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In your Bibles to the gospel 
of Matthew, Matthew chapter 21. when I had asked for topics or 
suggestions, one person suggested looking at the people of Israel. And I don't know that that question 
meant to consider the modern political entity of the state 
of Israel I doubt it was a survey of Zionism, nor necessarily a 
commentary on what's going on right now in the Middle East. 
I sort of took it in a theological frame of reference, or a biblical 
one. I dealt with this material a 
little bit at the end of Leviticus. When we're in Leviticus chapter 
26, you'll remember the blessings and the curses for the nation 
of Israel. If they were to go into the land 
and do what they were supposed to do, they would reap the blessing 
and the benefit of their God. If they went into the land and 
did not do what they were supposed to do and followed the Canaanites, 
then they would receive the curses from God. Well this chapter, 
specifically chapter 21, all the way to chapter 24, sort of 
sets the stage for that judgment of God upon the nation of Israel. So I want to read beginning in 
chapter 21 at verse 28 to the end of the chapter. But what 
do you think? A man had two sons and he came 
to the first and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He 
answered and said, I will not. But afterward, he regretted it 
and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And 
he answered and said, I go, sir. But he did not go. Which of the 
two did the will of his father? They said to him, the first. 
Jesus said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, that tax collectors 
and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came 
to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. 
But tax collectors and harlots believed him. And when you saw 
it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. Here another 
parable. There was a certain landowner 
who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a wine 
press in it, and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers 
and went into a far country. Now when vintage time drew near, 
he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its fruit. 
And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, 
and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants, 
more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last 
of all, he sent his son to them, saying, they will respect my 
son. When the vinedressers saw the 
son, they said among themselves, this is the heir. Come, let us 
kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him 
out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner 
of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? 
They said to him, he will destroy those wicked men miserably and 
lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits 
in their seasons. Jesus said to them, have you 
never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders 
rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's 
doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to 
you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to 
a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this 
stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind 
him to powder. Now when the chief priests and 
Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking 
of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared 
the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet. Amen. Well, as I said, chapters 21 
to 24 are a unit. Basically, the Lord Jesus enters 
into the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of Matthew chapter 
21, what we call the triumphal entry. and then he engages in 
dispute and debate with the religious leaders. That leads ultimately 
to his pronouncements of woes and condemnations upon them in 
chapter 23. Chapter 23 then ends with his 
prophetic pronouncement that this house would be desolated. And then in chapter 24, he's 
asked a question specifically about the temple, and then he 
answers that. And prophetically, he speaks 
concerning the destruction of the temple in AD 70. So as I 
said, this is more of a survey, not of the modern state of Israel, 
necessarily, or of Zionism, but specifically, what does the Bible 
say concerning Old Covenant Israel? What does the Bible say concerning 
New Covenant Israel? Well, hopefully we will get that 
as we come to this particular passage. Our focus will be verses 
33 to 46. As I said, in chapter 21, beginning 
at verse 23, all the way to the end of chapter 22, there are 
eight confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders. 
The confrontation in chapter 21, 23 to 27, followed by three 
parables and then four questions. The close connection of the three 
parables is seen in, notice, chapter 21 at verse 33, here 
another parable, and then again in chapter 22, verse 1, and Jesus 
answered and spoke to them again by parables. And it ultimately 
hinges upon the question that was posed to him concerning his 
authority. Notice in chapter 21, specifically 
at verse 23. Now, when he came into the temple, 
the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted him 
as he was teaching and said, by what authority are you doing 
these things, and who gave you this authority? So as I said, 
he then engages in parabolic teaching, and then they exchange 
questions and answers in chapter 22, beginning at verse 15. So 
the specific passage in verses 33 to 46 is basically a history 
of Israel. The first parable in this section, 
notice in verses 28 to 32, is a commentary on the first century 
situation. It's pretty easy. Pretty obvious, 
obviously the son who said, I will not, but afterward he regretted 
it and went. But then the second who said, 
of course I will, but he didn't do it. Jesus draws out the teaching 
in verse 31. I say to you that tax collectors 
and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came 
to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. 
But tax collectors and harlots believed him. And when you saw 
it, you did not afterward relent and believe him." So they were 
like that son who had said yes, but they didn't do what they 
were supposed to do. That's old covenant Israel. They are in 
that position, covenanted with the God of Israel, where they 
have sworn an oath that they would carry out all that Yahweh 
had commanded. But of course, they don't do 
that. But in that first century setting, when John the Baptist 
comes, when the Lord Jesus comes, tax collectors and harlots believe 
him. So they are like that son that 
said no initially but then regrets it and then comes to himself 
and then goes. So that's kind of a commentary 
by way of parable on their particular situation there in the first 
century. And then the parable of the wicked vine dressers is 
essentially the history of Israel. It is the history of Old Covenant 
Israel leading up to this time when Jesus, the Son, in the parable 
had come to them, and instead of receiving Him and honoring 
Him and worshiping Him, they want to seize Him and kill Him. So I want to look first at the 
giving of the parable in verses 33 to 39. Second, the question 
concerning the parable in verses 40 and 41. Third, the implications 
drawn from the parable in verses 42 to 44. And then finally, the 
response to the parable in verses 45 and 46. So when we look at 
this, first of all, in terms of the giving of the parable, 
it doesn't happen in a vacuum. It doesn't just sort of fall 
into Matthew's gospel without any sort of background or with 
any sort of context. In the Old Testament, God refers 
to Israel as a vine that had been taken out of Egypt. You 
see that in Psalm 80, for instance. It's also referred that way in 
Jeremiah the prophet in chapter 2 at verse 21. But there is a 
direct connection between this parable in verses 33 and following 
to the prophet Isaiah. And you can turn there, Isaiah 
chapter 5. A parable very similar in nature 
and as well very similar in terms of its commentary on the situation 
going on in Israel at the time. So notice in the prophet Isaiah 
chapter 5 verse 1. Now let me sing to my well beloved 
a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard. My well-beloved 
has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared 
out its stones and planted it with the choicest vine. He built 
a tower in its midst and also made a winepress in it. So he 
expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth 
wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem 
and men of Judah, judge, please, between me and my vineyard. What 
more could have been done to my vineyard that I have not done 
in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, 
did it bring forth wild grapes? And now, please, let me tell 
you what I will do to my vineyard. I will shake its edge, and it 
shall be burned, and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled 
down. I will lay it waste, it shall not be pruned or dug, but 
there shall come up briars and thorns. I will also command the 
clouds that they rain no rain on it. For the vineyard of the 
Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah 
are his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, 
oppression, for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help." 
It's the exact situation that is facing Jesus in this first 
century situation. In fact, turn over to chapter 
23 in Matthew's Gospel to see something similar in terms of 
that indictment in Isaiah 5-7. Notice in the woe pronounced 
in verse 23. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, 
hypocrites! For you paid tithe of mint and 
anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the 
law, justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done 
without leaving the others undone. So the same sort of situation 
that faced the prophet Isaiah, the days where men called good 
evil and evil good, It's the same sort of thing that obtained 
in the first century when our Lord Jesus Christ comes to His 
own and His own receive Him not. So the Old Testament has this 
sort of thing. And so when Jesus speaks this 
particular parable, they obviously understood that He was talking 
about them. They make that observation very 
specifically in verse 45. Now, when the chief priests and 
Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking 
of them. So they understood that. They knew that he was condemning 
them. And again, that then launches 
that series of questions where they challenge him in chapter 
22, and then he denounces them very specifically in chapter 
23. So in terms of the parable as 
we have it, the landowner is God the Father. The vineyard 
is Israel, Old Covenant Israel, here called the Kingdom of God, 
or referred to as the Kingdom of God. The vinedressers are 
Israel, specifically the religious leadership at the time. The servants 
in the parable are the prophets. Again, this is a historic survey 
of Old Covenant Israel in terms of a parable. And then the son 
of the landowner, obviously, is the Lord Jesus Christ. And 
so essentially what you have is the landowner plants a vineyard. 
There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set 
a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, 
just like we see there in Isaiah 5. The landowner protected the 
vineyard. The landowner then leased it 
to vine dressers, tenant farmers that were responsible from the 
produce of the land to give a portion to the vineyard owner so that 
he would make his money on that particular transaction. He wasn't 
in it simply because of love and fresh air. He was in it because 
it was a good investment. And then, as well, the landowner 
goes into a far country. And again, I think this is just 
a parabolic way to say that in his absence they engaged in lawlessness 
and rebellion and wickedness. Well, in verses 34 to 39, we 
see that the landowner sends his servants to collect his share. So verse 34, now when vintage 
time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they 
might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his 
servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again, that's 
Old Covenant Israel. That is specifically what happens. 
Similarity with Isaiah 5. So he expected it to bring forth 
good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. Why then, when I 
expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild 
grapes? He looked for justice, but behold, 
oppression, for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help." 
So when Jesus comes to this first century setting, He expects fruit. He expects the children of Israel 
to be godly and faithful and upright. He expects them to yield 
those things which are pleasing in His sight. Now when that does 
not happen, notice back in chapter 21 at verses 18 and 19. Now in 
the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. And 
seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing 
on it but leaves, and said to it, let no fruit grow on you 
ever again. Immediately the fig tree withered 
away. We need to understand, with reference to Old Covenant 
Israel, it's done. It's no longer an Old Covenant 
ethnic people of God that are His special privilege. As I'll 
argue later on, the reference in verse 43, when that kingdom 
is taken from them and given to a nation bearing the fruits 
of it, that's the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The church 
of the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to in Galatians 6.16 as the Israel 
of God. Romans chapter 2, they're the ones that are truly circumcised, 
not externally or outwardly, but in the heart by faith. Philippians 3, verse 3, we are 
the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit and rejoice 
in those things. So we don't have this situation 
where there's some future sort of resurrection of Old Covenant 
Israel. Now Romans 11 indicates a gathering 
in of ethnic Jews. That's the reading that is popularized 
in the Puritan movement. There will be lots of ethnic 
Jews converted, but not because they're Jews, but because they 
come to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. An alternate reading 
of that is by O. Palmer Robertson, who I think 
makes a compelling case for a different sort of way to approach that. 
But just look specifically again at 2119. Seeing a fig tree by 
the road, and this is symbolic of Israel, he came to it and 
found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, let no fruit 
grow on you ever again. Immediately the fig tree withered 
away. What's he saying? There is this dissolution, this 
suspension or obsolescence built into the Old Covenant. Once it 
is done away with in our Lord Jesus Christ, it's not going 
to be resurrected. There's not a future political 
place for Israel. There's not a rebuilt temple. 
There's not a millennial kingdom where there's sacrifices of atonement. 
That's simply to go backward in redemptive history. That's 
what we see in this particular passage. So the landowner sends 
his servants to collect the fruit. The vinedressers beat, kill, 
and stone the servants. All you got to do is survey the 
Old Testament. The beating of Micaiah, 1 Kings, chapter 22, 
verse 24. Jeremiah, the prophet, was beat. 
Jeremiah 20, verses 1 and 2. The killing of prophets by Ahab's 
wife, Jezebel. You see that in 1 Kings 18.4 
and 1 Kings 18.3, 13, rather. The killing of Uriah. in Jeremiah 26, 20-23. So everything 
that Jesus is saying here is stuff that had happened in the 
Old Covenant. You read through the Old Testament, 
you'll see the way they treated the prophets, you'll see the 
way they had disdain and rejection of God, and that is the reason 
why they reaped the curses associated with the Covenant. And then the 
stoning of a prophet, that would have been Zechariah the prophet, 
2 Chronicles 24, verses 20-22. So then notice in verse 36, the 
landowner sent more servants to collect the fruit, and the 
bind dressers did likewise. Again, he sent other servants, 
more than the first, and they did likewise to that. You've 
read through the Old Testament. You'll know that this is not 
made up. You'll know that this is precisely what happens. Old 
Testament references to Israel's rejection of the prophets. You 
have it in 2 Chronicles 36, 15 and 16. Nehemiah 9, 26. Jeremiah's 
first temple sermon 7, 25 to 27. These men rehearsed the fact 
that God sent prophets to the nation and the nation killed 
the prophets sent by God. And that's what Jesus is doing 
here. He's rehearsing this in the presence of these religious 
leaders who are questioning him about his authority, and then 
are going to debate with him in chapter 22 concerning particular 
issues or questions, and it will culminate in his denunciation 
of them in those woes in chapter 23, and in the prophecy concerning 
the destruction of their temple in chapter 24. But as well, the 
New Testament emphasis on Israel's rejection of the prophets. Turn 
to the prophet, rather, evangelist Luke. Sorry. Prophet, apostle, 
evangelist. He's not prophet, he's not apostle, 
he's evangelist. Luke chapter 13, notice specifically 
at verse 33. Well, verse 32, and he said to 
them in the context of Herod, go tell that fox, behold, I cast 
out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third 
day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless, I must journey 
today, tomorrow, and the day following, for it cannot be that 
a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. Again, what was 
supposed to be the holy city of Jerusalem was a den of iniquity. It was a house of thieves. Notice 
in the book of Acts, in chapter 7, Stephen, at the end of his 
sermon before the Sanhedrin, makes the same point. Acts chapter 
7, specifically at verse 52. Which of the prophets did your 
fathers not persecute, and they killed those who foretold the 
coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers 
and murderers? As well, go back for just a moment 
to see why Stephen was on trial. Look at chapter 6, specifically 
at verses 13 and 14. This is the same reason that 
Jeremiah was called to task, and one of the same reasons why 
Jesus was looked at unfavorably. 613, they also set up false witnesses 
who said, this man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against 
this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that 
this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs 
which Moses delivered to us. Jeremiah was called to task for 
the very same thing because he prophesied the destruction of 
Jerusalem and the temple under Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century 
BC. Well, Stephen is called to task 
for the exact same thing, and interestingly, so is our Lord 
Jesus Christ. So when it comes to this particular 
parable, it ought not to be difficult to convince you that this is, 
in fact, the history of Israel. And then in the immediate context, 
if you look at chapter 23, specifically at verse 31. Look how he ends 
this chapter Having denounced the scribes and the Pharisees, 
the religious leadership of Israel at that time, with several woes, 
calling them hypocrites, he says in verse 31, Fill up, then, the measure of 
your father's guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers, how 
can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I 
send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you 
will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your 
synagogues and persecute from city to city. That's the Book 
of Acts, brethren. The first main enemy against 
the Christian Church was unbelieving Israel. The Roman Empire, later 
on, would turn their attention against the Church. But initially, 
the Church, by the Roman Empire, was looked at as a subset of 
Judaism, and for the most part, they left them alone. When Paul 
is brought before those civil magistrates in the Book of Acts, 
they really don't want to have anything to do with him. He was 
not perceived to be a threat by them. Now again, later on, 
specifically with Nero, things got a lot worse for the Christians. But it was unbelieving Israel, 
Old Covenant Israel, Covenant-breaking Israel, that rejected and resisted 
the Messiah. And then notice what he says 
in verse 35, that on you may come all the righteous blood 
shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood 
of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the 
temple and the altar. Now that's A to Z in the English 
Bible. It's not A to Z in the Hebrew 
Bible. But in the Hebrew canon, that's 
specifically correct. The book of Genesis is first, 
Abel, and the book of 2 Chronicles is last, so Zechariah. So the A to Z, in terms of their 
murderous rage against the prophets of God, he says that on you may 
come all the righteous blood shed on the earth. And then notice 
in verse 36, in case we're wondering when this might actually take 
place, assuredly I say to you, all these things will come upon 
this generation. Now there's been a lot of attempts 
to try to evade what this generation means. This generation in Matthew's 
Gospel always means the generation to whom Jesus speaks. Generation 
is His contemporaries. Now that leads Jesus, according 
to His humanity, to lament over Jerusalem. Notice in verse 37, 
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones 
those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather 
your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her 
wings, but you were not willing. See, your house is left to you 
desolate. For I say to you, you shall see 
me no more till you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of 
the Lord. Your house is laid to you desolate, just like this 
pronouncement on the fig tree. So going back to our parable, 
notice in verse 37, then last of all, he sent his son to them 
saying, they will respect my son. Again, if the landowner 
is God the Father, the son of the landowner is God the Son. 
It's the Messiah sent by Yahweh to this vineyard. So notice in 
verse 38, But when the vinedressers saw the Son, they said among 
themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize 
his inheritance. Again, this is not surprising. 
This is happening in the very context that Jesus is speaking 
this. This happens all throughout our 
studies in the Gospel according to John. It shouldn't take much 
to get anybody to see that in that first century setting, Jesus 
was opposed by unbelieving Israel. And that's what he's speaking 
to specifically here. That brings us to the question 
concerning the parable in verses 40 and 41. Therefore, when the 
owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" 
It's a good question. They have treated him with disrespect 
and disobedience. They have treated his prophets 
with disrespect and disobedience, even to the point of murder and 
stoning and all sorts of viciousness. And they have treated the son 
with that kind of disrespect and disobedience. So the question 
comes, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he 
do to those vinedressers? Now they might not have been 
the brightest bulbs in the chandelier, but they were certainly able 
to follow this. They said to him, he will destroy those wicked 
men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will 
render to him the fruits in their seasons. The religious leaders 
understand the seriousness of the situation. They don't miss 
that. The religious leaders acknowledge 
the righteousness of God's judgment. They get that. The religious 
leaders unwittingly prophesy alongside of Jesus their own 
destruction relative to their conduct in terms of disobedience 
to the covenant that they swore fidelity to in the book of Exodus 
at chapter 24. And then that brings us thirdly 
to the implications drawn from the parable. Notice Jesus says 
to them, according to verse 42, What is Jesus doing? Jesus is saying that this isn't 
taking the landowner by surprise. This isn't caught the son of 
the landowner unaware. This is not something that they 
didn't have in their plan and purpose. He says that the Old 
Testament scriptures prophesied concerning this. But I love the 
way that it says this. Jesus said to them, have you 
never read in the scriptures? Of course they had read that. 
Of course, they were familiar with it. It's Psalm 118, verses 
22 and 23. There's a quote from Psalm 118 
prior in the text in verse 9. Hosanna to the son of David. 
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in 
the highest. Of course, they had read it, 
but they never thought to make the interpretation about themselves. 
They never thought for a moment that the stone which the builders 
rejected would be the Lord Jesus Christ, that chief cornerstone, 
the one that was marvelous in the sight of his father, the 
landowner. And so Jesus cites that in order 
to connect it to Old Testament prophecy concerning ultimately 
their downfall as a result of having broken covenant with God 
Most High. Now, in terms of the significance 
of the quotation here, it demonstrates the Israel-Jesus identification. Now, when I talk about that, 
I want to try and emphasize that there is a new covenant Israel. We call it the Church, Galatians 
6.16, as I've already mentioned, Romans 2, and Philippians 3. But that's predicated on the 
true Israel of God, which is Jesus. Jesus is that Prince of 
God. Jesus is the one in whom all 
the promises of God are yea and amen. That's something that Matthew 
takes pains to demonstrate in his gospel account. Now, Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, and John all wrote similar gospels. I mean, John's 
the most different of what we call the three synoptics, but 
it's all the same material concerning Jesus. But they all have a different 
audience. Most people, commentators, biblical 
scholars, say that Luke is writing to a Gentile audience. Paul was 
his sort of helper alongside of him in terms of making sure 
what he wrote was accurate and all that sort of thing. Mark 
was the man that wrote primarily to a Roman audience. John wrote 
to the church and to unbelievers to call them to believe and repent. 
Matthew wrote to Jews, and one of the things that Matthew does 
in his gospel is that he links Israel, Old Covenant Israel, 
with Jesus, the New Covenant Israel. So in Matthew chapter 
2, in fact you can turn there, there's an Old Testament prophecy 
concerning Israel coming out of Egypt, and it's applied to 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in Matthew chapter 2, 
very specifically at verse I'm sorry, verse, I think it's verse 
11. No, I've got it. Let's see verse 
13. Now, when they had departed, 
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream 
saying, arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to 
Egypt and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek 
the young child to destroy him. When He arose, He took the young 
child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was 
there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which 
was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt 
I called my son." God calls Old Covenant Israel out of Egypt 
as his firstborn son. Once they leave Egypt, what happens? 
They pass through water and they end up in the wilderness. Well, 
Jesus, the Israel of God, passes through water according to Matthew 
3 at verses 13 to 17. He is baptized. After his baptism, he is then 
led out into the wilderness by the Spirit. Remember that Old 
Covenant Israel went out into the wilderness, and there they 
experienced a time of testing and trial for 40 years, and they 
succumbed. They fell. They did not obey. 
They did what God had not commanded them. They disobeyed. Jesus, 
however, in the wilderness, fulfills all that is written. In fact, 
we see that emphasis that man shall not live by bread alone, 
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. That's 
from Deuteronomy. Again, not accidental. Matthew is linking 
Jesus and Israel. I think Luke links Adam and Jesus, 
not that either are incorrect, it's giving us different facets 
in terms of the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. So there is 
this Israel-Jesus identification. As well, it demonstrates that 
the rejection of Christ was prophesied. This was not haphazard. This 
wasn't a, you know, again, God didn't, you know, hit his forehead 
and say, I can't believe these people. No, it was all prophesied. 
It pleased Yahweh to bruise him, putting him to grief. It demonstrates 
the vindication of Christ follows His rejection, and it demonstrates 
that the ministry of Christ and His rejection by the leaders 
was according to God's decree. Again, this is not haphazard. We're leading the New Covenant. 
The Old Covenant was preparatory, it was in anticipation, and it 
was the New Covenant that fulfills and realizes that. And then it 
demonstrates, this Old Covenant citation demonstrates that the 
ministry of Christ is marvelous in the eyes of believers. The 
stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, 
this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 
Now notice the status of the kingdom specifically. The status 
of the kingdom in verse 43. So he's given this history of 
Old Covenant Israel. They have properly understood 
that this is the enticement to the judgment of God Most High. 
He grounds it in this Old Testament setting in Psalm 118. And then 
he makes this implication. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom 
of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing 
the fruits of it. Again, brethren, there is no 
sort of open door for a future geopolitical Israel with a rebuilt 
temple and animal sacrifices for atonement. He's cursed the 
fig tree never to grow again, and here he has taken the kingdom 
from them, and he is giving it to a nation bearing the fruits 
of it. Now, the nation of Israel was 
not the totality of God's kingdom. God's kingdom includes all things. 
But it was the kingdom of God on earth. In fact, it's intriguing, 
when Solomon sits on the throne, according to 1 Chronicles 29-23, 
it says, "...then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as 
king, instead of David his father and prospered." He sat on the 
throne of Yahweh. when he sat on that throne. So 
the kingdom of God was realized in the Old Covenant in the nation 
of Israel. They had a priesthood, they had 
kings, a monarchy, they had a temple, they had everything there. It 
was the visible expression of the kingdom of God. The nation 
of Israel had had a privileged status, but it was unfruitful, 
rejected the prophets and the Messiah, and as a result would 
be stripped of all of its privileges, and that's the point in verse 
43. Therefore, I say to you, based on this old covenant history, 
based on this constant rejection and rebellion against God, based 
on your treatment of the prophets, based on your treatment of the 
Messiah, and based ultimately upon the written word of God, 
Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, I say to you, the kingdom 
of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing 
the fruits of it. Now, when we ask the specific 
question, what nation is this, turn to the book of Peter, 1 
Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. Intriguingly, it's an Old Testament 
quotation applied to Israel in the Old Testament, but here in 
the New Testament, applied to the spiritual Israel, or the 
true Israel, or rather, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice 
in 1 Peter chapter 2, specifically, At verse 4, coming to him as 
to a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen by God and 
precious you also as living stones are being built up a spiritual 
house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable 
to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained 
in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, 
elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put 
to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, 
he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone 
which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, 
and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble 
being disobedient to the word, notice this, to which they also 
were appointed. Again, Peter knows that. It wasn't 
haphazard. It wasn't random. It wasn't just 
something that happened to occur in the history of God's purpose 
and plan, so he enacted a plan B. The plan was always new covenant 
reality. The Old Covenant was shadowy, 
it was typological, it pointed forward or prefigured the coming 
of the Lamb of God who would save His people from their sins. 
It all accomplished the purpose for which the Lord intended. 
And then notice specifically in verse 9, Church of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 
His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises 
of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, 
who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who 
had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." And again, 
Old Covenant prophets prophesied concerning Gentile inclusion 
in the covenant promises of God. So we've got this nation of God 
language, this language that is Old Covenant, but now it's 
applied in the New Covenant to the Church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. So in verse 43 of Matthew's Gospel, it tells us that the 
Old Covenant people are no more. Now again, that's not to say 
that somebody living in the modern state of Israel can't believe 
the gospel and be saved. That's not what it's saying. 
But what it is saying is that Old Covenant Israel is not going 
to be reconvened in this New Covenant era to do the things 
that I mentioned previously. Rebuilt temple, reintroduction 
of animal sacrifices. That is to go backward in redemptive 
history. So the Lord Jesus speaks concerning 
this transfer of the kingdom. Now in terms of the historical 
fulfillment of this, I've already tipped my hand, Matthew 24 deals 
with the Olivet Discourse. And in the Olivet Discourse, 
Jesus is talking about the temple that was standing then. Notice 
at verse 3, Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples 
came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things 
be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end 
of the age? Go back for just a moment to verse 36 in chapter 
23. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon 
this generation. He then gives the Olivet Discourse 
and he punctuates it at the end, at least of this section, in 
verse 34 of Matthew 24. Notice he says, Assuredly, I 
say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all 
these things take place. So I would argue, and I have 
argued, in some detail that all that comes between those pronouncements 
of this generation did take place in the first century. The Lord 
is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This was a historical event. 
It was a historic reality. It's not only testified here 
in the gospel narratives, but by Josephus, the Jewish historian. In fact, you compare Josephus' 
writings with Jesus at times, it's pretty uncanny in terms 
of the description of the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. So this is what he's referring 
to specifically in terms of the public demonstration. Now, this 
actually comes to pass at his death and resurrection. So at 
the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, that's when the 
Old Covenant is no more. The Old Covenant served, it functioned, 
it did what it was supposed to do. When Jesus comes, he lives, 
he dies, he's raised again. So the Old Covenant is no longer 
binding. In fact, at the Last Supper, 
what does Jesus institute, or what does Jesus inaugurate? The 
new covenant in his blood. So the death and resurrection 
of Jesus is the official end of the Old Covenant and the official 
beginning of the New Covenant. But in terms of its outward display, 
it would take A.D. 70 to demonstrate that. You can 
turn to the book of Hebrews, where I think the Apostle indicates 
that very thing. Hebrews chapter 8. in a context where he's describing 
the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. But again, 
the Old Covenant wasn't bad. The Old Covenant did what God 
intended for the Old Covenant to do. It wasn't that the fault 
was with the Old Covenant, the fault was with the people in 
the Old Covenant. So in chapters 7 and 8, he highlights the superiority 
of that new covenant. He says that Christ is the surety 
of a better covenant. This covenant is founded on better 
promises and it affords a better hope. And then in chapter 8, 
beginning in verse 7, he indicates that this was the fulfillment 
of what God had prophesied in the old covenant through Jeremiah. 
Notice in verse 7, for if that first covenant had been faultless, 
then no place would have been sought for a second. Because 
finding fault with, notice, them, not the covenant. It wasn't the 
covenant, it was them. They didn't obey the covenant, 
they didn't do what they were supposed to do. And then more 
sort of affirmation that the church is the true Israel of 
God. Notice in verse 8, behold, the days are coming, says the 
Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah. Well, that he's applying these 
realities to the Church of the Lord Jesus in the very context 
that he's writing, we surmise that that is Old Covenant language 
prefiguring, typifying, foreshadowing the Church of the Lord Jesus. 
He then cites from the prophet Jeremiah to say that this was 
always God's intention, this was always God's plan. He would 
bring this New Covenant with a better surety to affect the 
better hope with the better promises. But then specifically look at 
verse 13. In that he says a new covenant 
he has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete 
and growing old is ready to vanish away. So I think what he means 
here in that he says a new covenant he has made the first obsolete 
at the blood or at the cross through the blood of Jesus Christ. 
He made it obsolete. Now, what is becoming obsolete 
and growing old? Why does he say that? Because 
the temple was still standing. Persons were still going to sacrifice. It looked as if everything was 
still in order in terms of Old Covenant Israel. In fact, I think 
that's the impetus for the book of Hebrews. apostasy passages 
in chapters 6 and 10. Yeah, we can apply them to certain 
sins that we may commit, but the particular application in 
chapters 6 and 8 is somebody who has, or 6 and 10 rather, 
who has confessed or professed faith in Jesus and then succumbed 
to pressure from friends and family to go back to Moses. And 
again, Moses isn't bad. But once Jesus has come, we don't 
look at the shadows anymore. We look at the substance, which 
is our Lord Jesus. So the temple is still there. 
The priesthood is still there. The sacrificial system is still 
there. And these Hebrew Christians are getting pressured to go back 
to it. So I think Paul's impetus in 
the book of Hebrews is don't go back to it. Christ is superior. 
He's over the angels. He's over the prophets. He's 
over Joshua. He's over Moses. He's over all things. His covenant 
is the better covenant. So, in that he says a new covenant, 
he has made the first obsolete. Now, what is becoming obsolete 
and growing old is ready to vanish away. Well, when would it vanish 
away? When the Roman army surrounded 
Jerusalem and sacked the city and the temple. Again, that was 
a historical reality. When you compare the Olivet Discourse 
in Luke's narrative, specifically at chapter 21, he even says, 
when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation 
is near. Luke 21-20, when you see Jerusalem 
surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. He's not 
talking about the second physical coming. There's no fleeing to 
the mountains when Jesus comes again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. There's no fleeing to, you know, I am and I've got 
a little place up and, you know, wherever I'm going to go hide 
there and just let this whole sort of ordeal pass. No, it's 
a localized judgment in Judea upon the city of Jerusalem with 
a specific target of its temple. So this language would be absolutely 
ridiculous if it's talking about the second physical coming of 
the Lord. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, 
let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those 
who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of 
vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 
What does that mean? It means Leviticus 26. It means 
Deuteronomy 28. It means that the curses associated 
with the covenant have come upon these people that crucified the 
Lord of Glory. He came to His own. His own did 
not receive Him. He curses their fig tree. He 
threatens to take away their kingdom and give it to a nation 
bearing the fruits consistent with it. And so the temporal 
judgment of God falls upon them. And again, look at the direction 
in verse 23. He's talking about a localized judgment. He's talking 
about the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and that is precisely 
what he's doing there in Matthew 24. Again, look at verse 15 in Matthew 
24. Therefore, when you see the abomination 
of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy 
place, whoever reads, let him understand. Then let those who 
are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop 
not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him 
who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to 
those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies 
in those days. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or 
on the Sabbath. Again, brethren, this is language 
that would be nonsensical in terms of the second 
physical coming and the consummation of all things. There's no hiding. 
There's no fling. It doesn't matter if it's the 
Sabbath. It doesn't matter if you're a pregnant woman, if you're 
nursing a baby. And then in verse 21, for then, 
this gives interpreters problems, for then there will be great 
tribulation such as has not been since in the beginning of the 
world until this time, nor, no, nor ever shall be. The significance 
isn't the body count, it's the covenantal transformation. It's 
not body count that makes it the Great Tribulation. It's the 
fact that the Old Covenant people, they had sinned against God, 
and in 722 BC, the Assyrians came in and shut them down. In 
586, the Babylonians came in and shut them down. The Lord 
of Glory comes to them and they do not own him as Lord. They 
crucify him. That's it. The covenant curses 
have come. He inaugurates the new covenant. 
The city, the temple is shut down, never to be reconvened 
again. So when we look for historical 
fulfillment of verse 43 in chapter 21, it is at the death and resurrection 
of our Lord. He inaugurated the new covenant 
in his blood. Now in terms of the public demonstration 
of that, A.D. 70. But it's the church of the 
Lord Jesus Christ that is that kingdom, or that nation rather, 
that bears the fruits of it. And then he pronounces this condemnation 
upon them in verse 44. Whoever falls on this stone will 
be broken, but on whomever it falls it will grind him to powder. 
In other words, there is great judgment for the covenantally 
unfaithful and rebellious Israelites who had rejected the Lord of 
glory. And then notice, finally, the 
response to the parable. Again, we've got to give a little 
credit to the chief priests and Pharisees because they understood 
it. They didn't say, well, this must mean 2,000 years from now, 
there's going to be a revived Roman Empire, there's going to 
be a rebuilt temple, they're going to reintroduce, no, no, 
no, they understood all too well that he was talking about them. 
Now, when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, 
they perceived that he was speaking of them. It was not lost on them. They understood it. Now, that 
doesn't mean they bowed to him and confessed him as Lord and 
Savior and said, oh, we better get our act together. We'll come 
to you. No, no, no. That's not it. They understood that the 
judgment he pronounced was coming upon them. But when they sought 
to lay hands on him, in fulfillment of the parable he just told, 
Here's the son who's come from the landowner of the vineyard, 
and instead of receiving him and honoring him, they seize 
him, they deliver him up to Pontius Pilate to be crucified. So they're 
carrying out the very thing he just said in parable. So they 
sought to lay hands on him. They feared the multitudes because 
they took him for a prophet. They feared man and they did 
not want to be subject to those who might otherwise think that 
they were wrong. Same sort of thing happened in 
the very initial sort of dispute in terms of authority. Look at 
chapter 21, verse 23. Well, we read verse 23. So they asked him, by what authority 
are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? 
Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one thing, 
which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority 
I do these things. The baptism of John, where was 
it from, from heaven or from men? And they reasoned among 
themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say to us, 
why then did you not believe him? But if we say from men, 
we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet. So they 
answered Jesus and said, we do not know. And he said to them, 
neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 
These men were driven by fear of man. You see that when it 
comes time to seize him and it's near the Passover, they go by 
night because they don't want to cause a ruckus in the town. 
And so these were gutless, cowardless, covenant breakers that heard 
the parable, understood that he was speaking about them, wanted 
to lay hands on him, but they fear the multitudes because they 
took him for a prophet. Well, in conclusion, the history 
of Israel, as I said, it was the visible expression of God's 
kingdom on earth in the Old Covenant. It was the visible expression 
of God's kingdom on earth. Israel was the recipient of the 
goodness of God. You see that in the prophet Isaiah 
specifically. in terms of the parable of the 
vineyard there. God blesses, God provides, God gives them 
bounty. He promises all that in the Pentateuch. 
He affirms all that in the section concerning the covenant blessings. And then he says he'll deprive 
them of those things in terms of the covenant curses. As well, 
Israel was the subject of the long-suffering of God. This is 
a brief parable, but it covers a long time. And if you read 
the Old Testament, you have to be struck with the reality of 
the long suffering of God. He doesn't immediately, every 
time they sin, go out and smash them on the head. There's times 
where you kind of wonder, wow, I can't believe this. I mean, 
the persons that would say, oh, the Old Covenant God is... Oh, 
wrath and judgment and curse. Yeah, there's wrath and judgment 
and curse, but there's a lot of patience and a lot of mercy 
and a lot of kindness. Remember, each time that he sends 
a prophet, he sends the prophet to call them to repent, to renew 
faith, to come to him. As well, Israel did not produce 
fruit consistent with their privilege as the people of God. That's 
what the parable here teaches, this is what Isaiah 5 teaches. 
And as a result, break the covenant, you reap the curses associated 
with the covenant. Israel rejected the prophets, 
including John the Baptist. We see that in verse 32, for 
John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not 
believe him. But tax collectors and harlots 
believed him, and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent 
and believe him. They thought he was, you know, 
Not basically they thought he was just some you know weirdo 
off the reservation on the other side of the on the other side 
of the river Jordan and they and then Israel ultimately rejected 
the Messiah and their broke covenant with God and and they then reap 
the covenant curses. As I mentioned, the fulfillment 
of verse 43, therefore I say to you the kingdom of God is 
predicated on verse 41. They said to him, he will destroy 
those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers 
who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. the religious 
leaders recognized their own destruction, and rightly so. 
They at least had enough wherewithal to get what he was saying. This 
text baffles, and so does chapter 24. Many a Bible commentator, 
well, it can't mean AD 70. Why can't it mean that? Especially 
when Jesus says, this generation. That's precisely what it means. 
And then you have God-inspired commentary in Hebrews 8.13. and 
other places in the New Testament that indicates that it was unbelieving 
Israel that was the first enemy of the church. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 
chapter 2. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. You know the book of Acts. You 
see that they were antagonistic against the church. But here 
in 1 Thessalonians 2, which was an early epistle of the apostle, 
notice in 1 Thessalonians 2.14, who killed both the Lord Jesus 
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us. And they do not 
please God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to 
speak to the Gentiles, that they may be saved. So as always, and 
he uses the same language that Jesus uses in that precursor 
to the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 23. So as always, to fill up 
the measure of their sins, but wrath has come upon them to the 
uttermost. There is a New Testament apostle 
acknowledging unbelieving Israel as having killed the Lord Jesus, 
as having killed the apostles, as having killed the prophets 
in the Old Testament. They are filling up the measure 
of their sins and wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. Again, 
this idea that this has to be in our future is simply read 
into the text and not taken out of the text. We have Jesus parabolically 
give us the history of Israel, speak concerning the transfer 
of the kingdom from old covenant Israel to new covenant Israel, 
which is the church, in verse 43, and then he continues in 
debate or confrontation in chapter 22, condemnation in chapter 23, 
and then prophetic announcement in chapter 24 to come out of 
that and say, well, he must be speaking about our future. is 
to miss the point of the passage. As well, it is to provide some 
sort of an odd justification for some geopolitical future 
for Israel. Again, they may have that, but 
it's not by God's prophetic statement. It may be in God's providence, 
but it's not based on biblical prophecy. Israel, Old Covenant 
Israel, at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, entered into 
the rank and file of every other nation. so that now they ought 
to hear the gospel. We ought to preach to them, believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and repent from your sins. They don't 
have special status because they are ethnic Jews. The religious 
leaders, along with their followers, would reap the wrath of the Lamb 
in AD 70. Again, I'm not making this up. 
Ryle says, a time came when the long suffering of God towards 
the Jews had an end. 40 years after our Lord's death, 
which is this generation, the cup of their iniquity was at 
length full, and they received a heavy chastisement for their 
many sins. Their holy city, Jerusalem, was 
destroyed. Their temple was burned. They themselves were scattered 
over the face of the earth. The kingdom of God was taken 
from them and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof. 
Spurgeon says the same thing. As a class, the religious leaders 
of the Jews were guilty of the blood of a long line of prophets, 
and they were about to crown their long career of crime by 
the murder of the Son of God Himself. In the destruction of 
Jerusalem, the God of heaven visited them and dealt out just 
punishment to them. The siege of the city and the 
massacre of the inhabitants was a terrible avenging of the innocent 
blood which the people and their rulers had shed. As I said, the 
status of ethnic Israel today, they need the gospel. They need 
to believe the gospel. They need to repent from their 
sin. If it's not the case, you know, you hear that sometimes, 
well, you know, Muslims and Jews and Christians all have the same 
God. No, they don't. Our God is Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit. To reject the Son is to reject 
the Father. Why do you think Jesus keeps 
banging that nail as we work our way through John's gospel? 
Why do you think he keeps emphasizing that if you've seen me, you've 
seen the Father? What's the implication? If you 
don't see me, you don't believe me, you don't know me, you don't 
have the Father either. Such that in 1 John 2, John, 
the theologian, makes this pronouncement that ought to constantly ring 
in our ears. 1 John 2, verse 22, who is a 
liar, but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. That would 
be unbelieving Jews, brethren. We're looking for this future 
Antichrist. The Antichrist was a Christological heresy in the 
first century that was rampant among the churches. Who is a 
liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist 
who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does 
not have the Father either. He who acknowledges the Son has 
the Father also. And then one final text before 
we close, Genesis chapter 12. I don't want to get all modern 
day political Israel stuff, but there is one text that I think 
we ought to consider. Genesis chapter 12. We hear this 
applied presently to the modern state of Israel, which is usually 
done with a dispensational sort of a hermeneutic or a motive, 
or if not, It's because people have listened to pastors or preachers 
who have a dispensational hermeneutic. So Genesis 12, 3, I will bless 
those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and 
in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. We just 
take that right out of its context, right out of its prophetic sort 
of surrounding, right out of the fulfillment of it being Jesus, 
and apply it to the modern state of Israel? Brethren, this is 
fulfilled in Jesus. I will bless those who bless 
you. I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families 
of the earth shall be blessed. It's not Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob. It's the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So it's ultimately, 
what think ye of Christ? If you reject the Lord of glory, 
you reject and despise Jesus Christ, you're no friend of God 
most high. And therefore, you don't get 
to be blessed. You ought to repent, believe 
the gospel, because there's great blessings there, but it's not 
by virtue of the blood that runs in your veins. It is by virtue 
of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It's not certain 
blood type, but rather it is to be born again by the Spirit 
of the living God. Well, I will close in prayer 
and we'll leave because there's no questions on any of this, 
I'm sure. Let's pray. Father in heaven, 
we thank you for your word. We thank you for this brief parable 
and what it compacts into such a short space concerning Old 
Covenant history. We thank you for our Lord Jesus. 
We thank you for his teaching. We thank you for his death, his 
resurrection, his life. and all the benefits that flow 
from that. And God, as the nation here, as the church of the Lord 
Jesus, help us to be faithful in bearing fruits. If we learn 
a practical lesson from this, may we not make the same mistake, 
may we not sin the same sin that Old Covenant and apostate Israel 
did. Help us to be faithful, help 
us to be in earnest, help us to do so, not so that we may 
be saved, but because we have been saved by your grace. May 
this be an expression of our gratitude of our love and of 
our delight to do the will of the God of heaven and earth.