Video Notes: 

• Who are the characters in the parable?
  • The land owner – Wealthy person who purchases the land, builds out the land to set the vineyard up for success, and then leases the vineyard out to tenants to work the vineyard in exchange for a portion of the annual yield.
  • Tenants – People who leased the vineyard to work the land and produce a crop. Once the crop was produced, they would share a portion of the crop/sales with the land owner.
  • The servants of the land owner – Employees of the land owner whom the land owner sent to the vineyard to collect his portion of the yield of the vineyard.
  • The son of the land owner – Also sent to collect the owners portion of the yield of the vineyard.
• What happened?
  • The tenants took possession of the vineyard, but then refused to share the portion of the yield of the vineyard with the landowner as agreed.
  • When the land owner sent servants to collect, not only did the tenants still refuse to do as they agreed, but they beat, stoned, and killed the servants.
  • Finally, the land owner sends his own son thinking the tenants wouldn’t dare harm him even if out of self-preservation. The tenants however, kill the son, foolishly thinking that they will then inherit the land themselves.
  • When Jesus asks the people what should happen to the tenants, they all agree that the tenants were evil and guilty and deserved to have the land taken from them and be killed. They were murderers, thieves, and liars.
• What is this parable about?
  • The chief priests and Pharisees figured part of it out. They realized that Jesus was speaking against them. In the parable, they are the wicked tenants who are acting against the land owner.
  • Israel is the vineyard, the prophets are the servants of the land owner, and Jesus is the son.
  • God had provided everything for Israel. He rescued them from slavery, made them a people, and He blessed them to grow. He even gave them literal land that cultivated and built up already. He gave them His Law and promises.  Yet, they turned against Him. He sent his prophets over the years, but Israel mistreated them, rejected them, and killed some of them. Because they rejected God, they weren’t producing good fruit. Now Jesus, the Son of God, was here and they are rejecting Him and are about to kill Him.
  • Jesus is warning them about what they are doing and what the result will be, but the chief priests and Pharisees don’t listen. They continue to reject God’s way, God’s salvation. Jesus is telling this parable in love so the chief priests, Pharisees, and all of Israel can repent and be saved.
• This is made clear a few chapters later when Jesus pronounced this final warning and invitation during the Passion week:  “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!  See, your house is left to you desolate!” (Matthew 24:37-28)
• Tomorrow, we will take a look at this passage and focus in on verse 44, “And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”