Luke 20:9-19 · Bible study
Luke 20:9-19 Commentary: The Wicked Tenants
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants: God's patience, Israel's rejection of prophets and the Son, the stone that crushes, and the kingdom transferred
Research Summary
- Meaning: God sent prophets and finally His Son to Israel’s leaders; they rejected and killed the Son, resulting in judgment and the kingdom being given to others.
- Key words: Vineyard (Israel), tenants (leaders), beloved son (Jesus), stone (Christ as cornerstone and judgment).
- Main debate: Whether “others” refers to Gentile nations, the church, or a faithful Jewish remnant, and how this relates to God’s covenant with Israel.
- Theological theme: God’s patience and justice; Christ as the rejected yet exalted cornerstone; the transfer of kingdom stewardship.
- Best use: Teaching on stewardship, the cost of rejecting God’s messengers, the centrality of Christ, and the universal scope of salvation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
9Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.
10At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
11So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed.
12Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out.
13‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’
14But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and 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 kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”
17But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
18Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
WEB World English Bible 2000
9He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.
10At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty.
11He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him and threw him out.
13The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’
14“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’
15Then they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
16He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard that, they said, “May that never be!”
17But he looked at them and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the chief cornerstone’?
18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”
19The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
KJV King James Version 1769
9Then 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.
10And 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.
11And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13Then 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.
14But 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.
15So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
17And 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?
18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
9And 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.
10And 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.
11And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth.
13And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him.
14But 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.
15And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
17But 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?
18Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
19And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he spake this parable against them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
9And he began to speak unto the people this simile: `A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time,
10and at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that from the fruit of the vineyard they may give to him, but the husbandmen having beat him, did send him away empty.
11`And he added to send another servant, and they that one also having beaten and dishonoured, did send away empty;
12and he added to send a third, and this one also, having wounded, they did cast out.
13`And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son--the beloved, perhaps having seen this one, they will do reverence;
14and having seen him, the husbandmen reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, we may kill him, that the inheritance may become ours;
15and having cast him outside of the vineyard, they killed him ; what, then, shall the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16He will come, and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others.' And having heard, they said, `Let it not be!'
17and he, having looked upon them, said, `What, then, is this that hath been written: A stone that the builders rejected--this became head of a corner?
18every one who hath fallen on that stone shall be broken, and on whom it may fall, it will crush him to pieces.'
19And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him in that hour, and they feared the people, for they knew that against them he spake this simile.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
9And he began to speak to the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country for a long time.
10And in the season he sent to the husbandmen a bondman, that they might give to him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen, having beaten him, sent [him] away empty.
11And again he sent another bondman; but they, having beaten him also, and cast insult upon him, sent [him] away empty.
12And again he sent a third; and they, having wounded him also, cast [him] out.
13And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps when they see him they will respect [him].
14But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; [come,] let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.
15And having cast him forth out of the vineyard, they killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them?
16He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, May it never be!
17But he looking at them said, What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone?
18Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.
19And the chief priests and the scribes sought the same hour to lay hands on him, and they feared the people; for they knew that he had spoken this parable of them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
9And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.
10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.
11And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also and, treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.
12And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also and cast him out.
13Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.
14Whom, when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
15So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
16He will come and will destroy these husbandmen and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.
17But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 20:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Luke 20:9-19 presents a sweeping allegory of Israel's history. The vineyard (drawn from Isaiah 5) represents God's chosen people; the tenants are Israel's religious leaders; the servants sent at harvest time are the prophets, beaten, shamed, and killed. The climax arrives when the owner sends his beloved son, Jesus himself, whom the tenants kill, seeking to seize the inheritance. The Cambridge Bible notes that the treatment of the servants echoes the fate of the prophets (Nehemiah 9:26, Acts 7:52). Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown stress that the son is set apart as the heir, a claim to unique divine Sonship.
The parable's closing question, what will the lord do?, and its answer (destroy the tenants, give the vineyard to others) draw a sharp judgment. Yet the listeners cry out “May that never be!” (v.16), showing they grasp the implication. Jesus then cites Psalm 118:22-23, identifying himself as the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone. The stone imagery carries double force: those who stumble over it are broken, but those on whom it falls are crushed. Vincent notes the rare verb “grind to powder” (likmēsei) intensifies the warning.
The chief priests and scribes understood immediately that the parable targeted them (v.19), but fear of the people kept them from acting, for the moment.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Transfer to the Gentiles: The vineyard is given to 'others'; Matthew 21:43 specifies a nation producing fruit, often identified as the Gentile church.
- Transfer to a faithful remnant: The 'others' could be a renewed Israel, not a separate entity; the parable warns unfaithful leaders but does not nullify God's covenant with Israel.
- Stone as dual outcome: Verse 18 describes two effects: falling on the stone (stumbling in unbelief) and the stone falling (eschatological judgment). Both apply to those who reject Christ.
What is clear: The parable is an allegory of Israel's history where God sent prophets who were rejected, and finally He sent His Son Jesus Christ, whom they killed; this brought judgment and the Kingdom was given to others.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the tenants | The tenants represent Israel’s religious leaders (chief priests, scribes, elders). | Some see them as specifically the first-century leadership; others view them as a symbol of all humanity’s rebellion against God. |
| Identity of 'others' | The vineyard is given to a new group who will produce fruit. | Some traditions identify this as the Gentile church replacing Israel; others see it as a faithful remnant within Israel or the new covenant community inclusive of Jews and Gentiles. |
| Meaning of the stone | The stone is Christ, who was rejected but exalted by God. | Some emphasize the stone as a universal stumbling block leading to either brokenness or salvation; others focus on the judgment aspect for those who reject him. |
| The long time | The owner’s absence represents a period of God’s patience and testing. | Some link it specifically to the time between the Exodus and the coming of Christ; others see it as an ongoing period of grace before final judgment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus tells this parable in the temple precincts during his final week in Jerusalem, immediately after his authority has been challenged by the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Luke 20:1-8). The “people” (laos) listening include both the crowds and the religious authorities, a tension that runs through the scene.
The vineyard imagery was deeply embedded in Israel's scripture. Isaiah 5 opens with a love song about a vineyard planted and cared for by God, only to yield wild grapes; the passage concludes with judgment and the vineyard laid waste. Psalm 80:8 speaks of a vine brought out of Egypt, planted after the nations were driven out. By drawing on this tradition, Jesus frames the entire history of Israel as a story of God's faithful cultivation and human unfaithfulness.
The “long time” (chronous hikanous, v.9) is a significant detail. The owner does not return immediately; he gives the tenants years of freedom. Wesley comments that this covers the period from Israel's entry into Canaan to Christ's coming. The phrase signals God's patience, a long season of prophetic witness, from Moses to Malachi, before the Son finally arrives. In first-century Palestine, absentee landlords were common; tenants often resented the owner's claim on the produce. The rebellion of the tenants reflects the historical pattern of Israel's leaders opposing God's messengers. Jesus piles the violence higher with each servant: beating, shameful treatment, wounding, and finally casting out.
The decision to send “my beloved son” (ton huion mou ton agapēton) is deliberate. In Mark's parallel, this is “one son, his well-beloved.” The phrase echoes the baptismal declaration (Luke 3:22) and the transfiguration (Luke 9:35). The tenants' murderous reasoning, “the inheritance will be ours”, reflects the historical calculation of Caiaphas in John 11:47-53, that killing Jesus would preserve their position. The shift to a stone metaphor from Psalm 118 reinterprets apparent defeat as divine victory: the rejected one becomes the foundation.
The reaction in v.19 confirms that the parable hit its mark. The leaders “sought to lay hands on him” but feared the crowd. Their fear reveals a guilty conscience: they understood that Jesus was speaking directly against them.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants are noted for Luke 20:9-19 in the supplied sources. The Greek text is well attested across the major manuscript families, with only minor differences in word order (e.g., the placement of “de” in v.11) that do not affect meaning. The passage is stable and reliably transmitted.
Reception History
From the early church, this parable was read as an allegory of salvation history. Irenaeus and Tertullian saw in it the rejection of the prophets and the Son, and the transfer of the covenant to the Gentiles. Augustine used it to contrast the faithlessness of the Jewish leaders with the faith of the Gentile church. In the medieval period, the parable was often applied to unfaithful clergy, warning them of judgment. The Reformation emphasized the sovereignty of God in giving the vineyard to a new people. Modern interpreters have been more cautious about supersessionism, stressing that the parable is a warning about fruitlessness rather than a replacement of Israel. Many churches use it during Lent to call for self-examination.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's Patient Entrustment (vv.9-12). The owner planted, rented, and left. He gave tenants freedom and time. He sent servants to collect his share, legitimate expectation. The tenants repaid him with violence. This pattern echoes God's dealings with Israel: He gave the law, the prophets, repeated opportunities to bear fruit. Each rejection is a fresh wound against grace.
- The Son's Sending and Rejection (vv.13-15). “I will send my beloved son.” The owner's last resort is his own son. The tenants see the heir and kill him. This is not ignorance; it is calculated rebellion. It points to the incarnation and crucifixion: God gave his best, and humanity killed him. Yet the son's death is also the turning point of history.
- Judgment and New Beginning (vv.16-19). The lord destroys the tenants and gives the vineyard to others. The stone is both cornerstone and crushing weight. Rejection of Christ does not thwart God's plan; it fulfills Scripture and opens the door to a new people, the church from all nations. The warning is real: those who reject the stone will be broken.
Five-point outline
- The vineyard and its owner (v.9). God's initiative: He planted Israel, provided everything, entrusted leaders.
- The servants sent (vv.10-12). Prophets: they called for fruit, were met with escalating violence.
- The beloved son (vv.13-15). Jesus: unique, final, the heir. His killing is the climax of rebellion.
- The judgment (v.16). The tenants destroyed, the vineyard given to others. A transfer of stewardship.
- The cornerstone (vv.17-19). Christ exalted; his rejection becomes the foundation of the new covenant. Dual outcome: brokenness for those who stumble, crushing for those who oppose.
Illustration hooks
- Farming lease. A farmer entrusted with land but refusing to pay the owner. Over years, he beats each messenger. The owner's patience looks like weakness, until the son arrives. The moment reveals what was in the farmer's heart all along.
- A reliable car that begins to fail. The owner sends reminders (filters, oil changes). The driver ignores them, then treats the mechanic rudely. Finally the engine seizes. The cost of ignoring small warnings is catastrophic.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this parable mean God has rejected the Jewish people permanently?
- How can I tell if I am bearing fruit as a Christian?
- What is the “inheritance” that the tenants wanted? Is it salvation? Power? The land?
Leading a Discussion
This parable is a story of patience, rebellion, and reversal. It invites us to see ourselves in the tenants, not to condemn others, but to ask: are we responding to God with fruit or with resistance?
Discussion questions
- Who do the owner, the tenants, the servants, and the son represent? List each character and what you think they stand for.
- Why does the owner go away for “a long time”? What does that tell you about God's character and how He deals with people?
- The violence against the servants escalates. What does this pattern suggest about Israel's history with the prophets?
- The tenants reason, “This is the heir; come, let's kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.” What does this reveal about their thinking? How might we be tempted to think that way today?
- Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23. How does the stone that was rejected becoming the cornerstone flip expectations? In what ways is that reversal also good news for you?
- The chief priests and scribes wanted to arrest Jesus but feared the people. When have you known the right thing to do but held back because of fear of others?
- What does it mean for us to bear fruit for God in the places He has entrusted to us (family, work, church)?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 1:15 | So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and respected men, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes. |
| Deuteronomy 1:18 | I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do. |
| Deuteronomy 16:18 | You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. |
| Deuteronomy 17:8 | If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses. |
| Deuteronomy 17:15 | you shall surely set him whom Yahweh your God chooses as king over yourselves. You shall set as king over you one from among your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. |
| Psalms 80:8 | You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and planted it. |
| Psalms 80:14 | Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine, |
| Song of Solomon 8:11 | Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a cultural parallel between the parable's landowner sending for fruit and Hindu corn-merchants who dispatch collectors at harvest time. He also notes that the common phrase "God forbid" is a familiar English idiom, not a literal translation of the Greek expression μη γενοιτο.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes directs the reader to his earlier explanation of this same parable, providing no additional insight or analysis on this verse itself.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the parable as a detailed allegory of Israel's history, not just a general warning. He identifies the vineyard as the Jewish people, the planting as their settlement in Canaan, and the husbandmen as their civil and religious leaders. The servants sent at intervals represent successive prophets, from before the Babylonian exile through post-exilic times, and the beloved Son is Christ himself, whose rejection led to Jerusalem's destruction and the transfer of God's kingdom to the Gentiles.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry's key insight is that by questioning Christ's authority, the religious leaders forfeited their own. Their rejection of the vineyard owner was a legal defeasance, voiding their lease and giving up all claim to the inheritance he had entrusted to them.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the precise Greek meanings behind key phrases in this passage, showing that the original language carries nuances often lost in translation. For example, the expression "he sent yet" is literally "he added to send," a Hebrew idiom
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the long span from Israel's entry into Canaan to Christ's