“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
Gospel of Matthew
Jesus was very good at telling stories, and his stories are referred to as parables. These stories were told to teach us about God. The story about the generous landowner and his vineyard is such a parable. There are 6 main characters in this parable: (1) the landowner—God, (2) the vineyard—the world, (3) the tenants/farmers—those gifted with the land, (4) the landowner’s servants—the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people (5) the son—Jesus, and (6) the other tenants—those who follow the Son.
How do we know that the landowner is God? Psalm 95 which forms part of the Church prayer speaks clearly of God's dominion.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain belong to him.
His is the sea, for he made it,
The dry land too was formed by His hands.
In Jesus' story, the kind landowner made a rich vineyard which He loaned to the people. We are the tenants. We have it for our use for a short time. But some people that God loaned it to are greedy. They don't want to share it. They take possession of it. They call the vineyard their own, and they will not share the harvest with others. God has sent servants or messengers to tell them they must share, but they respond by beating up the servants and sending them away. And finally a more influential servant is sent; The landowners own Son. Surely they will listen to Him. Some did. We thank God for those who respond, however others do not. They want nothing to do with God or His Son. They want everything for themselves. They are unwilling to share the very gift that has been given them.
Then Jesus poses the question: "When the landowner returns to the vineyard, what will He do with the ones who killed His Son and refused to share the gift that was given them?"
The people answered: He will punish those people, kick them out of the vineyard, and give the vineyard to those who listened and responded to the landowner's wishes.
God does not reject us and cast us out. We do that to ourselves when we fail to see and be a part of God's plan for His creation.
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