Jesus made another shocking announcement about God’s kingdom.
[Jesus concluded a parable by saying,] “When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to Him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people [literally, nation] producing its fruits.” (Matthew 21:39-43)
That astounding promise marks a fundamental shift in divine history. For centuries, the special people of God were the Jews. They alone were the covenant and kingdom nation. Yet Jesus, in discussing His death, foresaw the kingdom removed from Israel and given to another nation!
As it turns out, this new nation reaches out to all nationalities and unites all who respond (Romans 3:22; 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Ephesians 2:12-22).
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts. (Colossians 3:11)
Those who belong to Christ are “God’s chosen ones” (Colossians 3:12 cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Revelation 17:14). The Gospel welcomes people from all nations (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:39; 10:34-35). As God planned, the invitation went first to the Jews (Acts 3:25-26; 13:46; Romans 1:16). But most Jews continued in their stubborn, age-old rebellion (Acts 7:51-53). In the face of such resistant attitudes, Peter sounded this severe warning about being removed from God’s people:
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out…. Moses said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people.” (Acts 3:18-19, 22-23)
Those Jews who rejected the Gospel disqualified themselves from entering the New Covenant and its new nation. Previously they had been God’s covenant people. They ought to have been the first citizens of the new nation. Instead, their unbelief caused them to be “destroyed”—rooted out, cut off—from God’s people (Acts 3:23 cf. Romans 11:17-23).