Parables no18 The Vineyard Labourers 10th

“THE 41 PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST”
28 general parables and 13 kingdom of heaven parables
Parable #18 - “The Vineyard Labourers”
Matthew 21:33-36,37-40,41-44,45;
Mark 12:1-4,5-8,9-12;
Luke 20:9-12,13-16,17-19
The 10^th of the 13 kingdom of heaven parables

BACKGROUND:
In 445BC, with one Bible week equating to seven years (a prophetic year being 360 days), God commanded that seventy weeks each of 7 years, would be determined upon Israel, that is … 70 weeks x 7 years = 490 years (Daniel 9:24-27).

This time frame is broken into four time periods of (a) 7 weeks + (b) 62 weeks + (c) the mystery church age of about 2,000 years + (d) 1 week = 70 weeks and is explained as follows:

#1. Seven weeks of years is 7 x 7 = 49 years … the time it takes to restore and build Jerusalem from 445BC to 396BC.
#2. Sixty two weeks of years is 62 x 7 = 434 years … the time from the building of Jerusalem in 396BC to Christ being cut off at the cross in 32AD.
#3. The church age of approximately 2,000 years
#4. One week of years is 1 x 7 = 7 years … this is the seven years of tribulation of God’s wrath upon the earth, that takes place after the rapture … called Daniel’s 70^th week.
The following Timeline will help (not drawn to scale):

DANIEL 9:24-27
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city … from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks … after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off … he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week …”

1. To illustrate a truth by something that is already familiar to the hearers. To make known mysteries by comparing with things already known
2. They impart instruction and rebuke without causing offence (the poor man’s lamb 2 Samuel 12:1-4,5-7)
3. They reveal a truth in an interesting form, and create more interest and hunger for further information (Matthew 13:10-13,14-17)
4. The symbolism of the stories is always true and the points illustrated are not false or absurd
5. The historical background and the circumstances and occasion when uttered must be understood
6. Their words and details must be defined literally not spiritually
7. The principles of interpretation are given by Jesus himself. and any interpretation at variance with these principles and with the purpose of the parable, is unscriptural and illegal.
8. Conceal a truth from the disinterested and the rebels at heart

EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE:
“THE VINEYARD LABOURERS”
Matthew 21:33-36,37-40,41-44,45-46
1. There was a certain householder = God the Father
2. which planted a vineyard = Israel (Isaiah 1:8; Jeremiah 12:10)
3. and hedged it round about = with Jesus Christ … if only Israel would come under his protection of his fulfilling the law
4. and digged a winepress in it = with Jesus Christ … the new wine that would come with Christ (Matthew 9:17)
5. and built a tower = with Jesus Christ is the tower that men should run into (Proverbs 18:10). The Tower of Babel was the false tower that men built (Genesis 11:4). Of course Christ is the Rock as well as the tower (Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Corinthians 10:4)
6. and let it out to husbandmen = those under the works of the kingdom of heaven rules … indeed even the kingdom of God and the time of seven year tribulation
7. and went into a far country = Jesus Christ went back to heaven to sit on the right hand of God the Father (Hebrew 1:3; 1:13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2)
8. And when the time of the fruit drew near = fruits from their own spiritual labour … there was no fruit (Luke 13:7) … a fig tree without fruit (Matthew 21:19-20)
9. he sent his servants = the prophets in the Old Testament
10. to the husbandmen = those under the works of the kingdom of heaven rules … including the Pharisees, Sadducees and the elders of Israel
11. that they might receive the fruits of it = spiritual fruits
12. So God sends a series of prophets = (Amos 3:7; Psalm 105:15)
13. And the husbandmen took his servants = Old Testament prophets … everyone of them
14. and beat one = 1 Kings 22:24
15. and killed another = Jeremiah 26:23

16. and stoned another = 2 Chronicles 24:21 and summed up with the scriptures (Matthew 23:35; Romans 11:3)
17. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise = prophets of the Old Testament up to Zacharias (Matthew 23:35)
18. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son = Jesus Christ

19. But when the husbandmen = the Pharisees, Sadducees and elders of Israel
20. saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance = Jesus Christ
21. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him = outside the walls of Jerusalem (John 19:20; Luke 23:33; Hebrews 13:12-13)
22. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? = the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19)
23. They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons = Christians under the kingdom of God
24. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? = that is Christ is the cornerstone now (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Acts 4:11).
25. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof = the Gentiles Romans 10:19; Romans 11:11;
26. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder = (Daniel 2:35; Luke 20:18)
27. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them = Christ knows all men (John 2:25)
28. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet = They awaited their time to capture Christ and crucify him … But only the time when God was ready (John 7:6)

CONCLUSION:
Dear Reader, will you be a broken sinner and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour or will you spend eternity in the fires of hell?

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. …. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” (Galatians 3:10,13).

Dear Reader will you believe the following…
“Thank you Jesus for becoming a curse for me and saving me from God’s wrath of hell fire.
Thank you I have eternal salvation and will be with you in heaven forever. Thank you for paying God for my debt of sins.
I have now been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Amen.”