The Parable of the Vineyard from the Perspective of the Plan of Redemption

Introduction

In “The Parable of the Vineyard from the Perspective of the Plan of Redemption,” we will explore the deeper meaning of this parable told by Jesus and how it directly connects to God’s plan of salvation. I will look at the story of a man who plants a vineyard and sends out his servants, who are rejected until he sends his son, and how this narrative references the treatment of the prophets and, ultimately, of God’s own Son, Jesus. Throughout the text, we will see the lessons that this parable reveals about God’s relationship with the people of Israel and its impact on the plan of redemption for humanity.

The Parable of the Vineyard

One of the ways Jesus conveyed his lessons and teachings was through parables. The parables were not always fully understood by his listeners, and only some were given the understanding of them. Other, more attentive listeners fully understood their meanings. Sometimes it was necessary to question Jesus about what he meant.

In today’s study, we will analyze the “Parable of the Vineyard and the Inheritance” (Luke 20:9-16). However, I propose that we analyze this from a perspective that is outside the original purpose for which the parable was spoken by Christ. Before we go into details, let us read the account narrated by Christ:

Luke 20:9-16 – “And he began to tell this parable to the people: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruits of the vineyard: and the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they beat him also, and cast him out. And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps when they see him they will respect him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What then will the lord of the vineyard do to them ? He will come and destroy these tenants and give the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, ‘Not so!’

First, let’s look at the characters presented in this parable. We can find 4 characters, namely:

• The owner of the vineyard
• The farmers
• Servants
• The beloved son

To summarize the parable, it presents a story of a man ( the owner of the vineyard ) who owned a vineyard and left it in the care of some men ( farmers ). Over time, being far from his vineyard, he sent some men ( servants ) to harvest the fruits produced. However, the farmers who were left to take care of the vineyard beat and sent away all the servants of the owner of the vineyard who were sent to them. This event was repeated three times, until the owner of the vineyard decided to send his own son ( his beloved son ), thinking that at least he would be respected. But unfortunately, the son was treated worse than the servants, until he ended up being killed by them.

Parallel with the History of Israel

Understand that the parable was a parallel to events that had been occurring for many centuries before. For a long time, the Lord God had sent prophets and messengers to warn and rebuke the attitudes of His people. However, these people, in addition to having received with good pleasure the messages that were sent to them, rejected the prophets and dismissed the messages they received. This truth had been spoken on another occasion by Christ. Let us read:

Matthew 23:37 – “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!“

Likewise, this truth was recorded in the book of Chronicles during the Old Testament:

2 Chronicles 36:15-16 – “And the Lord, the God of their fathers, spoke continually to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people until there was no remedy.“

The parable narrated by Christ was nothing more than the reality that had happened over the centuries to the people of Israel. In the first part of the parable, it can be illustrated by the following flow:

God -> His messengers, the prophets -> Israel

Parallel to the Plan of Redemption

The parallel in this parable does not stop at sending God’s servants to Israel. Jesus continues the story by mentioning that God would even send His own Son, His beloved Son, so that they would hear Him. However, they would not listen to His Son’s words, and would even condemn Him to death. In fact, Christ spoke these words while He was alive, but He knew the end that awaited Him.

In any case, we can see that this parable was analogous to the Plan of Redemption. Indeed, God sent many prophets and messengers to the people of Israel, and finally, He sent His beloved Son for the redemption of the human race. The nation of Israel, however, rejected Jesus and condemned Him to death. The apostle Paul reinforces this thought in the introduction to the letter to the Hebrews:

Hebrews 1:1 – “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son“

God -> His Son -> Israel

In other words, we can see that each character in the parable had a parallel with reality. Notice this by comparing the following table:

The original purpose of this parable was to show the people of Israel how they had treated the messengers God had sent over the centuries, and ultimately what would happen to them after they rejected the Son He had sent. This is evident from the words at the end of the parable, which say: “What then will the lord of the vineyard do to them ? He will come and destroy these tenants and give the vineyard to others.“.

Attention: It was the Beloved Son, not the Owner of the Vineyard!

It Wasn’t the Owner of the Vineyard!

Although this is the original purpose of the parable, I would like to focus on another detail that few people pay attention to (although this question may seem obvious, it ends up being “hidden” by false doctrines taught in religious circles).

In the story told by Christ, the owner of the vineyard had a beloved son, who was sent but ended up being killed. As we saw before, the owner of the vineyard symbolizes the God of Israel. In the parable, at no point does Jesus say that the owner of the vineyard himself went to visit His vineyard. No! But that He sent servants, and finally His beloved Son. This truth sheds light on who God and who Jesus are, and the reality between the two. Jesus was the one sent by God to save the human race.

According to the parable, it was not God himself who came to earth. In other words, it is wrong to understand that Christ is the very God of the nation of Israel! In fact, he is the “beloved son” of the “owner of the vineyard“! This truth is so clear that God Himself testified to it when Jesus was baptized in water:

Matthew 3:17 – “And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.“

It was the Beloved Son

In the parable, the son of the owner of the vineyard was the “beloved son“. It wasn’t just any son, but the “beloved son“. These words were the same ones spoken by God Himself when Jesus was baptized. The Father testified that Jesus was His “Beloved son“! It was not God Himself who had come to this earth. No, and it could not have been! It was His only begotten Son who was sent (John 3:16). This truth is also reinforced by Paul’s words that we read earlier. Let us look at it again:

Hebrews 1:1-2 – “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.“

According to Paul, the idea is in full agreement with what Jesus taught in his parable. God sent prophets to speak to His people, and finally sent His Son. He further adds and says about the Son: “whom he appointed heir of all“. Notice that this detail of having been constituted “heir of all“, is also present in the parable narrated by Jesus: “But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.“.

The Sovereign’s Son

Jesus was not presented as being the sovereign God of the universe! On the contrary, according to the Scriptures, he is presented as being the Son of the Sovereign! He is the one who will inherit all things. In another passage, the apostle Paul even adds that we will be “co-heirs” with Christ Jesus:

Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God , and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. …“

Now, only he who is a son can be an heir! The Sovereign God, as the owner of everything, cannot inherit anything from anyone, since He is above all and is the owner of everything! One only inherits something when one is in a position to do so. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God (John 3:16), and we are sons by creation and redemption! Just as Christ will receive an inheritance, we will also receive it through the merits of Christ! Regarding this event, biblical prophecy declares about God’s people and about Jesus:

Daniel 7:14 – “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.“

Revelation 19:16 – “And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.“

Conclusion: The Parable of the Vineyard from the Perspective of the Plan of Redemption

Unfortunately, we read and reread these biblical teachings many times, but we are not always able to pay attention to certain details that are part of Jesus’ teaching. Many times, these details end up being hidden from our understanding due to false doctrines that we hold as truths. For example, doctrines such as the Trinity or Oneness (among others), both of which teach and present Jesus as being God incarnate, end up covering up the fact that Jesus is the Son of the Sovereign of the universe, and that there is only one God in the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 17:3), and that is the Father of Jesus!

May God bless us!