Luke 20:16
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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When the listeners cry out, "God forbid!" they're not just expressing shock; they're unknowingly condemning themselves. Their immediate, horrified rejection reveals they understand the parable's accusation—that they are the wicked tenants—but refuse to accept the implication that they themselves will face judgment for rejecting God's heir.
Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who leases his vineyard to tenants, only for them to kill the heir when he's sent to collect the produce. When the listeners, who are the religious leaders, are asked what the owner will do, they declare the tenants will be destroyed and the vineyard given to others, but then recoil, saying, "Surely not!"
Jesus tells a story, and the listeners deliver their own verdict on themselves. How is that even possible?
In Luke 20, Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants. He asks the religious leaders, "What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?" (Luke 20:15). Their immediate, unthinking response is to pronounce a harsh judgment: "He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others" (Luke 20:16). What's incredible here is that, by answering the hypothetical question, they've essentially condemned themselves! They didn't recognize themselves as the wicked tenants until Jesus made it clear. This shows how often we can be blind to our own sin, even when we're the ones committing it. Their quick-and-dirty answer was a righteous judgment against the very behavior they were about to embody.
The phrase 'God forbid' seems like a simple exclamation, but it carries a deeper weight here. What does it truly reveal?
The strong reaction, "God forbid!" (or in the original Greek, 'May it not happen!') is a powerful moment. When the religious leaders heard Jesus' parable and realized it was about them, their initial response was a desperate plea to avert such a terrible fate. It’s not just a casual dismissal; it's a deep-seated, almost instinctive refusal to believe that they could be capable of such wickedness – killing the heir and losing everything. It shows a denial of their own hearts and the trajectory they were on. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes, our strongest denials reveal our deepest fears and our most hidden truths.
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.
Jesus' parable foretold the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the transfer of God's favor from the corrupt religious leaders to a new community. The events that followed, particularly the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, tragically confirmed this prophecy and signaled the end of an era for Israel's leadership.
c. 70 AD— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman army, led by Titus, besieged and destroyed Jerusalem, including the Second Temple. This event marked the end of the Jewish priesthood and the sacrificial system as it had been.
c. 70 AD - 135 AD
Second Jewish Revolt (Bar Kokhba War)
A major revolt against Roman rule led by Simon bar Kokhba, which ultimately failed and resulted in further devastation and suppression of Jewish religious and political life.
c. 135 AD onwards
Diaspora and Roman control solidified
Following the Bar Kokhba revolt, many Jews were exiled or killed, and Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina, becoming a Roman colony with restrictions for Jews. Jewish life and leadership were significantly impacted.
This passage directly parallels Luke's, showing the religious leaders condemning themselves by their own answer when Jesus asks what the vineyard owner will do to the wicked tenants. It highlights their self-incrimination when faced with the consequences of their actions.
Isaiah 5:1-7This Old Testament passage introduces the metaphor of God's vineyard and his disappointment with its unfruitfulness, setting the stage for Jesus' more pointed application in Luke 20. It establishes the foundational imagery of God's people as a vineyard entrusted to caretakers.
Psalm 118:22-23Jesus quotes this psalm immediately after the parable in Luke 20:17, linking the rejected stone to the rejected heir. This shows that the rejection and subsequent vindication of the Messiah were foretold in Scripture, making the tenants' actions part of a larger divine plan.
Romans 9:25-26Paul quotes Hosea to show God's plan to include the Gentiles, paralleling the vineyard being given to 'others.' This illustrates the principle that God's purposes extend beyond the initially chosen people when they prove unfaithful.
Acts 7:51-53Stephen's powerful speech directly accuses the religious leaders of a similar pattern of rejecting and killing God's messengers, including the Righteous One (Jesus). This shows the historical reality of the 'wicked tenants' behavior that Jesus was condemning.
pooleLuke 20:16: "He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid."
See Poole on "Luke 20:9"
clarkeLuke 20:16: "He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid."
God forbid - Or, Let it not be, μη γενοιτο. Our phrase, God forbid, answers pretty well to the meaning of the Greek, but it is no translation.
When the listeners cry out, "God forbid!" they're not just expressing shock; they're unknowingly condemning themselves. Their immediate, horrified rejection reveals they understand the parable's accusation—that they are the wicked tenants—but refuse to accept the implication that they themselves will face judgment for rejecting God's heir.
Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who leases his vineyard to tenants, only for them to kill the heir when he's sent to collect the produce. When the listeners, who are the religious leaders, are asked what the owner will do, they declare the tenants will be destroyed and the vineyard given to others, but then recoil, saying, "Surely not!"
Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who leases his vineyard to tenants, only for them to kill the heir when he's sent to collect the produce. When the listeners, who are the religious leaders, are asked what the owner will do, they declare the tenants will be destroyed and the vineyard given to others, but then recoil, saying, "Surely not!"
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"He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”" — When the listeners cry out, "God forbid!" they're not just expressing shock; they're unknowingly condemning themselves. Their immediate, horrified rejection reveals they understand the parable's accu…
