THE SERVANTS AND THE HEIR

Newsletter 281 February 5, 2012
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Matthew 21:33-45 King James Version

Webster’s defines a parable to be “a story that illustrates a moral lesson.” After our retirement, I worked as a volunteer filing the records of a Christian Care Center. They always had a stack of unfiled records. There were certain levels of division in everything to be placed in the folder, usually of an individual staff member or resident. In most cases, the proper name was not sufficient. That was only the first step. The second step was the position in the file. There were several things to consider, insurance, why they had a file at all, if tie document dealt with finances, and so on.

Jesus taught with stories. We call them parables. There was always a literal application, and many of those who heard them only heard the stories as stories. Many of the children’s stories, fairy tales, are like that. They have a literal meaning, and the children usually hear that, but as they grow more mature, they realize, no, there is more to that than just a simple story. Some were political in meaning, some otherwise.

The Pharisees knew the scriptures well. Literally they felt they were superior to the masses who followed Jesus. They knew the law, they, like the rich young ruler on another occasion, strove to keep the law, and to just be sure, they had a whole system of protective fences set up. As examples, they tithed even the mint in the garden and the spices, and travelled only so many feet in the Sabbath Day, but they also made a whole set of methods to break the principle. You could leave an old shoe at the place where you had walked that legal distance, and this permitted going as far again, for the shoe was your property. You could declare your wealth “dedicated to God,” and neglect their widowed mother’s needs. This scripture is a parable, but it has a deeper meaning. The Pharisees saw it as a story, a liberal faith, would see that only, and say, “The Bible is full of fables.” The faithful follower of the Lord, looks for the real meaning, simply cloaked in the parable.

This is “another” parable. He had just told them of the parable of the two sons.
33 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:

(Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-19, Isaiah 5:1-2, Matthew 20:1, Matthew 21:28,

Matthew 25:14)

This parable, concerns the church, which has the responsibility to carry God’s Word to the nations. God has sent His Word through prophets, angels and finally His own Son, Jesus Christ.
Judaism has never been particularly evangelistic. They accept proselytes, but don’t particularly go to the nations.

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
(Matthew 22:3)

As Jesus spoke with the Pharisees he reminds them that, as a people, they have beaten, killed and stoned the prophets, and rejected, even the angels that God has sent. In desperation, He finally gave His own Son. (John 3:16-17) Why, because He loved the entire world not only their nation. They are the husbandmen in this story. This is playing out a parallel to the garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. God made that very special place for them and they were there to care for it. When they sinned, they were put out. Even now, He is making another place ready for His own. We call it heaven.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
(Matthew 22:4)
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 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.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 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.

They here, pronounce judgment upon themselves. God does not judge in so much as He will enact the judgment we have brought upon ourselves by our daily lives.

Jesus is the one by which we measure ourselves. Few modern buildings really have a corner stone as such, but they all have a point from which all over measurement are taken. Jesus describes that point as “the head of the corner.” God so loved the world that he sent His Son to be the head of the corner. He was talking about the church! What the Jews did not do, He turned over to the Gentiles. But, if the Gentiles do not do it, what will He do? We have seen what He has done with nations. Powerful nations, even empires have risen and fallen or stagnated when they turned from the Word, to follow men, or men’s religions. Much of the world worships power and wealth these days. When God gives wealth, there is a reason, and it not for personal edification. With it, comes responsibility.

42 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 marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Jesus applies this lesson to the individual. He is the point of reference, we rise and fall according to what we do with Jesus. Our nation will rise or fall according to what we do with Jesus. The whole “building” of the church, is measured from its point of reference Jesus Christ. That is what Jesus meant when He said to Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
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READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2012

FEBRUARY

5th. Sunday – Job 32, 33, Matthew 24:26-51, Proverbs 4:1-9
6th. Monday – Job 34, 35, 36, Matthew 25:1-23, Psalm 18:26-36
7th. Tuesday - Job 37, 38, Matthew 25:24-46, Psalm 18:37-42
8th. Wednesday - Job 39, 40, Matthew 26:1-30, Psalm 18:43-50
9th. Thursday - Job 41, 42, Matthew 26:31-56, Proverbs 4:10-19
10th. Friday – Exodus 1, 2, 3, Matthew 26:57-75, Psalm 19:1-6
11th. Saturday - Exodus 4, 5, Matthew 27:1-31, Psalm 19:7-14

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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14
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Tidbits of Wit

It used to be only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, there's shipping and handling too!

Teacher to Parent: "If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens during the school day, I'll promise not to believe everything she says happens at home."

I'm willing to make mistakes if someone else is willing to learn from them.