Hanging on to Power

We have all heard plenty in the news recently about the allure of power. How difficult it is to relinquish it! How it is not in our nature to be accountable. And what evil can result.

These events make today's reading that much more vivid. We can understand what happens when Jesus' influence with the crowds and his presence in the Temple threaten the Jerusalem leadership. The teachers of the law and the chief priests were all about their power and position. They had no concern for the people.

But Jesus is not intimidated as he continues his ministry of teaching in the Temple courtyards. Nor does he ignore the presence of his opponents. Instead, he tells a parable to the people, knowing that the teachers of the law are paying close attention.

The teachers of the law would have immediately caught the allusion to Isaiah 5:1-7, where the vineyard is used as a metaphor for Israel, God's people. Perhaps they also caught the allusion to "my son, whom I love," (echoing the words of Luke 3:22) when they saw that the whole parable was directed against them.

They could see that Jesus was about to dislodge their own authority. The vineyard would indeed be given to others (v 16) when the church became the new Israel, and the stone which the builders rejected became the cornerstone of the church (Acts 4:11).

They had forgotten that they were the stewards, not the owners of the vineyard. When the owner sent his beloved son, they killed him. It must have been unnerving for them to see that Jesus knew exactly what they intended, but didn't let that deflect him from his purposes.

We often think of Jesus as a man of deep compassion. Do you also think of him as a person of foresight, courage and resolution? Have you thought about how skilled he was in debate? About how he could speak to people who wanted to kill him, without offering them a single word that they could use to accuse him?

Respond in Prayer

Lord Jesus, I marvel at the way you behaved on this occasion. I worship you as God's Son, who did not shrink back even when you were confronted with the cross because you fixed your eyes on what lay beyond when you would be raised from the dead and glorified. Thank you for doing all this so that I, with millions of others, would be forgiven. Amen.

Thomas Froese

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).