Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

Then he began to speak to them in parables. ‘A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?’ When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

‘The Parable of the Wicked Tenants’: this title, which is not, of course, from the Gospel itself, somewhat begs the question. The tenants do behave very badly, no doubt: but calling them wicked allows us to divert the force of the parable, implying that it is just directed at the others, the baddies, perhaps the chief priests and scribes to whom Jesus was speaking. I think that’s too easy.

Because if I’m honest, I can see how this story is all about me. I’ve been the recipient of many blessings in my life, not unlike the tenants who were left the beautifully tended vineyard by their kindly landlord. And just like the tenants, there have been many times that I’ve taken these blessings for granted, and begrudged the opportunities for generosity that they should have inspired.

More than that, I can recognise many times that I’ve ignored repeated promptings from the Holy Spirit. The parable describes the landlord sending his servants to collect his share of the produce, and we assume that it’s all about obligation. But these visitations are more an invitation to growth than a demand for reciprocity. Following Jesus may require giving of ourselves, and even the loss of much that we desire; but this is only that we may grow in our knowledge and love of the beloved son.

So, we should ask ourselves: is our first reaction to the call of discipleship anger and resentment at what we may lose in following Jesus? Do we reject what is offered? Or will we truly respect the gift of the loving landlord, and build our lives upon the cornerstone?