In many of our Lord’s parables, he normally tells a story that will draw his listeners closer and closer to his Kingdom, both on earth and in heaven. They’re stories and images Jesus uses for his time; ideas and results his hearers can relate to firsthand. They’re aimed directly at the hearer, for his or her benefit. Jesus hardly references himself in his parables. They build up his followers in the virtuous ways of his kingdom.
Such as the parable of the mustard seed, where our good seed in life, our faith in him, begins small, but grows to a large size. By the time it reaches full growth, the birds of the sky can build a nest in its branches. Such growth takes a lifetime, never stopping. The mustard seed is just one parable aimed at the listeners of Jesus, taught for us to advance in our faith.
This parable today of the tenant owner and those who supervise and care for his vineyard, or are supposed to care for the vineyard with faithfulness and profit for the owner, bearing good fruit for him at the harvest time, this story our Lord tells is primarily directed at himself. He teaches his followers a truth at the center of his life. Where, in the fullness of his humanity, he too will need to grow to his full stature.
There are other parts of the parable that speak to us, but they’re more secondary parts. Incredibly important parts, like working for God in good faith. Don’t destroy the vineyard. Don’t be the cause of our fellow workers laboring against the owner.
I think of my UPS days in this matter where, if I followed a couple of fellow workers, I would have betrayed the company I worked for. The wherewithal was present to decide, “Yea, this person is trying to ruin the vineyard. Learning something good from them is not possible.”
At the heart of this parable, Jesus speaks about himself. Maybe the Lord is giving himself a pep talk for events in his life he knows must happen. Athletes do this constantly. They prepare not only physically in their respective sport, but also mentally and emotionally, so that when the moment of truth arrives, they’re ready to move forward with confidence. To perform at a higher level.
In the vineyard of the world, and even the vineyard of God’s Church, is found a cast of characters, which includes us. From the greatest Saints who care for God’s vineyard with sincere love, devotion, and faithfulness. Many have died for God’s vineyard. They are known as martyrs, whose blood is the seed of the Church. Their sacrifice, ironically enough, their ultimate sacrifice allows the Church to grow. And survive.
We also have in the vineyards of both the world and the Church, the greatest sinners too. All called to conversion. One type of sinner is those who beat up others, like Jesus teaches in the hard side of this parable. The owner sends along workers to collect his profit; the collectors get squashed.
It was like they walked into the worst neighborhood of Los Angeles or New York City thinking they were going to be safe. They paid the ultimate price for their decision to be a disciple of this owner, as the Apostles would do. That’s their story. They got beat up by bad people; early and often.
But God does not send us into an area of evangelizing that he himself has not gone. Which is how and why this week’s parable, at its center, is found the Son. The heir apparent. The one they were supposed to respect and treat well; to love and adore him.
Is God really this naïve? To think that there’s some section of humanity who will not kill his Son? He must know that the bad neighborhood within his vineyard is going to squash his Son and everything he teaches. Yet, he sends him anyway. And evil people will treat him without mercy and attempt to hijack his vineyard. All while he still treats us with mercy. The Owner’s colors never change, while our colors will go rogue. As they do in certain places of this vineyard today.
Jesus is the Son who does the will of his Father. He came into the vineyard of this world to die freely, for us. He could have said, “Yes, Father, I’ll go, and then not go.” But he didn’t because he’s all truth. The sacrifice Christ made in the vineyard of this world, laying down his life for his friends, benefitted us. Because what happens to the Son, the violence he endured, is what it took for our sins to be forgiven.
He is not only the center of this parable; he is the center of human history. And at this center we find “no greater love.” Not for himself, but for us. He is worthy of our obedience.