Scripture: Mark 12:1-11 (CEB)
Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. 2 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully. 5 He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others. 6 Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son. 7 But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 11 The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes?”
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Contributed by Katherine Vaughan
As a high schooler, I witness a lot of wrongful behavior from my peers. For the most part, I don’t concern myself with other people’s actions. However, recently it has gotten harder to do this. All my life, I’d heard things about how people who make bad decisions end up being unsuccessful. It seemed fair enough. Do good things, and you will be rewarded for them. Do bad things, and you won’t.
Unfortunately, this does not end up being the case. I watch people who I know have been unkind and immoral receive awards, scholarships, be distinguished and honored, and get into top colleges. Yes, some others had found themselves “paying” for their actions, but I was surprised by how many of my classmates made out like bandits. At times, it didn’t seem like there was any incentive to be nice. This experience isn’t limited to just high school; it’s in almost every aspect of our lives. While it isn’t our job to judge people, we can easily lose hope when we watch evil seemingly triumph over good.
This is where the parable of the tenant farmers comes in (Mark 12:1-11).
To summarize, a man plants a vineyard. He rents it to tenant farmers and takes a trip far away. When the harvest is ready, he sends one of his servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenant farmers beat the man and send him away with nothing. The landlord sends two more servants, and they are both treated the same way. He sends many more, and the same thing happens. Finally, the landlord sends his son, thinking that he will be respected. But the tenants, greedy to steal the son’s inheritance, kill him.
Each character or thing in the story represents something else in life. So, just as my English teacher forces me to pick apart Animal Farm, let’s figure out who these characters represent:
The landlord = God
The vineyard = Israel
Tenant farmers = leaders of Israel
Servants = prophets
Beloved Son = Jesus
The parable ends with Jesus explaining that the landlord will “come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'” (Mark 12:9-10, CEB).
Takeaways from this passage:
- The meek shall inherit. We shy away from this verse being many of us don’t consider ourselves “meek”. We have food, a place to live, clean water, clothing, and many other blessings. However, “meek” simply refers to the humble in spirit, which is all who believe. Even though in the parable it seems like the tenant farmers are winning, Jesus makes it clear that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
- God is still working today! This verse acknowledges that God is a great distance away from us. But He is always working on this Earth through the people He sends as His servants. We connect with God through prayer, but also by realizing when God has sent us help (or sent us to help).
- It is sometimes very hard to follow God’s will. Especially when you continue to get beat by tenant farmers, who seem like they have it all. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like we are fulfilling God’s will. But in the end, God’s purpose becomes clear. Our job is to do our very best, despite boundaries and hurdles.
- When you’ve done all you can, God will finish the job. In this parable, the servants are unable to accomplish their duty. God sends His only Son, and even though he is killed also, we know how this story ends! God will take leaps and bounds to accomplish His Will. With God, all things are possible! Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and God will send it to you!
In the end, the only people we need to worry about are ourselves. Others might seem to be flourishing, but our judgements are based on very little evidence. Thankfully, God knows everything, and his judgements are always right. Allow yourself to feel confident in the Word! Don’t be too harsh on others or yourself.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for the many blessings You have given me. Please guide my vision and actions toward the accomplishment of Your Will. Please give me strength, wisdom, and courage to face the day. Forgive me of my sins and forgive those who are unkind to me. Align my focus to Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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