THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS

Luke 20:1-18 / Keywords 20:17

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'?

 

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

20:1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”

3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Tenants

9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So 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 kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

“‘The stone the builders rejected

    has become the cornerstone’[a]?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Footnotes

a. Luke 20:17 Psalm 118:22

1. The high officials of the Sanhedrin were offended by Jesus’ authority to cleanse the temple. They came to Jesus to discredit his divine authority with a malicious question. In reply Jesus asked them about John the Baptist. Was his baptism from heaven or of human origin? It was to help them to think about how God was doing his work of salvation through John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah. They knew the answer but deceived themselves and avoided facing the truth. Despite clear evidence of Jesus’ divine authority, they refused to answer. They became God’s enemies.

 

2. The parable of the tenants shows the tragedy when God’s people forget their position as stewards of God’s vineyard entrusted to them. The result is losing the privilege to work in his vineyard, enjoying his blessings. This parable also shows God’s patient love and hope for his rebellious people. God sent his Son, but his people rejected and killed him and claimed ownership of the vineyard. In this way they rejected God’s love and his ownership. They could not escape God’s judgment. God’s plan seemed thwarted due to his people’s failure. But God raised Jesus, the rejected stone, from the dead and made him the cornerstone, the sure foundation of salvation for all mankind.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for the privilege to work in your vineyard. Help me be a good tenant of your vineyard and a good steward of your blessings.

One Word I am a steward of God’s vineyard