I. The Owner of the Vineyard and The Tenants (1-5)
1. To whom and on what occasion did Jesus speak this parable? (11:27,28,33; 12:12) In what way is the theme of this parable similar to that in Isaiah 5:1-7?
2. Who does the owner of the vineyard stand for? The farmers? The vineyard? How did the owner of the vineyard prepare it to bear good fruit? What can you learn about the basic relationship between God and his chosen people through this?
3. What in his preparation reveals his expectations? What is the responsibility of the tenants to the owner?
4. How did the tenants treat the servants? Why did they treat the servants he sent as they did? Through this parable what can you learn about the source of evil in man? And about God's love in response to man's evil?
5. Why was the owner so insistent in collecting the fruit from them? What do you think the fruit God wants from his people is (Jn. 15:8,16)?
II. He Sent, Last of All, His Son (6-9)
6. Why did the owner sent his beloved son? What can you learn about the character of the owner through this?
7. What did the tenants think about the son's coming and what did they do? Who does the son represent? What can you learn about God's love through this parable?
III. The Rejected Stone (10-12)
8. How does the scripture (Ps. 118:22,23) Jesus quoted fit this parable? What does this verse reveal about Jesus' faith? About God's sovereign ways? What does this mean to us?
9. How did the religious leaders react to Jesus' Bible teaching?
