Job 33:4 (NKJV); The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

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1 Introduction In Luke 20 Jesus defines and defends his authority in verses 1-18; discloses and then destroys their strategy to trap him in verses 19-26; demolishes their theology in verses and declares His deity in verses Jesus gave this parable in the context of a question. The religious leaders asked Jesus in verse 2; Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority? You remember His reply. Jesus exposed their hearts by asking them a question about John s baptism; was it from God or was it from men? Their answer revealed their unwillingness to hear and respond to the truth. If we say from men, the people will stone us because they believe John was a prophet. If we say from God, he will ask us, why then did you not obey? Jesus does not duck the question. Jesus brings the religious leaders face to face with the issue of authority. Where did John get his authority? Did John get his authority from God? John s authority had come from God. If they had accepted John s ministry they would have accepted Jesus ministry. But they rejected John s ministry. The response Jesus gives in verse 8 is Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. His answer comes in the form of a parable. Remember a parable is an earthly story that illustrates a heavenly truth. This parable is really based on Isaiah 5:1-7 (read) and Psalm 80:8; You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it. The Lord God expected fruit from His vineyard. In Matthew s gospel Jesus cursed the fig tree (Matt.21:18-33) because He expected fruit. Israel is the vineyard. God leased the world to men and Israel to the Jews. It was God not human beings who made the world. The world and human beings are not here by random chance or freak accident. We are here by design. Job 33:4 (NKJV); The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Everyone listening to the parable knew the vineyard is Israel. The religious leaders would have been very familiar with Isaiah 5. In fact, the very Temple where Jesus was standing stood a rich and ornate carving of a grape vine 150 feet long (70 cubits). The grapevine was embellished with gold and precious stones. Herod placed the carving and rich patriotic Jews added leaves of gold and precious stones. The grapevine was a sacred symbol. I have a coin of the second Jewish revolt ( AD) where a Roman coin was beaten with a hammer and re-engraved with a grape cluster and on the legend is inscribed for the freedom of Jerusalem. To the Jew the grapevine was the symbol of their national identity and joy. The authority of Jesus comes from God. In the parable the owner of the Vineyard is God. In verse 13 Jesus is God s beloved Son. Jesus makes it clear it is impossible to accept the Father and reject the Son. 1

2 The Illustration of Authority and Rejection (vv.9-13) Luke 20:9 (NKJV); Then He began to tell the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. In the ancient world of the first century it was very common for wealthy landowners to lease their property. Like in the South before and after the Civil War you had landowners and share-croppers. Land Owners had great wealth and status, and share croppers had little wealth and little status. Share croppers were normally respectful to land owners. Matthew 21:33 (NKJV);33 Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Vineyard owners took great care to preserve and protect the safety of these vines. They wanted healthy plants. Often they would put up a hedge or build a wall. They would dig vats or pits to harvest the grapes and stomp them into juice. They would build towers. The wall was to keep out intruders like wild boars and other animals who could destroy the vine. The pit was usually hewn out of solid rock with an upper and lower vat. The grape juice could trickle down into the lower vats and be gathered into skins or pots. The tower would be built 20 or 30 feet high. This could be used for shelter, storage, even protection. This is why the Psalmist calls God his strong tower. A man with a sling from that vantage point could protect himself and the vineyard. The owner made every provision for the vineyard to succeed. There is an immediate application for you and me. God has given us all the resources to succeed in this thing called the Christian life and the Christian walk. Jesus has given us all we need to bring forth fruit. God lives inside of you. Jesus is in your heart. He has given you His Holy Spirit. Jesus still expects fruit from your life. In John s gospel (15:16-17) You did not choose Me, but I choose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If you will examine your life very carefully, you will see that God has been very generous with you, just as God had been very generous with Israel. The vineyard was equipped with everything necessary to make the vinedressors work profitable and easy. What more could I have done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? (Isa.5:4). and went into a far country for a long time. They did not experience the presence of the owner. The further he went and the longer he delayed, they began to doubt whether or not he had any claims on them whatsoever. God entrusted his servants with the oversight of His vineyard. The leaders were to care for the people. This should serve as a warning for all who have been entrusted with the spiritual oversight of God s people. Some are left with the impression their Lord delays His coming! God gave the leaders a great deal of freedom, just like God gave us freedom. But no one had the right to take advantage of the Master s absence. 2

3 Luke 20:10 (NKJV);10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. This is where the story goes terribly wrong. Payments in the ancient world occurred during harvest time. Some people would contract with their landlord or the land owner to pay a percentage of the harvest; other contracts called for a fixed amount. Luke 20:11 (NKJV); Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. Luke 20:12 (NKJV); And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. In the ancient world the landowner had all the rights. They would sometimes have small armies, depending on the size of their lands or possessions to enforce the contracts. Luke 20:13 (NKJV); Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him. In the parable the owner of the vineyard responds to the sinful attacks with mercy and reason. The religious leaders listening to this parable would have found the owner naïve and abnormal. Whether rich or poor, disciple or religious leader all would agree the owner is in the right and the people who have used the owner s land are in the wrong. Jesus is God s beloved Son. Luke 3:22 (NKJV); And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. The parable reveals the generosity of God, the trust of God but also the kindness of God. He sends servants to receive fruit. They beat one, and then another and then another. How does the parable reveal the kindness of God? Because He allowed His servants and His Son to experience rejection, injury and humiliation. Think about all the messengers God sent! Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Daniel, the list goes on and on. John MacArthur writes; God had prepared a place of great beauty and blessing and then graciously given stewardship of it to his people Israel. It was a place of promise, hope, deliverance, salvation, security. But Israel misappropriated all those blessings for herself, robbing God of the gratitude, glory and honor due him. Israel persecuted the prophets he patiently and lovingly sent to call her to repentance and forgiveness. Jewish tradition held that Isaiah had been sawed in two with a wooden saw (Heb.11:37). From Scripture we know that Jeremiah was thrown into a pit of slime, and tradition held that he was eventually stoned to death. Ezekiel was rejected, Elijah and Amos ran for their lives, Micah was smashed in the face by those who refused to hear his message (1 Kings 22:24). Zechariah was actually murdered in God s own Temple (2 Chron.24:2-22). Old Testament history bore witness to their murderous hearts, whose wickedness would culminate in killing the Son of God. If the main theme of the Bible is the love of God, the sub-theme is humanity s rebellion and opposition to that love! What 3

4 makes matters worse the nation God entrusted to share that love the people of God resist God s love (see Bruner p.767). The Implication of Authority and Rejection (vv.14-15a) Luke 20:14 (NKJV); But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. Under Jewish law, any man could lay claim to ownerless property. The tenants may have concluded that the owner was dead; otherwise he would have come himself. If they killed the son, then they could claim the vineyard for themselves (Warren Wiersbe; TBEC VOL. 1; p.256). Wiersbe goes on and suggests this is exactly what was going on in the minds of the religious leaders. If we kill Jesus we are free. We are free to live our own lives, embrace our own religion. Jesus illustrates how progressive sin becomes. The vinedressers or tenants began by beating the owners servants. Now they decide to kill the owners son. The more we sin the worse sin becomes. The more we sin the more hardened and deceived we become. The Jewish leaders permitted John the Baptist to be killed. Then they asked for Jesus to be crucified. Then they themselves stoned Stephen. They sinned against the Father. They sinned against the Son. They sinned against the Holy Spirit and that was the end of God s witness to them (see Wiersbe TBEC Vol.1; p.257). The beatings, the stoning and the killing were no exaggeration. The patience and love of God must be contrasted with the evil hearts of men. Each representative God sends is dealt with in an abusive and murderous fashion. The fact God sent even more servants only stresses his lovingkindness, his patience, his longsuffering. The servants are abused and some killed. What does God do? Does he send an army to march against them? Does he sent a holy angel to destroy them? Does he send an earthquake to bury them, or a tsunami to drown them or a meteor to fry them? No He sends His Son. Martin Luther said, If I were God, and the world treated me as it treated Him, I would kick them to pieces! Resistance, rebellion, rebuff, insults, beatings, broken promises, evil deeds did not stop Him. This is not normal. Look back at verse 13; What shall I do? I will send my beloved Son; it may be that they will respect Him when they see him. Matthew 21:37 (NKJV); Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son. 4

5 Matthew s gospel says, then last of all he send his son. Jesus is God s full and final word. Jesus is God s last word. Not Muhammad. Not Buddha. Not Joseph Smith. Not Charles Taze Russel. Not Mary Baker Glover Eddy. Not Krishna. When Jesus said these words, he is making one of the greatest declarations of his own divinity. God will send no more servants, no more angels. Look at verse 14; they reasoned among themselves, this is the heir. The murderers knew this was no slave, this was no servant. They knew this was the Son. They planned to murder Him so they could seize His inheritance. Under Jewish law any man could seize ownerless property. The Application of Authority and Rejection (vv.15b-18) Luke 20:16 (NKJV); He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, Certainly not! Everyone would agree that the land owner had every right to come and punish the evil tenants. Look, you don t need CSI to come in and figure this one out. This is no murder mystery. Think of the love of the owner and the brutality of the vinedressors. God s love pointed to a cross. God s love just kept coming. And man s rebellion and rejection did not stop God s love. Man s opposition, man s hatred, man s selfishness, will not stop God s love. Spurgeon said, If you reject him, he answers you with tears; if you would him, he bleeds out cleansing; if you kill him, he dies to redeem you, if you bury him, he rises again to bring resurrection. Jesus is love made manifest. How true! Jesus persists in his love. He continues until we draw our last breath then it is too late we face the wrath of God the severity of God. Why then, when the people hear Jesus response do they say; Certainly not! Because they know the parable is about them. In Matthew s gospel the Jewish leaders are seen saying; Matthew 21:40-41 (NKJV);40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? 41 They said to Him, He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. They are caught up in the drama of the moment. In a sense Jesus says to them How would you write the ending? How do you suppose the story should end? What would you do if someone stole your vineyard, abused your servants and killed your only son? There is the certainty of judgment. The religious leaders came to the right conclusion the owner angry and able will destroy the unrighteous tenants and get new ones. 5

6 Luke 20:17 (NKJV); Then He looked at them and said, What then is this that is written: The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone? Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22. He asks them what it means. It must mean something. Once again Jesus exposes their own ignorance of their own Holy Scriptures and the truth that God spoke in His word. They were the religious leaders of Israel. They should know that the Messiah has come. Psalm 118 is a Messianic psalm. Don t you read your Bible? When pilgrims would march to Jerusalem during the Passover, they would sing the songs of ascent, called the Hallel. In the sixties during the civil rights movement people would join the hands or arms and sing We shall overcome. The Jewish people would sing, Psalms 116, 117, 118. Jesus quotes from one of those songs everyone had sung just a few days earlier The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. By the way the next verse reads This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Earlier in verse 19 David wrote; Open unto me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord. Jesus accepted the Messianic praise. Now he claims to be the cornerstone. The cornerstone was the most important stone for a building. It had to be the right shape, the right size, to align the whole building. The cornerstone is the stone that makes the whole building fit together. If the stone was not perfect or imprecise, it had to be rejected. In this illustration the stone rejected by the Jews becomes the stone accepted by God the Father and the chief cornerstone of a new building the Church. Luke 20:18 (NKJV); Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. Jesus again refers the religious leaders back to the prophet Daniel. Daniel 2:34-35 (NKJV); You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:44-45 (NKJV); And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure. The Messiah is the smiting stone that crushes and grinds to powder all that gets in His way. Jesus is warning the religious leaders that they will destroy themselves if they condemn Him. 6

7 The same is true today. The unbeliever should listen carefully to the warning; the rejection of Christ has grave consequences. What happens to people who will not accept the truth about Jesus Christ? Conclusion How serious is it to reject the message of God? Many years ago, while on a visit to America, a wealthy Chinese businessman was fascinated by a powerful microscope. Looking through the lens to study crystals and the petals of flowers, he was amazed at their beauty and detail. So he decided to purchase one and take it back to China. He thoroughly enjoyed using it until one day he examined some rice he was planning to eat for dinner. Much to his dismay, he discovered that tiny living creatures were crawling in it. Since he was fond of this staple food in his daily diet, he wondered what to do. Finally, he concluded that there was only one way out of his dilemma he would destroy the instrument that caused him to discover the microscopic organisms. So he smashed the microscope to pieces. How foolish you say. But many people do the same thing with the Word of God. They hate it and would like to get rid of it, because it reveals the truth about their sinful condition, and the truth about Jesus. 7