It is significant that the parable today is directed towards the chief priests and elders of the people. (Mt 21: 23) Having entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, thus declaring his messianic status, Jesus as the Messiah proceeds to put the chief priests and elders on trial for their deficiencies. The genius of this present parable is that our Lord gets the hierarchy to pronounce judgment on themselves: "'Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?' They (the chief priests and elders) 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'." (Mt 21: 40-41) No wonder the Temple authorities were infuriated and looked to destroy him: "When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet." (Mt21: 45-46) What is the message for us in 2026? Surely, it is for us to give the produce of the Kingdom to our heavenly King. Is this cause for self-congratulation? Jesus tells us: "So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!' " (Lk 17: 10)
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