“Afterward he sent his son to them thinking they will respect my son…(Matt21:37)
Jesus, greater than the prophets which came before is the beloved son sent by the Father. He is sent to Israel to receive the bounty of the people. He is sent because they are in need of redemption; their sins are too great. At this moment the covenant with Israel is ended. The vineyard has produced sour grapes, wild grapes as foretold by Isiah5:3.
The laborers become a mob and kill the beloved son- the son God wanted man to love and respect. “God sent his Son not as a bearer of a sentence of punishment against the guilty, but as the bearer of an offer of repentance. He sent him to put them to shame, not to punish them. (St John Chryoston)
The Pharisees thought they were astute; Jesus uses this example to help them pass judgment on themselves. Did they not fear retribution, reprisal for their action? Did they despise the landowner so much? Were they unaware of their pride, not understanding pride is the root of all evil?
Does man feel no shame for what man did to Christ, the Son of God? Does shame save a man from evil? Is the philosophy of the mob today, “If it feels good, etc”
Justice, repentance, requires man to see: ”He will put those wretched men to a wretched death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give fruits in their season.”
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