DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Saint Luke 20:9-18 (12/01-12/14) Thursday of the
Twenty-eighth Week after Pentecost
Love and Hate: Saint Luke 20:9-18, especially vss. 15,
16: “Therefore what will the
owner of the vineyard do to them?
He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to
others.” The Lord Jesus’ last days in Jerusalem ended with His
arrest, trial, crucifixion, and Resurrection. For the ancient People of God, as well
as for the Lord, those days defined their historic relationship. It was a time of incalculable love and
vitriolic hatred. What is more,
everyone everywhere may plumb the essence of the love and the hate that filled
those days - yes, and that fill this present life - as our Savior points out in
the parable of the vinedressers.
True to His nature, Christ our God manifests a love that is
unimaginable in depth and breadth to angels and to men. The ancient People responded to the
Incarnate God of Love in several ways: some cared for the Lord Jesus and
exerted themselves to follow Him - as well as they were able. Love roused them to return love; and, by
the grace of God, they discerned love in “...the words of eternal
life” (Jn. 6:68). They had
“...come to believe and know that [He was, and is] the Christ the Son of
the living God” (Jn. 6:69).
These first ‘believers,’ were Jews, but they formed the core
of the New Israel, the Church of all nations. They also saved our Lord’s words
of life and love for us. They teach
that following Him is the way to learn how “Blessed [is] the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His abundant mercy has
begotten us again to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead” (1 Pt. 1:3).
Among the opposition in ancient Israel were those who
rejected the Lord. They did not
have the word of God ‘abiding’ in them. The Lord Jesus warned them plainly,
“...I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you” (Jn.
5:42); worst of all, “...you seek to kill Me, because My word has no
place in you” (Jn. 8:37). He
spoke of hatred - a hatred straight from Hell - all these sad conditions
highlighted in the parable of the vinedressers: “You are of your father
the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him” (Jn.
8:44).
What about us, we who are called the New Israel? We know venomous hatred very well - so
many of us vilified and murdered!
We also know incredible Love!
We are as blessed as His earliest believers. We have seen Satan’s terrible hate
unleashed against the remnants of the ancient people of God. We have witnessed burning hatred turned
likewise upon Christ’s faithful - murderously poured out on the
Church. The devil promotes hatred
in any heart that will grant him room.
Thanks be to God, the love of God prevails over hate and always shall. New martyrs, confessors, and witnesses
return love for hate, still to triumph over our ancient hate-filled foe.
The parable of the vinedressers does not teach
anti-Semitism. Such iniquity
springs from hate and the devil.
The parable warns us to work at rooting out every grain of hate from our
hearts. Our Lord took away the
vineyard from the ancient People of God and gave it to His new Israel. We are the ‘others’ to whom
the Lord gave charge of His vineyard (vs. 16). Have you never heard our Bishops say,
“O Lord, O Lord, look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine,
and perfect that which Thy right hand hath planted” (see Ps. 79:15,16)?
The Lord Jesus is the cornerstone of love (Lk. 20:17) - as
Saint Cyril of Alexandria teaches: “Now the sacred Scripture compares to
a corner the gathering together, or joining of the two people, Israel I mean,
and the Gentiles, in sameness of sentiment and faith.” We all are joined to Christ in
love. He overcomes hate. Master, burn hate out of us and help us
to love!
Thou art perfect love indeed, to Whom be praise, dominion,
and power, in Whom is and was and will be the cause of all goodness through
endless ages. Amen.
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