Thursday. [Tit. 1:5-2:1; Luke 20:9-18]

           The parable about the vineyard portrays the Old Testament Church; the husbandmen are the hierarchy of those times. Because it was not fulfilling its purpose, a sentence was pronounced over it: to take its vineyard and give it to others. These others were first the holy Apostles, then their successors—the bishops with all the priesthood. God’s vineyard has been the same from the beginning of the world, and the purpose of its husbandmen was, is, and will be the same until the end of the world—to bring to the Lord fruit of the vine—saved souls. This is the task of the Christian hierarchy, and thus, our task. The extent of its fulfilment we can all see. What can one say to this? About many things—glory be to God! But about many, many things one cannot help but to desire better. This particularly concerns the preaching of the word of God. Somewhere preaching is heard; and yet this is only one garden knife in the hands of the husbandmen of God’s vine. Let this not be fulfilled over us: The lord of the vineyard shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. But what if these others should break in on their own, and destroy not only the husbandmen, but the vine itself…