Human action is grounded in what honors our own selves rather
than in what does honor to God. We need constant reminding that it is God who
gives the necessities for life: a place to plant, the food that grows, and the
peace of mind and heart that comes from being known, loved, and forgiven.
In homiletical reflections from 2005 in Homily Service, Aaron Couch sets the readings in context and Ron
Anderson asks a question that may help the preacher guide listeners to
reflection on their own ways of living their faith.
Matthew 21:33-46
The gospel text for today is
characterized as a “parable,” but is in essence an allegory that casts the
religious authorities as rebellious tenants.
Imagery for the parable may have
been drawn from Isaiah’s “love song” concerning his beloved’s vineyard. Just as
Isaiah announced God’s judgment on the leaders of Jerusalem in the eighth
century B.C., so Jesus. . . believes that the temple authorities are devoted to
their own power and privilege rather than to God.
The parable becomes a telling of
salvation history, with the landowner’s slaves representing the prophets sent
by God. The story reaches its critical turning point with the arrival of the
son, who represents Jesus himself. While it is unlikely that there were any
circumstances under which actual tenants could have taken an inheritance by
killing the rightful heir, historical plausibility is not the parable’s
purpose. Instead, the story functions to condemn the Jewish leadership for
rejecting Jesus as Messiah. . .
. . . It is important to resist
reading this parable in any manner that suggests the church will supersede and
replace Israel as God’s covenant people. Certainly the church’s history of
persecuting Jews calls for a different reading of the text. In addition, the
parable itself is not concerned with the status of God’s covenant with the
Jewish people. Jesus directs his words specifically against the temple
authorities, not the Jewish people. Unlike Isaiah 5, judgment does not fall on
the vineyard itself, but rather on the rebellious tenants. –– Aaron J. Couch
Isaiah 5:1-7
The “song of the vineyard” . . . suggests
a tragic story of romance ending in betrayal. The hearer might suppose at first
that the vineyard represents the beloved’s bride, who has been unfaithful. The
beloved makes accusations and demands an explanation for his disappointed
hopes.
The poem effectively hides its true
meaning until the end, when it is revealed that the vineyard represents the
kingdom of Israel. In this way, the poem delivers the announcement of judgment
with devastating power. Isaiah of Jerusalem denounced the betrayal of covenant
loyalty on the part of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the eighth century
B.C. The prophet’s consistent themes are summed up in parallel accusations in
verse 7: no justice, no covenant fidelity (righteousness). Instead, violence
and oppression are the norm for the covenant people’s life. –– Aaron J. Couch
Philippians 3:4b-14
Paul offers his own experience as
an indicator of the true value of faith in Christ and encourages the believers
in Philippi to live with the same devotion. The enemies of the cross, whose god
is the belly and whose glory is their shame, could potentially be libertines
devoted to sensual pleasures. –– Aaron J. Couch
The RCL reading from Philippians
suggests that the vineyard might be worthless apart from knowing Christ Jesus
as LORD. As
Isaac Watts wrote, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering
far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”
In what ways do we express our
desire to know Christ today? What “value” do we place on knowing Christ? —E.
Byron Anderson
E. Byron Anderson
is the Ernest and Bernice Styberg Professor of Worship and the Director of the
Nellie B. Ebersole Program in Music Ministry at Garrett-Evangelical Theological
Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.
Aaron Couch is
a co-pastor of First Immanuel Lutheran Church in Portland, Oregon.
Homily Service 38, no. 11 (2005): 3-14.
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