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without adornment or display。 His garments were travel stained； His face was pale； and expressed a patient sadness； yet written there were dignity and benevolence that contrasted strangely with the proud； self…confident； and angry air of the high priest。 Many of those who witnessed the words and deeds of Jesus in the temple from that time enshrined Him in their hearts as a prophet of God。 But as the popular feeling turned in His favor； the hatred of the priests toward Jesus increased。 The wisdom by which He escaped the snares set for His feet； being a new evidence of His divinity； added fuel to their wrath。
In His contest with the rabbis； it was not Christ's purpose to humiliate His opponents。 He was not glad to see them in a hard place。 He had
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an important lesson to teach。 He had mortified His enemies by allowing them to be entangled in the net they had spread for Him。 Their acknowledged ignorance in regard to the character of John's baptism gave Him an opportunity to speak； and He improved the opportunity by presenting before them their real position； adding another warning to the many already given。
〃What think ye？〃 He said。 〃A certain 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 repented； and went。 And he came to the second； and said likewise。 And he answered and said； I go； sir： and went not。 Whether of them twain did the will of his father？〃
This abrupt question threw His hearers off their guard。 They had followed the parable closely； and now immediately answered； 〃The first。〃 Fixing His steady eye upon them； Jesus responded in stern and solemn tones： 〃Verily I say unto you； That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you。 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness； and ye believed him not： but the publicans and the harlots believed him： and ye； when ye had seen it； repented not afterward； that ye might believe him。〃
The priests and rulers could not but give a correct answer to Christ's question； and thus He obtained their opinion in favor of the first son。 This son represented the publicans； those who were despised and hated by the Pharisees。 The publicans had been grossly immoral。 They had indeed been transgressors of the law of God； showing in their lives an absolute resistance to His requirements。 They had been unthankful and unholy； when told to go and work in the Lord's vineyard； they had given a contemptuous refusal。 But when John came； preaching repentance and baptism； the publicans received his message and were baptized。
The second son represented the leading men of the Jewish nation。 Some of the Pharisees had repented and received the baptism of John； but the leaders would not acknowledge that he came from God。 His warnings and denunciations did not lead them to reformation。 They 〃rejected the counsel of God against themselves； being not baptized of him。〃 Luke 7：30。 They treated his message with disdain。 Like the second son； who； when called； said； 〃I go； sir；〃 but went not； the priests and rulers professed obedience； but acted disobedience。 They made great professions of piety； they claimed to be obeying the law of God； but they rendered only a false obedience。 The publicans were denounced and cursed by the Pharisees as infidels； but they showed by their faith and works that
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they were going into the kingdom of heaven before those self…righteous men who had been given great light； but whose works did not correspond to their profession of godliness。
The priests and rulers were unwilling to bear these searching truths； they remained silent； however； hoping that Jesus would say something which they could turn against Him； but they had still more to bear。
〃Hear another parable；〃 Christ said： 〃There was a certain householder； which planted a vineyard； and hedged it round about； and digged a wine press in it； and built a tower； and let it out to husbandmen； and went into a far country： and when the time of the fruit drew near； he sent his servants to the husbandmen； that they might receive the fruits of it。 And the husbandmen took his servants； and beat one； and killed another； and stoned another。 Again； he sent other servants more than the first： and they did unto them likewise。 But last of all he sent unto them his son； saying； They will reverence my son。 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。 And they caught him； and cast him out of the vineyard； and slew him。 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh； what will he do unto those husbandmen？〃
Jesus addressed all the people present； but the priests and rulers answered。 〃He will miserably destroy those wicked men；〃 they said； 〃and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen； which shall render him the fruits in their seasons。〃 The speakers had not at first perceived the application of the parable； but they now saw that they had pronounced their own condemnation。 In the parable the householder represented God； the vineyard the Jewish nation； and the hedge the divine law which was their protection。 The tower was a symbol of the temple。 The lord of the vineyard had done everything needful for its prosperity。 〃What could have been done more to my vineyard；〃 he says； 〃that I have not done in it。〃 Isa。 5：4。 Thus was represented God's unwearied care for Israel。 And as the husbandmen were to return to the lord a due proportion of the fruits of the vineyard； so God's people were to honor Him by a life corresponding to their sacred privileges。 But as the husbandmen had killed the servants whom the master sent to them for fruit； so the Jews had put to death the prophets whom God sent to call them to repentance。 Messenger after messenger had been slain。 Thus far the application of the parable could not be questioned； and in what followed it was not less evident。 In the beloved son whom the lord of the vineyard finally sent to his disobedient servants； and whom they
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seized and slew； the priests and rulers saw a distinct picture of Jesus and His impending fate。 Already they were planning to slay Him whom the Father had sent to them as a last appeal。 In the retribution inflicted upon the ungrateful husbandmen was portrayed the doom of those who should put Christ to death。
Looking with pity upon them； the Saviour continued； 〃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？ Therefore say I unto you； The kingdom of God shall be taken from you； and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof。 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken： but on whomsoever it shall fall； it will grind him to powder。〃
This prophecy the Jews had often repeated in the synagogues； applying it to the coming Messiah。 Christ was the cornerstone of the Jewish economy； and of the whole plan of salvation。 This foundation stone the Jewish builders； the priests and rulers of Israel； were now rejecting。 The Saviour called their attention to the prophecies that would show them their danger。 By every means in His power He sought to make plain to them the nature of the deed they were about to do。
And His words had another purpose。 In asking the question； 〃When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh； what will he do unto those husbandmen？〃 Christ designed that the Pharisees should answer as they did。 He designed that they should condemn themselves。 His warnings； failing to arouse them to repentance； would seal their doom； and He wished them to see that they had brought ruin on themselves。 He designed to show them the justice of God in the withdrawal of their national privileges； which had already begun； and which would end； not only in the destruction of their temple and their city； but in the dispersion of the nation。
The hearers recognized the warning。 But notwithstanding the sentence they themselves had pronounced； the priests and rulers were ready to fill out the picture by saying； 〃This is the heir； come； let us kill him。〃 〃But when they sought to lay hands on Him； they feared the multitude；〃 for the public sentiment was in Christ's favor。
In quoting the prophecy of the rejected stone； Christ referred to an actual occurrence in the history of Israel。 The incident was connected with the building of the first temple。 While it had a special application at the time of Christ's first advent； and should have appealed with special force to the Jews； it has also a lesson for us。 When the temple of Solomon
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was erected； the immense stones for the walls and the foundation were entirely prepared at the quarry； after they were brought to the place of building； not an instrument was to be used upon them； the workmen had only to place them in position。 For use in the foundation； one stone of unusual size and peculiar shape had been brought； but the workmen could find no place for it； and would not accept it。 It was an annoyance to them as it