3. Closely connected with the two preceding Parables, and, indeed, with the whole tenor
of Christ's sayings at that time, is that about the Evil Husbandmen in the Vineyard.29 As
in the Parable about the Labourers sought by the Householder at different times, the
object here is to set forth the patience and goodness of the owner, even towards the
evil. And as, in the Parable of the Two Sons, reference is made to the practical rejection
of the testimony of the Baptist by the Jews, and their consequent self-exclusion from the
Kingdom, so in this there is allusion to John as greater than the prophets,30 to the
exclusion of Israel as a people from their position in the Kingdom,31 and to their
punishment as individuals.32 Only we mark here a terrible progression. The neglect and
non-belief which had appeared in the former Parable have now ripened into rebellion,
deliberate, aggravated, and carried to its utmost consequences in the murder of the
King's only and loved Son. Similarly, what formerly appeared as their loss, in that
sinners went into the Kingdom of God before them, is now presented alike as their guilt
and their judgment, both national and individual.
29. St. Matt. xxi. 33 &c. and parallels.
30. ver. 36.
31. ver. 43.
32. ver. 44.
The Parable opens, like that in Is. v., with a description of the complete arrangements
made by the Owner of the Vineyard,33 to show how everything had been done to ensure
a good yield of fruit, and what right the Owner had to expect at least a share in it. In the
Parable, as in the prophecy, the Vineyard represents the Theocracy, although in the Old
Testament, necessary, as identified with the nation of Israel,34 while in the Parable the
two are distinguished, and the nation is represented by the labourers to whom the
Vineyard was 'let out.' Indeed, the whole structure of the Parable shows, that the
husbandmen are Israel as a nation, although they are addressed and dealt with in the
persons of their representatives and leaders. And so it was spoken 'to the people,'35 and
yet 'the chief p riests and Pharisees' rightly 'perceived that He spake of them.'36
33. 'An hedge' against animals or marauders, 'a winepress,' or, more specifically (St.
Mark), a 'winevat' (υποληνιον ), into which the juice of the grapes flowed, and 'a tower' for
the watchmen and labourers generally. We may here remark that the differences in the
narration of this Parable in the three Gospels are too minute for discussion here. The
principal one, in St. Matt. xxi. 40, 41, comp. with the parallels, will be briefly referred to in
the text.
34. Is. v. 7
35. St. Luke xx. 9.
36. St. Matt. xxi. 45.
This vineyard the owner had let out to husbandmen, while he himself 'travelled away'
[abroad], as St. Luke adds, 'for a long time.' From the language it is evident, that the
husbandmen had the full management of the vineyard. We remember, that there were
three modes of dealing with land. According to one of these (Arisuth ), 'the labourers'
employed received a certain portion of the fruits, say, a third or fourth of the produce.37
In such cases it seems, at least sometimes, to have been the practice, besides giving
them a proportion of the produce, to provide also the seed (for a field) and to pay wages
to the labourers.38 The other two modes of letting land were, either that the tenant paid
a money rent to the proprietor,39 or else that he agreed to give the owner a definite
amount of produce, whether the harvest had been good or bad.40 Such leases were
given by the year or for life: sometimes the lease was even hereditary, p assing from