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Luke 20

And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

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

Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

Last of all the woman died also.

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

What does Luke 20:14 mean?

Explanation

Luke 20:14 presents a moment within the Parable of the Tenants, which Jesus tells to the people, particularly the religious leaders, during his time in Jerusalem just a few days before his crucifixion.

In the parable, a man plants a vineyard, rents it out to some tenants, and then goes away for a long time.

At harvest time, he sends a servant to the tenants so they can give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat the servant and send him away empty-handed.

This happens again with another servant, and then another.

Finally, the owner sends his son, whom he loves, thinking they will respect him.

But when the tenants see the son, they talk among themselves and decide to kill him.

They believe that by killing the heir, they might gain possession of the vineyard themselves.

This reflects their ultimate greed and defiance against the rightful owner.

This verse is packed with irony and foreboding, as it not only comments on the greed and wickedness of the tenants but is also an allegory for the rejection and upcoming crucifixion of Jesus, the Son of God.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Luke was written against the backdrop of the Roman occupation of Judea, a period when religious authorities were often scrutinized by Jesus for their hypocrisy and for leading people astray from the true spirit of God's commandments.

Jesus used the parable as a metaphor for the religious leaders' treatment of the prophets God sent to Israel.

The religious leaders, like the tenants in the parable, had mistreated God’s messengers. The historical audience would have recognized this allegory for their own behavior and the divine son as representing the coming Messiah, which in Christian theology is Jesus himself.

Theological Insights

In Christian theology, the "husbandmen" or "tenants" symbolize the religious leaders of Israel who have been entrusted with the care of God's people, depicted here as the vineyard.

The "heir" is seen as Jesus Christ.

The plot to kill the heir reflects the plot of the religious leaders to crucify Jesus.

The deeper meaning alludes to God's judgment and the eventual transfer of spiritual stewardship from faithless Israel (particularly its leaders) to the followers of Christ who will produce the fruits of the kingdom.

Practical Applications

On a practical level, Luke 20:14 can be applied to warn against the dangers of greed and entitlement.

It teaches that positions of stewardship and responsibility should be taken seriously and used to serve others, rather than for personal gain.

It also serves as a reminder that rejecting God's messengers can lead to severe consequences, and that respect for rightful authority is an important aspect of faith.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:38: "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance."
Mark 12:7: "But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours."
Hebrews 1:2: "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of the New Testament that are pivotal in understanding this verse include:

"Husbandmen" (γεωργοί - geōrgoi) - This word commonly refers to farmers or vine-growers and is symbolic of religious leaders or people given a trust.
"Heir" (κληρονόμος - klēronomos) - This term means someone who is to receive an inheritance, used here to symbolize Jesus as the inheritor of God's kingdom.
"Kill" (ἀποκτείνωμεν - apokteinōmen) - A plan to murder or put to death, indicating the violent intentions of the tenants.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of a son being killed to seize an inheritance resonates with various other ancient cultures, which often have myths and stories about the conflict over succession and power.

The idea of heirs being killed for an inheritance can be found in multiple cultures indicating a universal understanding of human greed and the lengths individuals will go to for wealth and power.

In broader religious comparisons, many faith traditions contain parables or stories used as teaching tools that symbolically reflect real-life situations and moral choices.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse does not directly pertain to scientific concepts, but in a broader scope, scientific perspectives could explore the psychological or sociological aspects of the behaviors depicted in the parable.

This includes group dynamics, authority defiance, and the psychology behind greed and violence.

However, these elements would be an indirect application of science to the text rather than a direct scientific comment on the verse itself.

Commentaries

Bible scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse:

Some see it as Jesus’ direct indictment of the religious leadership of his time, foretelling their role in his death.
Others highlight its prophetic nature, as the parable predicts how Jesus, the “heir”, will be rejected and killed.
Commentators often note the irony that by killing the heir, the tenants foolishly believe they can seize his inheritance, which foreshadows the futile attempt by the religious leaders to maintain their authority by eliminating Jesus.
Additionally, experts note the legal and cultural absurdity of the tenants' thinking since killing the heir would not legally entitle them to the property.

This points to their moral and spiritual blindness.

Luke 20

Luke 20

What does Luke 20:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 20:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?