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Lesson Eight                                 

The Parable of the

Tenants in the Vineyard

Introduction

Have you ever asked someone to watch or take care of something valuable to you?

Selected reading

Matthew 21:33-46 (Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19)

Note: In 70A.D. the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem fulfilling the warning Jesus gave.

【Mat21:33】 'Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
你们再听一个比喻。有个家主，栽了一个葡萄园，周围圈上篱笆，里面挖了一个压酒池，盖了一座楼，租给园户，就往外国去了。
【Mat21:34】 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
收果子的时候近了，就打发仆人，到园户那里去收果子。
【Mat21:35】 'The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
园户拿住仆人。打了一个，杀了一个，用石头打死一个。
【Mat21:36】 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
主人又打发别的仆人去，比先前更多。园户还是照样待他们。
【Mat21:37】 Last of all, he sent his son to them. `They will respect my son,' he said.
后来打发他的儿子到他们那里去，意思说，他们必尊敬我的儿子。
【Mat21:38】 'But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'
不料，园户看见他儿子，就彼此说，这是承受产业的。来吧，我们杀他，占他的产业。
【Mat21:39】 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
他们就拿住他，推出葡萄园外杀了。
【Mat21:40】 'Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?'
园主来的时候，要怎样处治这些园户呢？
【Mat21:41】 'He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,' they replied, 'and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.'
他们说，要下毒手除灭那些恶人，将葡萄园另租给那按着时候交果子的园户。
【Mat21:42】 Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: '`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone ; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes' ?
耶稣说，经上写着，匠人所弃的石头，已作了房角的头块石头。这是主所作的，在我们眼中看为希奇。这经你们没有念过吗？
【Mat21:43】 'Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
所以我告诉你们，神的国，必从你们夺去。赐给那能结果子的百姓。
【Mat21:44】 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'
谁掉在这石头上，必要跌碎。这石头掉在谁的身上，就要把谁砸得稀烂。
【Mat21:45】 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them.
祭司长和法利赛人，听见他的比喻，就看出他是指着他们说的。
【Mat21:46】 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
他们想要捉拿他，只是怕众人，因为众人以他为先知。

【Mak12:1】  He then began to speak to them in parables: 'A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
耶稣就用比喻对他们说，有人栽了一个葡萄园，周围圈上篱笆，挖了一个压酒池，盖了一座楼，租给园户，就往外国去了。
【Mak12:2】  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.
到了时候，打发一个仆人到园户那里，要从园户收葡萄园的果子。
【Mak12:3】  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
园户拿住他，打了他，叫他空手回去。
【Mak12:4】  Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.
再打发一个仆人到他们那里。他们打伤他的头，并且凌辱他。
【Mak12:5】  He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
又打发一个仆人去。他们就杀了他。后又打发好些仆人去。有被他们打的，有被他们杀的。
【Mak12:6】  'He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, `They will respect my son.'
园主还有一位，是他的爱子，末后又打发他去，意思说，他们必尊敬我的儿子。
【Mak12:7】  'But the tenants said to one another, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
不料，那些园户彼此说，这是承受产业的。来吧，我们杀他，产业就归我们了。
【Mak12:8】  So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
于是拿住他，杀了他，把他丢在园外。
【Mak12:9】  'What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
这样，葡萄园的主人要怎样办呢？他要来除灭那些园户，将葡萄园转给别人。
【Mak12:10】 Haven't you read this scripture: '`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone ;
经上写着说匠人所弃的石头，已作了房角的头块石头。
【Mak12:11】 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes' ?'
这是主所作的，在我们眼中看为希奇。这经你们没有念过吗？
【Mak12:12】 Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
他们看出这比喻是指着他们说的，就想要捉拿他，只是惧怕百姓。于是离开他走了。

【Luk20:9】  He went on to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
耶稣就设比喻，对百姓说，有人栽了一个葡萄园，租给园户，就往外国去住了许久。
【Luk20:10】 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
到了时候，打发一个仆人到园户那里去，叫他们把园中当纳的果子交给他。园户竟打了他，叫他空手回去。
【Luk20:11】 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
又打发一个仆人去。他们也打了他，并且凌辱他，叫他空手回去。
【Luk20:12】 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
又打发第三个仆人去。他们也打伤了他，把他推出去了。
【Luk20:13】 'Then the owner of the vineyard said, `What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'
园主说，我怎么办呢？我要打发我的爱子去。或者他们尊敬他。
【Luk20:14】 'But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. `This is the heir,' they said. `Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
不料，园户看见他，就彼此商量说，这是承受产业的。我们杀他吧，使产业归于我们。
【Luk20:15】 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
于是把他推出葡萄园外杀了。这样，葡萄园的主人，要怎样处治他们呢？
【Luk20:16】 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.' When the people heard this, they said, 'May this never be!'
他要来除灭这些园户，将葡萄园转给别人。听见的人说，这是万不可的。
【Luk20:17】 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, 'Then what is the meaning of that which is written: '`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone ' ?
耶稣看着他们说，经上记着，匠人所弃的石头，已作了房角的头块石头。这是什么意思呢？
【Luk20:18】 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'
凡掉在那石头上的，必要跌碎。那石头掉在谁的身上，就要把谁砸得稀烂。
【Luk20:19】 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
文士和祭司长，看出这比喻是指着他们说的，当时就想要下手拿他。只是惧怕百姓。

Questions for discussion

1.      Who is Jesus telling this parable to? (Matthew 21:23-45)

2.      Why did the landowner send more slaves to the tenants? (Matthew 21:34-36)

3.      Who did he think the tenants would respect? Did they? (Matthew 21:37-39)

4.      What does it tell us the owner will do to the tenants? (Matthew 21:40-41)

5.      Who does the landowner represent in this parable? The vineyard? The tenants? The servants? The son?

6.      What is the main point of this parable? (Matthew 21:42-44)

7.      Who is the Kingdom of God given to? (Matthew 21:43)

8.      How do the chief priests and elders react to this parable? (Matthew 21:45-46)

A time to reflect

1. If Jesus came to you today, how would you respond to Him?

2. What position or place have you given Jesus in your life?

 [23] Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?" [24] Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. [25] John's baptism-where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' [26] But if we say, 'From men'-we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet." [27] So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. [28] "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' [29] " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. [30] "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. [31] "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. [32] For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.