Contents
Introduction
In the last Sunday Gospel (Matt 21:28–32), Jesus reminded the religious leaders (priests and elders) that those they regard as sinners (tax collectors, prostitutes, and others) make it to the kingdom of God, while they themselves do not. In this Sunday Gospel (Matt 21:33–43), with the parable of the unfaithful tenant farmers, Jesus informs the same religious leaders that due to their unfaithfulness, the kingdom of God will be taken away from them and entrusted to those who know its value and who will take proper care of it. Since these religious leaders cannot guarantee justice and righteousness, there is no need to leave the kingdom of God in their hands; otherwise, they convert it to their own kingdom, where injustice, corruption, and recklessness reign (cf. Isa 5:7).
The reward for wickedness
“Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? They said to him, he will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time” (Matt 21:40–41). As the saying goes, as you make your bed, you lie on it. There are no actions without consequences. The continuous sending of his servants was an attempt on the part of the landowners to make the tenants understand and respect the contract. If he could pardon their killing of his servants, he would never forgive them for murdering his own son. According to the chief priests and the elders, the landowner will deal mercilessly with those wicked tenants and put them to a miserable death. Thereafter, he will now give the vineyard to other tenants who will respect the agreement and give the landowner his own share of the produce at harvest time. Therefore, the reward for wickedness is death. Not just physical death, but especially spiritual death.
Conclusion
With the parables in Matthew 21:28–43, Jesus recalls the attention of religious leaders, especially Christian leaders, who seem to propagate and promote their own personal interests and selfish kingdom. The fact that one is an ordained minister of God does not mean such a person is automatically qualified for the kingdom of God. What qualifies one for the kingdom of God is not office, but how that minister manages such office. If the publicans and prostitutes will make heaven before the priests and the elders, then it is better they never assumed such offices. If the kingdom of heaven will be taken away from them due to their unfaithfulness, then their offices have brought death rather than life to them. Instead of allowing our offices to deviate our focus, let us carry our offices along and use them to produce fruits for the kingdom.
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SUNDAY REFLECTIONS” (vols. I‑II-III)!! The reflection for the 27th Sunday of the year (A) is found in The Word of Life, vol. I, pages 470–477. Happy reading!
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