The Parable Of The Wicked Husbandmen

Matt. 21:33-46

It is a serious mistake for anyone to read this parable and say, “That applies to the Jews. It has no reference to me.” This parable addresses us just as fully as it did the priests and Pharisees to whom it was originally spoken. The message of the parable is obvious. It warns us of the danger of despising gospel privileges. Those who despise the privileges of the gospel are courting the wrath of God! There are three specific lessons to be learned from this parable.

God sovereignly and graciously bestows upon some the opportunities and privileges of public worship which he withholds from others. God chose Israel alone to be his peculiar people. He separated them from all other nations. He counted the Jews to be his vineyard. He planted it, hedged it about, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower in it. God established his worship in Israel alone. He gave his law, his ordinances, his altar, his Word, his prophets, and his manifest presence to no other people. Even so, today God sends his Word to some and withholds it from others as he sees fit (Matt. 11:20-27; Acts 16:6-7). The greatest blessing God can ever bestow upon any people is to establish his Word and his worship in their midst. How thankful men and women ought to be who, in days of spiritual famine, have the privilege of a faithful gospel ministry (Amos 8:11-12).

Yet, multitudes, like the Jews of old, despise the privileges God gives them. God gave Israel his Word; but they mingled with the heathen and learned their works (Psa. 106:35). God sent his prophets to the Jews; but they would not hear them. He showed them the path of righteousness and life; but they chose the way of sin and death. God revealed himself to them in the pillars of cloud and of fire, in the rock, and upon the mercy-seat; but they turned aside to idols. At last, God sent his Son; and they crucified him. But, before condemning their base ingratitude, we ought to ask ourselves - What are we doing with the privileges God has given us? We have his Word. Do we seek to know it? We have his ordinances of divine worship. Do we avail ourselves of them? We have his people in our midst. Do we choose their company?

If we despise the kingdom of God, (his Word, his worship, and his people), it shall be taken from us! Better that we should have meat and drink, or even health and life taken from us than that we should have the Word, worship, and people of God taken from us. But all who despise God’s kingdom are in danger of losing it (Rom. 11:21). As God took the light away from Israel and left that nation in darkness, so he has taken the light of his gospel away from many communities and nations who once possessed it, but came to despise it in time. I wonder how we would react if we knew we were in danger of having the kingdom of God permanently taken from us, our neighbors, our children, and our children’s children. Would that be a matter of great concern to you? If so, read Revelation 2:4 and 5 and lay to heart the warning Christ gives.

Don Fortner