Lesson 197 - Senior
Memory Verse
"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:22, 23).
Cross References
I The Vineyard
1. A householder planted a vineyard, let it out to husbandmen, and went to a far country, [MAT:21:33]; [ISA:5:1-7]; [PS:80:8].
2. He sent his servants to receive the fruit of the vineyard, [MAT:21:34].
3. The husbandmen beat one of the servants, killed another, and stoned another, [MAT:21:35]; [JER:37:15]; [JER:38:6]; [JER:26:23].
4. He sent other servants, and the husbandmen did the same as before, [MAT:21:36]; [2CH:36:15-16]; [NEH:9:26].
5. Last of all, the husbandmen killed the son, hoping to seize the inheritance, [MAT:21:37-39]; [GEN:37:18-20]; [JHN:11:53]; [ACT:2:23].
6. Punishment will be given the evil husbandmen, [MAT:21:40-41]; [ACT:13:46]; [ACT:18:6]; [ACT:28:28].
II The Rejected Stone
1. The rejected Stone has become the head of the corner, [MAT:21:42]; [PS:118:22]; [ISA:28:16]; [DAN:2:34]; [ACT:4:11].
2. Those who fall on this Stone will be broken, but it will grind to powder those on whom it falls, [MAT:21:44]; [1PE:2:7-8].
3. Jesus pronounced judgment upon the Israelites, [MAT:21:43-46].
Notes
This vivid parable was directed to the Jewish nation and was given to show them that the Lord had chosen them to be His people, that they had failed God and rejected His prophets, and that the vineyard would be taken from them and given to others.
A Choice Vine
The Prophet Isaiah gave us a beautiful description of the vineyard, which the Lord planted, and the very fruitful hill where it was to be nourished ([ISA:5:1-7]). Canaan, the Promised Land, was given to the Israelites, and was a land that was blessed in every way. The Scriptures tells us that it flowed with milk and honey, and the grapes of Eshcol were extremely large. There were vineyards, which the Israelites did not have to plant, olive yards that were bearing their fruit, and cities that they did not have to build.
The stones also were gathered out of the land. We can understand by this that the Lord meant that He was willing to drive out the Canaanites -" the idolatrous, God-rejecting inhabitants of the land. This was done, so far as God was concerned, needing only the obedience of the Israelites to make it complete.
God planted the land with the choicest vine, a family of God-fearing people. The head of this family was looking far beyond the cities and wealth of this world to a city, which had foundations, whose Builder and Maker was God ([HEB:11:10]). This chosen one was Abraham, that man of faith who believed and obeyed God; and it was the seed of Abraham whom God planted in this vineyard. Abraham was a stalk of the finest quality! What more could have been done as touching God's vineyards?
A Far Country
The Lord is represented here as a householder going away into a far country. He left husbandmen in charge of the vineyard. He expected them to prune, to water, and to nourish this choice vine that He had planted. At the season for fruit He expected to gather fruit. He looked, and lo! It brought forth nothing but wild grapes. The husbandmen had miserably failed. That noble vine had become a degenerate vine.
The Lord of the vineyard had done His part. He had been patient with them, and had sent unto them many prophets to tell them how to care for His vineyard. "I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them" (Jeremiah 35:15). He told them that they had mistreated those that were sent to receive the increase. Some had been stoned, some beaten, and some killed. "Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented" (Hebrews 11:36, 37).
Sending of the Son
Last of all, the lord of the vineyard sent his son to them, saying, "They will reverence my son." But each succeeding year had found the nation more corrupt. There was no soundness in it, nothing but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. The husbandmen said, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." At the very time that Jesus was telling this parable the chief priests and the Pharisees were conspiring to kill the "Son" and cast Him out of the vineyard.
A Straightforward Question
When Jesus had spoken this parable, He asked a question of the hearers, "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" They gave correct answer. "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen." We soon find the Jewish nation cut off and the Gentile nations chosen in their place ([ROM:11:1-).
Vineyard Given to Others
From the days of Abraham until Christ, the Lord had been patient with Israel. He used different means to preserve them as a people unto Himself. First, He prospered them and blessed them in basket and in store, and made them a mighty nation. They became lifted up and rebellious. Then He brought them low and led them into captivity. And, last of all, He sent His Son -" His well beloved Son. But their hearts were still evil. They rejected Him, crucified Him, and cried out, "His blood be on us, and on our children." Soon after they uttered those words the vineyard was taken from them and given to the Gentiles.
As God deals with nations, so He deals with individuals. Are you like those wicked husbandmen? Are you saying, "I do not want Jesus to reign in my heart?" God's Spirit will not always strive with man. Jesus pleads with everyone; but if finally rejected, when the Lord of the vineyard comes what will He do with you? The Pharisees pronounced their own doom when they said, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen." Little did they dream that the Gospel was passing from the Jews to the Gentiles. "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46).
The Rejected Stone
It has been said that when the stones for the Temple were cut out in the mountains and brought down to the Temple site, the master mason looked them over and rejected one, saying there was no place for it. But when he began to build the magnificent structure he found that this stone, which he had rejected was the chief cornerstone. Whether this was true literally or not we do not know, but we do know it is true spiritually. "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes" (Matthew 21:42). Jesus is the chief Cornerstone. He is the foundation on which the whole structure of the Gospel stands. God could not build this structure on man. If He had, it would have fallen. So He sent His only begotten Son into this world to suffer and die for the redemption of the whole world.
Ground to Powder
If we fall on this Stone we will be broken. The Spirit of the Lord will break our stubborn, rebellious spirits, and give us a contrite heart. God says, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).
There is a vast difference between falling upon the Stone and being broken, and having the Stone fall upon you and your being ground to powder. The Jewish nation would not fall upon that Stone. Soon it fell upon them, and they were ground to powder and scattered among the nations. We have our choice today of falling upon that Stone, or letting it fall upon us.
Questions
1. At what nation was this parable directed?
2. Who were the husbandmen? and how did they treat the lord's servants?
3. Why did not the husbandmen reverence the Son?
4. What effect did the parable have upon the chief priests and Pharisees?
5. Who received the vineyard when it was taken from the Jews?
6. What is the Stone the builders rejected?
7. What will happen to those who fall upon the Stone?
8. What will happen to those upon whom the Stone falls?