| Copyright 2005-2008 Dr. Jad Khalaf, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved |
| "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15 |
| INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS BACKGROUND STUDY REPORT ON TENANT FARMERS BY DR. JAD JAMAL KHALAF The terms tenant farmers and husbandmen are related in meaning. Mt. 21:33-46, Mk. 12:1-12, and Lk. 20:9-19 all use the term husbandmen. Basically, a tenant farmer was a man of the soil or a farmer. The Greek word γεωργός (georgos) can mean tenants, farmers, farmer, gardener, and them (The Greek English Concordance: Kohlenberger III, Goodrick, and Swanson, 1997). The Greek word γεωργός is used in Mk. 12:1, 2, 7, and 9. Now the Greek word σπείρω (speiro) also can mean farmer and sower, but in Mk. 12:1-12 σπείρω is not used. The term tenant is used in the parable of the vineyard owner in Mt. 21:33-41, Mk. 12:1-9, and Lk. 20:9-16 because the one who farmed the land did not own the vineyard (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary: Pfeiffer, Vos, and Rea, 1998). In II Chr. 26:10, the term husbandry is used. Here it is said that husbandry was loved by King Uzziah. Basically the Hebrew word ‘adama, used in II Chr. 26:10 for husbandry, means ground and/or soil. Husbandman is used in the Jn. 15:1 to describe God. I Cor. 3:9 uses the term husbandry to refer to the Christian congregation that belongs to God. The term farmer does not appear in the King James Version of the Bible (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary: Pfeiffer, Vos, and Rea, 1998). The Greek word georgion, though, usually translates as the term husbandman. In the majority of the English translations, the term husbandman is found. The terms plowman, thresher, vinedresser, vinegrower, and tenant farmer can all describe the word farmer. Agricultural was the main way of economy in ancient Israel. That means that the majority of the people that lived in ancient Israel, especially the ones who lived in villages or walled towns, would go out and farm the fields. Most the land is very hilly, so that meant that terraces had to be built, with the rocks, so that the land could be extended to the fullest. Now the landowners who had a bunch of money would hire individuals to work as farm hands. The individuals that were hired were either slaves or they were hired laborers. The individuals who farmed the land in Israel, during the day time, were to receive their pay at the end of the day that they worked. Everyone who worked was to be paid, with no exceptions. Since the people of Israel were tenant farmers, that meant that the families would all live together in small towns. The communities, or small towns, were made up of the families who farmed the land. Every workday they would go out to their land and do what was to be done. The children of the families would, for the most part, follow in the footsteps of their family. The Jews were the only group of people, in the Near East, who thought of work as being dignified. Other nationalities saw working for oneself as debasing, but not the Hebrew. The word agriculture is not used in the Bible. In order to find agriculture in the Bible, the term husbandry would be the key word to look for. Remember that husbandry and tenant farmer could basically be used intertwined. When looking at the Old Testament laws that dealt with farming/agriculture, one can conclude that agriculture was the main occupation of the Hebrews. For example, Cain tilled the ground. In some sense, agriculture could be thought of as the one main part of a Hebrews life that has so many figures of speech that would then lead to the enriching language and thought of the Bible. The land that was tilled was seen as God’s property. Grain, wheat, figs, barley, rie, flax, date honey, and date syrup all make up just some of the items that came from tilling the land. Every necessity of life, for the Hebrews, came from the land. Their food, clothing, and even their shelter were to be gathered on the land in which God gave them. The land of Palestine, in talking about the soil, is not easy to farm. Somehow, though, just about every type of crop is able to grow. The climate and the land played very important parts in the life of the tenant farmer (The Revell Bible Dictionary: 1990). To Israel, the fact was known that God not only owned the land but that God also claimed a tithe from the land, which were definitely expected of the Israelites by the people. The Israelites also held feasts that were considered to be sacred. The Passover feast included the sacrifice of a lamb. The people expressed thanksgiving at the feast of Pentecost for the grain harvest and for other crops that were gathered. When the trumpets were blown for the feast of Trumpets, the trumpets as well as the offering of an animal all celebrated this feast. These feasts, as well as others, were observed in the Old and New Testament by the Jewish people (The New Open Bible Study Edition King James Version: 1990). So the tenant farmer/farmer/agriculture played significant roles in the live of the nation of Israel. In Mk. 12:1-12, Jesus told the parable of the vineyard owner because the scribes, chief priests, elders, and others listening that day in the Temple area would immediately be able to grasp a mental picture of what Jesus was saying to them. Just like the ones who took care of the land was supposed to respect the owner and the people who represented the owner, Jesus knew by talking about husbandmen/tenant farmers that the listeners would automatically be connected to the parable (International Bible Commentary: Farmer, 1998). By speaking the language that the people could understand, then the people would be able to understand and comprehend the meaning better. So one of the roles in this parable would consist of the Church as being God’s tenants. The husbandmen/tenant farmers could also mean the ones who were the ordinary, spiritual guides for the people of the area. This parable would help show how Jesus Christ would one day lay the Jewish church to the side. That means that the ones listening, of who the author Mark wrote to and about, would get the meaning of the parable without any doubt or question about it. The book of Mark was written by Mark. There are many scholars that believe that the book of Mark was the first of the four Gospels, though there is much debate over this issue. Since the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, the book of Mark being written should be dated earlier (A.D. 55- 65). The happenings of Jesus would be dated somewhere probably between A.D. 29-33. Mark, the author, was more than likely directing the book of Mark to a Roman readership. That could explain why the book of Mark is the simplest and the shortest of the four Gospels in the New Testament. Mark, the author, did not have many comments of his own. Basically, he just let the narrative speak on behalf of itself. As Jesus moves toward the fulfillment of His ministry on earth, the book of Mark traces the opposition and the anger towards Jesus. The parable found in Mk. 12:1-12 would fall into this category. The book of Mark takes a very fast, moving look at the life of Christ here on earth. That is why Mark, the author, left out items that would have had no meaning to the Gentiles. By the time Jesus told the parable of the vineyard owner, He would soon be killed the ones who He was telling the story to. Quite interesting to think that Jesus knew that they would kill Him and that the ones listening were only wishing for the opportunity to take Jesus’s life. In the midst of opposition by the leaders in Israel Jesus was, as He still is today, in control. The Pharisees already knew the source of Jesus’ authority, yet they refused to recognize it publicly. This parable, Mk. 12:1-12, comes at the end of the Pharisees’ final refusal, thus ending up with Jesus telling them a parable of judgment (The Gospel According to Mark: Cole, 1999). Here though, the concept was borrowed from Is. 5 but the term tenant farmer was not borrowed. The leaders were definitely angered by this parable, and the anger probably showed when they knew that the words were directed towards them. Since they already knew, the leaders did not have to be told that the parable was paraenetic. In verse nine of Mk. 12, Mark writes down the tenant farmers’ judgment as told by Jesus Himself. The parables can, for the most part, be easy to read but in there has to be much Bible reading, studying, and prayer done before one can even clearly begin to really grasp what is being said. Even then, at times dark spots are still seen. |
| Dr. Jad Khalaf |