The Story

It is sad to follow the Lord on those last days of teaching in the temple, and to see the growing hostility of the Pharisees and leaders of the Jews. The chapter opens with the demand of the chief priests and scribes to know by what authority He did these things. It was especially the driving out of the traders that they meant, which was profitable to them. The Lord answered them by another question about John the Baptist. If they could answer that, they would know the answer to the question they had asked. John prepared the people for the Lord, and we have read before that those who rejected John rejected Him. (Luke 7:29, 30)

And now the Lord spoke a parable of a vineyard. It brings to mind the vineyards which they all knew on the hillsides of the country - the protecting hedge or wall, the wine press cut in the rock, the tower for the watchmen, the vines trained on rails or on walls. We know as we read, that the vineyard is the Lord's church, and that the husbandmen are the leaders of the church, to whose care it is entrusted. The owner goes into a far country for a long time, for the Lord allows it to seem as if He were far away, so that we can use His gifts in freedom. The servants sent for the fruit suggest the prophets and all the messengers and means that the Lord uses to teach us and remind us of our duty to give to Him the fruits of good life. The beloved son is the Lord Himself who came into the world. The vineyard would be taken from these wicked husbandmen and given to others. In rejecting Him, denying His Divinity, they were rejecting the one strong stone on which they could build securely, as the Lord had said to Peter. (Matthew 16:18) But, in truth, in rejecting Him they were only injuring themselves. (Verses 17, 18) They were the more angry, for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them.

We see them plotting together, and sending little groups of men to ask questions of the Lord, trying to entrap Him in His talk, and to find some excuse to deliver Him to the power and authority of the governor. There came some of the Pharisees, who, you remember, were very strict in the religious ceremonies and bitterly hated the Romans and the publicans who collected their taxes, saying that no tax should be paid except to the temple; and with them other men, Herodians, who were friendly to the Romans. They all asked, as if they really wanted to know what was right to do, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not"? If the Lord said, Yes, the Pharisees would say that He was not faithful to their religion; if He said, No, the Herodians would accuse Him of opposing the rulers. But the Lord knew their wicked hearts and why they asked Him; and how wise His answer was! The penny we remember was a Roman silver coin, a little larger than a dime. When have we heard of pence before? (Luke 10:35; Matthew 20:2; John 12:5) The head and name of Tiberius Caesar were on one side of the coin. It was a sign that the Romans were rulers of the country. They protected it from enemies, and built roads and did other useful things. It was right that they should be paid for this service. But ought the people to forget the Lord their Heavenly King who did still more for them, with still greater love and power? "Render therefore unto Caesar," the Lord said, "the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's." Then others came with other questions; and He answered them with equal wisdom. Until finally, it is said, "After that they durst not ask Him any question at all."

1. Who were attentive to hear the Lord as He taught in the temple? Who were angry, and tried to take Him?

2. Why did they not take Him openly? What means did they use? With what success?

3. Tell me a parable that the Lord spoke of husbandmen and a vineyard. Tell me of one attempt to entrap Him in His talk.

Spiritual Study

How is the Lord's question about John the Baptist an answer to the question of the priests in regard to His own authority? Those who listened to John and repented were able to perceive the Divinity of the Lord, for repentance opens the mind and heart to know Him. Especially they would understand the cleansing of the temple, which represented a deep and thorough repentance. (Psalm 111:10; John 7:17; T. 688-690)

The Jews perceived that the parable of the vineyard and the husbandmen was spoken against them, and we must consider its meaning to us. Remembering that wine is a symbol of spiritual truth, we see that a vine and a vineyard represent the church with special relation to its spiritual intelligence, its power to understand the truth of heavenly life and to bring it forth in good uses of charity. The husbandmen who would not render the fruits in their season are we who have knowledge of heavenly truth but fail to bring forth the good uses of charity in their season -according to our opportunity. Still worse if we resent and reject the appeals of the Lord and His Word to render the fruits He desires. We know the inevitable result; the vineyard will be taken from us; the Lord's truth will be given to the care of others. (A. 1069; E. 315)

The cornerstone we know is the Lord Himself, or the fact of His Divinity, which Peter confessed. To fall upon the stone is to oppose it intellectually; it falls upon us if we oppose it in our hearts, which is more fatal. (A. 9163; E. 417)

Notice how the Lord in answering the Pharisees and Herodians did not take the part of either side against the other, but taught a higher principle, which showed what each must do. It was the same when brethren asked Him to divide the inheritance. He answered, Take heed and beware of covetousness. (Luke 12:13-15) The church should take this position in regard to civil and business questions. It is not for her to take sides with the capitalist or the laborer, but to teach the heavenly principles which should guide them both in mutual helpfulness.

The Sadducees were a sect opposed to the Pharisees. They taught that there is no resurrection (Acts 23:8), and rejected the traditions. The law referred to is found in Deuteronomy 25:5. Tell me the story of "the bush." (Exodus 3) There is in heaven no marrying and giving in marriage of the merely external kind, which the Jews knew. The deepest heavenly marriage is the union of each angel with the Lord. From this grows the marriage of good and truth in every one; and on these depend the marriages of the angels. Heavenly marriage being of this deep spiritual origin, no such difficulty as the Sadducees proposed can ever arise. They erred, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. Moreover, heavenly marriages in all their degrees are really determined not in heaven, but upon earth, by the union with the Lord, and by the union of good and truth in the soul, in our life here. (M.41, 44; H. 366-386)

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