May 24, 2026
Luke 20:9–19 ESV
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. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” 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.
Discussion Questions
1)In what way is this parable directed against the scribes and chief priests?
2) What is the meaning that:
- the stone is rejected
- the stone is tripped over
- the stone falls on some
Discussion Summary:
This parable in indictment of the religious rulers of the nation. The owner of the vineyard represents God, the vineyard itself the nation of Israel and the tenants represent the religious rulers (Isaiah 5:1-7). Throughout Israel’s history God had sent his prophets to them to correct them, but they and their messages were rejected. In this parable the motivation of the religious rulers is laid bare. They want the inheritance. In other words, they wanted to change God’s arrangements and keep themselves in charge.
The reference to the stone is taken from Psalm 118:22,23 and Isaiah 8:14,15. This stone refers to Jesus as shown in Acts 4:8-12; Ephesians 2:20 and 1 Peter 2:7. The leaders as a whole rejected Jesus as coming from God. They then like jars that fall on that stone, or like jars that the stone falls upon are destroyed from their position. This shows the complete judgement that will come upon them when the nation itself is destroyed. (Matthew 3:11,12; Romans 9:32,33).
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