THE VINEYARD

Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.”  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.”  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Matthew 21:33-41

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. Who might the householder represent? The husbandmen? The vineyard? St. Cyril of Alexandria idenfies the vineyard as the house of Israel, with the husbandmen the Jewish people. 
2. Who might be the servants? Can you review any of the prophets from the Old Covenant?
3. Who is the son? What was the role of the son?
4. Who are the “other vinedressers”? St. Ephrem the Syrian identifies those as the Gentiles. Would that make the Jewish leaders listening to the parable happy?
5. Can we apply this parable to the Church today?
6. What might the fruit represent? Any parallels to the fig tree?