Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matt 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-10; Luke 20:9-18)

Rebuking disbelieving religious leaders

1. To begin to understand a parable, it is important to observe who Jesus is speaking to. What do you see?

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" (Matt 21:23, NASB)

2. When there are multiple accounts of a parable, divide the three passages into their corresponding sections to see how they compare and what details each author reveal about the parable. What do you observe about the vineyard, its wall, vat, and tower? Is there a pattern to how the slaves were treated by the vine-growers?

Matthew 21:33-34 (NASB)	Mark 12:1-5 (NASB)	Luke 20:9-12 (NASB)
33) "Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34) When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35) The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36) Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.	1) And He began to speak to them in parables: "A man PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT, AND DUG A VAT UNDER THE WINE PRESS AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 2) At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. 3) They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4) Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 5) And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others.	9) And He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time. 10) At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11) And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. 12) And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out.

Observations:

3. Carefully observe the parable and fill out the last chart to learn its meaning.

Matthew 21:37-44 (NASB)	Mark 12:6-10 (NASB)	Luke 20:13-18 (NASB)
37) But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 38) But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' 39) They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40) Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?" 41) They said to Him, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons." 42) Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'? 43) Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44) And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."	6) He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7) But those vine-growers said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!' 8) They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9) What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10) Have you not even read this Scripture: 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; 11) THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'?"	13) The owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.' 14) But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, 'This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.' 15) So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16) He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others." When they heard it, they said, "May it never be!" 17) But Jesus looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'? 18) Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."

Observations:

Image	What does it represent?	Meaning?
1. Vineyard
2. Landowner
3. Tenants
4. Slaves
5. Son

References:

1. The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Related subject:

Lessons for Grades 9 - 12

Lessons for All Grades

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Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matt 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-10; Luke 20:9-18)Rebuking disbelieving religious leaders

References:

Related subject:

Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matt 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-10; Luke 20:9-18)

Rebuking disbelieving religious leaders