This is the third Sunday in a row that Jesus preaches a parable in which the central image is a vine or a vineyard. First, He spoke about laborers going to work at different times of the day. Next, He gave the example of the two sons behaving in opposite ways from each other. Now, in today’s parable, Jesus gives an overview of what Salvation History is, pointing out that the vineyard will continue to be, but not in the hands of those unfaithful tenants.
Jesus makes use of an image that is very much at the heart of the Jewish people. The vine served as a national and religious symbol for Israel, representing the nation as God’s vine. Both today’s first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, and the Responsorial Psalm speak about the Lord’s care for them.
The image of the vineyard was not just a literary symbol, it was visibly present to the Jews who went to the Jerusalem Temple. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who lived toward the end of the first century AD, wrote in one of his books about how Herod the king decided to renew the Jerusalem Temple completely. As part of his description, Josephus mentions this detail: “The temple had doors also at the entrance, and lintels over them, of the same height with the temple itself. They were adorned with embroidered veils, with their flowers of purple, and pillars interwoven. And over these, but under the crown work, was spread out a golden vine, with its branches, hanging down from a great height; the largeness and fine workmanship of which was a surprising sight to the spectators; to see what vast materials there were, and with what great skill the workmanship was done” (The Antiquities of the Jews, 15.391-395). In another book, he wrote, “It had also golden vines above it: from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man’s height” (The Wars of the Jews, 5.207–226).
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Additional Jewish texts, like the Mishnah (Middot 3:8), supplement Josephus’s text by explaining that this vine was an ongoing community project. Wealthy individuals or worshippers could purchase and donate a single golden leaf, an individual grape, or an entire cluster as a votive offering to God. Priests would then physically hook the new donations onto the vine, causing it to grow larger over time.
In addition, Josephus describes that the Temple façade featured gleaming white stone covered with ‘massive plates of gold’. All of this faced east (where the Mount of Olives lies). Just imagine how all this ensemble shone at sunrise. The Gospel of Matthew places Jesus preaching today’s parable precisely in the Temple area (likely still “in the morning,” verse 18). Hence, the vine was shining right in front of the eyes of his audience.
Today’s parable presents the history of salvation and the change of the economy of salvation (Catechism #1066). This is the line of presentation of the Gospel of Matthew. It begins with the genealogy of Jesus and presents him as the promised Savior who fulfills the prophetic pronouncements. Eventually, in John 15, Jesus transfers the image to Him and his disciples: “I am the vine, you are the branches.”
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I cannot help but think of Jesus’ emotional state at that moment, especially in recalling all that His Father had done for Israel. Isaiah’s description is deeply poetic in style. To me, being Argentinian, this poem recalls many tangos whose lyrics complain about the betrayal and lack of love of a woman, a typical theme for that music genre. Middle Eastern people tend to be fairly emotional and expressive as well. According to Luke 19:41, Jesus himself cried at the view of Jerusalem. An authentic tragedy that flowed into a real drama, whose outcome we know from history (the book of Lamentations mourns the first destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and continues to be used nowadays when Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple, occurs).
It will definitely help us to listen to the Alleluia verse: “I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, to go and bear fruit that will remain” (cf. John 15:16).