Everybody loves a story. This agricultural parable, in wine-growing country, presented a familiar picture: a new vineyard, a stone lined pit for treading the grapes, and a tower for shelter, storage and security.  It was well designed to be a business success.  According to Leviticus 19:23-25, the vines should not be harvested (but pruned, so that all the energy of the plants went into making good vine stock) until the fourth year - when all the produce should be offered to the Lord.  The first commercial harvest was to come in the fifth year.  So for three years, the farmer accepted a loss; and the following year he made a sacrifice. Tenant farmers were employed to do the work - at the owner's expense.

It was a picture of Israel; the storyline is based on Isaiah 5:1-7 – God's judgement on His faithless people.  Since the exile which followed, many more than three years of Israel's history had been spiritually unproductive.  No longer could God trust His people or give them the blessings of obedience (Jeremiah 8:13).  The Old Testament period was designed to prepare the vine of Israel to be ready for Jesus - with His salvation, forgiveness, and promise of rebirth by the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders were the current tenants in this story.  They had the responsibility of looking after the spiritual life of the nation in God's physical absence.  Instead, they allowed the temple to be a commercial market (Mark 11:17), and they behaved as though they were the owners, instead of being trustees.

This story is also a picture of Jesus who had come to claim the vineyard for the Owner.  As the narrative unfolds it becomes clear who is the real Owner of Israel, and how the Owner's Son would 'waste His life' and then make His own sacrifice so that the vine might become strong to bear fruit.  Jesus described Himself as the True Vine (John 15:5) which would incorporate branches of Gentiles as well as Jews – all who wanted to be 'in Christ', which is one definition of a Christian.

But there is a principle to examine.  What have we been given as guardians or stewards - to look after for God?  Families, wealth, our bodies and businesses ... have we stopped thinking of them as belonging to God?  1 Corinthians 6:20 reminds us that all we have is God's - not only because He made us, but because we have been bought back (redeemed) at a great price.  If all we have and are belongs to God, is He honoured by our stewardship of them?  That is especially true for those who have any part in the care of God's vineyard.  It is God’s; and it must be cared for as His Word demands, for His glory alone.