Sermon of Archpriest Alexander Abramov in a week the 13th after Pentecost from the book “whosoever will may come. Conversations on Sundays and feast the gospel reading,” published in the publishing house “Nike”.
Photo: www.simbeparhia.ru
- Our mission is simple: to reproach Christ
- Our Christian step needs to be determined, but not stupid
- We exchanged for business in relationship with God
- A stake through the body of our envy
- Sanctify yourselves as the apples of God as a harvest for Christ
Hear another parable: there was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard, he fenced it with a fence, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and let it forth to husbandmen, and left. When harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants, otherwise they beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. Last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other: this is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. And they took him out of the vineyard and killed him. So, when the master of the vineyard, what will he do to those tenants? Talking to Him, he will miserably wicked men, and will give the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said to them, did you never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? This is from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes.
MF. 21: 33-42
In order to understand this gospel, we must turn to the prophet Isaiah. Listen to what the words of the prophet in the fifth Chapter of his book says the same thing:
I will sing to my Beloved a song of my Beloved about His vineyard. My Beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and He fenced it with a fence, and cleared it of stones, and planted in it the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it and dug a winepress in it and expected it to yield grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What else was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? So, I’ll tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away his fence, and he will be ravaged; I will break down its wall, and shall be trodden down, and leave it in ruins: no obrezati nor to dig it, and it will grow briers and thorns, and shall command the clouds not to shed rain on him. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His. And He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold a cry (ISA. 5: 1-7).
Archpriest Alexander Abramov
We, comparing the narrative of the gospel and prophet of God Isaiah can pay attention to how much they are similar. But there are differences. There was a certain man of the house. The owner, on the interpretation of the Holy fathers, is the Lord. Which planted a vineyard — Israel, his Kingdom. He fenced it with a fence — that is, gave the law. Dug in it a winepress, built a tower — this refers to the temple. And let it out to husbandmen — the chief priests, who was to rule his people, was away — as the Holy fathers say, means the long-suffering of God, the anticipation of It.
When harvest time approached, the owner sent to the tenants servants, and they have a different beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Last of all he sent unto them his son is of course Christ.
And here’s the thing: the planters recognized that it was Christ. “This is the heir, they said to one another, come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance — the Kingdom which is not of this world.” And they took him out of the vineyard and killed him. Out of the vineyard, outside of Jerusalem.
So, when the master of the vineyard, what will he do to those tenants? — asks the Christ. He is not responsible, and the people respond: will miserably wicked men, and will give the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons. People indicates that it is not Christ — villain, and those who condemned Him to death, the villains, and they are subject to the evil of death. And the vineyard need to give to other workers. What? Who will give the fruits in their seasons.
Jesus said: have you never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Christ, who was rejected by Israel, became the Head of the Church and of all creation.
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This is from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes. We understand that this is a story about how the unjust man, to whom everything is given. Because the Lord is away — not of human life, and excommunicated by His anger. Not wrathful, but is patient, waiting for the fruit — fruits of repentance and good deeds, the fruit of reason and creativity, and the fruits of a happy life, and children. All this waiting, turning away from the atrocities of man. And we, along with the evil husbandmen often, as father John of Kronstadt says his obyedinyaet, forgetting God’s commandments, his truth — all of this cast out, stoned to death the servants of the vineyard owner.[1] And then what? Then the vineyard will be given to other tenants.
If what the Christian is and should be afraid of, it is not of imaginary horrors, which we ourselves cheat and scare: we don’t recognize as someone we cheat, we fail to recognize when the Antichrist will come … it does not recognize? Everything said in Scripture.
Be wary of the other — it would not become the wicked husbandman, because of the evil husbandman, Christ will take away the vineyard and give it to other workers. Those who maybe were not born yet.
Or that near us, but we are not aware that they, too, are destined by God to become doers of the word and will give good fruit in its season.
About the same with a special power says the prophet Isaiah. It’s not about how we are working a lot or not, whether enough of our forces, and this: “He expected the vineyard to yield grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes”. And asks the Lord with all your heart: What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? What else had to give Christ to mend our ways and His people?
He gave His life, went to the Cross, rose again for the salvation of man. And we all fruit wild berries lean — stupidity, arrogance, hypocrisy, obryadoverie. To bring the wild berries, but at least a little bit, but a good harvest — this is the meaning and purpose of the Christian life.
[1] “Many Christians raped and killed their conscience, the servant of God in our soul, and without fear to indulge in lawlessness; many justify their sins or excuse ourselves with the weakness of nature or need a fallen sinful nature, not distinguishing their whims or desires from the actual needs. Many are not ashamed even to slander the gospel and say that it seems to require the impossible, and live completely contrary to it and thus, like the Jewish chief priests and scribes, crucified again the son of God himself. But why say vaguely: a crucifying of the son of God? We often crucify to themselves the Son of God, their faith, their anger, envy, intemperance, obyedinyaet, drunkenness, and uncleanness of his heart, carelessness, impenitence, laziness and other vices” (Right. John Of Kronstadt. God’s Vineyard. Teaching Week 13 th after Pentecost, September 12, 1903).