Stories of the Kingdom: The Parables of JesusSample

Parable of the Wicked Tenants

In this parable, Jesus speaks of a landowner who plants a vineyard, puts a fence around it, digs a winepress, and builds a watchtower. Then, he leases the vineyard to tenants and goes away. When harvest arrives, the landowner sends his servants to collect his share of the fruit. However, the tenants mistreat and kill the servants. The landowner sends more servants, but they are also mistreated and killed. Finally, the landowner sends his son, thinking the tenants will respect him, but they plot to kill him to claim his inheritance.

Jesus then asks the crowd what the landowner will do to those wicked tenants. The crowd responds that the landowner will put those wicked men to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time. Jesus concludes by quoting Psalm 118:22-23, referring to himself as the cornerstone rejected by the builders.

What significance does Jesus' reference to himself as the cornerstone have in this context?