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The Parable of the Tenants

March 21, 2025

Genesis 37:3-4,12-28 | Matthew 21:33-43 | Psalm 105:16-22

Today’s Gospel, Matthew 21:33-43, is a fascinating parable and captured my attention when I looked at the readings for my blog this year. However, I also found it confusing, and I spent several days trying to figure out what this passage means to me. Finally, it occurred to me that Jesus created an allegory to help us understand the relationship between God and mankind in the distant past, in His present and finally in the future.

At the beginning of the passage, Jesus describes a landowner who carefully creates a vineyard. He plants it and creates a wine press, a fence and a watchtower. After it is complete, he leases it to tenants and leaves the area. I believe that the carefully constructed vineyard is the earth, and we are the tenants who are supposed to care for the vineyard. When it is harvest time, the owner sends his representatives to collect his produce. However, the tenants beat, stone and kill, first one and then a second group of his representatives. I believe that these representatives are the prophets that God sent in the Old Testament who were not well received and mankind did not heed their words. Finally, the landowner sends his own son and heir believing that the tenants will respect his child. The tenants decide to kill the son and steal his inheritance. Of course, the son represents Jesus and mankind will not respect him and, indeed, they will crucify him in the future. Now, the parable takes an unexpected turn, as Jesus asks his audience what the owner should do to the tenants. I believe that Jesus knew his time was approaching and that he would die, yet he did not comment on their reply that the tenants should be punished and put to death. Instead Jesus reminds them that in the scriptures it says, “ The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; and it is amazing in our eyes!” I believe that Jesus is saying that he knows he will become the cornerstone of Christianity in the future even though he will soon be rejected and put to death. Then Jesus adds a final warning to his audience and to us in the future when he says, “…the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.”  I believe that the “kingdom of God” refers to heaven and that Jesus is telling us that we must follow his guidance to produce “the fruits of the kingdom” and follow Him to heaven.  In this way, Jesus’ allegory addresses the relationship between mankind and God in the Biblical past, in the times of the New Testament and today in 2025.

Glenis Downie