(Back) The Authority of Jesus Questioned The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Next)
This is a series of lectures given by Mr. Edward Rabel, member of the faculty of S.M.R.S.
Winter semester 1976 - 2nd. Yr. Class. Lectures given on May 21 and May 25, 1976
21:33Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. 21:34And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits. 21:35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 21:36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them in like manner. 21:37But afterward he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 21:38But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance. 21:39And they took him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. 21:40When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 21:41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
21:42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,
The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner;
This was from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes?
21:43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 21:44And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
21:45And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 21:46And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.
Our next parable is on Page 264 in our book. This is really such an obvious lesson. Whatever is not bearing fruit in your life, folks, you have the way and means of detaching yourself from it by the use of the renunciation faculty. "By their fruits ye shall know them" is the criteria for what you should say "No" to. Anything that is fruitless in your life, why bother with it? You have given it a chance, and it does not pan out. It is very similar to what Jesus says to His disciples much earlier: "When you enter into the house, salute it, and if it be worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy, let your peace return unto you. Whosoever shall not receive you or listen to your words, as you leave that place, shake the dust off your feet."
Don't hang around things that either do not want you or in no way fruitful to your purpose, if you don't have to. If you have the freedom to say goodbye, then say it; if you don't have the freedom, then make the best of it. But there is always a right answer. There is never a dilemma with closed doors on all sides. Remember that right answers are irresistibly attracted to the light, and light is awareness of God's presence. It is that simple really.
Text of the original transcript at the last paragraph of p.263 through the 2nd paragraph of p.264.
Transcribed by Margaret Garvin on 04-11-2014
