When Jesus told this parable of the landowner (or tenants or wicked vinedressers) He was taking off from Isaiah 5:1-7, where the Lord is chastising Israel for their many failures. But Jesus changes it up a bit. In Isaiah the landowner prepared the vineyard much as we read in Matthew, but kept it himself and did not lease it out. However, the vineyard produced only wild grapes, so the landowner removed the hedge and the wall and let the vineyard go to ruin. Verse 4a is a key verse in Isaiah’s account: What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? The Lord had prepared His people well, but they had been unfaithful.
In Jesus’ parable He has the vineyard producing fruit, but the tenants fail to return the “rent” due to the landowner, even to the point of killing his rental agents. So the landowner decides to turn the vineyard over to different tenants. Matthew tells us that the chief priests and the Pharisees realized that Jesus was telling this parable about them, that they were the wicked vinedressers. Jesus foretells the final outcome in a summary statement: Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. (v. 43) We are those new tenants in His vineyard. Are we producing fruits for our Landowner?
See also: September 8 / Matt. 21:33-46
Extending your question, Fred. Are we producing “fruit”?
The tenants were doing well on the producing part, but they didn’t listen to the owner and wanted to keep the profits for themselves. This one seems to be directly to leaders – you may bring people to the Lord but where is your humility and focus on God? Stealing the tithes? Arrogance and pride? Wanting the honor and recognition?