The National tribune., 1888-03-08
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study Of the Inter
national Sanday-schOel Lesson Appointed fer
March Is. st. HIATT, u 3-46.


study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated abovel
SUBJECT: THE REJECTION BY THE WORLD OF
THE SoN OF Cop As SAVIOR.
We deal with one of Christ's parallels. The
student should read the accounts by Sts. Mark
and Luke. St. Mark, IL: liz and ST. Luke,
20: 9-19.
Christ uttered this parable in the Court of
the Women, part of the Temple at Jerusa-
lem. 1t was Wednesday, March is, A. d. %,
only two days before his crucifxion. The
hearers were the crowd in general, as they
passed here and there in the court. 1t was the
week of the Passover, and great numbers of
Jews were gathered from all over Palestine.
The object of this parable is to show Gods
mercy and justice. 1t is seen God is not in
consistent in rejecting men who rejected him.
Those men rebu1ed of God had rejected Gods
messenger; yea, had refused to heed his Son.
No wonder God rejected them.
The parable may state specific fact. 1t is
more likely that it clothes general principle.
Many householder might have suffered some
thing as did the one supposed in the parable.
Christ took most graphic way of Gliding his
hearers. The general principle existing even
in the unregenerate heart is inclined to de-
nOunce such shameful treatment of proprietor
that set forth in the parable The parable
was readily understood by Jewish audience.
Vineyards were common in Palestine. Often
d
sent, and be forced to intrust his business to
agents.
Let US consider the parable literally. A
vineyard is an Enclosure or plantation for the
cultivation of grapes These grew bountifully
in the Promised Land. The spies who left
Kadesh- Barnea at the direction of Moses TO go
through Palestine and report as to its product
iyeness were specially enthusiastic over the
rich lunches Of grapes which they found in the
land. The apparatus for the making of wine
was double; the upper for pressing the grapes
and the lower for receiving the Juice. The
lower part was a sort of cistern. Sometimes it
was made by excavating rock and leaving
kind of cask or vat, into which the juice pressed
from the grapes ram The grapes were often
pressed by the trampling on them of persons
barefooted. Near by was tower. OF it Trench
said - 1t may have been the villa where at
once the fruits were kept and the husbandmen
resided but / should rather suppose it the
tower Of the watchmen."
Bloomfield wrote thus: This was built part
~ as place of abode for the occupier while
the produce was collected, and partly for So
curity to the servants stationed there as guards
over the place." The owner let it out to hus-
bandmen, men skilled in cultivating the vine.
We see the plan of leasing land is old, and that
the payment in kind was an ancient practice.
| Probably the vineyard was worked on shares
| Those must have been very heartIess employees
| who would treat so cruelty the agents of their
! proprietor. They were muTderers. They went
| so far as to Stay the son of the owner. The
| prophets approached the servants workmen
| in the vineyard ON an honest mission, to wit,
| to collect that portion of the products of the
| vineyard which by contract was due to the
| owner. Such conduct as that of the servants
was too outrageous to tolerate, and called, in
| deed, for severe punishment. The owner soon
! appeared. He ordered the murderer5 to be put
to death. Then he rented his vineyard to par
ties so recommended that he had confidence
| they would be true to his interests.
| We need have no difficulty in determining
! the spiritual significance Of the parable. The
| vineyard is the Church, the history Of which
| began with Adam and viii continue through
all time. The vineyard is maintained for the
| purpose Of cultivating divine manhood. TeIigi-
Gus character, noble virtues, pure affections.
| There were subjects in this Kingdom or Church
| before Moses. After his day the living products
| were devout Jews Thus it was till Christ's
death After that the vines were Christians,
| and such they yet. The husbandmen are
pastors teachers, all who train the vines, all
| who instruct in religious things. The servants
sent to inspect the products of the vineyard
| were the eminent prophets, e. g., Elijah, Elisha
| Malichi and others. We recall how cruelty
many of these were treated. See Heb, IL 81
40.l By the Son is meant Christ Him they
slew Heb, ID: 11-13.) Thus were the prophets
"shamefully handled" (St Mark, II: A. Thus
was Christ crucifed All of this was at the
hands of the Jews. No wonder God is indi g.
nant at the Hebrews. No wonder he deter
mined to let out his Kingdom or vineyard to
husbandmen more worthy.
We have splendid illustration Of the divine
forbearance. God took every pains with the
vineyard. He planted the Church; put pro-
tections, hedges, about it; got it into good con-
dition (digged about it, Then be withdrew
[ ,,{aoE -
Eden, with Abram, in talks with Moses. He
intrusted the vineyard to the hands Of men
whom we would think worthy and who should
have toiIed for its highest culture. Years and
years he waited. Prophet after prophet was
sent only to be insulted and slain. Many cen.
turtles passed. Then he sent his beloved Son
only that the cross might be raised and the
Sons life brutaIly taken. Even yet he hal
patience He did not annihilate mankind. HI
seizes the vineyard from those who had proved
so unworthy and selects another class of per
Sons, with hope they may be faithful. w
would think the Jews too Indifferent to aaTi
about the change, but st. Luke tells US tina
when informed the Kingdom was to be enlarged
aud Gentiles to be welcomed, they had enough
interest to exclaim, " God forbid" This ma!
have been an outcry of indignation against tn
innovation rather than an outburst Of sorrow
that they were to be thus deprived of thei
special privileges.
We see how Christ instructs, DE forces mel
to condemn hemselyes-compels them to pro
nounce their own sentence. Having utterei
the parable, he asks what ought to be don
with such Wretched busbandmen. (Vers
40.) They reply that such conduct is worth
: of capital punishment. Verse AL To pre-
pare them for the assertion of his purpose t
supplant the Jews by the Gentiles as to an,
special privilege in his vineyard, Christ draw
from his audience the admission that the vine
, yard ought to be put into the hands of othe
husbandmen (V4I.) Now ia Christ's chanes
Now, as did Nathan in the case Of David, b
turned on them their own argument, declarin
! to each, Thou art the man.
Reference is made in Verse AZ to Ps. 118: q
"The stone which the builders refused is b.
come the headstons of the corner" This priI
ciple often applies 1t was true in the case
the author, David. He was little, least likely
his brothers to become famous, and yet he SUI
0 passed all. The stone seemingly so unfit VS.
3 after time the very one selected to be th
d most needed and conspicuous in the entiI
Q political structure of the Jewish nation. (Con
pare Is, 8: Ii, 49, Christ was greater than
2 seemed to be. People mistook him.
"A stone once spurned as shapeless for the walls
OF Thy theocrasy's most honored fame,
BY blear-eyed architects of pcincely PRIDE
& / now am reared to grace its buttress chief,
: The eorner-biock that props and crowns ii
whole;
/, The Almighty's scheme has wrought the glor