The parables of Jesus usually have outcomes that are surprising or even shocking. They tend to turn our values and worldview upside down. Today the parable of the tenants follows that rule. The owner took time to carefully set up a vineyard with everything that was needed for it to function well. Instead of receiving the arranged payment of a certain percentage of the harvest, he suffers from the lack of rent payment, attacks on his servants, the death of his servants, and finally the death of his own son who would have inherited the vineyard.
The renters had received everything they needed to live and work well in the vineyard. But they decided to act based on their jealousy and vengeance. They did not invest anything in establishing the vineyard. The owner provided everything for them. All they had to do was work well and live well there. Their administration of the vineyard was based on jealousy, vengeance, and violence.
Jesus was speaking in the temple where his listeners were mostly common folk and pilgrims as well as the chief priests and the Pharisees. At the end of the story, Jesus asks his listeners, what the owner should do. The response from the listeners in his audience follows the vengeance and violence of the renters. Their opinion was that the owner should kill the renters and rent the vineyard to others who will produce fruit. That opinion would be the expected response and even a just response based on the “eye for an eye” moral structure that was based on human violence and vengeance.
Jesus then says that there is a new cornerstone being placed by God. A new cornerstone not based on our human perspective of justice based on violence. He is calling for new fruits. It is so easy for us to guide our relationships with God and others based on our own limited sense of justice. We repeat the same way of living and relating with others. We repeat our own violence. We impose our opinions on others through the use of violence. We repeat the same-old, same-old. We don’t listen to the Word of God, the prophets, nor the Son of God.
These parables were directed at all the people but especially at the chief priests and Pharisees who as the official teachers who were questioning Jesus’ authority to teach something new. These parables are directed at each one of us during this time of Lent to question us about the fruits that we are producing. Many people simply choose to ignore Jesus’ teaching and continued with their justice system based on jealousy and vengeance. As we know, the chief priests and Pharisees decided to act with violence. Lent is a time to root out violence our lives and return to life and work in the vineyard of God the Father.
I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.
Image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhhlUyB2Am8