DAILY BYTEThe reason Jesus told this particular parable is because his authority had been vehemently questioned by opposing religious leaders. Immediately we are given insight that this parable is rooted in authority issues like power and control. Or should I say the illusions that we have regarding power and control.
‘By what authority are you doing these things?’
This parable is about the universal human struggle over ‘who is in charge – of me, of life?’
Who sits on the throne of your life?
Jesus ended his story with a question: ‘What then will the vineyard owner do?’ His audience answered that the owner would take away the vineyard from his tenants and give it to others.
Jesus’ point here is that when we live like this, as if everything is ours, and full of pride and selfishness, then it actually makes God angry. For that’s not how God made us to be; the vineyard, life, faith, everything is NOT ours but Gods!
When we live with this type of attitude, we inevitably begin to mistreat other human beings, we violate community and that is what makes God mad.
For the fruit of God’s Kingdom (or vineyard) is ultimately expressed in loving actions – how we treat others – and this is a challenge or message from God that in all honesty, we often savage, sabotage, stone and violate, both at a personal and community level.
We beat it up and toss it out of our lives because its message is hard to hear and obey.
We ignore both God’s messengers and his Son when we ignore God’s way of being – his love, grace, peace, non-violence and forgiveness – everything that is to do with his Kingdom.
When we fail today to show God’s love to Jews, Muslims, homosexuals, blacks, whites or whoever – then we are ignoring God’s messengers.
When we fail to care for the poor in our midst, or maintain a blissful ignorance of the cries of the oppressed around the world, we are rejecting Jesus.
When we will not embrace our neighbours or our enemies, we are throwing Jesus out of our vineyards in the mistaken belief that it is our right to do so.
PRAY AS YOU GO
Almighty God, show me exactly how I may be violating your call to love. Help me to embrace and love those that I find especially difficult to include and care about. Amen.
FOCUS READING
Matthew 21:23-27
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"
Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?"
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
