The Goodness of God and the Rejection of His Son

From the beginning, Scripture shows a God who is good. He is “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6), and “the LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9). His goodness is not a distant sentiment; it acts. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), and “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21:33–46 displays that goodness against the backdrop of human wickedness. A householder planted a vineyard, hedged it, digged a winepress, built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen. He gave everything needed and asked only the fruit. When he sent servants, the husbandmen beat one, killed another, and stoned another. He sent more, and they did the same. Echoing Isaiah 5:4, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” Then, in patience that staggers us, “last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.” The Father withheld nothing, not even His Son.

Yet the husbandmen said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.” Here is the heart of man: not mere ignorance, but hatred of the rightful Owner. Jesus then cites Psalm 118: “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.” The Owner came in mercy, seeking fruit from those He had richly blessed, and they answered His kindness with murder. Men may cast Christ out, but God exalts Him.

To refuse the Son is to refuse the Father who sent Him, and only judgment remains: “He will miserably destroy those wicked men” (Matthew 21:41). Therefore, rejecting Christ is not rejecting a mere religious teacher; it is spurning the very love and goodness of God in its fullest expression. The warning is sober: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you”; “whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matthew 21:43, 44). Yet the door still stands open. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Kiss the Son” (Psalm 2:12), receive Him while His goodness still waits, and bear fruit to the glory of God.