Prophecy, interesting stuff! Check this out: A medieval Jewish astrologer prophesied to a king that his favorite mistress would soon die. Sure enough, the woman died a short time later. The kind was outraged at the astrologer, certain that his prophecy had brought about the woman’s death. He summoned the astrologer and gave him this command: “Prophet, tell me when you will die!” The astrologer realized that the king was planning to kill him, immediately, no matter what answer he gave. So he said, finally, “I do not know when I will die. I only know that whenever I die, you will die three days later.”
Mark 12:1-4 (TNIV)
1 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.
This particular parable pointed right at the religious leaders who stood before Jesus. Jesus knew their intention to kill him, and warned them of their ultimate punishment for their actions.
This is the beginning of a parable called “The Parable of the Tenants”. Here is a little context:
— The man planting the vineyard is God.
— The vineyard was the nation that God had cultivated to bring salvation to the world.
— The servants are God’s prophets.
— The farmers (or tenants) are the religious leaders who were entrusted with the spiritual care of the people.
In ancient days, landowners would hire farmers (tenants) to work the vineyards and turn the grapes into the product, wine. They would keep a percentage of the entire product for their labor (from 50-75%) and would provide the landowner with the remaining 50-25%.
In telling this parable, the Pharisees and teachers of the law who had just tried to trap Jesus with a question knew exactly what Jesus was saying. Jesus is pointing out that instead of listening to the many prophets and priest that have been sent by God to the nation of Israel over the years……..the religious leaders mistreated them and stubbornly refused to listen to them. They were so jealous and possessive of their power that they ignored the welfare of the very people they were supposed to be bringing to God!
Here is today’s context…I see two:
ONE: This parable applies to all of us, whether you are someone who believes with all your heart, someone struggling with your faith or someone who just plain doesn’t believe, this applies each time we reject a message or the messenger that God has sent.
How can we tell that a message (or messenger) is from God?
— The messenger will never claim the message but will always give the glory to God.
1 Corinthians 2:1, 4-5 (TNIV, This is the apostle Paul speaking)
1 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
— All things are tested by Scripture. They will never involve hating, hurting, lying, stealing, cheating, and on and on.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV)
but test everything; hold fast what is good.
— The fruits of God’s messengers will be apparent, meaning that you will know that they are of God. Just like above, you will not see these things in their character.
Matthew 7:15-18, 20 (TNIV)
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
TWO: This parable applies to those who are called by God to minister to His people. You (we) have been called to speak God’s wisdom, to love people and to help people heal, to help people find true healing in their loves through a relationship with Jesus. You (we) have NOT been called to build OUR kingdom, build OUR power base or protect OUR interest. Your (OUR) focus must be on building God’s kingdom, humbly through service, daily with trust and always with love!
Otherwise…..you (we) are simply like the Pharisees and teachers of the Law that Jesus was speaking too.