“There was a landowner who planted a vineyard”
Today’s readings focus on a vineyard. We will first look at what and who is being represented in the parable.
What is the vineyard? The vineyard is Israel, the promise land given by God to His chosen people.
The vineyard is also a symbol of the Church today. The vineyard has been handed over by God to the Church who believes in the Son who was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. “The Church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God… That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the Church remain in Christ, without whom we can do nothing.” [1]
Search: New Vine, New Wine
Why a Vineyard? “Palestine was a land of vineyards. The prophets of the Old Testament returned again and again to this popular image of the chosen people. Israel is the vineyard of God, the work of the Lord, the joy of his heart.” [2]
Activity – vineyard in scripture
As we see in this Sunday’s readings the image of a vineyard is throughout the scriptures Old Testament and New.
Genesis 9:20 – “Now Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard”.
Deuteronomy 22:9 – You shall not sow your vineyard with two different kinds of seed; if you do, its produce shall become forfeit, both the crop you have sown and the yield of the vineyard.”
1 Kings 21:1 – “Some time after this, as Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.” (*It is recommended to read this whole story 1Kgs 21:1-29 because it tells the whole story of what happens when Ahab takes the vineyard by killing Naboth.)
Proverbs 31:16 – “She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earning she plants a vineyard.”
Song of Songs 1:6 – “Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, because the sun has burned me. My brothers have been angry with me; they charged me with the care of the vineyards: my own vineyard I have not cared for.” (swarthy means tanned by the sun for working hard in the vineyard. The vineyard is Israel and the the Lord is the Lover.)
Isaiah 5:1 – “Let me now sing of a my friend, my friend’s song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside;” (from the First Reading. May be good to read the 1st reading again.)
Isaiah 27:2 – “On that day- The pleasant vineyard, sing about it!”
Matthew 21:33 – “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.” (Part of the Gospel Reading today. If you did not read the Gospel Reading before this lesson, we encourage you to read it again before continuing.)
1 Corinthians 9:7 – “Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock?”
Who is the householder? The householder is God the Father. He is the creator of all things. Here, Jesus uses the parable to show that the Father has prepared a place for His people to live, work, and rest.
Who are the tenants? The tenants are the Israelites namely, the priests, scribes and elders. “The owner’s absence makes it clear that God really did entrust Israel to its leaders; hence their responsibility and the account he demands of them.” [3]
Who are the servants? The servants were the prophets whom God sends from time to time. We see the persecution of the prophets. Jesus speaks of how the Israelites welcomed the servants by beating, killing, and stoning.
Who is the son? The son is clearly Jesus. Jesus is the beloved son of the Father who was sent to bring back the good fruit. The servants expected to gain power and be masters of the vineyard by killing the son. They wanted the son’s inheritance. This sin is utter stupidity for by rejecting and killing the son they lose everything. Jesus foretells his passion and death in this parable when he says, “And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.” (Mat. 21:29) The Israelites took Jesus out of Jerusalem and crucified Him on Golgotha.
What is the hedge represent? Saint Ambrose says, “The hedge is meant to represent divine protection for the vineyard against spiritual predators…” [4] God has put great care in preparing this vineyard, His Church and wishes to protect us from the evils of the world, the flesh, and the devil. All those who try to attack will be hindered. This is also why the parable speaks of there being a watchtower as well. All are called to keep watch against any attack on the Church.
What is the wine press? “The wine press is for extracting the vintage of the divine grape.” God wants us to enjoy the sweet fruit of His vineyard. He places within the Church all that is needed to enjoy the fruit of His vineyard. At Mass we are able to come to taste the extracting of the most vintage of the divine grapes in Jesus’ most precious blood.
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church 755
[2] Hernandez, In Conversation with God 5, 28.1
[3] Navarree Bible, Gospel of Matthew pg. 143
[4] St. Ambrose, Commentary on St. Luke’s Gospel, 20, 9