Luke 20:15-16
And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The act of casting the Son "out of the vineyard" and then killing him is a deliberate, brutal expulsion, not just a murder within the property. This signifies their complete rejection of his divine authority and their intent to sever all connection to God's people and promises, sealing their fate as utterly estranged from His kingdom.
Jesus has just told a parable about a vineyard owner who rents out his vineyard, and the tenants who mistreat and kill the servants sent to collect the harvest, culminating in their murder of the owner's beloved son. The religious leaders understood Jesus was speaking directly about them and their rejection of God's messengers, including Jesus himself.
Imagine planting a vineyard, pouring your heart and soul into it, and then having the caretakers you entrusted with it betray you in the most horrific way possible. This parable pushes that boundary, revealing a crime so profound it echoes through history.
Jesus is painting a picture of the deepest betrayal imaginable. The vineyard represents God's people, Israel, meticulously cultivated and cared for. The tenants are the religious leaders who were entrusted with guiding God's people.
First, they mistreated the servants (the prophets sent by God), beating some and killing others. Then, in an act of ultimate defiance and greed, they murdered the owner's own beloved son, the heir. This wasn't just a crime against property; it was a rejection of the owner's authority, love, and plan. The text highlights their murderous intent: 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance.' This act wasn't accidental; it was a deliberate plot to eliminate the rightful heir and usurp his claim.
After such an unthinkable crime, what do you expect the owner to do? Jesus doesn't leave us guessing. He poses a question that forces his listeners—and us—to confront the unavoidable consequences of such rebellion.
The question, 'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?' is rhetorical. The answer is chillingly obvious: justice will be served. The religious leaders, understanding Jesus' meaning, recoiled, exclaiming, 'God forbid!' They knew he was predicting the utter destruction of their leadership and the nation.
The owner's response, as revealed in the broader context, is to 'destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.' This signifies a divine judgment that will remove those who have proven themselves unworthy and unfaithful stewards. God's patience has limits, and when His love and authority are so violently rejected, His justice will inevitably follow.
Understand the original words
apolesei · Greek Verb
Refers to the act of bringing judgment or ruin upon someone or something, often as a result of divine justice or rebellion against God. In the context of Israel's leaders, it signifies the removal of their privilege due to unfaithfulness.
ampelona · Greek Noun
A metaphor used throughout the Old and New Testaments to represent the people of Israel or the kingdom of God, which God has cultivated and over which He holds ownership.
This parable powerfully illustrates Jesus' awareness of His impending death and the severe judgment that would fall upon the Jewish leadership for rejecting God's Son, echoing centuries of prophetic warnings.
c. 1400 BC
Israel Established as God's Vineyard
God forms a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, establishing Israel as His chosen people, often symbolized as a vineyard entrusted to their care.
c. 8th Century BC
Prophets Warn of Judgment
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah warn Israel about their unfaithfulness and the consequences of rejecting God's fruit, foretelling potential judgment and exile.
c. 605 BC - 586 BC
Babylonian Exile
The kingdom of Judah falls to Babylon, and many Israelites are exiled, illustrating a severe consequence of unfaithfulness to God's covenant, though the vineyard is eventually restored.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Rejection
Jesus, the Son of God, arrives to claim the vineyard's fruit, but is rejected, mocked, beaten, and ultimately killed by the religious leaders.
This passage also uses the imagery of a vineyard to represent Israel and God's covenant relationship with them. It highlights God's care and the people's failure to produce good fruit, mirroring the parable's theme.
Matthew 21:43This verse directly follows the parable in Matthew's Gospel, drawing the conclusion that the kingdom of God will be taken from those who misuse it and given to others who will produce its fruits. It echoes the judgment declared in Luke 20:15.
Psalm 118:22-23Jesus quotes this psalm in connection with the parable, identifying the rejected son with the 'stone that the builders rejected' which has become the cornerstone. This shows the divine plan for the one rejected and killed by human leaders.
Hebrews 13:11-13This passage draws a parallel between Jesus suffering outside the city gates and the Old Testament sacrificial system, suggesting an allusion to the Son being cast out of the vineyard to be killed.
Acts 7:51-52Stephen's speech directly accuses his listeners of resisting the Holy Spirit and killing the prophets, just as their fathers did. This highlights the historical pattern of rejection and violence against God's messengers, culminating in the rejection of Jesus.
pooleLuke 20:15: "So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?"
See Poole on "Luke 20:9"
pulpitLuke 20:15: "So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?"
Verses 15, 16. - So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. The parable-story of itself was an improbable one. The conduct of the husbandmen, the long patience of the owner of the vineyard, his last act in sending his beloved and only son, ? all this makes up a history without a parallel in human experience. Yet this is an exact sketch of what did actually t…
The act of casting the Son "out of the vineyard" and then killing him is a deliberate, brutal expulsion, not just a murder within the property. This signifies their complete rejection of his divine authority and their intent to sever all connection to God's people and promises, sealing their fate as utterly estranged from His kingdom.
Jesus has just told a parable about a vineyard owner who rents out his vineyard, and the tenants who mistreat and kill the servants sent to collect the harvest, culminating in their murder of the owner's beloved son. The religious leaders understood Jesus was speaking directly about them and their rejection of God's messengers, including Jesus himself.
Jesus has just told a parable about a vineyard owner who rents out his vineyard, and the tenants who mistreat and kill the servants sent to collect the harvest, culminating in their murder of the owner's beloved son. The religious leaders understood Jesus was speaking directly about them and their rejection of God's messengers, including Jesus himself.
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c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Roman army destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, a devastating fulfillment of Jesus' warning that the vineyard would be taken from the unfaithful leaders and given to others.
"And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”" — The act of casting the Son "out of the vineyard" and then killing him is a deliberate, brutal expulsion, not just a murder within the property. This signifies their complete rejection of his divine a…
