The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

, ,

1. Title of the Parable

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
(also known as The Parable of the Vineyard or The Parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard)

2. Scripture Reference(s)

  • Matthew 21:33–46 (M)
  • Mark 12:1–12 (Mk)
  • Luke 20:9–19 (L)

3. Thematic Category

Love and Mercy to Others; Rejection of God’s Messengers; Accountability; Judgment and Restoration

4. Parable Summary

A landowner plants a vineyard and leases it to tenants while he goes away. When harvest time comes, he sends servants to collect his share. The tenants beat, shame, and kill the servants, one after another.

Finally, the landowner sends his beloved son, thinking they will respect him. But the tenants kill the son, hoping to seize the inheritance.

Jesus then asks: “What will the owner do?” He answers: “He will destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” This prompts alarm from the religious leaders, who realise the parable is directed at them.

Jesus caps the teaching with a citation from Psalm 118:

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

5. Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, absentee landowners leasing vineyards to tenants was common. According to Jewish Law, if no heir claimed the property, the land might pass to those who occupied it.

Jesus draws upon the Isaiah 5 imagery of Israel as God’s vineyard, a familiar prophetic symbol. The progression of rejected servants represents the long history of Israel’s rejection of prophets.

This parable is told during Passion Week, when Jesus is directly confronting the religious leaders in Jerusalem, and He positions Himself as the son—the final messenger and heir.

6. Literary Form and Structure

  • Type: Allegorical judgment parable
  • Structure: Setup → escalation of violence → climactic crime → judgment
  • Techniques: Allegory, prophetic allusion, escalation, rhetorical questioning

7. Theological Meaning and Kingdom Implications

The parable conveys that:

  • God entrusted Israel (the vineyard) to leaders (tenants) for stewardship.
  • Repeated rejection of God’s messengers (prophets) is a sign of hardened hearts.
  • The sending of the son represents God’s final appeal in Jesus Christ.
  • The rejection of the son results in judgment and the transfer of the Kingdom to a new people (likely the Church, including believing Jews and Gentiles).

The story ends with both judgment and promise—God’s Kingdom will not be thwarted, but it will come through unexpected recipients.

8. Moral and Ethical Lessons

  • Spiritual privilege carries responsibility—misuse leads to accountability.
  • Rejection of truth over time hardens the heart and invites judgment.
  • God’s mercy is long-suffering but not infinite in tolerance—there comes a day of reckoning.
  • The Church must not repeat the mistakes of Israel’s leaders—faithful stewardship is essential.

9. Jesus’ Interpretation or Explanation

Jesus interprets the parable plainly through His allusion to Psalm 118:22–23:

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…”

He warns that the Kingdom will be taken from the unfaithful leaders and given to a people who produce fruit.

The chief priests and Pharisees recognise that Jesus is speaking against them, but they are afraid of the crowd and do not act immediately.

10. Application for Contemporary Readers

  • Reminds leaders of the danger of spiritual arrogance and control.
  • Calls individuals and churches to be fruitful stewards, not possessive or resistant to God’s movement.
  • Encourages humility in receiving God’s messengers and correction.
  • Urges believers to build their lives on the cornerstone—Christ Himself.

11. Comparative Insights and Scholarly Commentary

  • Augustine interpreted the parable as a timeline of salvation history—prophets, Christ, and the Church.
  • Calvin focused on the presumption and cruelty of the tenants, a warning to unfaithful leaders.
  • Craig Blomberg sees three main points: God’s patience, human rebellion, and divine judgment with future hope.
  • N.T. Wright views this as a national parable of indictment against Israel’s leadership, with Jesus as the Son sent to restore the covenant.
  • R.T. France highlights that this parable seals Jesus’ fate—the leaders respond not with repentance but with plot.

12. Cross-References

  • Isaiah 5:1–7 – The vineyard song: judgment on Israel’s unfruitfulness
  • Acts 4:11 – “This Jesus is the stone… the cornerstone”
  • Hebrews 1:1–2 – “God has spoken… by His Son”
  • 1 Peter 2:7 – “The stone the builders rejected…”

13. Key Quotes and Phrases

  • “He sent his servants… and the tenants beat one, killed another…” (Matt. 21:35)
  • “They will respect my son.” (Matt. 21:37)
  • “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him…” (Matt. 21:38)
  • “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…” (Matt. 21:42)
Home