A Householder with a Planted Vineyard - Matthew 21:33

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus asked the chief priests and the elders of Jerusalem, “what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him” and in chapter twenty-one and verse thirty-three of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus began another parable about, “a certain householder” where we read:

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dug a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

The verse reads, “Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dug a wine-press in it, ...” Matthew began with the word, “hear” which means “have the faculty of hearing, discerning, discovering and perceiving” “another parable” or “an additional earthly story with a heavenly meaning”. “There was a certain householder” which refers to “how there existed a particular goodman or master of the house”, “which planted” or “who set out and instill in the earth” “a vineyard” which means “a field filled with grape vines”, “and hedged it round about” or “and partitioned, fenced and put a barrier around the vineyard”, “and dug” which means “burrowed into the ground” “a wine-press in it” or “a tub or trough shaped receptacle or vat in which grapes are trodden and from which new wine flows”. Matthew shared how Jesus told the “chief priests and elders in Jerusalem” to listen to another earthly story that has heavenly meaning concerning a “goodman or master of the house” who planted a vineyard, fenced it and burrowed out a “wine-press” within it.

The verse goes on to say, “... and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:” Matthew continued with the words, “and built” which means “and constructed and established” “a tower” or “a fortified structure rising to a considerable height to repel a hostile attack or enable a watchman to see in every direction”, “and let it out” or “and leased and gave it up for hire” “to husbandmen” or “to tillers of the soil, farmers and vine dressers”, “and went” which means “and the householder departed and left” “into a far country” or “abroad and into foreign parts”. Matthew wrote how the “householder” also built a “fortified structure” within his vineyard and “leased” it to “farmers and vine dressers” while he left for a “foreign” country.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus began this parable concerning a “householder” who planted a “vineyard, fenced it, dug a wine-press and built a tower within it”. Afterward he “leased it out to farmers and vine dressers” while he left on a trip to another country. This is similar to the way God created the world, supplied it with everything necessary and allowed people to “lease” it. Though it seems like He is not among people, Paul the apostle wrote “in him we live, and move, and have our being” (See Acts 17:28), and His desire is to have a loving personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus. Those who are wise will study this parable carefully and insure they are managing God's “leased property” in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus tells what happens, “when the time of the fruit drew near”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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