LUKE 20: 9-19 [JESUS’ LAST WEEK SERIES]
THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS
This parable reflects the events that will unfold during the final week of Jesus’ earthly life. The refusal of the leaders to accept Jesus’ authority (vv. 1–8) leads to this parable that not only clearly affirms that authority but also alludes to Jesus’ death and His subsequent vindication. The parable also summaries the whole of biblical history including the gospel story (CIT) [Evans, Craig. New International Com. Luke. 1995. Hendrickson Publishers. Peabody, Mass. p. 298].
In this simple story the landowner sends servant after servant but the tenants refuse to hand over any fruit of his vineyard. Finally, the son is sent and he is murdered. This outrage demands the punishment of the tenants and the transfer of the vineyard to others.
A parable about a vine and vineyard was not new for Israelites. The vineyard was a familiar image of God’s investment and expectation of return from His people (Isa. 5:1-7; Ezek. 15:1-6; 19:10-14). The symbolism would have been clear to the hearers (Ps. 80:8-13; Isa. 27:2; Jer. 2:21; Ezek. 19:10-14; Hos. 10:1). [The owner represents God, the son, Jesus; the tenants, the religious leaders charged with cultivating the religious life of Israel (as they acknowledge in v. 19); the servants correspond to the prophets and the others the gentile church.]
I. GOD SENDS HIS SERVANTS, 20:9-12.
II. GOD’S WORD REJECTED, 20:13-15a.
III. GOD’S SENTENCE GIVEN, 20:15b-16.
IV. GOD’S CHOSEN STONE, 20:17-18.
Jesus opens the story in verse 9 by referring to the historically rich imagery of a vineyard. “And He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey for a long time.
The story was based on a common practice of landowners hiring out their land to tenant farmers. In the recent past we called them share-croppers. The owner of the land rented out his property to tenants who were to give him an agreed upon portion of his property’s yield. The vineyard owner then takes long journey for an extended period of time. Patiently he waited for the vineyard to produce its fruit.
Verse 10 reveals the outcome of the owner’s request for his portion of the land’s production. “At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
At harvest those who tended the vine would get a certain share of the crop and the owner would get another portion. The servant went to gather that portion. He went to speak the words of the owner. The return was fair and what they agreed on. But the property’s tenants revolted refusing to pay the owner’s share of the income then even mistreated his servant or messenger.
This pictures God and Israel’s covenant relationship. God blessed the nation of Israel abundantly and invested them with great productive potential. All He asked was that they obey His Word and return to Him a spiritual harvest out of their lives. Instead of being grateful for their blessing and joyfully returning to the Lord His due, they proceeded to rob God and reject His messengers [Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Com. Victor Books. Wheaton, IL. 1989. Vol 1. p. 257].
Our noble and enduring God continued to send servant after servant to them as verse 11 depicts. “And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed.
Jesus likened the prophets to a series of servants sent to collect fruit from the vineyard. They were rejected, beaten and treated shamefully. Never did these servants illicit the payment due for God’s provision.
The amazingly long-suffering owner continues to send more servants as verse 12 indicates. “And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out.
The first messenger was beaten. The second messenger was not only beaten but also treated shamefully. The third messenger was permanently wounded. What would be the vineyard’s owner’s response to these ungrateful tenants?
II. GOD’S WORD REJECTED, 20:13-15a.
In verse 13 the vineyard owner, who represents the Lord God, decides to send them His beloved son hoping the tenants would respect him. “The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’
We can see here God’s willingness to make Himself total vulnerability by sending His beloved Son [the address the Father used at His baptism (3:22; Mt. 3:17)] in order to win His people back to Himself. Sin though has a way of making people blind, proud and disrespectful, even to the most loving, most humble, and most holy person or action.
Verse 14 reveals the plot to murder the landowner’s Son and take the vineyard by force. “But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’
In this “kill Him” statement Jesus was saying, “I know your plan. I know your intention. I know what’s going on in your hearts.” I believe He didn’t say this to indict them, but to plead with them. The depiction of their usurping His rightful place asks them to rethink their plan saying in effect, “Is there any of you who want to change your mind, to change your direction, to repent?”
That’s exactly what the Lord does with us. Rarely does any of us just fall into sin, but rather we walk into sin one step at a time. Yet, as He sent His servants in this parable and His prophets in the Old Testament, the Lord is faithful to send messengers and warnings to us. All too often, however, we continue on a downward path toward destruction. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 399.] The blindness and depth of our sin will even cause us to make the Son of God dead to us, and experience no remorse for putting God out of our life so we can do what we want to with it.
Verse 15 reveals the ultimate result of hardness of the man’s heart against the rule of God. “So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
The rejection of the message and the messengers is harsher each time. Ultimately, instead of repenting, they do the very opposite. The rebellious tenants killed the beloved Son, foreshadowing the fate that awaits Jesus in Jerusalem. The son is killed outside the vineyard or camp (Heb. 13:12-13) [an adjustment in Isaiah’s story (Isaiah 5:1-7) to fit the son to Jesus].
III. GOD’S SENTENCE GIVEN, 20:15b-16.
Jesus then asked his listeners a rhetorical question in the last part of verse 15. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” The tenants had no respect for the beloved Son of the owner and no remorse for killing Him in an attempt to rid themselves of His rightful claims upon them.
In verse 16 Jesus answered His own question and gives the interpretation of the parable. “He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!”
In judgment for killing His Son, God will “destroy those tenant farmers” and find more worthy tenants to care for His vineyard. Matthew alone (Mt 21:43) gives the naked application, that “the kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it” or the faithful evangelical community made up chiefly of Gentiles.
Again, the vineyard was a familiar image of God’s investment and expectation of return from His people (Isa. 5:1-7; Ezek. 15:1-6; 19:10-14). These people understood the implication and were thus stunned at the word of final punishment on the tenants (Jewish leaders), sensing that they too will fall with the nation as God gives the vineyard over to Gentiles.
Jesus’ words of prophecy were yet another opportunity, another invitation for the Jewish leaders to repent. He was pleading with them to turn to God in truth and save not only their own lives, but the life of their nation. What was their answer? A tragically unrepentant, “God forbid” (me genoito).
The crowd’s strong responds of no never indicates that they understood the implications of what Jesus was saying: the Jewish system was being set aside because the religious leaders were rejecting Him and the people were following their leadership instead of God.
This parable culminates all of Jesus’ messages concerning the fact that Gentiles and outcasts would be added to the kingdom whereas most of Israel would not enter into the kingdom of God because they would not bow their life before Jesus and His authority.
IV. GOD’S CHOSEN STONE, 20:17-18.
Luke 20:17-18 reference a quotation of Psalm 118:22 and give an interpretation of God’s purpose for His stone of offense. Though Jesus may be rejected by man He is God’s [place of] key to repentance and judgment. Verse 17 sums up the lessons Jesus has been teaching. “But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, This became THE CHIEF CORNER STONE’?
Luke pointed out the seriousness of the situation by recording that “Jesus looked directly at them” when He quoted the Scripture. ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, This became THE CHIEF CORNER STONE’. Psalm 118:22 stated that a seemingly insignificant thing (a stone thrown away by stone masons) was really the most important building material (this stone became the capstone). Jesus’ point was that He, the most important element in the Jewish nation, was being rejected, but ultimately would be supreme.
Psalm 118 is a messianic Psalm [particularly 118:1-28] that had just been shouted when Jesus triumphantly rode into Jerusalem (Luke19:38). Psalm 118:22 is the most often quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. It refers to the construction of the temple under Solomon’s reign when the massive stones were chiseled miles away from the building site in order that no sound be heard upon the temple mount. When the stones arrived, one stone didn’t fit and was thrown down the hill into the Kidron Valley. When it became evident that the cornerstone was missing, the stone that had been rejected turned out to be the one that fit perfectly. Jesus applies this to Himself. “You’re trying to build your salvation apart from Me,” He says, “but you’re going to see that I am the Cornerstone. Without Me, nothing stands.” [Courson, S. 399.]
Jesus is the stone which does not fit the preconceived notion of messiahship. His resurrection from the dead though proves that He is the one upon Whom all eternity is built. Though the leaders of the political world and the religious world may reject Jesus, God has made Him the centerpiece of His plan. Though people, even all people reject Him and refuse to build their life upon Him and His Word, there is no replacement of or for God’s precious and chosen corner Stone.
[The corner stone or foundational stone was place at the corner of the building. It born the weight of the walls that intersected at corner and gave direction to where those wall were built. It could be said that it shaped and supported the building.]
Verse 18 states that those who will not fall upon this stone in the brokenness of repentance will have that stone fall upon them in judgment. “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
Jesus is the means of repentance and judgment. To fall upon that stone is to have your life broken to pieces. This brokenness of life that comes by judging yourself and casting your life upon His mercy is the way of salvation and restoration. The one who falls upon Jesus the Cornerstone will indeed be broken, for it’s only in admitting our sin and our need that we can be saved.
Rejecting God’s beloved Son by failing to cast your life upon Him has grave consequences. You see, those who aren’t broken before Him will one day be broken by Him. Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10).
The only question is when will your life be broken by God’s precious chosen stone? Will you cast your life upon Him now to be broken before Him in repentance and be saved? Or will you wait too long and be broken or crushed by Him when He returns to judge the world?
IN CLOSING,
The story of the wicked vinedressers is an analogy about Israel to whom God gave life and land that they might go and bear fruit. God now wants spiritual fruit, and they will not produce it. Jesus is telling them that God requires fruits of righteousness and new life, the fruits of love, joy, and peace. He reminds them they have killed the prophets and servants sent to collect God’s fruits and they will even kill His Son and Heir. They vehemently denied it was true.
The eyes of the people were blinded. They were spurning the authority of Christ and His Word. In a few days they would even reject God’s love as they cried for Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross. But even there where God’s judgment fell upon sin He would make a way out for His rebellious people. For the judgment of God that fell upon His Beloved Son was for us. He died in our place to take away our sins. Jesus’ was broken and shaped in judgment that He might become the cornerstone of a new life built upon God’s will and way.
Peter writes, “For in Scripture it says: ’See I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6). There are all kinds of advice around us, all kinds of experts. The only true and trustworthy expert is Christ. He gives us the absolute certain truth recorded for us written in Scripture. If we repent and fall upon Christ as the new cornerstone of life, our life may be broken in pieces but as we trust and live for Him we can rebuilt it upon the chosen cornerstone of eternal existence. If we fall upon Him and build our life upon Him, we will never, ever be put to shame.
If you have never cast your life in repentance before Him, Jesus calls upon you to do so right now. It’s never too early to begin to establish a life based and built upon Christ Jesus. You come if His Spirit leads.
[Jesus is also speaking to a basic problem in the church. To whom does the vineyard belong? Does all its activities and laborers belong to the people, be they church officers or bishops or even a pope? No, the vineyard belongs to the One who planted it. We tend to forget that and act as if it belongs to us or our particular faction. [Larson, Bruce. The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1983, S. 298,]
