Gospel

The Tenants, Part 1

by Roland Crim
05/18/18
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“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Matthew 21:33-36 NIV

The tenants in this parable represent unbelievers. The vineyard represents the “world” in which the unbeliever lives. The fruit reflects the words and deeds of these people. The landowner is God. When God sends believers (his servants), there is no good fruit for them to receive. The only fruit contained on the vineyard are the actions and deeds of the unbelievers. They do not wish to share that which they have achieved on this earth, therefore, they will ignore, or in some manner persecute the believers sent. Believers share God’s word, but the tenants will not accept it. God continues to send His servants, with His message, hoping to find some good fruit within the harvest. Yet, the unbelievers cannot show any fruit which is pleasing to the land owner, God.

What a sad situation. These tenants must come to realize that if they do not repent, and begin to yield good fruit, their next destination will not be a place which they choose to face. To bear good fruit, one must first have a change of heart, turning to Jesus, in order that the Holy Spirit may come and change the individual, that good fruit might come to be yielded.