Doing As Expected

The Point of the Gospel

Parable of Two sons {Matthew}

Jesus was teaching in the temple courts and said, “There was a man who had two sons. He asked the first to work in the vineyard, but he refused. Later he changed his mind and went. The father asked the same of the second son who said he would go but did not. Which of the two did what his father asked?”

“The first,” the chief priests and elders answered.

Jesus said, “The tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. John came to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. You saw this and still refused to turn from unrighteousness and believe.”

Parable of the Tenants {Matthew, Mark, and Luke}

“Listen to another parable: a landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He rented it to some farmers and went on a journey. Near the harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the fruit. {Mark and Luke} He sent one servant whom they beat and sent away with nothing. They struck the second one sent on the head and treated him shamefully. They killed the third man sent. {Mark} Many others were sent and either beaten or killed. {Mark and Luke} At last the owner sent his son whom he loved.”

{Matthew} “He sent three servants. The tenants beat on one, killed another, and stoned a third. The owner sent more, all treated the same way. {Matthew, Mark, and Luke} He sent his son, thinking they’d respect him. But the tenants said to each other, ‘This is the heir. We’ll kill him and take his inheritance.’ They threw him from the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner do to those tenants?”

They answered, “He will kill them and give the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the corp.”

Jesus said, “Have you not read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’” (Psalms 118: 22, 23) {Matthew and Luke} “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and he on whom it falls will be crushed.”