was free to grow and to be shared.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
The tenants did not have had a sense of the preciousness of the vineyard, or of the genuine good that the wine made from its grapes could be for the world. They seemed only to be interested in how the vineyard could profit them. The facilities that they had, meant to produce good fruit, were not of their own making, and yet they were more than willing to co-opt these facilities for their own selfish ambitions. They ignored "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious" along with "any excellence" and "anything worthy of praise" which describe well what the landowner knew his vineyard could produce. Such value could not truly be hoarded or sold at a profit so it was never enough to satisfy them. That is why when the landowner sent his son they could only think to "kill him and acquire his inheritance". They were like both brothers in the parable of the prodigal son. They were like the youngest in terms of their desire demand for their inheritance even while the father still lived in order to do with it what they pleased. They were like the eldest in failing to realize the goodness of the gifts they already possessed.
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
It is always easier to see fault at a greater remove and more difficult when it is within ourselves. The chief priests and elders clearly saw how egregious was the failure of stewardship demonstrated by the tenants. But they did not recognize that it was they themselves being indicted by Jesus for precisely this failure. This leads us to wonder about ourselves. Though most of us are not religious leaders nevertheless all of us have been called to bear fruit for the landowner, and not to keep the fruit back from him at vintage time. But what do we ourselves do when he sends his messengers to us, asking for his produce? Do we subvert the defenses he created for the sake of the vineyard in order to keep him out? Do we insist on trying to enjoy this fruit and for ourselves alone? Or have we perhaps even lost interest in the fruit, and simply don't want our complacent routines unsettled.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Perhaps early on we were more zealous about producing fruit for the Kingdom but anxiety and the cares of life, like thorns, choked the initial good growth as more time passed (see Matthew 13:22). When anxiety presses in on us we tend to feel forced to take matters into our own hands, and in this way sometimes come to think of the vineyard as entirely our own. But this quickly becomes more than we can manage. Then even the hint that there should be fruit grown and given to the landowner becomes to fearful to consider. We reject any messengers he sends out of the need to protect our fragile egos. But there is a better way to respond to anxiety, a way in which we can remember the truth about the vineyard and have peace with our role as tenants therein.
in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
If we want peace, we must learn to play our role in the vineyard with this attitude of thanksgiving and trust in God. We must not forget that the vineyard is fundamentally his own, nor ignore the love with which he himself loves it. If we see things according to his own heart we will want to play our part in his plan and we will know that we will be able to do so because he himself we make sure of it.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
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