THE KING’ S BUSINESS 179 Christ (1 Peter 4:10). The husbandmen recognition more or less clear on the part did not own the vineyard, neither do we. pf the leaders, o f whom Jesus was and a Haying put the vineyard in the hands o f determination on. their part not to yield to the husbandmen, the proprietor withdrew Him lest they lose their own pre-eminence from jt, and so God withdraws, in a sense, and power (John 11:47, 48)'. The Jews from direct activity in His kingdom, and actually carried their appalling pjot into exe- works through men. In a similar way cution, and we, by continuance in sin, take Jesus Christ has withdrawn from the our part in this appalling treatment o f administration o f His kingdom and com- God’s Son, for in the last analysis it is mitted it to us (Matt. 25:14, 15; Mark J sin that crucified Christ: The parable is 13:34; Luke 19:12). The absence o f the trjae to fact in every detail.
proprietor did not in any wise lessen his ownership o f the vineyard, and Christ’s absence does not in any way lessen our responsibility to Him. When -the time for fruit came, the proprietor justly sent to receive the fruits o f his vineyard, and so God will demand o f us in due “season” the fruits o f His vineyard. The servants sent to •demand the fruits o f the vineyard were the Old Testament prophets (2 Chron. 36:15, 16; Jer. 25:4). The fruits demanded were repentance, obedience, righteousness, and ~benevolence (2 Kings 17:13- Zech. 7 :8-10). The servants whom God sends to the present husbandmen are His divinely called and commissioned ministers. The fruits they demand are the same. The hus bandmen mistreated all the servants of God. This was historicaly true o f Israel’s treatment o f their prophets (ch. 5 :12; 2 Chron. 36:16; 24:20, 21; 16:7, 10; Jer. 26:21-24; Acts 7:52; Neh. 9:26; 1 Kings 18:4, 13; 19:2, 10; 22:26, 27). The world uses -godly men in much the,, same way today (2 Tim. 3:12) and thus reveals its hatred tof God (John 15:18, 19; 17:14; 7:7; Rom. 8:7 ). The householder’s last recourse was the-sending o f His own Son. While all the prophets, even the greatest, were servants, Jesus was a Son and only Son (cf. Mark 12 :6, R. V .; Heb. 1:1, 2, 5; 3 :5,. 6), It seems inconceivable that the wickedness o f the husbandmen should reach such a point that they would even kill the Son and; Heir (vs. 14, 15; cf. Jer. 30:3; Zeph. 3:7 ). The Jewish leaders did not, with perfect clearness, recognize in Christ the Messiah, and deliberately plan to get His kingdom from Him (Luke 23:34; Acts 3:17; 1 Cor. 2 :8 ), and yet there was a
Tuesday, February 22. Luke 20 : 16 - 18 .
- It was a tremendously searching question that Jesus put to the Jews in- verse 15. It suggests another question that God puts to us in Heb. 10:28, 29. In the account in Matthew the Jews themselves are repre sented as answering the Lord’s question. Here Jesus is represented as answering it Himself. Doubtless they answered it and thereby condemned themselves out o f their own mouth, but He answered it also. As an historic fact He did come and destroy those husbandmen in the year 70 A. D. and gave the vineyard unto others; The most appalling siege in the world’s history overtook Jerusalem because o f their killing o f their Messiah, and a .similar doom awaits those who reject Christ (Heb. 12:25). Israel having been destroyed, the kingdom is transferred to the church, chosen out from the Gentiles. Our Lord confirmed His teachings by an appeal to the Old Testament Scriptures (cf. Ps. 118:22) Jesus Himself was the “stone which the builders rejected” (c f. Isa. 28:16; 1 Peter 2:6, 7 ; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Cor. 3:11). The Jewish leaders were the bungling builders; Jesus was the rejected stone whom God Himself made the head o f the corner. Even today God often gives a place in the building to stones the builders reject (cf. 1 Cor. 1 :26, 27). Whoever stumbles at Christ will be broken to pieces, but on whomsoever He falls he shall be scattered as dust. IVeduesday, February 23 . Luke 20 : 19 - 26 . The parable o f Jesus concerning the wipked husbandmen in the immediately pre-
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker