The Last Parable (Luke 20:9-19)
Rev. William L. Barron, April 8, 2018Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The parable of the vineyard is allegorical. It concerns the vineyard (God's people), servants (God's prophets), the tenants (the religious authorities), the owner (God) and the son (Jesus). Since the leadership rejected the Son, the leadership of God's people would pass to gentiles. The people of God become the church. The teaching of the parable is, a) What happens to those who do not believe in the Son? and b) Do you believe? Jesus quotes from Psalm 118, which concerns the construction of the temple. True Jews were not blood descendants of Abraham; they were those who believed and trusted in the Redeemer to come. The promise is to those who believe (Rom. 4). The crux is the stone (Jesus). It is translated as "cornerstone," but also can be translated as "capstone." The cornerstone is at ground level and could be fallen upon. The capstone is part of the overhead beam structure and could fall and crush someone. This teaching was offensive to both Jews and gentiles, and it is offensive to this day. The question for us is, "Do we hold to the truth and believe?" If so, then God's love will structure our lives.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The First Day | None | Things To Come » |
Luke 20:9–19 (Listen)
9 And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.
(ESV)