Today’s Bible readings are really hard and challenging. They talk about destroyed cities and captured kingdoms, slaves and sons that are beaten and killed by vicious tenants. 

Frankly, I really don’t have the appetite for all that right now, so I want to discuss the image that they all have in common: 

the vineyard.

All these readings today use the vineyard as their location.

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Now, grapes have been cultivated in Palestine from earliest times, as the Mediterranean climate is well suited to the grape

“Which reaches perfection during the prolonged sunshine 

and the dewy nights of late summer.”

-

Vines would especially flourish on hillsides 

and could be

“oriented to spread along the contours of the ground in very small hill country plots or trained to grow on supporting poles and trellises, creating linear rows of canopies.”

The vineyards would have boundaries like a wall of gathered stones or heavy brush and brier, 

and there would usually be a stone watchtower,

Where during the grape season the owner’s family would probably live most of the time to keep watch 

over their prized possession.

-

During the Spring: the soil between vines 

would need to be dug up or ploughed up, and all the plants pruned.

The vintage or the harvest was a joyous time in late summer 

and into the Fall.

Treading the grapes in a hewn stone winepress was a family activity that children could look forward to.

And there was an allowance for gleaning, that is: that the leftovers of the harvest would be permitted to be picked by the poor, aliens, widows and orphans.

After the vintage was over, leaves would turn yellow or wilt and the vineyards would look desolate.

-

In Palestine of the time, red grapes were preferred.

The vine leaf was a favourite design on Jewish coins.

And in those ancient times most grapes were actually made 

into grape honey (a thick intensely sweet grape juice).

This was important as cane sugar was unknown, and most references in the Bible to honey likely refer to this “grape honey.”

“Ancient law permitted the eating of grapes 

while within a neighbour’s vineyard, but removal of grapes using any kind of vessel was prohibited.” (Dt 23)

Like with most fruit on mature trees, grapevines “require several year’s care before bearing fruit and need constant attention 

if they are to maintain their excellence.”

And so if you neglect care of your vines, 

this leads to rapid deterioration of the grapes.

Only a lazy person would permit their vineyard to be overgrown 

with thorns and nettles.

—

Our readings today are actually quite descriptive of what is required to maintain a good vineyard:

You need to clear the land,

Till the soil, remove stones,

Plant the vines

Put a fence around it

Dig a (wine) press

Build  a watchtower

because good grapes are expensive fruit

And protect the vineyard from intruders: foxes or jackals, boars, or human thieves.

The reading from Isaiah:

Tells about a vineyard that was well dug out, prepared well, with an expectation of good grapes 

but instead yielded wild grapes.

The vineyard is an image for the relationship of God with God’s people.

It asks questions: do you tend this relationship? Do you let your relationship with God go wild and break down?

Does sin infect this relationship and destroy the vineyard?

If this vineyard is destroyed by sin, will it always be useless?

By contrast, the Psalm:

Describes Israel as a vine transplanted from Egypt (recalling the Exodus)

Which initially thrived, but then gave way to sin, 

and then had its walls broken down and was destroyed, 

recalling the destruction of Judah through the Babylonians 

leading to the Exile. 

The Psalmist pleads a lament: 

have mercy on your vineyard, O God!

Then in the reading from Matthew: 

Jesus tells the challenging story of the vineyard 

(as an image for the Kingdom of God) being taken away from the chief priests and Pharisees 

and given to a people that produces its fruits.

—

The vineyard in these texts is an important location, 

an image or metaphor which conveys additional meaning.

The vineyard is a metaphor for God’s people, 

or often specifically Israel.

The failure of a vintage was regarded as God’s terrible punishment,

While a successful vintage: would be a sign of God’s blessing:

Vineyards would continue to be fruitful if the people observed the commandments and refrained from sin.

This image continues in the Gospel of John, 

where in Chapter 15 Jesus announces to his disciples 

that “I am the true vine, my Father is the vine-grower, 

and you are the branches, so

Keep the commandments! Be good disciples!”

And we like the disciples bear abundant fruit 

as we are sustained and nurtured by the central vine, Jesus Christ.

—

The vineyard can also be used as an image for God’s kingdom, 

the field of work for all the baptized,

Where we are invited to use our skills, time and talents 

towards Christ’s goals.

We are invited to labour in the vineyard:

to clear the land,

Till the soil, remove stones,

Plant the vines

We are summoned to become vineyard workers and

Raise a fence

Dig a (wine) press

Build a watchtower:

To spread the gospel,

And serve Christ by loving all.

If you look around you here in the Sanctuary, 

We notice we are surrounded by lots of vines and grapes 

painted all around you. 

On all sides of the wall 

back and front.

We are encircled by Christ the true vine 

and reminded of that each time we come in to church.

We sometimes sing “Let the vineyards be fruitful Lord 

Gather the hopes and dreams of all;Unite them with the prayers we offer now.

As we ponder our relationship with God: 

Is it well tended like a vineyard that is producing lots of fruit

Or would you describe it like a vineyard taken over by weeds and in disrepair?

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—-Sources

Dictionary of the Bible (James Hastings, ed.) “Vineyard”

Eerdman’s Dictionary of the Bible “Vineyard”