What does Luke 20:12 mean?

And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Luke 20:12

Explanation

Luke 20:12 refers to a segment of the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (or Tenants) that Jesus tells to the people that are listening to Him, including the religious leaders of the day. In this parable, a man plants a vineyard, rents it out to tenants, and then goes away for a long time. When the time comes, he sends a servant to the tenants so they will give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. However, the tenants beat the servant and send him away empty-handed. The owner sends another servant, who also gets beaten and treated shamefully. Then, the verse in question says he sent yet a third, who they injured and threw out as well.

The parable proceeds towards its conclusion where the owner sends his beloved son, whom the tenants also kill, mistaken in their belief that this will somehow lead to them inheriting the vineyard. This leads to their own destruction.

The literal meaning involves landlord-tenant relations and the mistreatment of messengers. Deeper meanings suggest that the vineyard owner represents God, the tenants symbolize Israel, and the servants are the prophets sent by God. The son represents Jesus Christ Himself, indicating a prophecy of how He would be rejected and killed by the leaders of Israel.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Luke was written in a Greco-Roman context, likely around 80-110 AD. It was a time of early Christian evangelism and the spread of Christianity beyond Jewish communities. The parable reflects Jesus’ ongoing conflict with the Jewish religious leaders, particularly the scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests, who were responsible for the spiritual well-being of Israel.

The vineyard metaphor is a common one in Jewish scripture, often used to describe the nation of Israel (as in Isaiah 5:1-7). By the time of Jesus, there was an established history of prophets being mistreated by the people of Israel. The parable directly speaks to the historical mistreatment of prophets and the coming rejection of the Messiah.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse has several levels of insight. From a Christian perspective, it is seen as an indictment of religious leadership that fails to recognize God’s messengers, ultimately leading to the rejection of God’s Son.

It also speaks to the broader theme of God’s patience and perseverance in sending messenger after messenger despite continued rejection. There’s a message of judgment as well; those who reject God’s servants and His Son will face consequences for their decisions.

Some theologians also view this parable as an allegory for the transfer of God’s favor from ethnic Israel to the church, which is composed of both Jews and Gentiles.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse are primarily warnings against rejecting the messengers of God. It is a call to humility and to the necessity of recognizing and responding to truth when it is presented. There’s also an implied encouragement to be faithful messengers ourselves, as we might face rejection in the same way the servants (prophets) did.

Additionally, the passage can be interpreted as advocating for justice and fair treatment, as the tenants’ violent actions represent the extreme of unjust behaviors.

Cross-References

• Matthew 21:33-43: This parallel account in Matthew provides the full context of the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, which includes similar events but ends with Jesus directly addressing the religious leaders and the kingdom of God being given to a nation bringing forth proper fruits.
• Mark 12:1-11: Mark also recounts this parable, and in his version, the growing rejection and violence towards the servants (representing the prophets) are emphasized.
• Isaiah 5:1-7: Isaiah’s passage about the vineyard of the Lord being the house of Israel provides the Old Testament background imagery that the parable in Luke uses.
• Hebrews 1:1-2: Refers to God speaking through His Son after having spoken through prophets, aligning with the parable’s depiction of servants (prophets) being sent before the son.

Language Study

The term “wounded” in the original Greek is “τραυματίσαντες” (traumatisantes), which means “they injured” or “they caused wounds.” It’s related to the English word “trauma,” indicating a severe injury.

“Cast him out” comes from “ἐξαπέστειλαν” (exapesteilan), which compounds “ἐκ” (out) with “ἀποστέλλω” (I send), suggesting a forceful removal. This translation is quite direct in its conveyance of forcibly sending someone away.

Analyzing these key words deepens our understanding of the severity of the tenants’ response to the servants sent by the vineyard owner.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The motif of a vineyard owner and wicked tenants resembles certain themes found in other ancient Near Eastern parables and fables, where a rightful owner faces betrayal or mistreatment by caretakers or stewards.

However, the particular elements aligned with the Jewish understanding of their relationship with God and the expectation of a Messiah are unique to the Judeo-Christian tradition. It also differs from other traditions in that the ultimate act of violence is reserved for the owner’s son, which is symbolic of Jesus’ role and fate.

Scientific Perspectives

This parable resides in the realm of moral and theological teaching rather than scientific discourse. As such, there isn’t a direct connection to scientific perspectives. However, modern psychology might look at the actions of the tenants as manifestations of greed, aggression, or the psychological phenomenon known as the “just-world hypothesis,” where individuals believe that their actions towards the landowner’s servants will lead to a favorable outcome for themselves.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have offered interpretations of this parable:

• John Calvin suggests that the repeated sending of servants symbolizes God’s patience and the progressive hardness of the people’s hearts, leading finally to the sending of His Son.

• William Barclay points out that the parable was a clear foretelling of the fate of Jesus and reflects on the incredible love and patience of God.

• Craig S. Keener, in his “IVP Bible Background Commentary,” notes the social context of tenant farming in Judea and how tenants might sometimes seize land, making the parable understandable to Jesus’ audience.

• Joel B. Green, in his commentary on the Gospel of Luke, elaborates on the legal and social expectations of the time, which makes the rejection of the son a shocking and radical act in the story.

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