Like big businessmen today, the landowner in this story by Jesus, planned and built his vineyard with appropriate security to protect the crops from being ravaged by animals or pilfered by thieves. Having set up the estate he then let it out to tenant farmers before leaving the estate in their hands and moving on to set up another business. The tenants had the obligation to keep the fruit for the owner. After all, it was his vineyard.
 
But the owner's tenants refused to give up the crop. They wanted to keep it for themselves and were violent towards the servants. Finally he sent his son, who should have been respected. Jesus said that they saw the son's death as the final opportunity to seize the vineyard for themselves, and so they murdered him.
 
Jesus told this story shortly before He went to the cross to be killed by wicked men. It was all about Him. The parable depicted God, the prophets and Himself. God owns everything and plans everything so that it is fit for purpose to bring Him glory. But the people to whom He entrusted the world, and the Promised Land in particular, did not want to serve Him but wanted to take over God's kingdom. They had brutalised many prophets and Jesus knew that they were plotting to kill Him also (John 8:40).
 
The religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was talking about (Matthew 21:46). But it was important for them to know that He knew. Their plot would not catch Jesus by surprise at all. And yet they persisted. Their evil energy would not be satisfied until He was dead. Although hearing the parable gave them another opportunity to repent, they would not (Matthew 21:32). It is a terrible thing to be caught in the suction of evil and not be able to escape its grip. Only the power of Jesus can release a person from consuming temptation. If you are trapped in a vortex of wickedness, cry out to Jesus! Abandon your pride and repent. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:7-8)