Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!
In the New Testament instances of the word, it
is used of a story with a hidden meaning, without pressing, in every detail,
the idea of a comparison.[1]
I know of twenty-three parables in the Old
Testament and forty-three in the New Testament.
Because this book is not about parables, but only just this one chapter,
I will only discuss two here. One
parable in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.
This likeness is generally only in some
special point. One person may be like
another in appearance, but not in character, and vice versa; so that when the resemblance or likeness is affirmed it
is not to be concluded that the likeness may be pressed in all points, or
extended to all particulars.[2]
For example, a lion is used as a resemblance
of Christ, on account of his strength and prowess. The Devil is likened to “a lion” because of
his violence and cruelty. Christ is compared to a thief, on account of
his coming, being unexpected; not on account of dishonesty.[3]
The
resemblance is to be sought for in the scope of the context, and in the one
great truth which is presented, and the one important lesson which is
taught: and not in all the minute
details with which these happen to be associated.[4]
The interpretation
of the parable be must
further distinguished
from any application which may be made of it.
For example: in the Parable of
the “Ten Virgins” (Matthew 25:1-12), the
interpretation belongs to some special point of time immediately preceding the
return of the Lord to the earth. This is
indicated by the word “Then,” with which it commences, and by its place in
relation to the context. Any lesson for
ourselves, as to watchfulness on our part, must come as an application of it to
present circumstances.[5]
Bad
Vineyard. Isaiah 5:1-7: In this parable God, through the prophet
Isaiah, is telling the people of Israel that He had carefully planted them in
good soil and cared for them. But they
have been a bad vine and did not produce any good fruit and God is planning on
pulling them up. God gave this prophetic parable just before the Babylonian
captivity.
The
proceeding chapter, chapter four, is about restoring Jerusalem. After this great hope then God explains His
future judgment of Israel. The first
half of the fifth chapter is the parable in discussion. The second half of the fifth chapter is about
the evil that men do. In chapter seven
we have the calling in prophecy of the Messiah.
So, God gives the Jews great hope before and after this parable of
judgment.
“Now
will I sing to my well beloved a song
of my beloved touching his vineyard. My
well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:”
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones
thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst
of it, and also made a wine press therein:
and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth
wild grapes.
And now, o inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men
of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have
not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked
that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
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 brake
down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
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.
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.
The Two
Sons- Matthew 21:28-32: This parable
is spoken by Jesus inside the Temple in Jerusalem to the chief priests and the
elders. Jesus reserved His harshest
words for the self-righteous religious people who thought they had no need for
mercy!
But what think ye?
A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, son, go
work today in my vineyard.
He answered
and said, I will not: but afterward he
repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went
not.
Whether of
them twain did the will of his father?
They say unto him, the first.
Jesus saith unto them, verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the
harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness,
and ye believed him not: but the
publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented
not afterward, that ye might believe him.
1.
[1] E. W. Bullinger. Figures
of Speech used in the Bible. Baker
Book House. Grand Rapids, MI. 1968, p. 751.
William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.
