Vinedressers

These scoundrels play an important role in today’s parable from our Lord [13th Sunday, Mat 21:33-42].  As with any parable, words are used to paint an image, and the imagery points to a reality being described, sometimes criticizing, sometimes praising, but always pointing to a truth that needs to be highlighted.  What are the ‘truths’ in today’s parable?

First, we need to understand that references such as this to ‘a vineyard’ point to the nation of Israel, for Holy Scripture is overflowing with such references.  Psalm 80:8 makes this clear:  You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations and planted it. 

So, the “vineyard” is the nation of Israel.  But now, who are these ‘vinedressers’ to whom the landowner has entrusted the care of His vineyard?  First of all, let us understand a little about the use of the image of the vinedresser.

A vinedresser (or husbandman) is more than just a farmer.  To him, grapes are more than just an annual crop.  The grape vines remain with him for decades.  It is as if he comes to know each of them personally, much like a shepherd with his sheep.  He watches how a vine is developing from year to year.  He learns what each responds to and what special care each needs.  Each vine has a unique personality, and the vinedresser nurtures each according to its particular needs, pruning when necessary, fertilizing, lifting branches from the ground and tying them to a stake or trellis to protect the vine and its fruit from insects or disease.

Jesus’ use of the image of the vinedresser (the ‘owner’ in the case of today's parable) to show the relationship of the One Who loves His vines and how He desires to see that they are well cared for.

Further, Jesus elsewhere refers to Himself as the vine:  He says, I am the vine, you are the branches (John 15:5).  He uses the definite article in His description, not saying that He is “a” vine, but rather  “the” vine—the only place to which His loved ones should be attached to receive their source of sustenance.

But those who are surrogate vinedressers, ones let out to contract to care for the vines, these care little for the vines as compared with the Master vinedresser.  In the parable, these are the leaders of Israel, the scribes and Pharisees who beat His true servants and ultimately killed the Master’s Son.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew from which we read this day, it is to these men that our Lord is speaking via this parable.  Note with what loving care He continues to attempt to give these hard-hearted fiends the opportunity to repent.  Note that their hearts remain unmoved by the love He continues to show to them.

The ‘hedge’ planted by the Husbandman is the Law, with all of its ordinances, which He gave to them to protect them and to instruct them in the way of truth.  It was intended to keep them from being corrupted by other nations, an intention which they themselves rejected, preferring foreign ‘gods’ of such people to their own known God.

This chapter ends with these men recognizing that Jesus’ words are pointing to them.  As if desiring to fulfill the parable’s prophecy immediately, St. Matthew records, but when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.  The blindness of the evil fears retribution from people whom they judge to be simpletons, fools.

Such is human ‘wisdom’.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.  For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’