A Solemn Warning

Background Scripture: Mark 12:1–12
Lesson Scripture: Mark 12:1–11

Introduction

Warnings are designed to keep us safe. They often include predictions of harm if the warnings are not heeded. Sometimes we feel we are immune to harm, thinking, “Surely death or serious injury will not happen if I ignore this warning. I’ll be careful.” And most of the time, we do not suffer the harm we were warned about.

However, many warnings exist because someone suffered for doing the very thing he was warned not to do. The first recorded warning was ignored and resulted in spiritual death. Eve allowed Satan’s assertion, “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4), to influence her to disobey God. How can we be sure we will not suffer harm if we ignore the warning?

Key Verse

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven (Heb. 12:25).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

This parable’s theme was familiar to those around Jesus. Israel had many vineyards. In the parable, the vineyard represented Israel as God’s people, and the owner represented God. This vineyard had been planted with care and provided with everything necessary to prosper, but was sadly disappointing to the owner (Ps. 80 and Isa. 5:1–7).

Vineyards in Jesus’s day were smaller than modern vineyards, and many had terraces because of steep terrain. Grapevines had to be planted. The owner selected choice vines and placed them with care. Unlike today, the plants were not in rows; they spread along the ground, climbed up walls or any structure in the vineyard. Much work was needed to clear rocks from the soil and build walls or plant hedges to keep animals from damaging the vines or eating the fruit. Together with walls, a tower would be built. The simple raised structure allowed watchmen to guard the crop, especially near the harvesttime, discouraging birds or thieves. The “winefat” (called a wine vat today) collected juice from the winepress. Commonly, grapes were pressed by walking on them with bare feet, crushing and releasing the grape juice, which ran down into the vat. They placed the vat lower than the winepress to allow the grape juice to run off by gravity.

In the parable, the lord of the vineyard completed his work. Then he rented out his vineyard to husbandmen. They pruned the grapes, watched for disease, dug up soil around the vines to keep weeds down, and diligently did everything to ensure a good harvest. With their families they watched from the tower as the harvest drew near, guarding against animals or thieves. They also harvested and made wine from the grapes. Husbandmen became very attached to land they farmed. They often cared for it as their own and were jealous if others replaced them as renters. Even though they did not own the land, they owned the fruit they harvested, paying a portion of the harvest as rent.

The owner looked forward to his share of the harvest. In Jesus’s parable this did not occur because of the husbandmen’s audacious behavior. Finally, the husbandmen killed the owner’s only son, thinking this would make them the owners of the vineyard. Their final act of defiance was casting the dead son out of the vineyard. The husbandmen’s unfaithfulness caused their destruction, and the owner gave the vineyard to others.

Jesus made it plain to the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Mark 11:27) that this parable was about them as the husbandmen. He quoted Psalm 118:22–23, where the builders in charge of the structure had rejected what the architect had planned. The husbandmen of the vineyard had the same relation to the owner of the vineyard as the builders had to the architect of the building. The killing of the son of the owner caused the removal of the authority of the husbandmen, just as the rejected stone caused the removal of the authority of the builders. Just before our lesson scripture, the chief priests, scribes, and elders demanded to know by what authority Jesus did “these things” (Mark 11:28). It is clear they understood that the parable applied to them because they tried to capture Jesus (Mark 12:12).

Practical Truths for Today

How should the solemn warning issued to the leaders of the Jewish nation be applied?

The first application of the parable was clearly to the spiritual leaders of the Jews. They were going to lose their place because they obstinately refused to bear spiritual fruit and give it to the Lord. They had set up a system that gave lip service to the Law, but Jesus told them they passed over judgment and the love of God (Luke 11:42). The Jewish leaders feared the Romans would remove them from authority and their Jewish nation from the land. In their discussion, the high priest reasoned, “It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not” (John 11:50). They chose the way they thought would save their position and keep their nation rather than accepting a servant’s place. Destruction followed.

The second application of the parable was to the Jewish people. Their current leaders were not doing what God required, but faithful prophets of the past had warned of judgment and destruction, pleading with them to turn away from evil and back to God. These warnings were often ignored, and the messengers were mistreated or slain. When God’s people experienced the fulfillment of the prophet’s warnings, and affliction overtook them, they would return to Him. The people together with their current leaders had rejected John the Baptist’s proclamation of Jesus as Messiah. Instead, the people and the leaders called for Jesus’s crucifixion, casting the Son of God outside the city. The people were guilty of not heeding the Spirit of God.

The third application of the parable applies to God’s people today. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). “These things” refers to the children of Israel being overthrown in the wilderness because they murmured against God and lusted after idolatry and committed fornication, disbelieving the providence and goodness of God. Such sins are common today. We cannot dismiss the warnings of Scripture because they were written long ago to people long dead. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Clearly, we are accountable for the teachings contained in God’s Word. God calls and sends ministers and deacons to teach us His will. May we give heed to the warnings they give us, realizing they are accountable to God for the care for His “vineyard.”

The New Testament church of God is often compared to Israel. In Revelation 2 and 3, several churches or congregations were warned to repent or they would lose their place. This is not different from Israel disobeying and being removed from the land. We will not occupy our place, except by obedience. Anything else risks shame, defeat, and capture by the enemy of our souls.

When we were in sin and realized we needed a Savior, we came to God for mercy and forgiveness. He forgave us and gave us a new life. In this new life, nothing belongs to us. We are stewards, servants, husbandmen, builders. We owe a debt to the One who gave us salvation and placed us here. Refusing His entreaties, whether delivered directly from Him, His Son, His Word, His servants, or His church violates the agreement made when we accepted the lease. In the natural world, broken leases require the property be returned to the owners. God’s kingdom works the same, but in losing our lease, we lose our spiritual life.

Questions

1. What are the solemn warnings today, and how are they delivered?
2. What is the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” we owe God? (Heb. 12:11).
3. As a new Christian, what is the portion I owe the One who saved me from hell and destruction?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).