27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct.

5, 2014
(Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43)

Matthew, Mark and Luke all place this parable after Jesus has
arrived in Jerusalem for a final time. The words of the parable are
addressed to a mix of chief priests, scribes and elders who had been
questioning Jesus authority to teach, among other things.
There can be no doubt that the vineyard of the parable has the
Isaiah reading in mind. Isaiahs song ended with the removal of the
vineyard which the friend had loved so much. It became a parable
announcing the vineyards destruction because of the behavior of the
people of Judah and Jerusalem. The vineyard represented the Lords
careful planting of the people in the Holy Land. Tearing away its
protective hedge and the walls left it vulnerable to all its enemies, who
would and did come in and ravish the land, leading to the Babylonian
Exile in 586 BC.
The Gospel parable immediately switches to the leasing of the
vineyard to tenants, who would have owed the owner at vintage time.
Clearly Matthew intended the reader to notice how the parable reflects
an awareness of end-time judgment (vintage time), but the twist comes
when the tenants begin to beat and kill those who come on behalf of
the owner. The owners son is sent but they killed him too. Many
commentators point to the irrationality of the tenants in killing the
heir, as though they would ever acquire his inheritance! Yet it
allows Matthew to heighten the readers awareness that the parable
refers to the death of Jesus. The reference to outside the vineyard
suggests the crucifixion which took place outside of Jerusalem at
Golgotha.
Now Jesus makes his listeners answer the question of what the
owner will do when he comes. They answer: He will put those
wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other
tenants who will give him the produce at the proper time. By giving
that answer they essentially bring judgment upon themselves, or so
Matthew intends.
Matthew adds the quote from Psalm 118:22-23, about the rejected
stone becoming the cornerstone. Lingering in the background is the
idea that the prophets came demanding repentance but got nowhere.
When the Son comes along, he is (or will be or was) killed which
leaves the punishment, which will be the removal of the Kingdom
from those to whom it was first given, either directly or indirectly.
Matthew intends it to be given to the Church as the new and ideal
Israel.
Interestingly, St. Jerome argues that the kingdom refers to the
Holy Scriptures which have been taken from the Jews and handed
down to us so that we might produce their fruits. Obviously St.
Jerome was not the most ecumenical of the Church Fathers when it
came to the Jews. To argue that the Hebrew Scriptures had been taken
from the Jews would be to rob them of that which contains the
Covenant, which can never be revoked.
Turning to the Philippians reading, we should remember that Paul
wrote this letter from prison and was apparently in dire straits when he
wrote it (see Philippians 1, where Paul admits he doesnt know
whether he will live or die). Now here, as he concludes this letter, he
tells them to have no anxiety but to keep on praying. That act alone
will bring about the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding. That is sage advice for us in any age.
Paul ends on a high note with the promise that not only will they
enjoy the peace of God but that the God of peace will be with them!

Fr. Lawrence Hummer