Matthew 21:33-46
Mark 12:1-12
Luke 20:9-19
If you could travel anywhere in the world (money being no problem), where would you go?
If you were an absentee landlord and had to find trustworthy tenants, what would you seek?
If you owned a garden or an orchard, what would you grow?
If you had to entrust your business or belongings to someone outside your family, whom would you choose? Why?
When have you recently experienced "three-strikes-and-you're-out": Employment? Dating? School? Family? How do you handle rejection?
The Parable of
the Vineyard Owner
Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12; Luke
20:9–19
Lk 20:9aThen He began to tell the people this
parable: Mt 21:33bThere was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a
winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He
leased it to tenant farmers and went away Lk 20:9bfor a long
time.
Mt 21:34aWhen the grape harvest drew near, Mk
12:2b–5he sent a slave to the
farmers so that he might collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the
farmers. 3But they took him, beat him, and sent him away
empty-handed. 4And again he sent another slave to them, and they hit
him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5Then he sent another,
and that one they killed. He also sent many
others; they beat some and they killed some.
Lk 20:13“Then the owner of the vineyard said,
‘What should I do? I will send my
beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’
Mt 21:38“But when the tenant farmers saw the son,
they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize
his inheritance Lk 20:14bso that the inheritance may be ours.’ Mt
21:39–40So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed
him. 40Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he
do to those farmers?”
41“He will destroy those terrible men in a terrible way,” they told Him,
“and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the
harvest.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone
that the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone. This cornerstone
came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell
you, the kingdom of God will be taken
away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit. 44Whoever
falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will
grind him to powder!”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew
He was speaking about them. 46Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the
crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet. Mk 12:12bSo they
left Him and went away.[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp.
190–192). Holman Bible Publishers.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- How does this parable relate to the question of authority raised in Luke 20:1-8?
- In this parable, who is represented as the landowner? The vineyard? Tenants? Servants? Son?
- What does the landowner do? How do the tenants respond? What was Jesus prophesying by telling this story?
- What corresponds to the son's death? To the removal of the wretched tenants?
- How does the quoted Scripture Jesus quoted relate to the parable?
- How does the parable and the quote affect the religious leaders? Why don't they act? Why choose this time to tell such a parable?
- How does this parable answer the question they just asked about Jesus authority?
- What is ironic about Matthew 21:42-44? Who will be given the kingdom of God?
- At whom does Jesus direct the parable? Why don't they arrest him? Why don't they repent and follow Jesus?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- At different times in your life, how have you received Jesus? How do you receive him now?
- How do you make Jesus feel welcome in your life each day? What actions of yours might make him feel unwelcome?
- Is Jesus more like a millstone (weight that drags you down) or a capstone (one that holds everything together and the highest point in your building) in your life? Why?
- Have you ever felt as though you deserved God's kingdom?
- With whom do you identify in this story? Why?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
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