THE PARABLE

THE VINEYARD

By William T. Barrett

 2001

ISAIAH 5 : Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill : 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein : and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ? 5 And now go to ; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard : I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up ; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down : 6 And I will lay it waste : it shall not be pruned, nor digged ; but there shall come up briers and thorns : I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for judgement, but behold oppression ; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS BIBLE TEXT ?

QUESTIONS :

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ISAIAH 5 :

Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill : 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein : and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ? 5 And now go to ; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard : I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up ; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down : 6 And I will lay it waste : it shall not be pruned, nor digged ; but there shall come up briers and thorns : I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for judgement, but behold oppressions ; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

2. Think about the Spiritual : 3. Discover their Spiritual

Identify the real objects Meaning : (See next page for

in the verse : Bible Word Pictures)

NOTE IT IS HELPFUL TO UNDERLINE THE REAL OBJECTS IN THE BIBLE TEXT.

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ISAIAH 5 : Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill : 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein : and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ? 5 And now go to ; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard : I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up ; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down : 6 And I will lay it waste : it shall not be pruned, nor digged ; but there shall come up briers and thorns : I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for judgement, but behold oppression ; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS BIBLE TEXT ?

QUESTIONS

1 Who is the “beloved” ?

2 What is the “vineyard” ?

3 What is the significance of having a “tower” in the midst of the vineyard ?

4 What does it mean to gather out the “stones” ?

5 What do the “grapes” represent ?

6 What is the significance of the “winepress” ?

7 What does the “hedge” represent and when it is removed, what happens ?

8 What does the “wall” represent and what does it mean for the vineyard to be “trodden down” ?

9 What do the “thorns and briers” represent and what is the significance if they are not removed ?

10 What does the “rain” represent ?

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2. Think about the Spiritual : 3. Discover their Spiritual

Identify the real objects Meaning : (By using the

in the verse : Bible Word Pictures

BELOVED JESUS

VINEYARD ISRAEL

TOWER THE LORD SALVATION

HEDGE BLESSINGS OF GOD

WALL GOD’S LAW (10 commandments)

TRODDEN DOWN UNDER SOMEONE POWER

T HORNS + BRIERS WICKED PEOPLE

PLEASURES OF THE WORLD

RAIN (WITHELD) (NO) HOLY SPIRIT

GRAPES ?

(WILD) GRAPES ?

WINEPRESS ?

STONES ?

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1 Who is the “beloved” ?

(JESUS)

2 What is the “vineyard” ?

(ISRAEL)

3 What is the significance of having a “tower”

in the midst of the vineyard ?

(?)

4 What does it mean to gather out the “stones” ?

(?)

5 What do the “grapes” represent ?

(?)

6 What is the significance of the “winepress” ?

(?)

7 What does the “hedge” represent and when it is removed, what happens ?

(BLESSINGS OF GOD) (GREAT HARDSHIP)

8 What does the “wall” represent and what does it mean for the vineyard to be “trodden down” ?

(LAW OF GOD) (ENEMY HAS POWER OVER)

9 What do the “thorns and briers” represent and what is the significance if they are not removed ?

(?)

10 What does the “rain” represent ?

(?)

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T

Use the sample of the Concordance below to discover the significance of having a “tower” in the midst of the vineyard.

OWER

to, let us build us a city and a t Gen 11:4

down to see the city and the t Gen 11:5 WRITE YOUR DISCOVERIES

is tent beyond the t of Edar Gen 35:21

peace, I will break down this t Judg 8:9

And he beat down the t of Penuel Judg 8:17

of the t of Schechem heard that Judg 9:46

that all the men of the t of Judg 9:47

men of the t of Shechem died also Judg 6:49

was a strong t within the city Judg 9:51

gat them up to the top of the t Judg 9:51

And Abimelech came unto the t Judg 9:52

of the t to burn it with fire Judg 9:52

horn of my salvation, my high t 2 Sa 22:3

He is the t of salvation for his 2 Sa 22:51

And when he came to the t, he took 2 Kin 5:24

a watchman on the t in Jezreel 2 Kin 9:17

from the t of the watchmen to the 2 Kin 17:9

from the t of the watchmen to be 2 Kin 18:8

the watch t in the wilderness 2 Chr 20:24

even unto the t of Meah they Neh 3:1

it, unto the t of Hananeel Neh 3:1

piece, and the t of the furnaces Neh 3:11

the t which lieth our from the Neh 3:25

the east, and the t that lieth out Neh 3:26

the great t that lieth out Neh 3:27

from beyond the t of the furnaces Neh 12:38

the t of Hananeel Neh 12:39

the t of Meah, even unto the Neh 12:39

of my salvation, and my high t Ps 18:2

a strong t from the enemy Ps 61:3

my high t, and my deliverer Ps 144:2

name of the LORD is a strong t Prov 18:10

Thy neck is like the t of David Song 4:4

Thy neck is as a t of ivory Song 7:4

thy nose is as the t of Lebanon Song 7:4

And upon every high t, and upon Is 2:15

built a t in the midst of it, and Is 5:2

I have set thee for a t and a Jer 6:27

t of Hananeel unto the gate of Jer 31:38

from the t of Syene even unto the Eze 29:10

from the t of Syene shall they Eze 30:6

O t of the Flock, the strong hold Mic 4:8

my watch, and set me upon the t Hab 2:1

from the t of Hananeel unto the Zec 14:10

a winepress in it, and built a t Mt 21:33

for the winefat, and built a t Mk 12:1

upon whom the t in Siloam fell, Lk 13:4

of you, intending to build a t Lk 14:28

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3 What is the significance of having a “tower” in the midst of the vineyard ?

COMPARING SCRIPTURE

2 KINGS 9 : 17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace ?

ISAIAH 21 : 6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. 7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels ; and he hearkened diligently with much heed : 8 and he cried, a lion : My Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights : 9 and, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen ; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

EZEKIEL 3 : 17Son of man, I have made thee awatchmanunto the house of Israel : thereforehear the wordat my mouth, andgive themwarningfrom me.18 When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die ; and thou givest him not warning, norspeakest towarn the wickedfrom his wicked way,to save his life ; the same wickedmanshall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

PSALM 61 : 3Forthouhast been shelter for me,anda strongtowerfrom theenemy.

CONCLUSION

The “tower” represents the Lord. His “watchmen” or ministers or priests are to “stand on Him” as their strength, rock and salvation !

The Lord, their “tower” would allow them to “see” the enemy and to then warn the people.

The “tower” allowed a “watchman” to see things he could not normally see.

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4 What does it mean to gather out the “stones” ?

STONY GROUND

Mark 4 : 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth ; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched ; and because it had no root, it withered away.

Ezk 11 : 19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you ; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them an heart of flesh. 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them…

CONCLUSION

The “stony” ground represents a hard heart,

which is not willing to obey God.

The “spirit” in that heart is not God’s Spirit.

GOOD GROUND

Luke 8 : 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundred fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Throughout this parable in each case the “seed” fell upon “something” that represented the condition of a person’s heart. Example : stony ground.

Job 42 : 24 His heart is as firm as a stone ; yea as hard as a piece of nether millstone.

Stony ground = (hard) heart

Thus, good ground would again represent the condition of a person’s

Good ground = (soft) heart

Ezk 36 : 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh. (soft heart)

CONCLUSION

The seed only produced fruit when it fell upon good ground

Thus the Word (seed) only produces the Christian Virtues (fruit)

when it falls upon a “soft” converted heart (good ground).

CONCLUSION

When the “stones” were gathered out of the vineyard, that represented the Lord removing those with hard “stony” hearts from among His people. Only the Lord can look on the heart to see if it is “hard” (stony) or unconverted or whether it is “soft” (good ground) or converted !

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5 What do the “grapes” represent ?

Since the “vineyard” represents Israel or “the Church”, we would expert that the “grapes” or fruit of the vineyard has something to do with the people.

Comparing Scriptures :

Hosea 9 : 10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness ; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time : but they went to Bā-ăl-pē-ôr, and separated themselves unto that shame ; and their abominations were according as they loved.

Galatians 5 : 22 But the fruit of Spirit is : love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,…

Ephesians 5 :9 For thefruitofspiritin allgoodnessand righteousness andtruth.

Thus, “grapes” represent the people and what they are like. “Good grapes” having the “fruit” of the Holy Spirit or “Wild” grapes having the character of satan.

Deuteronomy 32 : For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gō-mŏr-rǎh : their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter : 33 Their wine is the poison of dragon, and the cruel venom of asps.

Jeremiah 8 : 13 I will surely consume them, saith the Lord : there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade ; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

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6 What is the significance of the “winepress” ?

Hosea 9 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people : for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. 2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

Jeremiah 48 : 33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab ; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepress : none shall tread with shouting ; their shouting shall be no shouting.

“Wine” comes from the winepress. “New wine” is true doctrine.

If the “wine” is not coming from the winepress, then truth is not being taught.

Thus, one meaning of “to tread the winepress” is to teach doctrine to someone.

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6 What is the significance of the “winepress” ? (continue)

Isaiah 63 : 2 Whereforeart thoured in thine apparel, and thy garments like him thattreadeth in thewinevat ?3 I havetrodden thewinepressalone ; and of the peopletherewasnone with me : forI will treadthemin mine anger, and trample them in my fury ; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.4 Forthe day of vengeanceisin mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.5 And I looked, andthere wasnone to help ; and I wondered thatthere wasnone to uphold : therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me ; and my fury, it up held me.6 AndI will tread down the people in mineanger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

The “grapes” or “people” will be trodden in the “winepress” by God in His anger and vengeance !

Lamentations 2 : 15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me : he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men : the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. 16 For these things I weep ; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me : my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. 17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her : the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him : Jerusalem is a menstruous woman among them.

The people of the Lord have sinned against Him.

Revelation 14 : 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire ; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth ; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Revelation 19 : 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations : and he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

The harvest of the grapes will take place and those who have sinned against Him will suffer His wrath in the great “winepress” of the judgement !

The second meaning of “to tread the winepress” represents the judgement and wrath of God poured out upon the wicked.

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9 What do the “thorns and briers” represent and what is the significance if they are not removed ?

The “thorns” and “briers” represent wicked people and the pleasures of this world.

When wicked people are allowed to remain in the church, they influence other people to do wrong.

When God’s people allow the pleasures of this world to take up so much of their time that they do not have time to study Gods’ Word, they are being choked by “thorns” !!

Even good things can take up too much time !

10 What does the “rain” represent ?

The “rain” represents the Holy Spirit.

The command to “withhold the rain” signifies the removal of the Holy Spirit from the people.

Jeremiah 3 : 3 Therefore theshowershave beenwithholden, and there hath beenno latter rain ; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

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ISAIAH 5 : Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill : 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein : and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ? 5 And now go to ; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard : I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up ; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down : 6 And I will lay it waste : it shall not be pruned, nor digged ; but there shall come up briers and thorns : I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for judgement, but behold oppressions ; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

2. Think about the Spiritual : 3. Discover their Spiritual

Identify the real objects Meaning : (By using the

in the verse : Bible Word Pictures

THE BELOVED JESUS

VINEYARD ISRAEL

TOWER THE LORD (our strength and salvation)

WINEPRESS JUDGEMENT + WRATH OF GOD

GRAPES GOD’S OBEDIENT PEOPLE

WILD GRAPES GOD’S DISOBEDIENT PEOPLE

HEDGE BLESSINGS OF GOD

TRODDEN DOWN UNDER SOMEONE’S POWER

THORNS + BRIERS wicked people + pleasures of the world

RAIN (WITHELD) HOLY SPIRIT (WITHELD)

GATHER OUT STONES REMOVE UNCONVERTED PEOPLE

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4. Substitute the Spiritual Meaning for the Real Objects

PARAPHRASE

I will tell you the story of Jesus (beloved) and His people Israel (vineyard). Jesus protected Israel (fenced vineyard). He removed the unconverted (gathered out stones), from their midst and left only those who were converted (choicest vine).

He offered his strength and salvation (tower) to them and expected that the leaders and teachers would watch and warn the people (tower).

He told them of the judgement to come (winepress). When the time of harvest came, he expected his people (grapes) to have the fruits of the Spirit (grapes) and to have won many converts (grapes).

Instead, they had become disobedient and wicked (wild grapes).

After doing all that he could for them, he finally removed his blessings (take away hedge) because His law (wall) that had protected them, was no longer kept (wall broken down).

He no longer removed wicked people (thorns not removed) from their midst and the people, following their bad example, spent their time on the pleasures of the world (thorns not removed), instead of working for the Lord.

Finally, the Lord removed His Holy Spirit from them (command no rain to fall), and said that Israel would be under the power of others (vineyard trodden down).

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Matthew 21 : 33 Hear another parable : There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first : and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir ; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen ? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner : this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes ? 43 Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

PARAPHRASE

(householder) (vineyard)

God took the people of Israel and gave them his

(hedge) (winepress)

blessing and protect. He warned them of the judgement that would

come upon them if they disobeyed Him, He offered them his

(tower) (husbandmen)

strength and salvation. He expected the leaders and teachers

(fruits)

to prepare His people so that He might receive them. Then, He sent

(servants) (husbandmen)

His prophets to warn the leaders and teachers to turn from their evil

(husbandmen)

ways. But, the leaders and teachers beat, stoned, and killed

(servants) (servants)

His prophets. God sent other prophets and they did the

(His Son)

same things to them ! Then, God sent Jesus, saying they

(husbandmen)

will listen and respect My Son, but the leaders and teachers killed

(son)

Jesustheheirof the Kingdom of Heaven !

THEREFORE : Because of what you have done, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, Israel, and given to another nation, which will bring forth fruit for me !

The Son = Jesus

Acts 8 : 37 … Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

(husbandman = teacher)

2 Tim 2 : 2 …faithful men, who shall be able toteach othersalso,

6 Thehusbandmanthat laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

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