DougPeters wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2017 8:50 am
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The second "extended" parable in all three synoptic gospels is the parable of the Tenants.
But, strangely, it doesn't seem to get much attention.
For example, it is not even mentioned in John MacArthur's book entitled "Parables".
I've thought about this parable a lot, and wonder how other Christians would find my interpretation of it:
http://ilovetotellthestory.ca/tenants-commentary
I thought your explanation would go into Isaiah 5 more. There's some reasons why that parable isn't popular. It's against the orthodox Jews, directly against them:
Matt 21:43
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
KJV
By that, Jesus showed how The Gospel would go to the Gentiles, and among the Gentiles it would bear fruit.
But there's another subject in His Message, which is about the symbolic 'vineyard' itself:
Isa 5:7
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant: and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
KJV
After 1 Kings 12, the "house of Israel" represented the ten northern tribes of Israel, the majority of the children of Israel. That's what the 'vineyard' in the parable represents, i.e., the majority of the scattered ten tribes, since they were first scattered among the Gentiles. Jesus did say that He was not sent but unto the house of Israel, which would only include believing Jews along with the scattered ten tribes that would receive The Gospel along with Gentiles. Apostle Paul revealed this in Romans 9 when he quoted from the Book of Hosea to Roman believers on Christ. Hosea was written to the house of Israel, not Gentiles. Yet Paul quoted it about the time when God would have mercy on a people that was lo-ami (not My people), and together would call them the sons of the living God.
Per Isaiah 5, God planted a symbolic vineyard (seed of Israel) and He put Judah as the pleasant plant over the vineyard. But it bear poison grapes instead of good fruit. And because of that, He declared He would do this:
Isa 5:5-6
5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
KJV
And that's what literally happened to Jerusalem when the Romans destroyed it in 70 A.D. And The Gospel went to the Gentiles (along with the scattered seed of Israel among the Gentiles), and they became the western Christian nations of history, representing the "nation" of Matt.21:43 bringing forth the fruits.
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