Thematic Bible: Lease


Thematic Bible



Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. When the time for the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his share of the produce. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. read more.
A second time the owner sent some servants, a larger number than before, and the tenants treated them in the same way. As a last resource he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But the tenants, on seeing his son, said to each other 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, and threw him outside the vineyard, and killed him. Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" "Miserable wretches!" they exclaimed, "he will put them to a miserable death, and he will let out the vineyard to other tenants, who will pay him his share of the produce at the proper times."

And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage; But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty- handed. read more.
A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted. He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others- -some they beat and some they killed. He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But those tenants said to one another 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others.

But Jesus began to tell the people this parable-- "A man once planted a vineyard, and then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed. read more.
He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside. 'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.' But, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. 'Here is the heir!' they said. 'Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.' So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others." "Heaven forbid!" they exclaimed when they heard it.