the desire of ages-第141章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　country：　and　when　the　time　of　the　fruit　drew　near；　he　sent　his　servants　to　the　husbandmen；　that　they　might　receive　the　fruits　of　it。　And　the　husbandmen　took　his　servants；　and　beat　one；　and　killed　another；　and　stoned　another。　Again；　he　sent　other　servants　more　than　the　first：　and　they　did　unto　them　likewise。　But　last　of　all　he　sent　unto　them　his　son；　saying；　They　will　reverence　my　son。　But　when　the　husbandmen　saw　the　son；　they　said　among　themselves；　This　is　the　heir；　come；　let　us　kill　him；　and　let　us　seize　on　his　inheritance。　And　they　caught　him；　and　cast　him　out　of　the　vineyard；　and　slew　him。　When　the　lord　therefore　of　the　vineyard　cometh；　what　will　he　do　unto　those　husbandmen？〃

Jesus　addressed　all　the　people　present；　but　the　priests　and　rulers　answered。　〃He　will　miserably　destroy　those　wicked　men；〃　they　said；　〃and　will　let　out　his　vineyard　unto　other　husbandmen；　which　shall　render　him　the　fruits　in　their　seasons。〃　The　speakers　had　not　at　first　perceived　the　application　of　the　parable；　but　they　now　saw　that　they　had　pronounced　their　own　condemnation。　In　the　parable　the　householder　represented　God；　the　vineyard　the　Jewish　nation；　and　the　hedge　the　divine　law　which　was　their　protection。　The　tower　was　a　symbol　of　the　temple。　The　lord　of　the　vineyard　had　done　everything　needful　for　its　prosperity。　〃What　could　have　been　done　more　to　my　vineyard；〃　he　says；　〃that　I　have　not　done　in　it。〃　Isa。　5：4。　Thus　was　represented　God's　unwearied　care　for　Israel。　And　as　the　husbandmen　were　to　return　to　the　lord　a　due　proportion　of　the　fruits　of　the　vineyard；　so　God's　people　were　to　honor　Him　by　a　life　corresponding　to　their　sacred　privileges。　But　as　the　husbandmen　had　killed　the　servants　whom　the　master　sent　to　them　for　fruit；　so　the　Jews　had　put　to　death　the　prophets　whom　God　sent　to　call　them　to　repentance。　Messenger　after　messenger　had　been　slain。　Thus　far　the　application　of　the　parable　could　not　be　questioned；　and　in　what　followed　it　was　not　less　evident。　In　the　beloved　son　whom　the　lord　of　the　vineyard　finally　sent　to　his　disobedient　servants；　and　whom　they

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　597

seized　and　slew；　the　priests　and　rulers　saw　a　distinct　picture　of　Jesus　and　His　impending　fate。　Already　they　were　planning　to　slay　Him　whom　the　Father　had　sent　to　them　as　a　last　appeal。　In　the　retribution　inflicted　upon　the　ungrateful　husbandmen　was　portrayed　the　doom　of　those　who　should　put　Christ　to　death。

Looking　with　pity　upon　them；　the　Saviour　continued；　〃Did　ye　never　read　in　the　Scriptures；　The　stone　which　the　builders　rejected；　the　same　is　become　the　head　of　the　corner：　this　is　the　Lord's　doing；　and　it　is　marvelous　in　our　eyes？　Therefore　say　I　unto　you；　The　kingdom　of　God　shall　be　taken　from　you；　and　given　to　a　nation　bringing　forth　the　fruits　thereof。　And　whosoever　shall　fall　on　this　stone　shall　be　broken：　but　on　whomsoever　it　shall　fall；　it　will　grind　him　to　powder。〃

This　prophecy　the　Jews　had　often　repeated　in　the　synagogues；　applying　it　to　the　coming　Messiah。　Christ　was　the　cornerstone　of　the　Jewish　economy；　and　of　the　whole　plan　of　salvation。　This　foundation　stone　the　Jewish　builders；　the　priests　and　rulers　of　Israel；　were　now　rejecting。　The　Saviour　called　their　attention　to　the　prophecies　that　would　show　them　their　danger。　By　every　means　in　His　power　He　sought　to　make　plain　to　them　the　nature　of　the　deed　they　were　about　to　do。

And　His　words　had　another　purpose。　In　asking　the　question；　〃When　the　lord　therefore　of　the　vineyard　cometh；　what　will　he　do　unto　those　husbandmen？〃　Christ　designed　that　the　Pharisees　should　answer　as　they　did。　He　designed　that　they　should　condemn　themselves。　His　warnings；　failing　to　arouse　them　to　repentance；　would　seal　their　doom；　and　He　wished　them　to　see　that　they　had　brought　ruin　on　themselves。　He　designed　to　show　them　the　justice　of　God　in　the　withdrawal　of　their　national　privileges；　which　had　already　begun；　and　which　would　end；　not　only　in　the　destruction　of　their　temple　and　their　city；　but　in　the　dispersion　of　the　nation。

The　hearers　recognized　the　warning。　But　notwithstanding　the　sentence　they　themselves　had　pronounced；　the　priests　and　rulers　were　ready　to　fill　out　the　picture　by　saying；　〃This　is　the　heir；　come；　let　us　kill　him。〃　〃But　when　they　sought　to　lay　hands　on　Him；　they　feared　the　multitude；〃　for　the　public　sentiment　was　in　Christ's　favor。

In　quoting　the　prophecy　of　the　rejected　stone；　Christ　referred　to　an　actual　occurrence　in　the　history　of　Israel。　The　incident　was　connected　with　the　building　of　the　first　temple。　While　it　had　a　special　application　at　the　time　of　Christ's　first　advent；　and　should　have　appealed　with　special　force　to　the　Jews；　it　has　also　a　lesson　for　us。　When　the　temple　of　Solomon

598

was　erected；　the　immense　stones　for　the　walls　and　the　foundation　were　entirely　prepared　at　the　quarry；　after　they　were　brought　to　the　place　of　building；　not　an　instrument　was　to　be　used　upon　them；　the　workmen　had　only　to　place　them　in　position。　For　use　in　the　foundation；　one　stone　of　unusual　size　and　peculiar　shape　had　been　brought；　but　the　workmen　could　find　no　place　for　it；　and　would　not　accept　it。　It　was　an　annoyance　to　them　as　it　lay　unused　in　their　way。　Long　it　remained　a　rejected　stone。　But　when　the　builders　came　to　the　laying　of　the　corner；　they　searched　for　a　long　time　to　find　a　stone　of　sufficient　size　and　strength；　and　of　the　proper　shape；　to　take　that　particular　place；　and　bear　the　great　weight　which　would　rest　upon　it。　Should　they　make　an　unwise　choice　for　this　important　place；　the　safety　of　the　entire　building　would　be　endangered。　They　must　find　a　stone　capable　of　resisting　the　influence　of　the　sun；　of　frost；　and　of　tempest。　Several　stones　had　at　different　times　been　chosen；　but　under　the　pressure　of　immense　weights　they　had　crumbled　to　pieces。　Others　could　not　bear　the　test　of　the　sudden　atmospheric　changes。　But　at　last　attention　was　called　to　the　stone　so　long　rejected。　It　had　been　exposed　to　the　air；　to　sun　and　storm；　without　revealing　the　slightest　crack。　The　builders　examined　this　stone。　It　had　borne　every　test　but　one。　If　it　could　bear　the　test　of　severe　pressure；　they　decided　to　accept　it　for　the　cornerstone。　The　trial　was　made。　The　stone　was　accepted；　brought　to　its　assigned　position；　and　found　to　be　an　exact　fit。　In　prophetic　vision；　Isaiah　was　shown　that　this　stone　was　a　symbol　of　Christ。　He　says：

〃Sanctify　the　Lord　of　hosts　Himself；　and　let　Him　be　your　fear；　and　let　Him　be　your　dread。　And　He　shall　be　for　a　sanctuary；　but　for　a　stone　of　stumbling　and　for　a　rock　of　offense　to　both　the　houses　of　Israel；　for　a　gin　and　for　a　snare　to　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem。　And　many　among　them　shall　stumble；　and　fall；　and　be　broken；　and　be　snared；　and　be　taken。〃　Carried　down　in　prophetic　vision　to　the　first　advent；　the　prophet　is　shown　that　Christ　is　to　bear　trials　and　tests　of　which　the　treatment　of　the　chief　cornerstone　in　the　temple　of　Solomon　was　symbolic。　〃Therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord　God；　Behold；　I　lay　in　Zion　for　a　foundation　a　stone；　a　tried　stone；　a　precious　cornerstone；　a　sure　foundation：　he　that　believeth　shall　not　make　haste。〃　Isa。　8：13…15；　28：16。

In　infinite　wisdom；　God　chose　the　foundation　stone；　and　laid　it　Himself。　He　called　it　〃a　sure　foundation。〃　The　entire　world　may　lay　upon　it　their　burdens　and　griefs；　it　can　endure　them　all。　With　perfect　safety　they　may　build　upon　it。　Christ　is　a　〃tried　stone。〃　Those　who　trust　in　Him；　He　never　disappoints。　He　has　borne　every　test。　He　has　endured　the　pressure

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　599

of　Adam's　guilt；　and　the　guilt　of　his　posterity；　and　has　come　off　more　than　conqueror　of　the　powers　of　evil。　He　has　borne　the　burdens　cast　upon　Him　by　every　repenting　sinner。　In　Christ　the　guilty　heart　has　found　relief。　He　is　the　sure　foundation。　All　who　make　Him　their　dependence　rest　in　perfect　security。

In　Isaiah's　prophecy；　Christ　is　declared　to　be　both　a　sure　foundation　and　a　stone　of　stumbling。　The　apostle　Peter；　writing　by　inspiration　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　clearly　shows　to　whom　Christ　is　a　foundation　stone；　and　to　whom　a　rock　of　offense：

〃If　so　be　ye　have　tasted　that　the　Lord　is　gracious。　To　whom　coming；　as　unto　a　living　stone；　disallo