Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 20:9
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.
9 – 19. The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard.
9. to the people ] but still in the hearing of the priests and scribes who had only withdrawn a little into the background (Luk 20:19; Mat 21:32; Mat 21:45). St Luke here omits the Parable of the Two Sons (Mat 21:28-32), in which, as in this Parable, the hidden meaning applicable in the first instance to Pharisees and the people, and in the second to Jews and Gentiles was hardly veiled.
a vineyard ] As in Isa 5:1-7; Psalms 80; Eze 15:1-6 ; Jer 2:21. St Luke omits the special isolation, &c. of the vineyard. Vines, grapes, and vineleaves were symbols of Palestine, on the coins of the Maccabees.
to husbandmen ] namely, (1) the Jewish nation; (2) their rulers and teachers.
for a long time ] The nearly two thousand years of Jewish History. Comp. Mat 25:19. In this long time they learnt to say “the Lord hath forsaken the earth,” Eze 8:12; Psa 10:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See this parable explained in the notes at Mat 21:33-45.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Luk 20:9-19
A certain man planted a vineyard
Lessons
1.
Let us be thankful that God has planted His vineyard among us. We are situated, not in any of the deserts, or wastes, or commons, of the world, but in the vineyard, in a garden inclosed, in the very garden of the Lord.
2. Let us inquire whether we be rendering to the Lord of the vineyard the fruit which He expects in its season.
3. Beware of resembling these wicked husbandmen in their conduct, lest you also resemble them in their doom. What reception, then, are you giving to Gods ministers, and especially to Gods beloved Son?
4. In the last place, see that you give to the Lord Jesus that place in your spiritual building which is His due. Let Him be both at its foundation and at its top. Let Him be both the author and the finisher of your faith. (J. Foote, M. A.)
Gods manifold mercy
Like the drops of a lustre, which reflect a rainbow of colours when the sun is glittering upon them, and each one, when turned in different ways, from its prismatic form shows all the varieties of colour, so the mercy of God is one and yet many, the same yet ever changing, a combination of all the beauties of love blended harmoniously together. You have only to look at mercy in that light, and that light, and that light, to see how rich, how manifold it is. (C. H.Spurgeon.)
Fruitfulness the test of value
Years ago in Mentone they estimated the value of land by the number of olive-trees upon it. How many bearers of the precious oil were yielding their produce? That was the question which settled the value of the plot. Is not this the true way of estimating the importance of a Christian Church? Mere size is no criterion; wealth is even a more deceiving measure, and rank and education are no better. How many are bearing fruit unto the Lord in holy living, in devout intercession, in earnest efforts for soul winning, and in other methods by which fruit is brought forth unto the Lord? (Sword and Trowel.)
Abused mercy
Nothing so cold as lead, yet nothing more scalding if molten; nothing more blunt than iron, and yet nothing so keen if sharpened; the air is soft and tender, yet out of it are engendered thunderings and lightnings; the sea is calm and smooth, but if tossed with tempests it is rough beyond measure. Thus it is that mercy abused turns to fury; God, as He is a God of mercies, so He is a God of judgment; and it is a fearful thing to fall into His punishing hands. He is loath to strike, but when He strikes, He strikes home. If His wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, woe be to all those on whom it lights; how much more when He is sore displeased with a people or person! (John Trapp.)
The Son rejected
Turning to the parable, notice–
I. THE OWNERS CLAIM. His right and authority are complete. God presses His right to our love and service. Blessings are privileges, and privileges are obligations.
II. THE OWNERS LOVING PATIENCE. There never was an earthly employer who showed such persistent kindness towards such persistent rebellion. The account of servants sent again and again, in spite of insults and death, is a faint picture of His forbearance towards Israel. Mercies, deliverances, revelations, pleadings, gather, a shining host, around all their history, as the angelic camp was close to Jacob on his journey. But all along the history stand the dark and bloodstained images of mercies despised and prophets slain. The tenderness of God in the old dispensation is wonderful; but in Christ it appears in a pathos of yearning.
III. THE REJECTION.
IV. THE JUDGMENT. It was just, necessary, complete, remediless.
V. THE FINAL EXALTATION OF THE SON. (Charles M. Southgate.)
The rejected Son
I. GODS INTEREST IN HIS VINEYARD. The great truths of the Old Testament are from the prophets rather than from the priests. The grand progress of truth has depended upon these fearless men. The age without its prophet has been stagnated. The priesthood is conservative; prophecy, progressive. The true prophet is always great; truth makes men great. Only by a clear understanding of the accumulating prophecies of the Old Testament can we appreciate the Divine care. In this lesson as to the care of God for His vineyard, Christ has marked the distinction between the functions of the prophets and Himself. They had spoken as servants; He as the Son. In such a comparison is seen the transcendent revelation of God in Christ. He was the heir. The interests of the Father were identical with His own. It was in such a comparison that Christ declared the infinite grace of God in the incarnation and its purpose.
II. THE IRREVERENCE OF MEN. The whole attitude of God toward His Church is that of an infinite condescension and pity.
1. The attitude of these men toward the truth. The greatest conflicts have been between the truth of God and the personal desires of men.
2. This antagonism is manifested in the treatment of those who are righteous. In one sense he who accepts a truth becomes its personation, and as a consequence must bear all the malignity of those who hate that same truth. Witness the treatment of the prophets in evidence. Because Micaiah uttered that which was displeasing to the government of Israel he was scourged and imprisoned. Because the prophet Jeremiah gave an unwelcome prophecy to his king, although it was the word of the Lord, he was thrown into a dungeon for his courage. No better fate awaited the prophet Isaiah than to be sawn asunder by order of the ruler of Gods chosen people. It was the high priest who obtained a decree for the expulsion of Amos from Jerusalem.
3. This antagonism to the prophets of the truth is only a lesser expression of a burning hatred toward God. The spirit of hatred to the prophets would result in the killing of the Son of God. Whether the truth or man or God stands in the way of this lust for power, the result is the same.
III. THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE. Repeatedly this truth is brought out in the life of Christ. They sought to lay hold on Him, but feared the people. In these few words we recognize the corrective of the terrible accusation against human nature. If such a history is the expression of what is universal, then we must discern the fact that the truth is more safe in the hands of the many than of the few.
IV. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD. In the parallel account of this parable in Matthew, we read the question of Christ: When the lord, therefore, of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? In all history this same truth has been often witnessed. The rejecters of God are self-rejected from Him. The power that is not used for God is taken from us and given to those who will use it. There are two practical suggestions very intimately connected with this theme that we briefly notice. First: The greatest hindrance to Christs kingdom may come from those who are the highest in the administration of its affairs. Second: The stupidity of wickedness. These very men who robbed God were robbing themselves. By planning to possess the vineyard they lost it. By attempting to keep the owner away they cast themselves out. God controls His own kingdom and Church. The stone which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner: this was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. (D. O. Mears.)
Parable of the vineyard let to husbandmen
I. THE MATERIALS OF WHICH THE PARABLE IS COMPOSED are objects which were familiar in Palestine, or common in warm countries; a vineyard, a proprietor, and tenants.
II. Let us next attend to THE OBJECTS WHICH OUR SAVIOUR HAD IN VIEW IN DELIVERING THIS PARABLE; or, what is the same thing, inquire what are the important truths contained in it. The objects of our Saviour in this parable seem to be
1. To point out the singular advantages bestowed on the Jews as a nation.
2. Their conduct.
3. Their punishment.
4. The transference of their advantages to others
Inferences:
1. From this passage we may learn that we, as Christians, possess a portion of that kingdom which the Lord Jesus came to establish. For the Christians came in the place of the Jews. This kingdom consists in privileges, in blessings, in superior knowledge, and superior means of improvement. Of those privileges we have much cause to be grateful, but none whatever to be proud. For they were not given because we were better than other nations: but they were bestowed solely that we might cultivate and improve them, and become the blessed instruments of conveying them to others.
2. That if we cease to bring forth the fruit of holiness, the kingdom of God will also be taken from us. God has given us much, and therefore of us much will be required. (J. Thomson, D. D.)
The Herodians and Pharisees combined against Jesus
1. The combination of men of opposite sentiments, in a particular case, affords no proof that truth and justice are connected with their temporary union.
2. In the conduct of the scribes and Pharisees on this occasion we see the disgraceful artifices which malice leads men to employ.
3. From this passage we may observe the perfect knowledge which Jesus had of the characters, principles, and intentions of His enemies.
4. The wisdom of Jesus was also conspicuous on this occasion. Had He been a mere man, we should have said He was distinguished by presence of mind. Now His wisdom is strongly displayed here. He might have refused to answer the question of the Pharisees and Herodians, as the Pharisees had done to Him. Or He might have given some dark enigmatical reply which they could not have perverted. But, instead of doing so, He gave a plain decided answer, without fear or evasion.
5. The fearless regard to truth which the Lord Jesus displayed on this occasion deserves to be carefully noticed. He did not mean to decline answering the question, Whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. On the contrary, He instantly declared that it was lawful; and not only lawful, but obligatory, as they themselves had unwillingly confessed. For the allusion to the denarius struck them forcibly; and they went away admiring the person whom they had come to expose and overwhelm.
6. Lastly, we may observe the disposition which our Saviour always showed to direct the attention of His hearers to the duty which they owed to God. If, then, we are to render to God the things that are Gods, we must render everything to God; for everything we have belongs to Him–our capacities, our opportunities, our advantages, our blessings. (J. Thomson, D. D.)
It will grind him to powder
The madness of opposing Christ
It is said that a hundred thousand birds fly against the lights of the lighthouses along the Atlantic coast of the United States, and are killed annually. So says a slip cut from this mornings newspaper. We need not be afraid in these excited times that captious cavillers will put out our hope. The dark wild birds of the ocean keep coming forth from the mysterious caverns; they seem to hate the glitter of the lenses. They continue to dash themselves upon the thick panes of glass in the windows. But they usually end by beating their wings to pieces on the unyielding crystal till they fall dead in the surf rolling below. (C. S.Robinson, D. D.)
The wreck of infidelity
Some years ago, a man and his wife were found living in a wretched broken-down house in a low part of London; and although the husband was down with illness, his only bed was a little straw, with a coarse dirty wrapper for a covering, and a brick for a pillow. An old chair and a saucepan appeared to be the only other furniture on the premises, while the wife in attendance was subject to fits, which made her for the time more like a wild animal than a woman. Though reduced to so wretched a condition, this man was really gifted and educated; and in days of health and strength he had worked with his pen for an infidel publisher. What, then, was the cause of his downfall? It so happened that the sufferer answered this question himself; for, casting his dull, leaden-looking eyes around the room after a visitor had entered, he remarked, This is the wreck of infidelity!
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. A certain man planted a vineyard, &c.] See this parable largely explained, Mt 21:33-46. See also Clarke on Mr 12:4-9.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We met with this parable at large both in Mat 21:33-41, and in Mar 12:1-11. Its obvious scope is to let them know, that God in righteous judgment, for the Jews abusing the Lords prophets, John the Baptist, and himself, who was in a few days to be killed by them, would unchurch and destroy them, and raise up to himself a church amongst the Gentiles; and that this was no more than was prophesied of, Psa 118:22.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9-13. vineyard(See on Lu13:6). In Mt 21:33additional points are given, taken literally from Isa5:2, to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testamentauthority.
husbandmenthe ordinaryspiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture thefruits of righteousness might be yielded.
went, &c.leavingit to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole length ofthe Jewish economy. (See on Mr 4:26.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then began he to speak to the people this parable,…. According to the other evangelists it seems to be spoken to the chief priests, Scribes, and elders; and certain it is, that they looked upon themselves as struck at in it; it might be spoken to both. Christ having silenced the sanhedrim, turned himself to the people, and delivered the parable of the vineyard to them, though his principal view was to the priests:
a certain man planted a vineyard; the people of the Jews are designed by the vineyard, and the “certain man”, or “householder”, as Matthew calls him, Mt 21:28 is the Lord of hosts; and the planting of it is to be understood of his bringing and settling the people Israel in the land of Canaan. Luke omits certain things which the other evangelists relate, as setting an hedge about it, digging a winepress, and building a tower in it; and the Persic version here adds, “and planted trees, and set a wall about it”; all which express the care that was taken to cultivate and protect it; and signify the various blessings and privileges the Jew’s enjoyed under the former dispensation; Gill on “Mt 21:33” and
[See comments on Mr 12:1].
and let it forth to husbandmen; put the people of the Jews under the care not only of civil magistrates, but of ecclesiastical governors, who were to dress this vine, or instruct these people in matters of religion, that they might be fruitful in good works:
and went into a far country for a long time; for a long time it was, from the times of Moses and Joshua, when the first settlement, both of the civil and ecclesiastical state of the Jews, was made, to the time of Christ; it was fourteen or fifteen hundred years; see the notes, as above.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Husbandmen and the Vineyard. |
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9 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. 10 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. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 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. 14 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. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17 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? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19 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.
Christ spoke this parable against those who were resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was ever so full and convincing; and it comes very seasonably to show that by questioning his authority they forfeited their own. Their disowning the lord of their vineyard was a defeasance of their lease of the vineyard, and giving up of all their title.
I. The parable has nothing added here to what we had before in Matthew and Mark. The scope of it is to show that the Jewish nation, by persecuting the prophets, and at length Christ himself, had provoked God to take away from them all their church privileges, and to abandon them to ruin. It teaches us, 1. That those who enjoy the privileges of the visible church are as tenants and farmers that have a vineyard to look after, and rent to pay for it. God, by setting up revealed religion and instituted orders in the world, hath planted a vineyard, which he lets out to those people among whom his tabernacle is, v. 9. And they have vineyard-work to do, needful and constant work, but pleasant and profitable. Whereas man was, for sin, condemned to till the ground, they that have a place in the church are restored to that which was Adam’s work in innocency, to dress the garden, and to keep it; for the church is a paradise, and Christ the tree of life in it. They have also vineyard-fruits to present to the Lord of the vineyard. There are rents to be paid and services to be done, which, though bearing no proportion to the value of the premises, yet must be done and must be paid. 2. That the work of God’s ministers is to call upon those who enjoy the privileges of the church to bring forth fruit accordingly. They are God’s rent-gatherers, to put the husbandmen in mind of their arrears, or rather to put them in mind that they have a landlord who expects to hear from them, and to receive some acknowledgment of their dependence on him, and obligations to him, v. 10. The Old-Testament prophets were sent on this errand to the Jewish church, to demand from them the duty and obedience they owed to God. 3. That it has often been the lot of God’s faithful servants to be wretchedly abused by his own tenants; they have been beaten and treated shamefully by those that resolved to send them empty away. They that are resolved not to do their duty to God cannot bear to be called upon to do it. Some of the best men in the world have had the hardest usage from it, for their best services. 4. That God sent his Son into the world to carry on the same work that the prophets were employed in, to gather the fruits of the vineyard for God; and one would have thought that he would have been reverenced and received. The prophets spoke as servants, Thus saith the Lord; but Christ as a Son, among his own, Verily, I say unto you. Putting such an honour as this upon them, to send him, one would have thought, should have won upon them. 5. That those who reject Christ’s ministers would reject Christ himself if he should come to them; for it has been tried, and found that the persecutors and murderers of his servants the prophets were the persecutors and murderers of himself. They said, This is the heir, come let us kill him. When they slew the servants, there were other servants sent. “But, if we can but be the death of the son, there is never another son to be sent, and then we shall be no longer molested with these demands; we may have a quiet possession of the vineyard for ourselves.” The scribes and Pharisees promised themselves that, if they could but get Christ out of the way, they should for ever ride masters in the Jewish church; and therefore they took the bold step, they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 6. That the putting of Christ to death filled up the measure of the Jewish iniquity, and brought upon them ruin without remedy. No other could be expected than that God should destroy those wicked husbandmen. They began in not paying their rent, but then proceeded to beat and kill the servants, and at length their young Master himself. Note, Those that live in the neglect of their duty to God know not what degrees of sin and destruction they are running themselves into.
II. To the application of the parable is added here, which we had not before, their deprecation of the doom included in it (v. 16): When they heart it, they said, God forbid, Me genoito—Let not this be done, so it should be read. Though they could not but own that for such a sin such a punishment was just, and what might be expected, yet they could not bear to hear of it. Note, It is an instance of the folly and stupidity of sinners that they proceed and persevere in their sinful ways though at the same time they have a foresight and dread of the destruction that is at the end of those ways. And see what a cheat they put themselves, to think to avoid it by a cold God forbid, when they do nothing towards the preventing of it; but will this make the threatening of no effect? No, they shall know whose word shall stand, God’s or theirs. Now observe what Christ said, in answer to this childish deprecation of their ruin. 1. He beheld them. This is taken notice of only by this evangelist, v. 17. He looked upon them with pity and compassion, grieved to see them cheat themselves thus to their own ruin. He beheld them, to see if they would blush at their own folly, or if he could discern in their countenances any indication of relenting. 2. He referred them to the scripture: “What is this then that is written? How can you escape the judgment of God, when you cannot prevent the exaltation of him whom you despise and reject? The word of God hath said it, that the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.” The Lord Jesus will be exalted to the Father’s right hand. He has all judgment and all power committed to him; he is the corner-stone and top-stone of the church, and, if so, his enemies can expect no other than to be destroyed. Even those that slight him, that stumble at him, and are offended in him, shall be broken–it will be their ruin; but as to those that not only reject him, but hate and persecute him, as the Jews did, he will fall upon them and crush them to pieces–will grind them to powder. The condemnation of spiteful persecutors will be much sorer than that of careless unbelievers.
Lastly, We are told how the chief priests and scribes were exasperated by this parable (v. 19): They perceived that he had spoken this parable against them; and so he had. A guilty conscience needs no accuser; but they, instead of yielding to the convictions of conscience, fell into a rage at him who awakened that sleeping lion in their bosoms, and sought to lay hands on him. Their corruptions rebelled against their convictions, and got the victory. And it was not because they had any fear of God or of his wrath before their eyes, but only because they feared the people, that they did not now fly in his face, and take him by the throat. They were just ready to make his words good: This is the heir, come let us kill him. Note, When the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil, the fairest warnings both of the sin they are about to commit and of the consequences of it make no impression upon them. Christ tells them that instead of kissing the Son of God they would kill him, upon which they should have said, What, is thy servant a dog? But they do, in effect, say this: “And so we will; have at him now.” And, though they deprecate the punishment of the sin, in the next breath they are projecting the commission of it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Vineyard (). Late word from (vine), place of vines. So in Mark 12:1; Matt 21:33.
Let it out (). Second aorist middle of , but with variable vowel in place of of the stem (). Same form in Mark and Matthew.
For a long time ( ). Accusative of extent of time, considerable times or periods of time. Not in Mark and Matthew, though all three have (went off from home). See on Lu 7:6 for .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Let it out. See on Mt 21:33.
Went into a far country. Not necessarily far, but as Rev., another country. See on Mr 13:34.
A long time [] . See on ch. Luk 7:6.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD V. 9-18
1) “Then began he to speak to the people this parable;” (erksato de pros ton laon legein ten parabolen tauten) “Then he began to relate this parable to the people,” there in the temple, in the presence of the priests, scribes, and elders He had just put to silence. This begins a new series of parables by Jesus, Mat 21:33; Mar 12:1.
2) “A certain man planted a vineyard,” (anthropos ephuteusen ampelona) -A man planted a vineyard;” The man represents God; The vineyard is Israel, the Jewish nation, and the husbandmen are the official rulers of the Jewish religion. This principle is set forth Isa 5:1; Isa 5:7; Mat 21:33; Mar 12:1.
3) “And let it forth to husbandman,” (kai eksedoto auton georgois) “And he let it out to husbandmen,” to care for it, for a fare share to accrue both to the owner and husbandmen who took charge, Mat 21:33; Mar 12:1.
4) “And went into a far country for a long time.” (kai apedemesen chronous hikanous) “And he, that certain man, went away for a considerable period of time,” the whole time of Israel’s history, leaving his vineyard in care of the husbandmen, the administrative leaders or rulers of the law. The implication is that ample mercy had been shown to His chosen people, Israel, for a long time, to prove their fidelity and industry, Rom 10:21; Isa 65:2; Mat 21:33; Mar 12:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES
Luk. 20:9. Then began He.The opening of a fresh series of parables and discourses. This parable.The substance of which is partly a history of the ingratitude and rebelliousness of the Jewish people, and partly a prophecy of their final act of apostasy in rejecting and slaying their Messiah, and of the punishment that would follow. A certain man.The man represents God, the vineyard the Jewish nation, the husbandmen the rulers of the Jews. This parable is intimately connected with Isa. 5:1 ff. For a long time.The idea implied is that abundant opportunity was given for a return for all Gods mercy to Israel.
Luk. 20:10. A servant.By the servants are to be understood the prophets. For the treatment they received see 1Ki. 18:4; 1Ki. 22:24-27; 2Ch. 24:21; Jer. 26:20-23; Jer. 37:15 :cf. also Neh. 9:26; Heb. 11:36-37. Of the fruit.I.e., payment in kind.
Luk. 20:12. Cast him forth.A certain gradation in acts of insolence and violence is implied.
Luk. 20:13. My beloved son.The distinction between the son and the other servants is plainly indicated (cf. Heb. 3:5-6). Yet the Son takes upon Him the form of a servant (Php. 2:7). Christ here speaks of Himself, not as Redeemer, but as preacher of righteousness. When they see him.Omitted in the best MSS.; omitted in R.V.
Luk. 20:14. This is the heir.An implication that the leaders of the Jews were secretly conscious that Christs claims were well founded. Nicodemus, speaking for his class, said, early in Christs ministry, We know that thou art a teacher come from God (Joh. 3:2). The words, too, of Caiaphas seem to imply a latent consciousness that Jesus was the Messiah (Joh. 11:49-52).
Luk. 20:15. So they cast him out.Here the prophetical part of the parable begins. The allusion is either to excommunication, to delivering Him over to the heathen, or to His suffering death outside the walls of the city. If this last be the fulfilment of the prophecy, we may compare with these words, Joh. 19:17; Heb. 13:11-12.
Luk. 20:16. He shall come.In St. Matthew this reply is given by the people in answer to Christs question. This coming of the Lord is here plainly identified with the destruction of Jerusalem. God forbid,Lit., Be it not so; a phrase found here only in the Gosples. There seems no special reason why, in the passages in the New Testament where it occurs, the Divine name should be used in translating it; it is scarcely reverent so to use it.
Luk. 20:17. And He beheld them.Rather, But He looked upon them (R.V.); a fixed glance to add force to the quotation from Scripture which He was about to make. That is written.Psa. 118:22; a psalm from which the multitude had quoted in acclamations the day before. (Hosanna, Mat. 21:9, is from the twenty-fifth verse of that psalm, where it is rendered save now.) Head of the corner.The stone is regarded both as a foundation-stone and a stone at the angle of the building, binding the two walls together (Farrar).
Luk. 20:18. Broken.Rather, broken to pieces (R.V.). Grind him to powder.Rather, it will scatter him as dust (R.V.). In the latter there is probably an allusion to Dan. 2:35. They fall on the stone who are offended at Christ in His low estate (Isa. 8:14; Luk. 2:34). Of this sin His hearers were already guilty. There was yet a worse sin which they were on the point of committing, which He warns them would be followed by a more tremendous punishment: they on whom the stone falls are those who set themselves in distinct and self-conscious opposition against the Lord; who, knowing who He is, do yet to the end oppose themselves to Him and to His kingdom (Trench).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Luk. 20:9-18
The Vineyard and its Keepers.The pungent severity of this parable, with its transparent veil of narrative, is only appreciated by keeping clearly in view the circumstances and the listeners. They had struck at Him with their question of His authority, and He parries the blow. Now it is His turn, and the sharp point goes home.
I. The preparation of the vineyard.
1. It is planted and furnished with all needful appliances for making wine (see Matthew), which is its great end. The direct Divine origin of the religious ideas and observances of Judaism is thus asserted by Christ. The only explanation of them is that God enclosed that bit of the wilderness, and with His own hands set growing there these exotics. Neither the theology nor the ritual is of mans establishing.
2. Thus prepared, the vineyard is next handed over to the husbandmen. These are the Jewish people. No doubt the Sanhedrim was the chief object at which Christ aimed the parable. But they only gave form and voice to the national spirit, and the people loved to have it so. National responsibilities are not to be slipped out of by being shifted on to the broad shoulders of governments or influential men. Who lets them be governments, and influential? Christ teaches both rulers and ruled, then, here, the ground and purpose of their privileges. They prided themselves on these as their own, but they were only tenants. They made boast of the law, but they forgot that fruit was the end of the Divine planting and equipment. Holiness and glad obedience were what God sought.
3. Having installed the husbandmen, the owner goes into another country. Centuries of comparative Divine silence followed the planting of the vineyard. Having given us our charge, God, as it were, steps aside to leave us room to work as we will, and so to display what we are made of. He is absent in so far as conspicuous oversight and retribution are concerned. He is present to help, love, and bless. The faithful husbandman has Him always near, a joy and a strength, else no fruit would grow; but the sin and misery of the unfaithful are that he thinks of Him as far off.
II. The habitual ill-treatment of the messengers.These are, of course, the prophets, whose office was not only to foretell, but to plead for obedience and trust, the fruits sought by God. The whole history of the nation is summed up in this dark picture. There is no more remarkable historical fact than that of the uniform hostility of the Jews to the prophets. That they should have had prophets in long succession is surely inexplicable on any naturalistic hypothesis. Such men were not the natural product of the race nor of its circumstances, as their fate shows. How did they spring up? The only explanation is that stated here: He sent His servants. Christ treats the whole long series of violent rejections as the acts of the same set of husbandmen. The class, or nation, was one, as the stream is one, though all its particles were different; and the Pharisees and scribes, who stood with frowning hatred before Him as He spoke, were the living embodiment of the spirit which had animated all the past. In so far as they inherited the taint, and repeated the conduct, the guilt of all the former generations was laid at their door. They declared themselves their predecessors heirs; and as they reproduced their actions, they would have to bear the accumulated weight of the consequences.
III. The mission of the son and its fatal issue (Luk. 20:13-15).Three things are noticeable here.
1. The unique position which Christ here claims, with unwonted openness and decisiveness, as apart from, and far above, all the prophets. They constitute one order, but He stands alone, sustaining a closer relation to God. They were faithful as servants, but He as a son. Rulers and people must decide whether they will own or reject their king, and they must do it with their eyes open.
2. The owners vain hope in sending his son. He thought that he would be welcomed, and he was disappointed. It was his last attempt. Christ knew Himself to be Gods last appeal, as He is to all men, as well as to that generation. He is the last arrow in Gods quiver. When He has shot that bolt, the resources even of Divine love are exhausted, and no more can be done for the vineyard than He has done for it.
3. The vain calculation of the husbandmen. Christ puts hidden motives into plain words, and reveals to His hearers what they scarcely knew of their own hearts. But how was the rulers or the peoples wish to seize on His inheritance their motive for killing Jesus? Their great sin was their desire to have their national prerogatives and to render no true obedience. The ruling class clung to their privileges, and forgot their responsibilities, while the people were proud of their standing as Jews, and careless of Gods service. Neither wanted to be reminded of their debt to the Lord of the vineyard, and their hostility to Jesus was mainly because He would call on them for the fruits. If they could get this unwelcome and persistent voice silenced, they could go on in the comfortable old fashion of lip-service and real selfishness. It is an account of the hostility of many men who are against Him. They want to possess life and its good, without being for ever pestered with reminders of the terms on which they hold it, and of Gods desire for their love and obedience. They have a secret feeling that Christ has the right to ask for their hearts, and so they turn from Him with anger, and sometimes with hatred.
IV. The application of the parable.Our Lord, in this last portion of His address, throws away even the thin veil of parable, and speaks the sternest truth in the nakedest words. He puts His own claim in the plainest fashion, as the corner-stone on which the true kingdom of God was to be built. He brands the men who stood before Him as incompetent builders, who did not know the stone needed for their edifice when they saw it. He declares, with triumphant confidence, the futility of opposition to Himselfeven though it kill Him. He is sure that God will build on Him, and that His place in the building, which shall rise through the ages, will be, to even careless eyes, the crown of the manifest wonders of God. Strange words from a man who knew that in three days He would be crucified! Stranger still, they have come true! He is the foundation of the best part of the best men; the basis of thought, the motive for action, the pattern of life, the ground of hope, for countless individuals; and on Him stands firm the society of His Church, and is hung all the glory of His Fathers house. Rejection of Christ involves an awful doom. The doom has two stages: one, a lesser misery, which is the lot of Him who stumbles against the stone, while it lies, passive, to be built on; one more dreadful, when it has acquired motion and comes down with irresistible impetus. To stumble at Christ, or to refuse His grace, and not to base our lives and hopes on Him, is maiming and damage, in many ways, here and now. But suppose the stone endowed with motion, what can stand against it? And suppose that the Christ, who is now offered for the rock on which we may pile our hopes and never be confounded, comes to judge, will He not crush the mightiest opponent as the dust of the summer threshing-floor?Maclaren.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luk. 20:9-18
Luk. 20:9-18. The Parable of the Vineyard.
I. Its references to the Jews.Its special reference was to the teachers, the scribes and Pharisees. The lesson is very plain. They or their fathers had rejected the prophets who had come in the name of God, and now they were about to cast out and even kill the beloved Son of God Himself. Here, therefore, they are warned solemnly that their privileges will be taken from them, and they themselves will suffer the just punishment of their abuse of these privileges.
II. But the parable reaches to us also.We have each our own vineyard to keepthat is to say, our work to do for God, and our life to live for God. He will call us to account for the deeds done in the body. To teach us to live for Him, He has sent us also prophets and apostles and martyrs, preachers and teachers. They come in humble guise, perhaps; but when they are pure and true, the conscience and the Spirit of God tell us they are Gods messengers. According to our treatment of them shall be our judgment.Hastings.
The Wicked Husbandmen.This parable tells
I. The greatest favour.
II. The greatest sin.
III. The darkest doom.Wells.
I. The vineyard.
1. The owner of the vineyard.
2. What he did with it.
II. The husbandmen.
1. Their privileges, and how they used them.
2. Their rebellion, and how it ended.Watson.
I. The circumstances in which the vine-dressers (as representing the leaders of the Jewish people) are placed.
II. Their past conduct (Luk. 20:10-12).
III. Their present conduct (Luk. 20:13-15).
IV. The chastisement to be inflicted on them.
The History of the Theocracy.Jesus here traces the course of the history of the theocracy. The true significance of that history is unveiled in a most profound manner. From the foundation of the ancient covenant, down through the ministry of the prophets to the advent of Jesus Himself, His rejection and death, the very consequences of His death not yet consummatedthe rejection of Israel and the transference of the kingdom of God from the Jews to the Gentiles;all is presented in the simplest imagery and with the most terrible clearness. At the same time an answer is given to the question of the priests as to the source of His authority. He is the Son, the Heir, the last messenger from their Master.Godet.
Luk. 20:9. To the people.Christ had repelled the attack, but now He carries the war into His enemies quarters. He had unmasked the hypocrisy of His enemies, and shown the dilemma in which their pretended ignorance placed them: now He brings their guilt to light and foretells that their rejection of Him will lead to the bringing in of the Gentiles.
Went into a far country.In the miracles which went along with the deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the law from Sinai, and the planting in Canaan, God openly dealt with His peoplemade, as we know, an express covenant with them; but, this done, withdrew for a while, not speaking any more to them face to face (Deu. 34:10-12), but waiting in patience to see what the Law would effect, and what manner of works they, under the teaching of their appointed guides, would bring forth.Trench.
Luk. 20:10. Sent a servant to the husbandmen.Nothing is more remarkable in the history of Israel than the constant co-existence within her pale of two entirely opposite classes of menthat of the moral triflers, too numerously represented among those exercising official influence; and that of the men of consuming zeal for righteousness, that is, the prophets.Bruce.
Give him of the fruit.These fruits which are demanded are in no wise to be explained as particular works, nor yet as a condition of honesty and uprightness, but much rather as the repentance and the inward longing after true inward righteousness which the Law was unable to bring about. It is by no means implied that the Law had not an influence in producing uprightness; it cuts off the grosser manifestations of sin, and reveals its hidden abomination, so that a righteousness according to the Law can, even under the Law, come forth as fruit. While yet, to be sufficing, this must have a sense of the need of redemption for its basis (Rom. 3:20-25). The servants, therefore, here appear as those who seek for these spiritual needs, that they may link to them the promises concerning a coming Redeemer; but the unfaithful husbandmen, who had abused their own position, denied and slew these messengers of grace.Olshausen.
Luk. 20:11. Entreated him shamefully.Cf. Neh. 9:26 : Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their backs, and slew Thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to Thee; and they wrought great provocations. See also 2Ch. 24:20-21; Jer. 44:4.
Luk. 20:12. Cast him out.The vinedressers proceed from bad to worse: the first messenger they beat; the second they beat and outrage; the third they wound and fling out of the vineyard.
Luk. 20:13. I will send my beloved Son.The failure of this attempt implies
(1) that the resources even of heavenly love are exhausted, and
(2) that the impenitent fill up the measure of their guilt.
It may be they will reverence.Two alternatives:
I. Reverence shown to the Son.
II. Or, at least, hesitation to inflict on Him ill-treatment like that suffered by the servants previously sent.
Anthropomorphism.Strictly speaking, indeed, this thought does not apply to God, for He knew what would happen, and was not deceived by the expectation of a more agreeable result; but it is customary, especially in parables, to ascribe to Him human feelings. And yet this was not added without reason, for Christ intended to represent, as in a mirror, how deplorable their impiety was, of which it was too certain a proof that they rose in diabolical rage against the Son of God, who had come to bring them back to a sound mind. As they had formerly, as far as lay in their power, driven God from His inheritance by the cruel murder of the prophets, so it was the crowning point of all their crimes to slay the Son, that they might reign as in a house which was without an heir.Calvin.
They will reverence him.The lord of the vineyard has one expedient left. He will send his only and well-beloved son. The thought which lies on the surface is the estimate formed in heaven of the mission of the Son of God. It was something different, not in degree, but in kind, from any other instrumentality that had been or could be employed for touching hard hearts and awakening dormant sensibilities. We know how opposite was the result. Hearts were only stimulated into a greater degree of resistance by the mission of the Divine Son. Not one generation or one nation only which has thus argued. Men in all ages have felt the critical nature of the interposition of Jesus Christ, and have roused themselves to put Him down with an energy stimulated by the thought of the finality of the enterprise. In this recognition of the greatness of the stake at issue, Christians find nothing to complain of, everything to rejoice in. Jesus Christ is the key of the position. The text describes the anticipation in heaven, chronologically antecedent to the reception below. It may be they will reverence Him when they see Him. The word reverence used here occurs in several other places and contains three elements:
I. Attention.This is the first element of reverence. Can there be reverence without attention? Is there not much irreverence among priests and people alike? Neglect of Christs word? Careless living?
II. Awe is the second element in reverence.There is much unhallowed familiarity in present-day religion. Too much emotional fondness. Christ risen and enthroned is too much forgotten. How little is felt of St. Johns awe in His presence!When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.
III. Shame is the third element.It might have been thought that the sight of the son would awaken in the husbandmen a sense of shame for those misdeeds of theirs which had made his coming necessary. Whether shame enters into all reverence is a question which may wait. It must, however, enter into all that reverence which forgiven sinners feel for Jesus Christ. There is nothing like the sight of the Saviour for quickening the sense of the multitude and the shamefulness of personal sins. Because I am ashamed before Him now, I hope not to be ashamed before Him at His coming.Vaughan.
Luk. 20:14. Let us kill him.We, on the contrary, say, This is the Son of the Eternal God; let us believe on Him, and the inheritance shall be ours.Sutton.
Luk. 20:15. And killed him.Jesus relates, with striking calmness, and as a fact already accomplished, the crime which they are preparing to commit upon His person. It is as though He told them that He would not seek to escape out of their hands.Godet.
Luk. 20:16. Give the vineyard to others.If the husbandmen who are dispossessed represent the heads of the Jewish theocracy, the others who take their place must be understood to represent the apostles and their successors.
Luk. 20:17-19. The Rejected Stone.A codicil added to the parable of the vineyard. The Jews were familiar with the ideas connected with the cornerstone.
I. The stone at rest.Men falling or rushing on a big rock hurt, not the rock, but themselves. The Redeemer resisted in the day of grace, means loss and harm to those resisting. We must come into some kind of contact with the Son of God. Alas! He has, on earth, to bear the weight of many sinners striking against Him.
II. The stone in motion.The rock is raised in mid-heaven, hovers over the assailants for a while, and then falls on their heads. Here the destruction is final and complete. Christs enemies will be overwhelmed by His own power put forth in the day of judgment. The first bruising may be cured: the grinding to powder accomplished by the Judge when the day of grace is done can never be healed. Many resented this doctrine from the lips of Christ. Some resent it keenly still. But there is no escape from the solemn truth that those who in this life reject Christ must bear the weight of His judgment in the world to come.Arnot.
Luk. 20:17. What is this, then?I.e., if the evil-doers were not to be overthrown, the prophecy of Scripture would not be fulfilled.
Luk. 20:18. Fall on this stone.Those persons are said to fall upon Christ who rush forward to destroy Him; not that they occupy a more elevated position than He does, but because their madness carries them so far that they endeavour to attack Christ as if He were below them. Christ tells them that all they will gain by it is, that by the very conflict they will be broken. But when they have thus proudly exalted themselves, He tells them that another thing will happen, which is that they will be bruised under the stone against which they so insolently dashed themselves.Calvin.
I. An injury which may be healed.The bruising caused by a mans unbelieving opposition to Christ under the gospel.
II. Irremediable destruction.Accomplished by the wrath of the Judge when the day of grace has passed.
Rejection of The Gospel.The two clauses of the text figuratively point to two different classes of operation on the rejection of the gospel. The one class represents the present hurts and harms which, by the natural operation of the thing, without the action of Christ judicially at all, every man receives in the very act of rejecting the Gospel, and the other represents the ultimate issue of that rejection.
I. Every man has some kind of connexion with Christ.
II. The immediate issue of rejection of Christ is loss and maiming.
III. The ultimate issue of unbelief is irremediable destruction when Christ begins to move.Maclaren.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Appleburys Comments
The Parable of the Husbandmen
Scripture
Luk. 20:9-18 And he began to speak unto the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. 13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17 But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this that is written.
The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner?
18 Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
Comments
And he began to speak unto the people.He was teaching the people when the priests and elders interrupted Him with their question about His right to do these things. He silenced them by the question He asked and, according to Matthew, followed up His victory with the parable of the Two Sons (Mat. 21:28-32). Then, according to Matthew, He introduced the parable of The Husbandmen by saying, Hear another parable, (Mat. 21:33). The parable was spoken to the people, but the scribes and priests also heard it and were aware of the fact that He was talking about them.
Vineyard . . . husbandmen.The vineyard represents Gods people, Israel. The husbandmen are the leaderselders, priests, scribes. They were responsible for the harvestfruit of righteousness in the lives of the people.
And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant.The first was sent away empty; a second was beaten and shamefully treated and sent away empty also; a third was wounded and thrown out of the vineyard.
All this represents Gods efforts throughout the years from the beginning of the kingdom at Sinai to the days of Jesus to get the leaders of the Jews to direct the people of the nation in the ways of righteousness.
I will send my beloved son.This is such a clear reference to Jesus the Son of God that comment is unnecessary. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos and many others had tried to get the nation to do justice, and love kindness, and to walk humbly with God (Mic. 6:8). John the Baptist had warned them of the necessity of producing the fruits of repentance. Then the Father sent His Son into the world, but they that were his own received him not (Joh. 1:11; Joh. 20:21; Gal. 4:4).
This is the heir; let us kill him.Jesus was aware of their murderous plot, and they knew it. But that didnt stop them for they were determined to destroy Him and take over completely. They were acting as if the vineyard was theirs and that Jesus was an intruder who was threatening their position and nation (Joh. 11:48).
Jesus had foretold His death at the hands of the leaders of the Jews on several occasions. In this parable, He represents it as an accomplished fact. His question was, What therefore will the Lord of the vineyard do unto them?
He will come and destroy these husbandmen.The answer came from the people, since it is unlikely that the priests and scribes would give such an answer. According to Matthew, Jesus said, Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it (Mat. 21:43). So the vineyard represents the kingdom of God, the nation of Israel. Some assume that the nation to which it is to be given will be made up of Gentiles. But it will be composed of believers in Christ whether Jews or Gentiles (Eph. 2:16; Gal. 3:26-28; Col. 3:10-11). That nation is the spiritual kingdom of Christ, the church (Col. 1:13).
Are we producing the fruits of it? See Col. 1:6-12.
And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.Perhaps this was the reaction of the people to the whole story: God forbid that the beloved Son should be killed and that the deed lead to the destruction of the husbandmen. The whole senseless plot of the priests and scribes was abhorrent to the people. How strange that in a short time they could be led to cry out, Let Him be crucified, and become parties to this awful deed (Act. 2:23)!
What then is this that is written.The quotation is from Psa. 118:22-23. To those who were saying that this thing was too awful to be true, Jesus asked, What then is the meaning of this which is written in the Psalms? The builders rejected the stone that is made the head of the corner. See also Isa. 28:16; Act. 4:11 and 1Pe. 2:7.
Everyone that falleth on that stone.Christ is that stone. To those who oppose Him, He is a stone in their pathway over which they stumble. When that Stone falls on them they will be pulverized and blown away like dust.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Butlers Comments
SECTION 2
Responsibility to Grace (Luk. 20:9-19)
9 And he began to tell the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country for a long while.10 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 11And he sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect him. 14But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselvs, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15And they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him, What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, God forbid! 17But he looked at them and said, What then is this that is written:
The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner?
18Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will crush him.
19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he had told this parable against them.
Luk. 20:9-15 The Parable: The figure of a vine and a vineyard to portray Gods chosen people was well known to the Jews. The Old Testament is rich in such imagery (cf. Psa. 80:8-18; Isa. 5:1-10; Jer. 2:21; Jer. 6:9; Jer. 8:13; Jer. 12:10; Eze. 15:1-8; Eze. 19:10-14; Hos. 10:1). The grapevine was considered by some Jews to be the symbol of the Jewish nation. Herod had an ornate and expensive golden grapevine embossed on the great and beautiful gate of the Temple. The grape was the most important crop in the land of Palestine and the entire Mediterranean area at that time. The vineyard was usually planted on a hill; protected from animals and thieves by hedges, rock-fences and watch towers. Wine was the chief by-product of the grape harvest and wine presses and vats were built right into the vineyards and there the juice was squeezed out by the ancient method of human feet tramping on the gathered grapes. Often Jewish farmers merely rented or share-cropped the vineyards. While the farmer did all the labor, he was obligated to pay the owner of the vineyard a fixed amount, usually one-third or one-fourth whether the harvest was large or small. Jesus was using an illustration here in the realm of Jewish literature, of everyday life, and relating to the symbol of their national life. This parable is also recorded in Mat. 21:33-46 and Mar. 12:1-12. It should be plain that the owner of the vineyard is God; the tenants are the Jewish people; the three servants the owner sent to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard represent the prophets of old; the heir is Jesus Christ, the Son. Jesus infers in this parable that the Jewish people (especially the religious and political leaders) recognized the heir well enough to decide to kill Him!
Luk. 20:16-19 The Point: This parable tells about some tenants or stewards who took things into their own hands as soon as the Landlord left them alone, and when the Landlord sent servants to collect the rent, the tenants showed their rebellion by treating the servants shamefully. When the Landlord sent His Son, they killed Him. Redding says: This skit has caught man red-handed in his most characteristic crimeplaying God. The parable of the two sons teaches or exposes the hypocritical disobedience of the Jews; this parable of the wicked husbandmen foretells the fierce wrath of God upon disobedient tenants. This parable is really a tragic conclusion to Isaiahs vineyard parable (Isa. 5:1-11). The Jews had many opportunities and privileges following Isaiahs expose of Israels disobedienceeven the Son of the vineyards Owner had now comebut the workers still were disobedient. This parable re-enforces Jesus manifestation of authority over the Jewish nation in the cleansing of the Temple by its declaration that He has come to demand fruit from them (repentance), and that He is the Son.
The Jewish nation had been blessed above all the nations of the earth, not because they deserved it, but because of Gods sovereign grace. He blessed them for a purposethat purpose was that they might produce a people (harvest) of righteousness (cf. Amo. 3:2; Deu. 26:19; Deu. 28:9-10, etc.). But they wanted to have what God gave them for themselves and produce nothing for Him. There is strong emphasis in this parable on the grace, and long-suffering of God. The most touching picture of Gods love is the sending of His Son to plead with these criminals. But these wicked workers wanted the whole vineyard for themselves (Mat. 21:38; Mar. 12:7; Luk. 20:14). It is true to life every day that man undertakes to take possession of his own life and the whole universe and tries to cast the Owner out. God is Owner, never forget that! (Exo. 19:5;1Ch. 29:14; Psa. 24:1 ff; Psa. 50:10-12; Jer. 27:5, etc.). He cannot be cast out!
Matthew notes that Jesus asked His audience, When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? They said to Him, He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits of their seasons. Luke adds, When they heard this, they said, God forbid. How masterful the Great Teachers method: He compels them to come to the only right and just conclusion and thus to judge themselves. As the truth of it all. began to destroy the facade of their pretensions, they said, Let it not be! The Greek text has Me genoito, God is not in the original textit is an English translation.
No truth is more plain in the Bible: The patience of God can be exhausted with impenitent men. There is a limit even to Divine grace. After the wicked husbandmen refused to acknowledge the Son and killed Him, no more mercy could be shown. Why? Because God has reached the limits of what He can do and still leave man a free moral being. If men will kill the Incarnate Word, what else can God do? Man committed the greatest of crimes against God by rejecting Jesus Christ, His Son. The Jews, Jesus said, filled up the measure of their fathers (Mat. 23:29-39) and finished the transgression (Dan. 9:24), and were guilty of all murder from Abel to Christ.
Jesus had led this audience to the inexorable logic that God was going to reject the wicked husbandmen. They knew who these husbandmen were! They cried out, May it never happen! Jesus then plainly declared that the wicked husbandmen were the Jewish nation which would reject its Messiah. Their rejection of the corner stone had been predicted by the Old Testament. Jesus quoted Psa. 118:22. In its original context the verse refers to the covenant nation, the Jews. God had chosen them to be the typical corner-stone in His preliminary redemptive programbut the heathen world rejected that. And while this Psalm had typical and symbolic application to the nation Israel, its ultimate reference, even when it was written, was to the Messiah Himself. The prediction of Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 28:16) indicates that it was not the nation Israel which was the ultimate stone . . . the builders would reject, for it would be the builders themselves (the rulers of Israel) who would reject the precious cornerstone. God was laying by prophecy and type that stone even in Isaiahs day. Who else could that be but the Suffering Servant whom they would despise (Cf. Isa. 52:13 to Isa. 53:12). It may be, as Hobbs says, some Jewish scribes interpreted Psa. 118:22 as teaching the Messiah would be rejected by the builders and later become the stone which would join together two walls, but most modern Jewish interpretations of this verse applies the stone to national Israel, only. Socino Commentary (Jewish) on Psa. 118:22 : . . . Israel, despised by neighborly peoples, has been appointed by God to have an essential function to discharge in the construction of His kingdom on earth. cf. Isaiah, Vol. III, pgs. 277280, by Paul T. Butler, College Press for notes on Jewish interpretation of the nation as the Messiah.
The builders (rulers of Israel) had been rejecting the messianic concept all the time God had been laying it! They rejected Gods messengers, the prophets. These prophets kept insisting that a personal, humble, righteous, atoning, but suffering Messiah would come to rule in the minds and affairs of Gods covenant people. The leaders of Israel kept on rejecting that teaching and those who taught it. They even killed some of the prophets who predicted such a Messiah. However obscure this passage may have been to the Jewish mind (more because of their own prejudice than its vagueness), Jesus fully expected the Jews of His day to have read it and understood it as applying to the Messiah. Matthew writes that Jesus said here, Have you never read in the scriptures: The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. . . . It is significant that there is no text of the Old Testament more frequently quoted (6 or 7 times word for word) or paraphrased in the New Testament. That the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was Gods key-stone is thoroughly documented in the Bible (cf. Psa. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Zec. 4:7; Zec. 10:4; Isa. 8:14; Act. 4:11; 1Pe. 2:6-7; Eph. 2:20; Rom. 9:33). The key-stone of mans relationship to God is a Person, Jesus, not a religious system.
The term, head of the corner is an interesting term. The head of the corner is the key-stone to an arch. In olden days, the procedure for building an archway out of stone was to construct the two sides first and the final, critical stone to be placed into the arch was last, at the very center or apex of the rise (much like the great metal Arch was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri, a few years ago). This is the stone which is absolutely necessary for the completion of the corner or arch. Without this stone being put in place the whole archway falls. The arch was a fundamental architectural support for buildings, aqueducts, bridges and other construction of that day. The Jews cast the key-stone out and their building collapsed and The Stone destroyed them. When they cast off the crucial Stone to their becoming Gods building, they both stumbled over Him to their own destruction (cf. 1Co. 1:18-25) and He fell on them and crushed out their existence (cf. Dan. 2:44-45; Luk. 21:5-33). Jesus plainly told this audience that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jews and given to a nation producing the fruits of it (cf. Mat. 21:43). This nation would be the new Israel, composed of both Jew and Gentile, which would listen to the messianic message and believe (cf. Act. 13:46-48; Act. 28:28). The new Israel would be a new creation (cf. Gal. 6:15-16; 2Co. 5:11-21). The Jewish people had been offered the grace of God through the promised Messiah, but they killed their Messiah, and spurned Gods grace. God had given them the privilege to work in His vineyard as husbandmen, but they felt no responsibility or gratitude to His graciousness and greedily schemed to take over Gods vineyard for themselves. There is a great lesson here for all who have now been called by grace into the new Israel. Let no Christian presume to take over Gods vineyard. His kingdom (the church) belongs entirely to Him. No men have ever been enthroned to rule over His kingdom. All men are servantssome faithful and some unfaithful. Wild olive branches grafted into the Tree, may as easily be broken off and thrown away as the natural branches were, if the wild ones become proud and arrogant (cf. Rom. 11:17-24). Indifference to the grace of God extended in Jesus Christ will be punished eternally. This is a fundamental issue of life.
There was no doubt in the minds of the chief priests and scribes as to the object of Jesus condemnation. And He had condemned them from their own Scriptures! They perceived that He had told this parable against them. The word against is pros in Greek and means toward, at. In other words, Jesus told this parable and it pointed directly at the rulers. Instead of contrition, repentance and seeking forgiveness, they tried to lay hands on Jesus right there. Apparently they made some overt move to take Jesus bodily and were prevented from doing so by the threats of the crowds listening intently to Jesus searching parable. These crowds had just proclaimed Jesus the Son of David. They would have assaulted the scribes and chief priests had they tried to arrest Him there. The rulers, afraid of the people, craftily postponed temporarily what they fully intended to do later, And in the meantime, they decided to confront Him with hard, catch questions which they hoped would destroy His image before the people. They planned to trap Jesus into giving an answer to a political or theological question which would make Him appear to be a seditionist, a traitor or a blasphemer. If they could do this, they could sway the multitudes into joining them in demanding His crucifixion.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(9-19) Then began he to speak to the people.See Notes on Mat. 21:33-46; Mar. 12:1-12. The presence of this, as well as of the last section, in the first three Gospels, with so little variation, indicates the impression which these facts and teaching made at the time, and probably also that they occupied a prominent place in the early records that served as the basis of our present Gospels.
A certain man planted a vineyard.The absence of the fuller detail in St. Matthew and St. Mark shows that St. Lukes report was not derived from them, but probably from a version, orally repeated, of that which they reported more fully. On the other hand, the addition of for a long time is peculiar to St. Luke, and reminds us of the like phrase in Mat. 25:19.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he began to speak to the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time.” ’
Jesus’ words are spoken to the people, but as ever among these were a number of antagonists, including chief priests and Scribes. The idea of Israel as a vineyard is found regularly in the Old Testament. In Isa 5:1-7 we have a similar opening to this, ‘My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill’ (Isa 5:1). And there the choicest vine was planted and it produced wild grapes, so that it was ripe for judgment. And that vineyard and vine were Israel and Judah Compare also Psa 80:8-16; Jer 2:21-22; Hos 9:10, where again the vineyard is Israel/Judah.
Here the vineyard is planted (Luke omits the further details) and put under the control of others who are made responsible for ensuring that a fair rental in terms of produce is paid to the owner. The owner, Who is clearly the God of Israel, then leaves it in their hands ‘for a long time’. It would take four years for the vineyard to become fruitful in such a way that rents (paid in produce) could be expected (see Lev 19:23-25). Even the Jewish leaders recognised that here He was speaking about them (Luk 20:19). It was they who saw themselves as having the responsibility for God’s vineyard.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants of a Vineyard (20:9-19).
But Jesus did not leave it there, He riposted with a parable that connected His accusers with the slayers of the prophets, by this confirming their connection with others in the past who had been unable to recognise those who came from God, and at the same time remarkably laying down His claim to being the unique and only Son of God, thus answering their question about the source of His authority indirectly, which is one reason why in both in Mark and Luke the parable immediately follows the question about authority.
The importance that Luke places on this parable comes out in that he places it centrally in the chiasmus of the whole Section (see above). It is the message around which the whole chiasmus is based.
In this parable He spoke of Israel as a vineyard, of God as its owner, and of the Jewish leaders as the tenants responsible for it. All this would be recognisable from the Old Testament. Those then sent by the Owner in order to collect the proceeds from the vineyard could only be the prophets, and Who then must be the last to come, the only beloved Son? In view of all His earlier claims we can be in no doubt that it is Jesus. (And yet there are still those who close their eyes and refuse to see this. Spiritual blindness is still among us).
The parable is based on real life. In Palestine at that time there were many farms and vineyards tenanted by tenant farmers, with absent landlords who expected to receive their rents. And we can with regard to some of those farms and vineyards that there was much skulduggery.
With regard to Luke’s sources for the parable, we need have no doubt that he had Mark’s Gospel in front of him, and yet he clearly did not just copy from Mark. It would seem that he also had other sources. This should not surprise us as he would have spoken with a number of people who were probably eyewitnesses, including especially some of the Apostles. His concern was not to ape Mark but to present the truth succintly without altering it, while emphasising what he saw as important.
Analysis of the passage.
a
b “And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty, and he sent yet another servant, and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty, and he sent yet a third, and him also they wounded, and cast him out” (Luk 20:10-12).
c “And the lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that they will reverence him” (Luk 20:13).
d “But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours” (Luk 20:14 a).
e “And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him.” (Luk 20:14 b).
d “What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it, they said, ‘God forbid’ ” (Luk 20:15-16)
c ‘But He looked on them, and said, “What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner? Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomsoever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust” (Luk 20:17-18).
b And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him in that very hour (Luk 20:19 a).
a And they feared the people, for they perceived that He spoke this parable against them (Luk 20:19 b).
Note that in ‘a’ he speaks the parable concerning the husbandmen, and in the parallel the Scribes and Pharisees noted that He spoke it against them. In ‘b’ their ancestors had laid hands on the prophets, and in the parallel they were seeking to lay hands on Jesus. In ‘c’ the Lord determines to send His only Son, trusting that they will at least reverence Him as the One Who represents the owner most closely, and in the parallel they rejected Him with the obvious consequences. In ‘d’ they make their decision to act against the heir and prospective owner by killing Him so as to gain possession of the vineyard, and in the parallel the owner kills them and takes over the vineyard. And centrally in ‘e’ are their acts of deliberate rejection and brutal murder.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The parable of the wicked husbandmen:
v. 9. 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.
v. 10. 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.
v. 11. And again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
v. 12. And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Luke gives the beginning of this parable in a very brief form, omitting the detailed account of the planting of the vineyard. See Mat 21:33-46; Mar 12:1-12. Jesus told this parable to the people, but in the presence of at least some of the Jewish leaders. They all would understand the reference to the vineyard, since a very similar description is found Isa 5:1-7. The owner, having made all the necessary arrangements, gave his vineyard into the charge of certain vine-dressers, and himself went on a long journey, to be away for a long time. At the proper time, however, at the season of fruit each year, he sent servants to the husbandmen, to whom the latter should give that part of the fruit or of its proceeds which belonged to the owner. But the wicked vine-dressers had determined, if possible, to get the vineyard into their own possession, to do therewith what they pleased; and they carried out their intention of discouraging the owner in their own way. Just as regularly as the master sent servants, so regularly did they heap indignities upon them. The first one they beat, literally, gave him a sound thrashing; the second one they not only beat, but they also treated him in a shameful manner, putting him up to disgrace before all the people; the third one they wounded severely, and then cast him out of the vineyard. It was a picture of such utter wickedness that the Lord drew that it stood before the eyes of all the hearers with great vividness and distinctness. And in every case the wicked husbandmen sent the servant away empty.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 20:9-19 . See on Mat 21:33-46 ; Mar 12:1-12 .
] after that despatch of the members of the Sanhedrim.
. ] “muniendum contra interpellationem antistitum,” Bengel. Otherwise in Matt. and Mark, according to whom the discourse is addressed directly to the members of the Sanhedrim, and these, according to Luke, are also present (Luk 20:19 ).
Luk 20:10 . ] (see the critical remarks): see on 1Co 9:18 ; Eph 6:3 .
] to him , the possessor of the vineyard, by the servants.
Luk 20:11 . ] a Hebraism, Gen 4:2 , and elsewhere. Comp. on Luk 19:11 , and see Valckenaer, p. 253 f.
Luk 20:13 . ] perchance . The corresponding German word ( vielleicht ) expresses not mere conjecture, but, although in a still doubting form, his expectation (“spem rationi congruentem,” Bengel). See Locella, ad Xen. Eph . p. 213; Bornemann, Schol . p. 122 f.; Ellendt, Lex. Soph . I. p. 855. Only here in the New Testament.
Luk 20:14 . ] with emphasis, corresponding to the previous .
Luk 20:16 . ] Persons from the people in Luk 20:9 , who have comprehended, although dimly, the foreshadowing of evil.
] (see on Rom 3:4 ), to wit, that the lay hands themselves on the son, kill him, and bring about the . . .!
Luk 20:17 . ] what then , if your is to be allowed, what then is this scriptural saying , etc. It is meaningless, there is nothing in it.
Luk 20:19 . .] , and yet ; comp. on Mar 12:12 .
] the people , to wit, [235] whose understanding the passage of Scripture, Luk 20:17 f., accompanied by the heart-penetrating glance of Jesus ( ), has opened.
[235] See on Mar 12:12 . The reference to the scribes and chief priests involves us in subtleties as in Grotius, Lange, L. J. III. p. 494, and others. refers first of all to the hierarchs.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
This parable of the LORD JESUS, though addressed to the people, the Chief Priests and Scribes perfectly well understood was meant for them. They were the husbandmen our LORD had in view, among whom the Church of GOD, as a beautiful vineyard had been long planted, even from the days when the Church was brought out of Egypt; but in vain, from them as a nation had fruit been sought for. Reader! do not from hence, however, suppose that the real Church of the LORD was unproductive to GOD’S glory, during all this period. For even in the worst of times, when the prophet Elijah thought himself alone, as the servant of the LORD; there were seven thousand in Israel, which grace had reserved from the general corruptions 1Ki 19:14-18 . And in all ages as Isaiah remarked in his days, and Paul in his, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Isa 10:22 ; Rom 11:5 . But JESUS is here describing under the similitude of a Parable, the professing church of Israel, nationally considered, of which those Priests and Scribes were the supposed husbandmen under GOD the rightful owner. And in this sense what a pointed parable it was! And how justly true, in the destruction of the many faithful servants of the LORD, which in the several ages had been sent to them. And though the great and concluding instance of the whole, in the killing the Son was not in the moment CHRIST was then speaking, actually accomplished, yet intentionally it was done, and that by some of the very persons, in whose hearing JESUS delivered the parable. CHRIST had the whole process in view, which he knew would soon be accomplished; and therefore prophetically describes the thing as really fulfilled. I beg the Reader to remark, what an effect for the moment, the relation had upon their guilty minds. For when JESUS said, the Lord of the vineyard will come and destroy those husbandmen, and give his vineyard to others, they cried out under the impression of indignation against themselves, GOD forbid! Yes! Reader, there are moments in the lives of the ungodly, in which conscience will do her office, and compel the sinner to give sentence against himself. And I beg the Reader yet further to remark, how very sweetly JESUS is described as beholding them, and calling their attention to a well known scripture in confirmation of what he had said. Psa 118:22 . By which the LORD led them again to their studies, for their further conviction of the truth. Oh! what aggravated condemnation to men, that with the word of GOD in their hands, are enemies to GOD’S CHRIST in their hearts! Our LORD’s observation respecting himself as a stone, in men’s falling upon it and being broken, or the stone falling upon them and grinding them to powder, is very striking. To fall upon CHRIST, is when JESUS becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, 1Pe 2:8 . When the carnal heart takes offence at CHRIST and his salvation, in setting up their own righteousness in w hole or in part, this is to fall on CHRIST, and not to build upon CHRIST. And very awful is the condition of both, in rejecting the LORD of Life and Glory. Precious LORD JESUS! I would say, be it my portion that blessedness, thou hast pronounced to him, who is not offended in thee! Mat 11:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9 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.
Ver. 9. See Mat 21:33 ; Mar 12:1 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9 19. ] PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD LET OUT TO HUSBANDMEN. Mat 21:33-46 . Mar 12:1-12 . See notes on Matt. for the sense; and for comparison of the reports, on Mark.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
9. ] The parable was spoken , to, the people but ( Luk 20:19 ), , at, with reference to, the chief priests and scribes . Bengel suggests that He addressed it to the people, to guard against interruption on the part of the chief priests.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 20:9-19 . The parable of the wicked vinedressers (Mat 21:33-46 , Mar 12:1-12 ). Between the last section and this comes, in Mt., the parable of the Two Sons .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luk 20:9 . : this word is less appropriate here than in Mk., where it means: made a beginning in teaching by parables by uttering this particular parable. Here it may signify turning to the people again after disposing of the question of the Pharisees concerning authority. : Lk. contents himself with this general statement, omitting the details given in parallels, which explain what planting a vineyard involves. : literally, “for long times,” peculiar to Lk. here; similar phrases are of frequent occurrence in his writings. The “long times” cover the whole period of Israel’s history. The absenteeism of God during these long ages represents the free scope given in providence to the will of man in the exercise of his moral responsibility.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luke
TENANTS WHO WANTED TO BE OWNERS
Luk 20:9 – Luk 20:19
As the crisis came near, Jesus increased His severity and plainness of speech. This parable, which was spoken very near the end of the protracted duel with the officials in the Temple, is transparent in its application, and hit its mark immediately. The rulers at once perceived that it was directed against them. The cap fitted too well not to be put on. But it contains prophecy as well as history, and the reference to Jesus’ impending fate is almost as transparent as the indictment of the rulers, while the prediction of the transference of the vineyard to others is as easy of translation as either of the other points.
Such plain speaking was fitting for last words. The urgency of Christ’s pleading love, as much as the intensity of His moral indignation, made them plain.
I. We note, first, the vineyard, its lord and its tenants.
God had given Israel a system of revelation, law, and worship, which was competent to produce in those who received it, the fruit of obedience and thankfulness. The husbandmen are primarily the rulers, as the scribes and chief priests perceived; but the nation which endorsed, by permitting their action, is included. The picture drawn applies to us as truly as to the Jews. The transference of the vineyard to another set of tenants, which Christ threatened at the close of the parable, has been accomplished, and so we, by our possession of the Gospel, are entrusted with the vineyard, and are responsible for rendering the fruits of holy living and love.
The owner ‘let it out, and went into another country for a long time.’ That is a picturesque way of saying that we have apparent possession, and are left free to act, God not being manifestly close to us. He stands off, as it were, from the creatures whom He has made, and gives them room to do as they will. But all our possessions, as well as the revelation of Himself in Christ, are only let to us, and we have rent to pay.
The collectors sent for the fruit are, of course, the series of prophets. Luke specifies three-a round number, indicating completeness. He says nothing about the times between their missions, but implies that the three covered the whole period till the sending of the son. Their treatment was uniform, as the history of Israel proved. The habit of rejecting the prophets was hereditary.
There is such a thing as national solidarity stretching through ages. The bold charge made by Stephen was only an echo of this parable, when he cried, ‘As your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?’ Each generation made the ancestral sin its own, and staggered under a heavier burden of guilt, till, at last, came a generation which had to bear the penalty of all the blood of prophets shed from the beginning. Nations live, though their component atoms die, and only national repudiation of bequeathed sins can avert the crash which, sooner or later, avenges them.
The husbandmen treated the messengers with increasing contumely and cruelty. Content with beating the first, they added shameful treatment in the second case, and proceeded to wounding in the third. If God’s repeated appeals do not melt, they harden, the heart. The persistence of His messengers leads to fiercer hatred, if it does not produce yielding love. There is no bitterness equal to that of the man who has often stiffened conscience against the truth.
II. So far, no doubt could be entertained of the meaning of the scathing parable.
The yearning of divine love for the fruit of reverence and obedience is wonderfully expressed by the bold putting of an uncertain hope into the owner’s mouth. He must have known that he was running a risk in sending his son, but he so much desires to bring the dishonest workmen back to their duty that he is willing to run it. The highly figurative expression is meant to emphasise God’s longing for men’s hearts, and His patient love which ‘hopeth all things’ and will not cease from effort to win us so long as an arrow remains in His quiver.
III. Our Lord now passes to prophecy.
Nothing is more remarkable in the parable than the calmness of Jesus in announcing His impending fate. He knows it all, and His voice has no tremor, as He tells it as though He were speaking of another. The very announcement that He penetrated the murderous designs hidden in many of the hearers’ hearts would tend to precipitate their execution of these; but He is ready for the Cross, and its nearness has no terror, not because He was impassive, or free from the shrinking proper to flesh, but because He was resolved to save. Therefore He was resolved to suffer.
The husbandmen’s reasonings with one another bring into plain words thoughts which probably were not consciously held by any even of the rulers. They open the question as to how far the rulers knew the truth of Christ’s claims. They at least knew what these were, and they had fought down dawning convictions which, fairly dealt with, would have broadened into daylight. They would not have been so fiercely antagonistic if they had not been pricked by an uneasy doubt whether, after all, perhaps there was something in these claims.
Nothing steels men against admitting a truth so surely as the suspicion that, if they were to inquire a little farther, they might find themselves believing it. Knowledge and ignorance blended in these rulers as in us all. If they had not known at all, they would not have needed the Saviour’s dying prayer for their forgiveness; if they had known fully, its very ground would have been taken away.
The motive put into their mouths is the wish to seize the vineyard for their own; and was not the very soul of the rulers’ hostility the determination to keep hold of the prerogatives of their offices, while priests and people alike were deaf to Jesus, because they wished to be no more troubled by being reminded of their obligations to render obedience to God? The root of all rejection of Christ is the desire of self-will to reign supreme. Men resent being reminded that they are tenants, and are determined to assert ownership.
Jesus carries the hearers beyond the final crime which filled the measure of sin, and exhausted the resources of God. The sharp turn from narrative to question, in Luk 19:15 , not only is like the sudden thrust of a spear, but marks the transition from the present and immediate future to a more distant day. The slaying of the heir was the last act of the vine-dressers. The owner would act next. Luke, like Mark, puts the threatening of retribution into Christ’s lips, while Matthew makes it the answer of the rulers to his question. Luke alone gives the exclamation, ‘God forbid!’ The ready answer in Matthew, and the pious interjection in Luke, have the same purpose,-to blunt the application of the parable to themselves by appearing to be unconcerned.
Their levity and reluctance to take home the lesson moved our Lord to sternness, which burned in His steadfast eyes as He looked on them, and must have been remembered by some disciple whose memory has preserved that look for us. It was the prelude to a still less veiled prophecy of the fall of Israel. Jesus lays His hand on the ancient prophecy of the stone rejected by the builders, and applies it to Himself. He is the sure foundation of which Isaiah had spoken. He is the stone rejected by Israel, but elevated to the summit of the building, and there joining two diverging walls.
The solemn warning closing the parable had its special meaning in regard to Israel, but its dread force extends to us. To fall on the stone while it lies lowly on the earth is to lame one’s self, but to have it fall on a man when it rushes down from its elevation is ruin utter and irremediable. ‘If they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.’
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 20:9-18
9And He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time. 10At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. 12And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out. 13The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!” 17But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone’? 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
Luk 20:9 This is paralleled in Mar 12:1-12 and Mat 21:33-46.
“And He began to tell the people this parable” See the introduction to Luke 8 for helpful guidelines for interpreting parables. This parable refers to either
1. the nation of Israel (cf. Isaiah 5)
2. the Jewish leadership (cf. Luk 20:19)
This is the strongest rejection of first century Judaism in the NT. Rejection of Jesus is rejection of God (cf. 1Jn 5:10-12). This is a hard, shocking, culturally unacceptable (post-modernity), exclusivistic teaching, but true (if the NT is inspired)!
“a man planted a vineyard” In the Markan parallel (Mar 12:1-11) Mark (who records and organizes Peter’s sermons in Rome) introduces the parable with a quote from the Septuagint of Isa 5:1-2. The grapevine was one of the symbols for the nation of Israel (as was the fig tree in Mat 21:18-22 and Mar 11:12-14; Mar 11:20-25, but not in Luke).
It is hard to determine whether God rejected
1. Israel’s illegal, non-Aaronic high priests
2. her self-righteous legalism
3. the unbelief of the entire nation
There is a Greek manuscript variant in this verse. Some manuscripts (MSS A and W, as well as the Syrian and Armenian versions and the Diatessaron) add tis (a certain man). Luke often uses tis to introduce parables (cf. Luk 7:41; Luk 10:30; Luk 12:16; Luk 14:16; Luk 15:11; Luk 16:1; Luk 16:19; Luk 19:12). It is missing in MSS , B, L, and the Vulgate and Coptic versions, as well as the Greek texts used by Origen and Augustine. The UBS4 includes it in brackets and gives its inclusion a “C” rating (difficulty in deciding).
“for a long time” This is a literary idiom unique to Luke’s writings (cf. Luk 8:27; Luk 23:8; Act 8:11; Act 14:3; Act 27:9).
Luk 20:10 This parable reflects the culturally expected landowner/tenant farmer relationship of first century Palestine. The landowner received a portion of the yield.
“beat him and sent him away empty handed” Here is the “surprise” or unexpected twist of the parable (cf. Luk 20:11-12; Luk 20:15). This repeated response by the tenant farmers would have shocked everyone!
Luk 20:12 “wounded” We get the English word “trauma” from this Greek word. Only Luke the physician uses it in the NT (cf. Luk 10:34; Luk 20:12; Act 19:16).
Luk 20:13; Luk 20:15 “my beloved son. . .they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him” These two statements seem to relate specifically to the life of Jesus of Nazareth at the hands of the religious leaders (i.e., My Beloved Son, cf. Luk 3:22; Luk 9:35; Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5; Mar 9:7)! Jesus was killed outside the walls of Jerusalem.
Luk 20:16 “give the vineyard to others” This word seems to refer to Gentiles (cf. Romans 11; Joh 10:16).
In Mark’s parallel Jesus asks the crowd a question (cf. Mar 12:9). Their answer seals their own doom!
NASB”May it never be!”
NKJV”Certainly not!”
NRSV”Heaven forbid!”
TEV”Surely not!”
NJB, REB”God forbid!”
NIV”May this never be!”
NET Bible”May this never happen!”
This is literally “May it not be” (negated aorist middle [deponent] optative), so common in Paul (esp. Romans), but used only here in the Gospels. Luke must have heard it often in Paul’s teaching/preaching.
There are two ways to interpret this:
1. the Jewish leaders knew Jesus was talking directly to them (cf. Mat 21:45)
2. this refers to the spontaneous outburst of the crowd, who in Mar 12:9 are shocked by the actions of the wicked tenants, not the landlord giving his vineyard to other tenants
They answered with an idiom which is an aorist middle (deponent) optative (a wish or prayer). This phrase is found several times in the Septuagint (cf. Gen 44:17; Jos 22:29; Jos 24:26; 1Ki 20:3). This is the only place it appears in the Gospels. Paul uses this same rare form often (cf. Rom 3:4; Rom 3:6; Rom 3:31; Rom 6:2; Rom 6:15; Rom 7:7; Rom 7:13; Rom 9:14; Rom 11:1; Rom 11:11; 1Co 6:15; Gal 2:17; Gal 3:21; Gal 6:14). Jesus’ parable totally shocked these religious leaders. This judgment and transfer of the OT promises from Israel to others was too much for them to hear!
Luk 20:17 “What then is this that is written” This verse is a quote from the Septuagint of Psa 118:22, which is part of the Hallel Psalms, quoted during Passover. The emphasis of this passage is on the one (Jesus) they deemed unworthy who had become chief and central leader and Savior. This OT quote foreshadowed that the Messiah would be rejected by Israel’s leaders.
“the stone” See Special Topic following.
SPECIAL TOPIC: CORNERSTONE
Luk 20:18 “Everyone who falls on that stone” Notice that the person’s own choices and actions destroy himself/herself. This is an obvious Messianic reference. Rejecting Jesus results in being rejected by God!
“will be broken to pieces” This is a future passive indicative of a word used several times in the Septuagint in judgment contexts (cf. Jdg 5:26; Jdg 9:53; Psa 110:5; and Mic 3:3).
“but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust” Unbelief has eternal consequences (cf. Isa 8:14-15; Dan 2:34-35). The “everyone” and “whomever” express the truth that judgment is for any and all who reject God’s representative, the Messiah, regardless of position, nationality, or rank.
“like dust” This is the word used of winnowing grain so as to remove the husk which is scattered to the winds. This is also a judgment concept from the Septuagint (cf. Isa 17:13; Isa 30:22; Isa 30:24; Isa 41:16; Jer. 30:27; Amo 9:9).
Luk 20:18 would be crystal clear to the Jewish leaders who heard it. Complete, total, and final judgment is coming to you!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Then began, &c. See Mat 21:34, Mat 21:46 and Mar 12:1-12. See notes there.
to. Greek. pros. App-104.
the people. But still in the hearing of the rulers.
vineyard. See Isa 5:1-7. Jer 2:21. Eze 15:1-6.
let it forth. See note on Mat 21:33.
husbandmen: i.e. Israel.
went . . . far country = left the country. See note on Mat 21:33.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9-19.] PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD LET OUT TO HUSBANDMEN. Mat 21:33-46. Mar 12:1-12. See notes on Matt. for the sense; and for comparison of the reports, on Mark.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 20:9. 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.
It is a long time since Jesus left us, and he has not yet returned. Many say that he is coming back very soon; others say, The Lord delayeth his coming.
Luk 20:10-11. 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.
They grow bolder, and more wicked, you see; first beating, and then adding shameful treatment to their former cruelty. Men do not come to ridicule religion, and persecute its advocates, all at once; this is an art which Satan teaches by degrees.
Luk 20:12. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
They are more violent this time; it comes to actual wounding, and to casting out the servant.
Luk 20:13. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do?
A strange thing happens when the Lord himself comes to pass, and says, What shall I do? Here is infinite wisdom, as it were, at a non-plus; and in that extremity this is the Lords last expedient:
Luk 20:13-15. 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.
You know the story how this beloved Son of the Highest was all love and pity; and yet, with cruel hands, men cast him out of Gods ancient vineyard, and crucified him, hoping that they should be allowed to remain lords of Gods heritage.
Luk 20:15. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
What punishment can be sufficient to expiate such a crime? What vengeance will be poured out upon those who have killed him who came to do them good?
Luk 20:16. He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.
And he did so; he scattered abroad the Jews, and gave the kingdom, for a while at least, unto the Gentiles, and they hear the gospel which the Jesus refused.
Luk 20:16. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
That is exactly what you and I would say, for we, too, have ill-treated the blessed Lord of the vineyard and his beloved Son. Lest we should have the heritage taken from us, let us yield up the fruit to him who has the best right to it all.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Luk 20:9. , He began) After that the scribes had given Him new cause for speaking.-, the people) who needed to be fortified against the cavilling objections of the chief priests; [as also who needed to be fortified against the impending offence of His cross.-V. g.]- , during long periods of time) after the peoples entrance into the land of Canaan; [from which event down to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans was a period of more than 1500 years.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Luk 20:9-18
3. PARABLE OF THE HUSBANDMEN
Luk 20:9-18
9 And he began to speak unto the people this parable:- Parallel records of this parable are found in Mat 21:23-46 and Mar 12:1-12. This parable is similar to the parable in Isa 5:1-7. “He began to speak unto the people this parable”; this cannot mean that he spoke only at this time in parable, neither can it mean that he “began” to speak this parable at this time, but finished it later. Luke has all of the essential features of the parable but his record contains fewer of the particulars, especially the description of the vineyard. Luke is the only writer of the parable that mentions the time in which the lord of the vineyard was absent. The details of the parable are simple enough; a man planted a vineyard and rented it to others called husbandmen; the man then went into another country and remained there “for a long time.” The vineyard is planted, rented to others, a body of laborers, who are to pay their rental out of the products.
10 And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant,-It was customary then to rent vineyards and collect the rent. “At the season” means the vintage time or the time when the fruit ripened and the harvest gathered. The harvest of the vineyard was converted into wine. The landlord sent his servant to receive his share of the product. Those who had rented the vineyard “beat him” and “sent him away empty.” They scourged the servants to intimidate him so that he would not come back; he was sent away without any part of that which belonged to the landlord. Evidently they thought that they would get to keep the rent which should have been given to the owner.
11, 12 And he sent yet another servant:-It is not known whether the first servant returned to the master and reported all that had been done; but the landlord sent another servant, and instead of honestly paying over all that was due the owner, they abused him shamefully, and beat him as they had the other servant, and sent him away empty. They treated this servant even worse than they treated the first one; finally a third servant was sent “and him also they wounded, and cast him forth.” Matthew records that they “took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.” (Mat 21:35.)
13 And the lord of the vineyard said,-The owner of the vineyard saw that the wicked men to whom he had rented his vineyard cared nothing for his servants; they had shamefully treated them, beating and killing some of them; so the owner thought that they would surely respect his son. He was an only son, and is described as “my beloved son.” If there was left in them any respect for the master, they surely would respect his only son. The owner of the vineyard dearly loved his son and felt that others ought to respect and love him;but he was to be disappointed in this.
14 But when the husbandmen saw him,-When the husbandmen saw the son coming, they reasoned among themselves and said: “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” (Mar 12:7.) They thought that by destroying the heir they would then claim the vineyard. These wicked husbandmen reached the climax of their crime by murdering the son. They thought they would own the vineyard instead of being tenants. Jesus thus outlines clearly and emphatically the conduct of these Jews; they were planning to do just as Jesus here describes these tenants of doing.
15, 16 And they cast him forth out of the vineyard,-They killed the son. Their crime grew worse; they began by beating and shamefully treating the servants, but have ended in killing the son and the heir; they began by withholding the rent of the vineyard from its proper owner and ended by an attempt to seize the vineyard; they began by robbing the owner of the vineyard and they ended in an attempt to take the vineyard from him. “What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them?” Jesus answered this question; there could be but one answer to it; he would destroy them and take the vineyard away from them and give it to others who were more worthy. Jesus had asked the question to give point to his parable, and, according to Matthew, those who heard him answered his question. “They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” (Mat 21:41.)
17 But he looked upon them, and said,-Here Jesus quotes Psa 118:22. They had said that his parable could not be true, or that it was impossible, and Jesus referred them to this scripture, and asked to what then does it refer? Peter quotes the same psalm in 1Pe 2:4-7. “The stone,” a stone, one which the builders had cast aside as not fit to go into the building, was later found to be “the head of the corner.” This has been applied to Christ in prophecy and in fulfillment. (Isa 28:16; Eph 2:20.) It is strange that these leaders could have always referred this scripture to the Messiah, yet did not see that it was fulfilled in the case of Jesus who was rejected by the scribes and priests. (Act 4:11.) Though the Jews rejected Jesus, yet God has made him the headstone of his spiritual temple, uniting both Jews and Gentiles in himself. (Gal 3:28.)
18 Every one that falleth on that stone-Jesus added another word of warning to them by still using and applying the figure of a stone. Everyone that shall stumble “on that stone shall be broken to pieces.” This signifies that everyone who stumbles at Christ and his gospel, and refuses to accept him, such a one will be “broken” or destroyed. On the other hand, everyone “on whomsoever it shall fall,” or shall be found unbelieving when Christ appears, shall be destroyed. The first seems to describe the doom of all those who are offended in Jesus and will not accept him; while the last part of the statement describes a more sudden extermination of those upon whom the awful retributions of justice must fall for their sins against the Son of God. It seems that Jesus has here presented himself in four aspects under the figure of the stone (1) a rejected or disallowed stone; (2) the headstone of the corner; (3) a stumbling stone; (4) the stone of retribution.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The Stone Which the Builders Rejected
Luk 20:9-18
The vineyard represents the privileges and blessings of the Hebrew race. The servants are evidently the prophets and others sent from God. Whatever our position in life, God expects a revenue from it. We are not owners, but tenants; not proprietors, but stewards. Are you sure that you are giving God the dues which He may justly claim?
Notice how our Lord severs Himself from all human messengers, as the Son. When He said my beloved Son, He anticipated Joh 3:16. The warm kiss of the fathers love was on His cheek. He realized that He was the heir, Heb 1:2; Rom 8:17.
It is said that in the building of Solomons Temple, a valuable carved stone was cast aside and neglected, till a part of the structure absolutely called for it. You may build society as you like, but there will come a time when Christ will be needed to give the finishing touch.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Chapter 33
Gods Church His Vineyard
We have before us in these verses one of our Lords parables that is recorded in great detail by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. That fact alone is sufficient to demonstrate that this is a parable of tremendous importance.
This is clearly a historical parable. We are told in verse nineteen that the chief priests, scribes and elders of the Jews perceived that the Lord Jesus had spoken the parable against them. The history of the Jewish nation, from the time that the Lord brought them out of Egypt until the time of their destruction in 70 AD, is set before us in these verses. Under the emblem of a vineyard and husbandmen (vinedressers), our Master tells us the story of Gods dealings with that nation, both in great mercy and in great judgment.
This parable is recorded here in the Book of God to stand as a beacon to warn us, lest we who have received and experienced far greater mercies than the Jews ever did should also at last be dashed in pieces upon the rocks of Gods righteous retribution and judgment.
There is no question that our Lord is here speaking directly to the scribes and Pharisees, to the nation of Israel and their religious leaders in his day. They are the husbandmen described in the parable. Their sins are set before us in plain words. They persecuted and killed Gods prophets, generation after generation. At last, they murdered Gods darling Son!
There can be no doubt that the parable was directly intended to be a word of condemnation against the Jewish nation. But it is a serious mistake for anyone to read these words and say, That applies to the Jews. It has no reference to me. A godly man, wrote John Trapp, reads the scriptures as he doth the statute-book. He holds himself concerned in all that he reads. He finds his name written in every passage and lays it to heart, as spoken to him. The wicked, on the other side, put off all they like not, and dispose of it to others.
Let us not be so foolish. The parable of the wicked husbandmen is a parable by which the Son of God speaks to us. He that hath an ear, let him hear. The Jews who heard this parable fall from the lips of the Son of God refused to heed its lessons. Therefore that nation is to this day under the curse of Gods holy wrath and just judgment. When they had the light, they refused to walk in the light. Therefore God has sent blindness and darkness upon them.
This is what God the Holy Spirit intends for us to learn from this parable: Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee (Rom 11:20-21). With that warning in mind, I direct your attention to the very important lessons to be learned from this parable.
The churches, preachers, teachers and spiritual leaders of our land, those who profess to be Gods servants, those who are responsible to teach us Gods Word and Gods ways, have long since abandoned the Word and truth of God. The result of that apostasy is the abounding ungodliness of this reprobate age. Let us beware, lest we follow this religious generation to everlasting ruin.
Gods Church
First, we see here that Gods church in this world is his vineyard (Luk 20:9). When I refer to Gods church in this world, as is the case in all the New Testament, I primarily have in mind the local church, local gospel churches. There certainly are applications of this parable to be made to the church universal; but it speaks principally of the church local; local assemblies of men and women who profess to be followers of Christ and his gospel. Every true gospel church is a vineyard of Gods planting. It belongs to the Lord. He separated a piece of ground for it. He planted it. He has hedged it about. A true gospel church is the greatest blessing God can bestow upon any community in this world. What a great and rare privilege and blessing it is to live in a place where God has raised up a people to worship him, by whom the gospel of his free, sovereign, saving grace is proclaimed!
Husbandmen
We are also told in Luk 20:9 that the Lord God has let out this vineyard to us, his people, as his husbandmen. There is no greater privilege than this in the world, and no greater responsibility under heaven than this.
God the Holy Spirit tells us that we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2Co 4:7). The treasure we carry through the world as Gods servants is the gospel of his grace, by which he communicates to chosen sinners all the blessings of grace and salvation in Christ (Eph 1:3-14). But we who carry this treasure are only earthen vessels, broken clay pots, worthless and meaningless. We are nothing but sinners saved by grace, no more; but the treasure we carry, by which God is pleased to save his elect, is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Expected Fruit
Third, at the appointed season, the Lord God looks for and rightfully expects to find fruit from the husbandmen of his vineyard (Luk 20:10). The rent he requires of us is very reasonable. All he demands from us is that we reverence his Son (Luk 20:13). God simply requires that we worship his Son.
Read Luk 20:10-14 carefully. Here we see that as men and women deal with and treat Gods faithful servants, so they deal with and treat Gods Son.
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.
Religion Loved And Christ Hated
Lost religious men and women love religion, religious duties, religious activity, religious ceremonies, religious history, and religious tradition, but utterly despise God, his Son, and his gospel, and would (if they could) cast Gods Son off his throne, out of his Kingdom, and kill him. They reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours (Luk 20:14). That is exactly what was prophesied in Psalms 2.
The reason preachers, teachers, churches, and religious leaders despise and cast Christ and his Word out is simply this: They want the vineyard for themselves.
Conviction Not Conversion
Learn this too: there are many who experience conviction who are never converted (Luk 20:19).
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.
It takes something more than a guilty, condemning conscience to produce repentance and faith in the heart. That is the gift of Gods saving goodness and grace (Rom 2:4; Eph 2:8-9; Zec 12:10). The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.
Despised Mercy
Our Lord here warns us that mercy despised will be taken away (Luk 20:15-16). If we despise the privileges and opportunities God has given us, he will both take away those great privileges and make those things which might have been the means of our eternal salvation the very basis of our everlasting ruin.
Present privileges are no guarantee of future privileges. The Lord Jesus warns us that he will remove the candlestick that is despised. If the preaching of the gospel is not a savour of life, it will be to you a savour of death.
The time came when the cup of Israels iniquity was full and God would tolerate them no more. In 70AD, just 40 years after this parable was uttered, God sent Titus and the armies of Rome into Jerusalem to destroy the holy city, the temple, and the nation. From that day to this, the Jews have been scattered over the face of the whole earth.
Nothing offends God like the neglect of his gospel and his grace. The churches of Asia Minor, once so strong, are now gone. Africa, once the cradle of light, is now the house of darkness. England, once so full of light and life, is now a graveyard of religious relics and memories. Much, much has been given to us; and much shall be required of us.
John Trapp said, The gospel is that inheritance we received from our forefathers. It must be our care to transmit the same to our posterity. Truth is the legacy we have received from the preceding generations of Gods saints, and truth is the legacy we must leave to the generations that follow. And that particular body of truth which we are responsible to maintain is the gospel of Christ. Our creed is, and ever must be, Jesus Christ and him crucified. The truth we must preserve and declare is the great mystery of godliness, redemption by Jesus Christ, the incarnate God.
Gods Purpose Sure
Though many do despise Gods grace, and thus heap destruction upon themselves, when he takes the gospel from one people, he gives it to another, and the purpose of God is not thwarted or even hindered. Christ is still exalted and his people shall be saved (Luk 20:17-18; Rom 11:25-26; Rom 11:33-36).
Many reject and despise Gods salvation, refusing to build upon the foundation he has laid; but Christ is still exalted. Though many refuse to believe the gospel and are cast off for their unbelief, God has not cast off his people. There is yet a remnant according to the election of grace; and that remnant shall be saved (Rom 11:1-5). Gods purpose is not hindered by mans unbelief (Rom 3:3-4).
The Only Way
The only way a sinner can ever be saved is to fall on that Rock of Salvation which God has laid in Zion, Christ Jesus. Whosoever shall fall on that Stone shall be broken (Luk 20:18). If Christ falls on you in judgment, he will grind you to powder, and your everlasting ruin beneath the weight of this Stone will be inescapable and complete. On whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Luk 20:18).
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved (Psa 80:1-19).
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
this: Mat 21:33-46, Mar 12:1-12
planted: Psa 80:8-14, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Joh 15:1-8, 1Co 3:6-9
and let: Son 8:11, Son 8:12
husbandmen: Deu 1:15-18, Deu 16:18, Deu 17:8-15
went: Luk 19:12
Reciprocal: 2Ch 24:19 – Yet he sent Isa 27:2 – A vineyard Jer 12:10 – my vineyard Eze 15:2 – What Mat 13:31 – put Mat 25:5 – the Mat 25:14 – as Luk 16:7 – An hundred
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
The reader will find this explained at Mat 21:33-43.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
THE parable we have now read, is one of the very few which are recorded more than once by the Gospel writers. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all give it at full length. This three-fold repetition is alone sufficient to point out the importance of its contents.
The parable, no doubt, was specially intended for the Jews to whom it was addressed. But we must not confine its application to them. It contains lessons which should be remembered in all churches of Christ as long as the world stands.
In the first place, the parable shows us the deep corruption of human nature. The conduct of the wicked “husbandmen” is a vivid representation of man’s dealings with God.-It is a faithful picture of the history of the Jewish church. In spite of privileges, such as no nation ever had, in the face of warnings such as no people ever received, the Jews rebelled against God’s lawful authority, refused to give Him His rightful dues, rejected the counsel of His prophets, and at length crucified His only-begotten Son. It is a no less faithful picture of the history of all the Gentile churches. Called as they were out of heathen darkness by infinite mercy, they have done nothing worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called. On the contrary, they have allowed false doctrines and wicked practices to spring up rankly among them, and have crucified Christ afresh. It is a mournful fact that in hardness, unbelief, superstition, and self-righteousness, the Christian churches, as a whole, are little better than the Jewish church of our Lord’s time. Both are described with painful correctness in the story of the wicked husbandmen. In both we may point to countless privileges misused, and countless warnings despised.
Let us often pray that we may thoroughly understand the sinfulness of man’s heart. Few of us, it may be feared, have the least conception of the strength and virulence of the spiritual disease with which we are born. Few entirely realize that “the carnal mind is enmity against God,” and that unconverted human nature, if it had the power, would cast its Maker down from His throne. The behavior of the husbandmen before us, whatever we may please to think, is only a picture of what every natural man would do to God, if he only could. To see these things is of great importance. Christ is never fully valued, until sin is clearly seen. We must know the depth and malignity of our disease, in order to appreciate the great Physician.
In the second place, this parable shows us the amazing patience and long-suffering of God. The conduct of the “lord of the vineyard” is a vivid representation of God’s dealings with man.-It is a faithful picture of His merciful dealings with the Jewish church. Prophet after prophet was sent to warn Israel of his danger. Message after message was repeatedly sent, notwithstanding insults and injuries heaped on the messengers.-It is a no less faithful picture of His gracious treatment of the Gentile churches. For eighteen hundred years He has suffered their manners. They have repeatedly tried Him by false doctrines, superstitions, and contempt of His word. Yet He has repeatedly granted them seasons of refreshing, raised up for them holy ministers and mighty reformers, and not cut them off, notwithstanding all their persecutions. The churches of Christ have no right to boast. They are debtors to God for innumerable mercies, no less than the Jews were in our Lord’s time. They have not been dealt with according to their sins, nor rewarded according to their iniquities.
We should learn to be more thankful for God’s mercy. We have probably little idea of the extent of our obligations to it, and of the number of gracious messages which the Lord of the vineyard is constantly sending to our souls. The last day will unfold to our wondering eyes a long list of unacknowledged kindnesses, of which while we lived we took no notice.
Mercy we shall find was indeed God’s darling attribute. “He delighteth in mercy.” (Mic 7:18.) Mercies before conversion, mercies after conversion, mercies at every step of their journey on earth, will be revealed to the minds of saved saints, and make them ashamed of their own thanklessness. Sparing mercies, providential mercies, mercies in the way of warnings, mercies in the way of sudden visitations, will all be set forth in order before the minds of lost sinners, and confound them by the exhibition of their own hardness and unbelief. We shall all find that God was often speaking to us when we did not hear, and sending us messages which we did not regard. Few texts will be brought out so prominently at the last day as that of Peter: “The Lord is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish.” (2Pe 3:9.)
In the last place, this parable shows us the severity of God’s judgments when they fall on obstinate sinners. The punishment of the wicked husbandmen is a vivid representation of God’s final dealings with such as go on still in wickedness.-At the time when our Lord spoke this parable, it was a prophetical picture of the approaching ruin of the Jewish church and nation. The vineyard of the Lord in the land of Israel, was about to be taken from its unfaithful tenants. Jerusalem was to be destroyed. The temple was to be burned. The Jews were to be scattered over the earth.-At the present time, it may be feared, it is a mournful picture of things yet to come on the Gentile churches in the latter days. The judgments of God will yet fall on unbelieving Christians, as they fell on unbelieving Jews. The solemn warning of Paul to the Romans will yet receive an accomplishment: “If thou continuest not in God’s goodness, thou also shalt be cut off.” (Rom 11:22.)
We must never flatter ourselves that God cannot be angry. He is indeed a God of infinite grace and compassion. But it is also written, that He is “a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:29.) His spirit will not always strive with men. (Gen 6:3.) There will be a day when His patience will come to an end, and when He will arise to judge terribly the earth. Happy will they be who are found hid in the ark in the day of the Lord’s anger! Of all wrath, none can be conceived so awful as “the wrath of the Lamb.” The man on whom the “stone cut out without hands” falls at His second coming, will indeed be crushed to powder. (Dan 2:34-35.)
Do we know these things, and do we live up to our knowledge? The chief priests and elders, we are told, “perceived that this parable was spoken against them.” But they were too proud to repent, and too hardened to turn from their sins. Let us beware of doing likewise.
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Notes-
v10.-[Speak to…people…parable.] Let it be noted, that our Lord addresses this parable to all the people who were listening to His teaching, and not to the priests and elders only.
The parable itself is a remarkable combination of figure, history and prophecy. Cyril calls it “the history of Israel in a compendium.” The parable of the sower, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the wicked husbandman, are the only parables which are three times recorded in the Gospels.
[A vineyard.] This expression is one which we find used parabolically in Isaiah: “The vineyard of the LORD is the house of Israel.” (Isa 5:1-7; &c.) Here it seems to mean the land of Juda, and the peculiar privileges of the Jewish nation.
[Husbandmen.] These are the Jewish people and their rulers and priests.
[Went into a far country.] This expression must not be pressed too closely. It signifies that as the lord of the vineyard left his vineyard to the occupation of the tenants, so God left the privileges of the Jews to be turned to good account by the nation.
vv10-12.-[A servant.] In all these three verses the “servants” sent signify the prophets and others whom God sent to call the Jews to repentance, and rouse them to a sense of their privileges and responsibilities. The treatment the prophets received from the Jews is figured by the beating and wounding of the servants.
v13.-[My beloved Son.] This part of the parable admits of only one interpretation. The Lord Jesus speaks of Himself and the treatment which He was on the point of receiving at the hands of the priests and elders. He knew that while He spoke they were already plotting His death, and saying, “let us kill him.”
v16.-[He shall come and destroy.] Here the parable passes into prophecy. Our Lord predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, the scattering of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles to enjoy their privileges.
[They said, God forbid.] These words would be rendered more literally “may it not be.” The word “God” is not in the Greek. The exclamation appears to me to show clearly that those who heard this parable saw the application of it.
v17.-[The stone.] This means Christ. Though rejected by those who called themselves leaders and builders in the Jewish church, it was prophesied that He would become the head-stone of the corner. And as it was foretold, so it would be. (Psa 118:22.)
v18.-[Whosoever shall fall, &c.] The meaning of this verse has perplexed some commentators. The distinction between the first and last parts of it has been thought a difficulty. Some have thought that the end of the verse refers to the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans. I venture to think that a better solution of the difficulty can be found.
“Whosoever shall fall upon this stone,” signifies every one who stumbles at Christ and His Gospel, and refuses to believe in Him as his Saviour, during the present dispensation. Such an one shall be “broken,” ruined, lost, and cast away.
“On whomsoever it shall fall,” signifies every one who shall be found unbelieving when Christ comes again the second time in glory. Such an one shall be “ground to powder,” and visited with the heaviest displeasure of God. The guilt of unbelief at the end of the Gospel dispensation shall be far greater than the guilt of unbelief at the beginning.
Barradius says, that Augustine takes this view, and refers the verse to the two advents of Christ. The ruin of the unbeliever at the first advent shall be miserable. But the ruin of the unbeliever at the second advent shall be even more miserable still
Gerhard says, that Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthymius, all take the same view with regard to the stone grinding to powder him on whom it falls. They apply it to Christ’s coming to judgment at the last day.
Some see in the verse a distinction between the punishment of the Jewish Church for its unbelief at Christ’s first advent, and the punishment of the Gentile Churches at Christ’s second advent. The Jewish Church stumbled and was “broken,” but shall yet be raised again, and restored to God’s favor at the latter day. The Gentile Churches, when God’s judgments shall fall upon them at last, shall never be restored. Their ruin shall be complete and irretrievable. They shall be “ground to powder.”
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Luk 20:9. Began. After the discomfiture of the priests, scribes, and elders.
To the people, but against (Luk 20:19) His assailants, who were undoubtedly present. Hence there is no disagreement with the other accounts. The description of the vineyard is not so full here, but for a long time is new.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
In the parable before us, the Jewish church is compared to a vineyard, God the father to an householder, his planting, pruning, and fencing his vineyard, denotes his care to furnish his church with all needful helps and means to make it fruitful; his letting it out to husbandmen, signifies the committing the care of his church to the priests and Levites, the public pastors and governors of the church; his servants are the prophets and apostles whom he sent from time to time, to admonish them to bring forth answerable fruits to the cost which God had expended on them; his son is Jesus Christ, whom the rulers of the Jewish church slew and murdered. So that the design and scope of the parable is, to discover to the Jews, particularly to the Pharisees, their obstinate impenitency under all the means of grace, their bloody cruelty towards the prophets of God, their tremendous guilt in crucifying the Son of God; for all which God would unchurch them finally, ruin their nation, and set up a church among the Gentiles, that should bring forth much better fruit than the Jewish church ever did.
From the whole, note,
1. That the church is God’s vineyard; a vineyard is a place inclosed, a place well planted, well fruited, and exceeding dear and precious to the planter, and the owner of it.
2. That as dear as God’s vineyard is unto him, in case of barrenness and unfruitfulness, it is in great danger of being destroyed and laid waste by him.
3. That the only way and course to engage God’s care over his vineyard, and to prevent its being given to other husbandmen, is to give him the fruits of it; it is but a vineyard that God lets out, it is no inheritance: no people ever had so many promises of God’s favor as the Jews; nor ever enjoyed so many privileges while they continued in his favor, as they did; but for rejecting Christ and his holy doctrine they are a despised, scattered people throughout the world. See the note on Mat 21:39-40
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Luk 20:9-19. A certain man planted a vineyard, &c. See this paragraph explained on Mat 21:33-46, and Mar 12:1-12. And went into a far country for a long time It was a long time from the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan to the birth of Christ. He shall destroy those husbandmen Probably he pointed to the scribes, chief priests, and elders; who allowed, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, Mat 21:41, but could not bear that this should be applied to themselves. They might also mean, God forbid that we should be guilty of such a crime as your parable seems to charge us with, namely, rejecting and killing the heir. Our Saviour means, But yet ye will do it, as is prophesied of you. He looked on them To sharpen their attention.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3. The Parable of the Husbandmen: Luk 20:9-19. This parable, in Matthew, is preceded by that of the two sons. If, as the terms of the latter suppose, it applies to the conduct of the chiefs toward John the Baptist, it is admirably placed before that of the husbandmen, which depicts the conduct of those same chiefs toward Jesus.
Vers. 9-12. We have just attested the accuracy of the introduction, and especially that of the words to the people, Luk 20:9. Holtzmann judges otherwise: A parable inappropriately addressed to the people in Luke, says he. Is it possible to pronounce a falser judgment? The vine denotes the theocratic people, and the husbandmen the authorities who govern them. Luke speaks neither of the tower meant to receive the workmen’s tools and to guard the domain, which perhaps represents the kingly office; nor of the wine-press, the means of turning the domain to account, which is perhaps the image of the priesthood (comp. Matthew and Mark). The absence of the proprietor corresponds to that whole period of the O. T. which followed the great manifestations by which God founded the theocracythe going out of Egypt, the giving of the law, and the settlement of Israel in Canaan. From that moment Israel should have offered to its God the fruits of a gratitude and fidelity proportioned to the favour which it had received from Him. The three servants successively sent represent the successive groups of prophets, those divine messengers whose struggles and sufferings are described (Hebrews 11) in such lively colours. There is a climax in the conduct of the husbandmen: Luk 20:10, the envoy is beaten; Luk 20:11, beaten and shamefully abused; Luk 20:12, wounded to death and cast out of the vineyard. In this last touch, Jesus alludes to the fate of Zacharias (Luk 11:51), and probably also to that of John the Baptist. In Mark, the climax is nearly the same: (to beat), (here, to wound in the head), (to kill). Mark speaks also of other messengers who underwent the same treatment; it is perhaps this last description which should be applied to John the Baptist. Matthew speaks only of two sendings, but each embracing several individuals. Should we understand the two principal groups of prophets: Isaiah, with his surrounding of minor prophets, and Jeremiah with his? The Hebraistic expression (Luk 20:11-12) shows that Luke is working on an Aramaic document. No similar expression occurs in Matthew and Mark.
Vers. 13-16. The master of the vineyard rouses himself in view of this obstinate and insolent rejection: What shall I do? And this deliberation leads him to a final measure: I will send my beloved son. This saying, put at that time by Jesus in the mouth of God, has a peculiar solemnity. There is His answer to the question: By what authority doest thou these things?
Here, as everywhere, the meaning of the title son transcends absolutely the notion of Messiah, or theocratic king, or any office whatever. The title expresses above all the notion of a personal relation to God as Father. The theocratic office flows from this relation. By this name, Jesus establishes between the servants and Himself an immeasurable distance. This was implied already by the question, What shall I do…? which suggests the divine dialogue, Gen 1:26, whereby the creation of inferior beings is separated from that of man. , properly, in a way agreeable to expectation; and hence, undoubtedly (E. V. improperly, it may be). But does not God know beforehand the result of this last experiment? True; but this failure will not at all overturn His plan. Not only will the mission of this last messenger be successful with some, but the resistance of the people as a whole, by bringing on their destruction, will open up the world to the free preaching of salvation by those few. The ignorance of the future which is ascribed to the master of the vineyard belongs to the figure. The idea represented by this detail is simply the reality of human liberty.
The deliberation of the husbandmen (Luk 20:14) is an allusion to that of the chiefs, Luk 20:5 ( or ; comp. with ). Jesus unveils before all the people the plots of their chiefs, and the real cause of the hatred with which they follow Him. These men have made the theocracy their property (Joh 11:48 : our place, our nation); and this power, which till now they have turned to their advantage, they cannot bring themselves to give up into the hands of the Son, who comes to claim it in His Father’s name.
At Luk 20:15, Jesus describes with the most striking calmness the crime which they are preparing to commit on His person, and from which He makes not the slightest effort to escape. Is the act of casting out of the vineyard, which precedes the murder, intended to represent the excommunication already pronounced on Jesus and His adherents (Joh 9:22)? In Mark the murder precedes; then the dead body is thrown out.
The punishment announced in Luk 20:16 might, according to Luke and Mark, apply only to the theocratic authorities, and not to the entire people. The , the other husbandmen, would in this case designate the apostles and their successors. But the sense appears to be different according to Matthew. Here the word to others is thus explained, Mat 21:43 : The kingdom of God shall be given to a nation () bringing forth the fruits thereof. According to this, the point in question is not the substitution of the chiefs of the N. T. for those of the Old, but that of Gentile peoples for the chosen people. What would our critics say if the parts were exchanged, if Luke had expressed himself here as Matthew does, and Matthew as Luke? Matthew puts the answer of Luk 20:16 in the mouth of the adversaries of Jesus, which on their part could only mean, He shall destroy them, that is evident; but what have we to do with that? Thy history is but an empty tale. Yet, as it is said in Luk 20:19 that it was not till later that His adversaries understood the bearing of the parable, the narrative of Luke and Mark is more natural. The connection between and is this: they had no sooner heard than, deprecating the omen, they said…
Vers. 17-19. , having beheld them, indicates the serious, even menacing expression which He then assumed. The is adversative: Such a thing, you say, will never happen; but what meaning, then, do you give to this saying…? Whether in the context of Psalms 118 the stone rejected be the Jewish people as a whole, in comparison with the great world-powers, or (according to Bleek and others) the believing part of the people rejected by the unbelieving majority in both cases, the image of the stone despised by the builders applies indirectly to the Messiah, in whom alone Israel’s mission to the world, and that of the believing part of the people to the whole, was realized. It is ever, at all stages of their history, the same law whose application is repeated.
The acc. is a case of attraction arising from the relative pron. which follows. This form is textually taken from the LXX. (Psa 118:22). The corner-stone is that which forms the junction between the two most conspicuous walls, that which is laid with peculiar solemnity.
A truth so stern as the sentence of Luk 20:18 required to be wrapped up in a biblical quotation. The words of Jesus recall Isa 8:14-15, and Dan 2:44. In Isaiah, the Messiah is represented as a consecrated stone, against which many of the children of Israel shall be broken. Simeon (Luk 2:34) makes reference to this saying. The subject in question is the Messiah in His humiliation. A man’s dashing himself against this stone laid on the earth means rejecting Him during the time of His humiliation. In the second part of the verse, where this stone is represented as falling from the top of the building, the subject is the glorified Messiah crushing all earthly oppositions by the manifestations of His wrath. In Dan 2:44 the word is also found ( ), strictly: to winnow, and hence to scatter to the wind. It is therefore dangerous to encounter this stone, either by dashing against it while it is yet laid on the ground, as Israel is doing, or whether, when it shall be raised to the top of the building, men provoke it to fall on their own head, as the other nations shall one day do.
A new deliberation among the rulers follows this terrible shock (Luk 20:19). But fear of the people restrains them. There is a correspondence between the two before and before . The two feelings, fearing and seeking (to put Him to death), struggle within their heart. The for at the end of the verse bears on the first proposition; and the signifies, with a view to them (Luk 20:9, Luk 19:9).
In Matthew there occurs here the parable of the great supper. It is hardly probable that Jesus heaped up at one time so many figures of the same kind. The association of ideas which led the evangelist to insert the parable here is sufficiently obvious.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
CVIII.
IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY,
JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES.
(In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
Subdivision C.
PARABLE OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN.
aMATT. XXI. 33-46; bMARK XII. 1-12; cLUKE XX. 9-19.
b1 And he began to speak unto them cthe people [not the rulers] bin parables. {cthis parable:} a33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a bpit for the awinepress in it [The winepress consisted of two tub-shaped cavities dug in the rock at different levels, the upper being connected with the lower by an orifice cut through from its bottom. Grapes were placed in the upper cavity, or trough, and were trodden by foot. The juice thus squeezed from them ran through the orifice to the trough below, from which it was taken and stored in leather bottles until it fermented and formed wine], and built a tower [a place where watchmen could be stationed to protect the vineyard from thieves as the grapes ripened for the vintage], and let it out to husbandmen [the rulers are here [590] represented; and the rental was, as usual, a part of the fruits], and went into another country. cfor a long time. [Jesus frequently refers to this withdrawal of the visible presence of God from the world, always bringing out the point that the withdrawal tests faithfulness. God had come down upon Mt. Sinai, given the law and established the Hebrew nation, after which he had withdrawn. That had indeed been a long time ago; and for four hundred years before the appearance of John the Baptist, God had not even sent a messenger to demand fruit. Some think the hedge refers to the manner in which Palestine was protected by sea and desert and mountain, but the hedge and the winepress and the tower are mere parabolic drapery, for every man who planted a vineyard did all three.] a34 And when {cat} the season aof the fruits drew near, che sent unto the husbandmen a servant, {ahis servants} i. e., the prophets] cthat they should give him {bthat he might receive ato receive from the husbandmen} of the {ahis} bfruits of the vineyard. [ Luk 3:8–He expected the children of Israel to bring forth joy, love, peace, and all the other goodly fruit of a godly life. And he looked to those in authority to bring forth such results, and the prophets were sent to the rulers to encourage them to do this.] 3 And {cbut} the husbandmen btook him, and beat him, and sent him away empty, 4 And again he sent unto them cyet another servant: him also they beat, bwounded in his head, and handled shamefully. cand sent him away empty. b5 And he sent cyet banother; ca third: and him also they wounded, band him they killed: cand cast him forth. band many others; beating some, and killing some. a35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them in like manner. [For the treatment of the prophets, see such passages as 1Ki 18:13, 1Ki 22:24-27, 2Ki 6:31, 2Ch 24:19-22, 2Ch 36:15, 2Ch 36:16. For a summary of the treatment of the prophets or messengers of God, [591] see Heb 11:35-38.] 37 But b6 He had yet one, a beloved son: aafterward bhe sent him last unto them, c13 And the lord of the vineyard said, {bsaying,} cWhat shall I do? [ Isa 5:4.] I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him. bThey will reverence my son. [The lord of the vineyard was thoroughly perplexed. The conduct of his husbandmen was outrageous beyond all expectation. He had no better servants to send them unless his only son should take upon him the form of a servant and visit them ( Phi 2:5-8). Being tender and forgiving, and unwilling to resort to extreme measures, the lord of the vineyard resolved to thus send his son, feeling sure that the son would represent the person, authority and rights of the father so much better than any other messenger ( Heb 1:1-5, Heb 2:1-3), that it would be well-nigh impossible for the husbandmen to fail of reverence towards him. In striking contrast, however, with this expectation of the Father, the rulers, or the husbandmen, had just now harshly demanded of the Son that he tell by what authority he did anything in the vineyard.] a38 But the {bthose} ahusbandmen, when they saw {chim} athe son, cthey reasoned one with another, asaid among themselves, {csaying,} aThis is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance. cthat the inheritance may be ours. band the inheritance shall be ours. [In thus bringing the story down to the immediate present, and stating a counsel which his enemies had just spoken privately in each other’s ears, Jesus must have startled them greatly. He showed them, too, that those things which made them deem it necessary to kill him were the very things which proved his heirship. They regarded the Jewish nation as their property, and they were plotting to kill Jesus that they might withhold it from him ( Joh 12:19, Joh 11:47-50). That men might hope by such high-handed lawlessness to obtain a title to a vineyard seems incredible to us who have always been familiar with the even-balanced justice of constitutional government; but in the East the looseness of governments, the selfish apathy and lack [592] of public spirit among the people, and the corrupt bribe-receiving habits of the judges makes our Lord’s picture even to this day, though rather exceptional, still true to life. At this point Jesus turns from history to prophecy.] 8 And they took him, c15 And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. [After two intervening days the Jews would fulfill this detail by thrusting Jesus outside the walls of Jerusalem and crucifying him there.] a40 When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons. c16 [Jesus said] He will come and destroy these {bthe} husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. cAnd when they heard it, they said, God forbid. [Part of the multitude, hearing only the story, pronounced unhesitatingly the judgment which ought to be inflicted upon such evil-doers, and Jesus confirmed their judgment. But others, perceiving the meaning underlying the parable, shrank from accepting what would otherwise have been to them a very proper ending, and said, Mee genoito, which means literally, Be it not so, and which might properly be paraphrased by our emphatic “Never!” but which the revisers in translating have, with small warrant, seen fit to paraphrase by using the semi-profane expression, “God forbid.” There are fourteen such mistranslations in the epistles of Paul according to the King James version and only one of them ( Gal 6:14) is corrected in the Revised version. In defense of these translations it is asserted that the phrase is an idiomatic invocation of the Deity, but the case can not be made out, since the Deity is not addressed.] 17 But he looked upon them [Thus emphasizing the fact that they had repudiated a most just decree. His look, doubtless, resembled that of a parent surprised at the outspoken rebellion of his children], and a42 Jesus saith {csaid,} aunto them, cWhat then is this that is written, b10 Have ye not read even this scripture: aDid ye never [593] read in the scriptures, cThe stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner? aThis was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes? [The quotation is from Psa 118:22, Psa 118:23, which is here by Jesus applied as a prophecy to the Pharisees, who, in their treatment of him, were like unskilled builders who reject the very corner-stone of the building which they seek to erect. The Pharisees were eager enough in their desire to set up a Messianic kingdom, but were so blindly foolish that they did not see that this kingdom could not be set up unless it rested upon Christ Jesus, its corner-stone. They blundered in constructing their theory of the coming kingdom, and could find no room for one such as Jesus in it.] 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And he {c18 Every one} athat falleth on this {cthat} astone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust. [The stone, of course, represents Jesus, and the two fallings set forth his passive and active state. In the day when he passively submitted to be judged, those who condemned him were broken ( Mat 27:3-5, Luk 23:48, Act 2:37); but in the great day when he himself becomes the acting party and calls his enemies to judgment, they shall prefer, and pray, that a mountain fall upon them– Rev 6:15-17.] 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees, c19 And the scribes aheard his parables, they csought to lay hands on him in that very hour, bfor they perceived that he aspake of them. bspake the {cthis} parable against them. a46 And when they sought to lay hands on him, cthey feared the people: {bmultitude; amultitudes,} because they took him for a prophet. band they left him, and went away. [Despite the warning which Jesus gave them that they were killing the Son and would reap the consequences, and despite the fact that he showed that the Psalm which the people had used so recently with regard to him foretold a great rejection which would prove to be a [594] mistake, yet the rulers persisted in their evil intention to take his life, and were only restrained by fear of the people, many of whom were Galilans, men of rugged courage, ready to draw swords on Jesus’ behalf. Since they could neither arrest nor answer him, they withdrew as a committee, but returned again in the person of their spies.]
[FFG 590-595]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
THE WICKED HUSBANDMAN
Mat 21:33-46; Mar 12:1-12; Luk 20:9-19. Matthew: Hear another parable: A man who is a landlord planted a vineyard, and placed a hedge round it, and dug a wine-trough in it, and built a tower. The dense thorn-hedge was to protect it from the intrusion of animals as well as thieves. The wine-trough was located deep down beneath the press, in order to catch the sweet juice of the delicious grapes expressed and running into it. The tower was for rest and recreation, and especially for vigilance against thieves, who might stealthily intrude into the vineyard and spoliate the fruit. It is difficult for Occidentals to conceive the paradoxical abundance of grapes produced by a Palestinian vineyard. I have seen the whole earth burdened with the great clusters of grapes, almost sweet as honey. I could not forbear making myself sick eating them. American grapes, with the exception of California, have no such flavor and sweetness. Truly, the land abounds in corn and wine.
He gave it out to husbandmen, and went away. But when the time of the fruits drew nigh, he sent his servants to the husbandman to receive his fruits; and the husbandmen, taking his servants, beat one, slew one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did unto them likewise. These servants were the prophets. Isaiah was cut in two with a cruel saw; Jeremiah, imprisoned in a deep well to starve to death; King Ahab ordered the imprisonment and starvation of the prophet Micaiah; John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, was beheaded by King Herod.
And afterward he sent unto them his own son, saying, They will reverence my son. But those farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take possession of his inheritance. This is precisely what they did. The leading preachers and official laymen regarded him as a competitor, who, if successful, would deprive them of their fat offices. Consequently they conspired against him, and slew him, thus taking possession of the Church, to conduct it in their own way, and receive the emoluments of office. Having taken him, they cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. They actually arrested Him at midnight of the ensuing day, and on the following morning cast Him out of the city, and nailed Him to the cross on Calvary.
Then, when the lord of the vineyard may come, what will he do to those farmers? They say to Him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and give out the vineyard to other farmers, who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. This was literally done very quickly. God the Father has no incarnation, and is consequently invisible to mortal eyes. He actually came in those vast and formidable Roman armies, who slew a million of Jews with sword, pestilence, and famine, doubtless every one who had been guilty of the above crimes falling in the awful death-harvest that rolled over the city. Then, you see, the Church was turned over to the Gentiles the new people becoming the cultivators of the vineyard during the time of their fidelity to the Proprietor. Otherwise, the same awful calamity awaits them. Here you see clearly that the gospel Church is not a de novo institution, but substantially identical with the Church organized in the house of Abraham, and perpetuated nearly two thousand years under the prophetical and Mosaic economy. You see that the vineyard was not destroyed, but, surviving, was given into the hands of other husbandmen; showing clearly and demonstratively that the identical Church of the patriarchs and prophets, in which Jesus lived and died, was perpetuated and given to the Gentiles. Precisely as those wicked farmers, who met the awful fate, were not the vineyard, so the carnal, self-righteous priests, elders, and Pharisees who killed the prophets and Jesus were not the Church. God has had a holy people in all ages, who have eaten the delicious grapes and drunk the sweet wine of His spiritual kingdom.
Jesus says unto them, Have you not read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner: this was wonderful with the Lord, and was marvelous in our eves? Therefore I say unto you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given unto a nation bringing forth the fruit of the same. The one falling on this rock shall be dashed to pieces; and on whomsoever it may fall, it will grind him to powder. [Psa 118:22; Isa 8:14; Zec 12:3; Dan 2:34-44] And the chief priests and Pharisees hearing His parables, knew that He was speaking concerning them. And seeking to arrest Him, they were afraid of the multitudes, since they had Him as a prophet. The impression that the Jewish people killed Jesus is a slander on them which they do not deserve. You see here, the leading preachers and Church officers were anxious to arrest Him, and were only restrained through fear of the people. Jesus was an exceedingly popular preacher with the common people, but awfully unpopular with the higher clergy and ruling elders, because they looked upon Him as an official rival, feeling satisfied that if He succeeded, deposing all of them, He would promote His friends to office. You see in the above Scriptures that Jesus is that Chief Corner-stone rejected by the builders i.e., the Jewish officials rebut by the power of the Holy Ghost becoming the Head of the corner. All houses in that country are stone. At the corner a great, solid, and elegantly-dressed stone is laid, with both walls built on it, and thus held together: as they both rest on this one corner-stone, and consolidate the house, since the wonderfully tenacious calcareous cement of that country actually unifies the different stones of the wall into one grand conglomeration. Thus Jesus, the Chief Corner-stone of the gospel Church, not only unites Jews and Gentiles, but all sects, races, and nationalities. How momentous the awful responsibility of dealing with this Stone, since if you fall on it, you are dashed to pieces; and if it falls on you, you are ground to powder! People may be saved, if sincere and true, despite multitudes of heresies. Meanwhile heresy on the Christhood of Jesus, as here you see, is necessarily fatal. O the infinite importance of preaching Christ, as all are necessarily lost who have the misfortune, through Satanic intrigue, to assume position either antagonistical to Him or depreciative of Him. Let us take the alarm. Unitarianism is rapidly, though occultly, everywhere stealing into the Protestant Churches. It bears blight and desolation in its wake.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Luk 20:9-19. The Parable of the Vineyard (Mar 12:1-12*. Mat 21:33-46*).Lk. omits the details of the preparation of the vineyard, and he confines the fate of death to the beloved son. He alone gives the exclamation of the hearers God forbid (Luk 20:16), a protest against the idea that Israel should be overthrown and dispossessed. This is very different from Mt., who makes the hearers pass judgment on them-
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
20:9 {2} 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.
(2) It is nothing new for those who are knowledgable of the very sanctuary of God’s holy place to be the greatest enemies of Christ, but in due time they will be punished.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. The parable of the wicked tenant farmers 20:9-19 (cf. Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12)
This parable taught that Israel’s religious leaders who had authority were mismanaging their authority. It also affirmed Jesus’ authority, not just as a prophet, but as God’s Son. The leaders had expressed fear of death (Luk 20:6). Jesus now revealed that He would die but would experience divine vindication. The parable contains further teaching on the subject of proper stewardship as well (cf. Luk 19:11-27).
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Jesus directed his teaching to the people who generally responded positively to His instruction. A positive response to revelation results in more insight. Those in the crowd who did not believe in Jesus would have found this teaching less illuminating.
The owner of the vineyard in the parable represents God, the vineyard is Israel (cf. Psa 80:8-16; Isa 5:1-7), and the tenant farmers are Israel’s religious leaders. The harvest stands for the inauguration of the kingdom, and the servants represent the prophets. The produce of the vineyard symbolizes the fruits of righteousness that God hoped to find in His people. Luke simplified the story compared with Matthew and Mark’s versions probably to stress the main points and to avoid distraction from too much detail.