Spy Wednesday Meditation
Daily Scripture: Mark 12:1-11
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” — Mark 12:6
Jesus has been walking a fine line so far, provoking religious and political leaders while endearing himself to the crowds who come to hear him preach. Now he borrows a scenario from the prophet Isaiah: a vineyard on a hill, where a man has cleared the land and built a fence, and a watchtower, and a wine press. And with that familiar scriptural setup, Jesus tells a story that is so deeply offensive to that same leadership class, unmistakably accusing them of being like those who have abused God’s prophets all through history.
A pot on high heat, about to boil over; a rope pulled so taut it has no choice but to break; a highwire act while the wind is picking up speed–whatever metaphor you choose, even if we didn’t already know the end of the story–there’s no way Jesus can keep this up forever.
Perhaps this provocative parable can give some hint of just what is coming? First, the characters–we have these tenants who simply cannot be appeased. Yes, there is some precedent for their attempts to throw off the landlord–in a time before modern communications, it was not unheard of for tenants to take control from an absentee owner. But it becomes clear that is not the case! Because the landlord begins sending his slaves to collect his rent–more people than Jesus can seem to narrate, some assaulted, beaten, insulted, and many more simply murdered. If we cannot understand the tenants, what do we make of this landlord? Sending his beloved son to the same people who have beaten and killed his other messengers?
Jesus is borrowing this parable, in a sense, from the prophet Isaiah. And how does Isaiah’s story begin? “Let me sing for my beloved, my love-song concerning his vineyard” (5:1).
Jesus’ provocations, the rising anger, the roar of the crowd and the bloodshed of the tenants…how could this be a love song?
Stay tuned over the coming sacred days. We’re all about to find out.