"And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and 16 thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant: and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry." Isaiah 5:3-7. "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." Ezekiel 34:4. The Jewish leaders thought themselves too wise to need instruction, too righteous to need salvation, too highly honored to need the honor that comes from Christ. The Saviour turned from them to entrust to others the privileges they had abused and the work they had slighted. God's glory must be revealed, His word established. Christ's kingdom must be set up in the world. The salvation of God must be made known in the cities of the wilderness; and the disciples were called to do the work that the Jewish leaders had failed to do.

"Så vil jeg da lade jer vide, hvad jeg vil gøre ved min vingård: Nedrive dens hegn, så den ædes op, nedbryde dens mur, så den trampes ned! Jeg lægger den øde; den skal ikke beskæres og ikke graves, men gro sammen i torn og tidsel; og skyerne giver jeg påbud om ikke at sende den regn. Thi hærskarers Herres vingård er Israels hus, og Judas mænd er hans yndlingsplantning. Han vented på retfærd se, der kom letfærd, han vented på lov se, skrig over rov." Es. 5,3-7. "De svage dyr styrkede I ikke, de syge lægte I ikke, de sårede forbandt I ikke, de adsplittede bragte I ikke tilbage, de vildfarende opsøgte I ikke, men I styrede dem med hårdhed og grumhed." Ez. 34,4