MPV Commentary

The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and His Reply--Parable

This parable is closely related to Matthew 21:23.

These events refer particularly to the clearing of the temple (John 2:13-22).

The baptism of John was a seal of his entire ministry and mission.

Why did you not believe him when he testified about me, the culmination of his witness?

Crooked and hypocritical as they were, Jesus gave them no answer. But He displayed great dignity and composure as He turned their question back on themselves.

A vineyard (Luke 13:6) represents the people of God under the care of spiritual leaders who should have produced fruit in righteousness.

The owner of the vineyard left it to be managed by its own laws during the entire Jewish economy.

He sent his servants, including prophets (Matthew 21:35), to collect the fruit. However, they were beaten and mistreated.

The owner then sent his beloved son, claiming a unique relationship with God that set Him apart from all other messengers (Mark 12:6).

It would be unthinkable for someone not to respect such a son.

The leaders reasoned among themselves about what to do with the heir, who was destined to inherit God's inheritance in our nature (Hebrews 1:2).

They saw this as an opportunity to seize control and become lords themselves, which is the root of all evil.

In response, they cast out the heir from the vineyard (Hebrews 13:11-13; 1 Kings 21:13; John 19:17).

The Pharisees themselves had previously said that God would come and destroy those who rejected the son (Matthew 21:41). This pronouncement now sealed their own doom.

Their response was a stark rejection of Jesus' message, which they could not bear to hear.

Jesus then quoted Psalm 118:22-23, saying that the Kingdom of God is like a temple where a stone, rejected by the builders, becomes the keystone. The builders are now falling and being broken (Isaiah 8:15), but soon that stone will fall on them and grind them to powder (Daniel 2:34, 35; Zechariah 12:3).

This destruction would come upon them in their corporate capacity as Jerusalem was destroyed, and personally as unbelievers.