These days there is an important question that is raised: who are the “others” to whom the LORD gives the vineyard?
· Some believe the vineyard is taken from the wicked vinedressers and given to the Church. Is that possible? Their arguments run something like this.
o Under the New Covenant the Church becomes the people of God.
o According to Gal. 3:7-9 all believers are Abraham’s seed.
o According to Rom. 11:17 the Gentiles have been grafted into the one tree.
o According to Eph. 2:14-18 there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; all are one in Christ.
· These arguments are incorrectly understood. Concerning this.
o Jesus Himself made a distinction between His people and the people of His Father. Read it in John 17:6: I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
o Gal. 3:7-9 says all have the same faith, the faith of Abraham, and are of the same spiritual seed. This does not deny that some believers are “biologically” tied to Abraham while others are not. In Gal. 6:16 Paul makes a distinction between those who “walk according to this rule” and “the Israel of God.”
o In the same chapter that says the Gentiles have been grafted into the tree, Paul also says that Israel still has a future in God’s plan (11:26-27). The grafting in does not exclude this.
o Likewise, the fact that the Church is one “body of Christ” does not mean there are not Jewish believers and Gentile believers. In Eph. 1 Paul distinguishes between believers who “first trusted in Christ” (Jewish believers) and others (Gentiles) who also believed (Eph. 1:12-13).
· We do not have to believe the unity of the Church denies a future for vinedressers of Israelite heritage. This answer is more Biblically consistent.
o First, in Mark 12:9, “others” is a precise word in NT Greek. Greek “heteros” means “other” vinedressers that are totally unlike the ones that were in place. “Allos” means they are “different but of the same kind.” The word in Mark is “allos.” They are Israelite shepherds/vinedressers but other ones.
o This fits promises in the OT and NT that speak of a future for Israel in God’s plan. We mentioned Rom. 11:26-27. A couple of others include Gen. 22:15-18 (a promise made to Abraham, that his descendents would possess the gate of their enemies) and the later promise through Jeremiah that Israel will never cease to be a nation (Jer. 31:35-36). As Jesus Himself said, heaven and earth will pass away but My words will by no means pass away (Mk. 13:31).
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