This Crazy Story

John explores how the three stories Jesus tells in answer to the question “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” are not separate unrelated stories, but build on each other. When we read them in this way they offer us another way of hearing today's story as a critique of a common way of understanding the kingdom of heaven. It all goes back to how we end the story about the vineyardHe then invites people to reflect on the ending where the landowner forgives the tenants rather than punishing them.