It is all about “interpretation.” What I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND is that people can make the scriptures “say” practically anything – “they want to.”
It’s all about “their interpretation.”
Personally, I don’t like it when the scriptures are taken out of their original context and “USED” by anyone in a negative fashion.
My druthers would be – that the scriptures always be used appropriately…and that the “good news” be found and preached!
Unfortunately, it is not always the case.
This parable is a good case in point.
Jesus was upping the ante and escalating the heat between himself and the religious leaders of his day.
He is challenging them – to produce fruits of the Kingdom.
It is not a stretch to “assume” that we are being challenged as well.
As per usual, Jesus pulls his parables from real day life and living…from life, as it truly is … at the time.
The situation he is referring to is foreign ownership and even exploitation in the “Promised Land.”
Remember this was to be the land flowing with milk and honey – the promised land – given to Abraham and his children forever…
The very land the people fought for – inch by inch under Joshua ben Nun…
But centuries of exploitation and occupation has soured those dreams…those dreams are now but an “ancient memory.”
The land was a part of a promise…part of a covenantal agreement…no more wandering…no more homelessness…no more hunger…no more slavery or oppression.
But now the fact was – they were occupied yet again and foreign interests had ownership of their “promised land.”
As Jesus told the parable there were those people in the crowd that would have heard only one thing…
Obviously based on their interpretation of his words…the tenants were “rebellious and “actually acted upon” their “violent urges.” They attempted to overthrow their oppressors. Yay them!
Quite obviously there would have been those who were agitating for “the overthrow of the Romans” in the crowds.
Take back your land, take back your country and hang on to the promises of God.
They would hear the words of Jesus loud and clearly. For them, there would have been nothing but approval for the “resistance of the tenants.” They were like the original “freedom fighters.” They were “casting off the yoke of oppression.” They were fighting the good fight. And Jesus obviously by telling the story – was boldly declaring his support for such “a violent revolution” against all such Roman oppressors.
Then, there would have been the Jewish leaders, listening with interest to “hopefully find” something in his words to accuse him…and to bring accusations against him.
They knew that there would be heavy penalties against them and all the people – if – the people showed any sign of resistance. They also were well aware that any resistance against the like of Rome was certainly doomed from the beginning.
So when Jesus spoke about tenant resistance – alarm bells would have gone off in their heads and red flares sent skyward.
They too would think or might assume that Jesus was calling for a violent uprising and revolution against all of Rome…chasing the oppressors from the Jewish promised soil.
Still others in the crowd knew that language of the “land,” the “vineyard,” the “winepress,” the “abundant harvest,” and the “wine” were all symbols of God’s peaceable kingdom. This was the promised land after all. This was the land flowing with milk and honey. This was the place where the lion laid down with the lamb.
The violent behavior of the tenants seeking to take over the vineyard for themselves was shameful and dishonoring. It was the fall of Adam and Eve all over again. They were being disobedient children. Their hubris and pride was akin to that of the Iraqis at the Tower of Babel. Just who did they think they were?
Three different interpretations…from one little story.
So, was Jesus a revolutionary…or was he simply telling a story about how all of us are supposed to produce the fruits of the Kingdom.
You be the judge. You decide. It is all about your interpretation and how you hear the exact same words.