The Wicked Tenants

The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. (Luke 20:9-19)

The characters in this passage are reflective of the kingdom of God. They would have been understood by the religious leaders. The vineyard owner represents God, the tenants represent the religious leaders, and the servants represent God's prophets.

In this parable, we see God's continued efforts to bring His people back to Himself. Just as the owner of the vineyard sent his servants to the tenants yet received no response, the people and kings also ignored appeals for repentance made by God's prophets.

The vineyard owner sends his own beloved son to them in a final attempt to turn the tenants back to respect and obedience. Still, the tenants conspired together and killed him. By ending the parable, Jesus foretells His own death.

In this parable, we notice several things. One is that there was no respect at all for the son. The tenants saw a perfect opportunity to grab authority for themselves by killing the son (vv. 14–15). The people did not care about pleasing God; they were more interested in their own power. The second thing is that God will pass judgment on the wicked of the world. Judgment was handed out to the wicked tenants, but it did not mean the end of the vineyard. The vineyard was taken away from any who would not submit to God's authority and is given to those who do. Lastly, the reference to the "cornerstone" (in verse 17) is symbolic of Christ, whom the Apostle Paul referred to as the "Chief Cornerstone" of the Church (Ephesians 2:20).

Having realised that Jesus was talking about them, the scribes and the chief priests would now look for ways to arrest Jesus while continuing to reject Him and His authority. God had spoken so many times to His people, giving them so many opportunities to repent and turn back to Him, yet they failed to listen.

LET US PRAY - Lord, grant us ears to hear from You in all circumstances. We submit our hearts to You as obedient children. With open eyes, we seek You; we obey Your instructions through Your word. Teach us to not rely on our own knowledge and strength but to depend only on Your wisdom and power. In Jesus' name. Amen.