Busted

The leaders ask Jesus about his authority.
After he confounds them with a question
About John’s authority (from heaven? Or men?),
He tells a pointed story about a man who plants
A vineyard and lets it out to tenants
Who abuse and kill the servant rent-collectors.
Foolishly, the man then sends his son,
And the tenants conspire: “If we kill the son,
We’ll be the heirs.” Kill they do.

The story is shocking.
What tenant thinks, “If I just kill the son,
I’ll be the heir?” What man assumes
The authority of his son will be heeded,
When his servants have all been injured or killed?

Most telling, though: one could almost excuse
The chief priests for killing Jesus: “They didn’t know.”
But this story makes it clear both who Jesus was—
The Son—and that they cared not,
And killed him anyway.

The foolishness of God is wiser than men;
And the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Thanks be to God.