We have seen in Matthew 21 two parables as Jesus’ rebuttal against the Chief Priests and Elders who challenged our LORD’s authority in the temple.

Now we come to the end of Jesus’ parable of the ungrateful servants. Today, I’d like to dig into the final verses of this parable [Matt 21:40-46] to not only grasp the parable’s meaning as Jesus intended but also to gain a greater understanding of God’s love for HIS people. All that is solid in the Kingdom of Heaven, that which is genuine, dependable, is only so because of the strength of Jesus Christ who is the ‘head of the corner’ κεφαλὴν γωνίας [kephalēn gōnias] … often translated the ‘cornerstone’.

The ‘head of the corner’ that Jesus speaks of in verse 42 [Citing Ps 118:22] is made clear here. The vineyard is taken away from the rebellious tenants, these poor excuses of temple leaders, and given to a more responsible ‘nation’ or ‘people’ (ἔθνει – ethnei)

v. 37

“Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’”

This one verse speaks to the final act of God’s mercy over sinful and rebellious humanity. Likewise, in the context of this parable, Jesus speaks to the final act of God’s mercy over the disrespectful and distorted failure of these Chief Priests in their responsibilities as stewards of God’s Word and God’s People. We return today to the parable of the ungrateful tenants. Remember that Jesus is teaching in the temple directing this parable to the audacity of the chief priests and Pharisees who challenged HIS authority.

The Master of the House provides the final and complete ‘redemption’ of his stolen vineyard. What is shown here is that tenant farmers stole what belonged to the Master just as fallen humanity has ‘stolen’ (emphasize air quotes here) authority and Lordship of this created order from the Creator. Satan/the Serpent ‘stole’ the title of master of this world from the one true CREATOR.

Jesus is not one of the ‘servants’ of the Master of the House. Jesus is declaring very clearly here that he is not just another prophet but is THE SON of the Master. His sending is the final opportunity for the thieving tenant farmers.

It is one of the clearest claims Jesus makes to being unique, to being different from even the greatest men of God who went before. There is no sending of anyone else, servant or angel, prophet or priest, after this sending of the Son --- this Son is the ‘final,’ the ‘last of all’ representatives of God. He is God. The Master arrives to finish business.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Jesus again teaches these Chief Priests and Elders by illustration and inductive questions. Rather than directly answering their challenge “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” [Matt 21:23] … Jesus responds by challenging these men on their understanding of God’s Law and The Prophets as it relates to the coming Messiah and the New Covenant.

• The lesson from this second parable of the ungrateful tenants leads to the Inductive understanding that the Master of the House over the vineyard “will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” [Matt 22:41]. In other words, if God gives the responsibility of care over HIS vineyard to someone who fails in that responsibility, then God, the Master of the House, will give that responsibility to someone else.

There is much in this parable too about the fundamental Christian Worldview. That is, how does the Gospel narrative, the Christian way of thinking, view this world and our place in it? How does this passage give us a truthful understanding of the gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven?

Creation

Fall

Redemption

Restoration

Also, this parable speaks to the calling, fall, and redemption of Israel as God’s chosen people and how this failed status is restored in the TRUE Church. Verses 40 & 41 have led many in Church history to interpret an antisemitic outcome for Israel. We must be cautious not to glean an antisemitic exegesis from this parable.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Keeping one’s word is always a virtue. A promise must always be kept. But then there is the dilemma of changing one’s mind too, isn’t it? Can one change a promise and still be virtuous? Can one change a promise and be condemned?

This week’s passage in Matthew 21 takes us further into the scene with Jesus teaching in the Jerusalem temple during his last week of life and ministry. During the day(s) after he purged the temple of corruption, the chief priests and elders challenged his authority often. We saw last week that one particular session of teaching was interrupted by the chief priests as they called upon Jesus to reveal the authority behind HIS ministry.

v. 28 “What do you think?”

This phrase is Jesus’s answer to the chief priests who demanded to know by what authority HE purged the temple and taught as if he was the HIGH priest of the temple. Now Jesus wants these hypocrites to discover the answer for themselves.

The last words of verse 32 are directed to the heart of these wicked ‘princes’ of the temple.

“And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”

Change your mind.

Jesus shows great wisdom in his parable. God desires the changed minds of the humble and the repentant. If only these chief priests would ‘change their minds’ and believe in Jesus .. the Son of God himself … standing and working and ministering right before their very eyes.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

The prophet Amos continues speaking as God's voice of judgement against the Northern Kingdom (Israel). God speaks judgment by acknowledging the failures of Israel to honor HIS WORD, failure to honor HIS Glory, failure to honor HIM in worship. There are both spiritual and social failures at fault here. God says here that 'because' of these failures, God's protective hand will withdraw leaving Israel vulnerable to her enemies.

Further, Amos 3:7 has been used by the Church of Latter Day Saints as a proof text to justify the 'secrets' of God to HIS prophets ... particularly the false prophet Joseph Smith. But the context of this warning of God shows that Amos 3:7 does not speak of any 'secret' knowledge of God that is hidden.

The efforts of Jesus in preparing the citizens of HIS kingdom are much like the efforts of a good gardener in preparing for an early Spring crop. Thoughtful preparation yields thoughtful production. A smart Gardner intentionally prepares the ground and plants the seeds. He/She does not passively wait for the seeds themselves to ask to be planted nor do the plants volunteer to produce vegetables or fruit. But all this labor is in vain if the gardener is not confident of a productive harvest.

The interaction between Jesus and a fig tree on the Tuesday and Wednesday of Jesus’ final week at the Passover in Jerusalem teaches us much about Jesus’ expectations for HIS disciples. Just as a fig tree does not demand of its creator when it will produce fruit, so too a disciple of Jesus does not demand of Jesus when he/she will be a disciple or obey the master.

What do we make of Jesus’ interaction with the barren Fig Tree?

Instead of breaking down the details of the proper growing season for figs vs the hunger of Jesus’ human nature, let’s look instead at the expectations Jesus has for his disciples. This is the deeper lesson here.

Notice Jesus’s response to the disciples’ question about the withered fig tree. He did not answer about the natural aspect of the tree’s growing season … instead Jesus answers the question about a fig tree with the declaration about confident faith.

v 21 “Truly, I way to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.”