ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Murder for a Vineyard

Fakapoongi ke ma’u ‘a e Ngoue Vaine

1 King 21:2-3

AHAB SAID TO NABOTH, "GIVE ME YOUR VINEYARD, THAT I MAY HAVE IT FOR A VEGETABLE GARDEN, BECAUSE IT IS NEAR MY HOUSE, AND I WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER VINEYARD FOR IT; OR, IF IT SEEMS GOOD TO YOU, I WILL GIVE YOU ITS VALUE IN MONEY." BUT NABOTH SAID TO AHAB, "THE LORD FORBID THAT I

SHOULD GIVE YOU THE INHERITANCE OF MY FATHERS."

1 TU’I 21:2-3

2 Pea lea ‘a ‘Ēhapi kia Nēpote, ‘o pehē, Tuku mai mu‘a ho‘o ngoue vaine ma‘aku ngoue mohuku kai, he ‘oku hoko mo hoku fale: pea te u ‘atu ha ngoue vaine lelei hake mōno fetongi, pe te u ‘atu pa‘anga ki hono mahu‘inga, kapau ‘e lelei ia kiate koe. 3 Pea tali ‘e Nēpote kia ‘Ēhapi, Mole ke mama‘o ha‘aku foaki ‘a e tofi‘a ‘o ‘eku ngaahi kui ki he ‘afiona.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e talanoa ‘o Nepote, ‘Ehapi mo Sisipeli na’e ‘ikai ko ha talanoa pe ia ‘o ha kelemi (ngoue vaine) pe ‘e taha. Ko e talanoa ia ‘o e Pule’anga ki he Noate. Ko e Nepote, ko e ‘Isileli mo’ui tonunga ia. ‘Oku ne tauhi ‘a ‘ene kelemi, ko hono tofi’a meia Sihova. Ko hono kelekele, ko e ki’i ‘Isileli - “He ko e ngoue vaine ‘a Sihova Sāpaoti” (‘Aisea 5:7). Hange pe ko e kaakaa’i mo fakapoongi ‘e ‘Ehapi mo Sisipeli (ko e ongo matu’a ‘i he tumutumu ‘o e kau fai kovi mo e fulikivanu ‘i he Fuakava Motu’a) ‘a Nepote, na’e pehee pe ‘a e hoko ‘a e lotu ‘aitoli mo e lingi totoo ke “kaiha’asi” ‘a ‘Isileli mei he ‘Otua. 

Ko e talanoa fakataataa ‘a Sisu ki he kau ngaue ‘i he ngoue vaine na’a nau ta ‘a e kau talafekau ‘a e tokotaha ‘a’ana ‘a e ngoue pea iku ‘o fakapoongi ‘a e fohaa, na’e to’o mei he talanoa fakaloloma ‘o Nepote mo ‘ene ngoue (Matiu 21:33-46). Ka ‘e ‘ikai mole ‘a e ngoue ‘a e ‘Otua ki ha kau ‘Ehapi mo ha kau Sisipeli. “Ko ia, ‘oku ou tala atu, ‘E to‘o meiate kimoutolu ‘a e Pule‘anga ‘o e ‘Otua, pea ‘e tuku ki ha kakai ‘oku fua ‘o taau mo ia” (Matiu 21:43) “ko e ‘ofa, ko e fiefia, ko e melino, ko e anga mokomoko, ko e anga‘ofa, ko e anga tonu, 23 ko e anga falala, ko e anga kātaki, ko e anga fakama‘uma‘u” (Kaletia 5:22-23).

Ngaue ‘iate kimautolu, Laumalie Ma’oni’oni, ke mau ngaue tonunga ‘i he ngoue vaine ‘a Sihova Sapaoti.

The story of Naboth, Ahab, and Jezebel is about much more than a single kerem ("vineyard"). It is the story, in brief, of the northern kingdom. Naboth is the faithful Israelite, honoring his kerem as an inheritance from the Lord. His land is a mini-Israel, "the kerem of the LORD of hosts" (Isa. 5:7). Just as Ahab and Jezebel - top candidates for the most dastardly duo in the OT - used lies and murder to steal the vineyard from Naboth, so by idolatry and bloodshed corrupt rulers have "stolen" Israel from her Lord.

Jesus' parable of the vineyard workers who beat the owner's servants and finally murdered his son is likely inspired by the story of Naboth's vineyard (Matt. 21:33-46). But in spite of Ahabs and Jezebels, the Lord will have his crop. "The kingdom of God will be ... given to a people producing its fruits" (v. 43) of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23).

Work in us, Holy Spirit, that we may work faithfully in the vineyard of the Lord of hosts.