1.   And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.
      2   And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard.
      3   And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
      4   And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully.
      5   And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some.
      6   He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
      7   But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
      8   And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard.
      9   What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
      10   Have ye not read even this scripture:
      The stone which the builders rejected,
      The same was made the head of the
            corner;
      11   This was from the Lord,
      And it is marvellous in our eyes?
      12   And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away.

Questions and Brief Comments.

Verses 1, 2. When was this? (After the "triumphal entry"). Give the chief points of the parable, in [159] verses 1, 2. Who is the man? (God.) What the vineyard? (God's kingdom. Compare Isa. 5). Who the servants? (The prophets, the messengers of God). Who were the husbandmen? (Israel).

Verses 3-5. How did they show their unfaithfulness and enmity toward the owner of the vineyard?

Verse 6. How was this last Messenger distinguished from all the former ones? Compare Heb. 1:1, 2. What did the owner of the vineyard hope in sending Him?

Verses 7, 8. Did they reverence the Son? What mad purpose did they form? How did they carry it out?

Verse 9. What sure vengeance was due to follow this terrible deed? Did it follow? (Yes
--in the destruction of Jerusalem. Comp. Matt. 22:7).

Verses 10, 11. Where is this scripture found? (Ps. 118:22). Where is it again quoted and applied? (Acts 4:11, 12).

Verse 12. Did this parable increase the hate of Jesus' enemies? Why? Why did they not forthwith lay hold on Him?

NOTES AND TEACHING-POINTS.

THE LORD SPEAKS IN PARABLES.

      The parable both illustrates and veils the truth. It compels more thought and attention than direct speech, and when its meaning is perceived leaves a deeper impression. The Lord used parables sometimes to veil His deeper teaching from those who were not fitted to receive it (Mark 4:11, 12); and sometimes (as in this case) to arrest his hearers' attention.

THE VINEYARD.

      No doubt the Lord had in mind the "Song of the Vineyard" in Isa. 5, and His hearers, too, doubtless were reminded of it. Read it. God is the One who planted it and provided every equipment and advantage. The husbandmen were "the shepherds of Israel"--Ezek. 34--priests, rulers, elders, scribes--to whom the care of the vineyard was committed. The servants that were sent from time to time were the prophets, God's spokesmen, who demanded repentance and righteousness and recognition of God. With little exception the nation, influenced by its leaders, ignored and mistreated the prophets. Finally God sent His Son (Heb. 1:1, 2); and, not presuming on His foreknowledge, He assumes that "they will reverence my Son." But they recognized in His special greatness and power that He is the Heir (though in a sense they knew Him not, nor what they did, Acts 13:27) plotted to kill Him, and did so. They cast Him forth out of the vineyard by delivering Him up to the Gentiles to be crucified. But in so doing they made the vineyard desolate and destroyed it, and God gave the Kingdom to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, and upon the rejected Cornerstone built His church. [159]

      "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming Righteous One, of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not." (Acts 7:51-53).

SPECIAL TEACHING POINTS.

      Investments and Returns. From every investment God makes He wants revenue and return. Read the Son of the Vineyard, Isa. 5:1-7, with this thought in mind. Does this lessons show the same? If no fruit is returned what will He do to His vineyard? COnsider the investment God made in the Church: was it very great and extensive? (The gospel, the blood of Christ, the Holy Spirit). Is He getting adequate returns from the professing church? He has made a special investment in each of us. Let me ask what God has invested in me. Have I borne any fruit? If not, what will be the outcome? Read John 15:1, 2 and Heb. 6:7, 8.

      The Pre-Eminence of the Son. All the prophets that had been sent from Moses down and including John the Baptist were but servants. Then God "had yet One, a beloved Son," who was the Heir of all. Note the deep distinction between the Son and the prophets. Compare Heb. 3:1-6.

      The Hardening of the Heart. The continual rejection of God's word hardens the heart, until men are capable of the most terrible things. So it went with Israel. God sent His prophets "rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people . . . but they mocked the messengers of the God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no more remedy." (2 Chron. 36:15, 16). "They would not hear but hardened their neck like to the neck of their fathers." "Wherefore ye witness to yourselves," the Lord Jesus said to them, "that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell? Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth. . . ." (Matt. 23:31-36). This is the way of hardening and deepening darkness. "Today, if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your heart!"

      The Judgment of the Husbandmen. Everything in a parable is not necessarily figurative. These husbandmen were literal men and were literally slain, just as the parable said they would be. "The King was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city." (Matt. 22:7). This was literally fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem.

      The Questions alongside of the Lesson Text are suitable for Class Use.

      1. Questions on the Lesson Text. These questions with references given are designed to help the student to an understanding of the teaching of the printed text.

      The whole aim of this arrangement of these lessons is to lead student and teacher to study and think for himself, rather than to put all before him simply to be read off. It will be found that all personal search and effort pays greatly in increased interest and real blessing. [160]

Source: Fourth Lord's Day Lesson of May. Lesson 9. May 27, 1928. The Wicked Husbandmen (Mark 12:1-12).