Pax Vobiscum/Peace be with you.
Interesting thread, everyone.
I could question if Jesus predicted the end of Christianity also…
“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” -Luke 18:8
As a Roman Catholic, I see this as a personal challenge to not be seduced by the world and to cling with my heart, mind and soul upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and upon the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church He divinely founded.
Planten writing to Sam777 It would not help you unless you support the Hadith by verses of the Quran.
Planten, in a similar way,
Catholics believe in order to understand the Bible one has to also support Scripture with Tradition
In the Second Vatican Council’s document on divine revelation, Dei Verbum (Latin: “The Word of God”), the relationship between Tradition and Scripture is explained: "Hence there exists a close connection and communication between sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end.
For sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit.
To the successors of the apostles, sacred Tradition hands on in its full purity God’s word, which was entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus came to redeem and save us - not to write or even deliver a sacred book. Jesus is the book. He is the
Word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.” -John 1:1-2
Planten, “the parable of the wicked tenants Matt. 21:33-46” which you so spectacularly misinterpret should be understood like this:
Jesus compares Israel to a choice vineyard, specially fenced, with a watch tower, where a keeper is on the look-out to protect it from thieves and foxes. God spares nothing to cultivate and fill this vineyard! It is in the charge of tenant farmers.
The householder is God and the vineyard is Israel. (Is 5:3-5; Jer 2:21; Joel 1:7)
The tenants to whom God has given the care of His people are the priests, scribes and elders.
The owner’s absence clearly demonstrates God really did entrust Israel to its leaders - hence their responsibility and the account He demands of them.
Now the owner sent servants to collect the fruit of the vineyard owing unto him. This is the mission of the prophets.
The second dispatch of servants to claim what is owing met the same fate as the first set of servants - refers to how God’s prophets were mistreated by the kings and priests of Israel. (Mt.23:37; Acts 7:42; Heb 11:36-38)
Finally God sends His Son thinking they would naturally have more respect for him. You can see the difference between Jesus - the Son of God and the Prophets - whom were but servants! The Son, the parable expresses the singular, transcendental sonship - which expresses the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Now the malicious purpose of the tenants in murdering the Son and heir is to keep the inheritance for themselves is the madness of the leaders in expecting to become the undisputed masters of Israel by putting Christ to the death (Mt.12:14; 26:4) - throwing the Son out of the vineyard to kill him - a reference to the crucifixion of Christ that took place outside the walls of Jerusalem.
Jesus then prophesises the punishment God will inflict upon these evil-doers: death and renting the vineyard to others.
St Peter later repeats this to the Sanhedrin
“this is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner” - (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:4)
This cornerstone is Jesus of Nazareth that was rejected by the architects of Israel who build up and rule the people without Him. Their unfaithfulness results in the Kingdom of God being turned over to another people, the Gentiles, who WILL give God the fruit He expects His vineyard to yield.
Christians of all ages should see this parable as exhorting them to build faithfully upon Christ and make sure they do not fall into the sin of this Jewish generation. The Church, with Christ as its cornerstone is truely assured until the end of time itself.
Planten: understand that Jesus did not write anything. He is the Living Word, Our Lord and God, that always existed.
So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."
Ad majorem Dei gloriam / For the greater glory of God.
Anthony
