Luke 20:1-20

One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

  “‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

(ESV)

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  • What is the writer saying?
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One day, while Jesus was teaching in the temple and evangelising, the leaders of Jerusalem came up to Him and asked by what authority He did what He did and who gave Him that authority. Instead of answering their challenge, Jesus asked them a question of His own. His question was whether John’s baptism came from heaven or man. By referring to John’s baptism, Jesus included all the teaching that was represented by the baptism. The leaders conferred with each other and found themselves in a conundrum. If they answered that John’s teaching was from heaven, then they would have to explain why they didn’t believe and act on his teaching. But if they answered that it was from man, then the crowds would rise against them because the people believed John was a prophet. They answered Jesus that they didn’t know. Their response still incriminated them because as the religious leaders, they should have known the origin of such a significant person of ministry in Israel. Jesus then refused to answer their question because they had shown they were only interested in gathering evidence against Him, not in real discussion.

Then Jesus turned to the people and told them a parable. This parable is similar to the parable of the minas but instead of focusing on the time after Jesus’ ascension, it focused on the time of the Old Testament leading up to Jesus’ visitation. A man hand planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants while he went away for a time long enough that he expected to receive his share of the fruit. The vineyard owner is God, the tenants are Israel’s religious leaders. Each time the owner sent a servant to collect his share of the fruit, they were beaten, wounded, and cast out. The servants are Old Testament prophets. Eventually, the owner decided to send his own son. His reasoning was that they would respect his son as the representation of the owner Himself. They ought to show the son the same respect as the father. The son represents Jesus. When they saw the son they reasoned that by killing him they might receive the inheritance themselves. The inheritance represents Jerusalem. By removing Jesus, the leaders expected free reign over Jerusalem but in killing Jesus (which they did outside of Jerusalem) they ensured that He would ultimately receive that inheritance as the resurrected Lord. Ultimately they would be judged by the owner. God whom they claimed to serve would judge them for their actions.

Jesus concluded by pointing out another fulfilled prophecy from Psalm 118:22 that Jesus was the rejected stone that would become the cornerstone. Whether they tripped over or got crushed, both groups face judgment because of their rejection of Jesus.

The leaders realised that the parable had been spoken against them. They wanted to kill Him there and then but were still afraid of the people. So they looked for ways to ensnare Jesus with His own words hoping to be able to hand Him over to the governor (Pontius Pilate).

The vineyard in this parable referred to Israel. As God’s chosen people Israel was supposed to produce the fruit of righteousness. John 15 tells us similarly that as believers God also expects us to bear fruit (see Gal 5:22-24). How are you doing in being fruitful and giving the vineyard owner what He is due?


Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Israel’s Choice: Jeremiah 4-5