Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus asked the chief priests and the elders of Jerusalem, “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. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard comes, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse forty-one of his book, Matthew shares how the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem answered, “he will miserably destroy those wicked men” where we read:
They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
The verse reads, “They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, ...” Matthew began with the words, “they say” which means “the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto him” or “to Jesus”, “He will miserably destroy” which means “the householder will grievously and badly put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end and ruin” “those wicked men” which means “the men who are of bad nature who not as they should be, troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive and baneful”. Matthew shared how the “chief priests and elders” told Jesus the “householder” would “grievously put an end” to the “horrible” men who killed his “son”.
The verse goes on to say, “... and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” Matthew continued with the words, “and will let out” which means “and will give and lease” “his vineyard” which refers to “the householder's field with vines” “unto other husbandmen” which means “to other farmers and vinedressers”, “which shall render him” or “who will deliver, pay off and discharge to the householder” “the fruits” which means “the results and effects of the seed” “in their seasons” or “in the opportunity, due time and measure of the planted seed”. Matthew wrote how the “chief priests and elders in Jerusalem” said the “householder” would also “lease” his “vineyard” to other “farmers and vinedressers” who would give the “householder” the “fruit” he deserved.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the religious leaders in Jerusalem understood the earthly portion of Jesus' story, and their conclusion was correct as to the reaction of the “householder”. Jesus shared this story because it has a “heavenly meaning” as it relates to God the Father sending His Son Jesus to the earth to be mistreated by men. All who read these words should understand the implications for those who malign Jesus because “The earth is the LORD's”. Everyone who recognizes Jesus is the Messiah should yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” who came to save them from their sins.
Next time Matthew writes how Jesus asks the chief priests and elders if they have ever read the scripture, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment