Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 20:1-19 "ANOTHER POWERFUL PARABLE"
Day 247 – Luke 20
Text: Luke 20:1-19
ANOTHER POWERFUL PARABLE
The first assault had failed. There was a brief respite. In those moments, Jesus seized the opportunity to teach the people another great truth! It was a part of the way He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus told the people who gathered around Him the Parable of the Vineyard. Once again, the story-line was simple and direct. Anyone could follow the storyline and understand the point that Jesus sought to make.
The choosing of a parable as a means of teaching was truly unique to Jesus. His vivid parables were designed to impact the hearts and minds of His hearers. Each of His parables contained deep truths!
THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
Jesus chose His imagery very carefully. The vineyard motif was one that His hearers would understand easily. Vineyards were not uncommon in Israel. The vine was used as a theme for a song in the Book of Isaiah (Cf. Isaiah 5). The vine as a symbol of Israel was well known and easily understood.
The Owner of the vineyard was described as having gone away for a long time. He thus leased His vineyard to vinedressers. In leasing the vineyard, of course, there must be terms for payment of rental.
The Owner sent a servant of His to collect the rent. He was beaten and sent away empty-handed. This happened three times! All His servants were shabbily treated and sent away empty-handed!
The Owner then decided that He would send His beloved Son. Perhaps they would accord Him more respect (Luke 20:13).
The vinedressers thought otherwise. Luke’s record of what Jesus said is worthwhile noting carefully.
“But when the vinedressers 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.”
Luke 20:14,15
As Jesus concluded this parable, He raised a powerful rhetorical question.
“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard
do to them?
He will come and destroy those vinedressers
And give the vineyards to others.”
Luke 20:15,16
“AND WHEN THEY HEARD IT THEY SAID, ‘CERTAINLY NOT!’ “
Did the people understand this Parable that Jesus told? By the response recorded, the answer would be “Yes! They understood!”
But why did they disagree with the conclusion of Jesus? What did they disagree with exactly? Another interesting question would be to ask who among the hearers would have understood what Jesus said?
Let us note the following observations.
1. The response that the crowd gave as they listened to Jesus was rather strong. The phrase “certainly not” does not convey their spontaneous reaction accurately enough. The Apostle Paul used this phrase frequently! In Greek idiom, this is the strongest way of rejecting or repudiating a statement. Contained within this idiom is a feeling of anger or outrage. This phrase “certainly not” has been translated as “May it never be!” or even “God forbid!” (the latter in KJV).
2. There had been no reaction or response to the telling of this parable until the end of the parable. The hearers did not object at all until Jesus came to the conclusion. What triggered off this strong reaction?
a) Was it the threat of punishment that offended the hearers? Perhaps! The vinedressers had already beaten the servants of the Owner. They knew that the Owner could punish them on those scores. Nobody had ever questioned them about their misdeeds except Jesus!
b) It was the phrase, “And give it to others” that angered the hearers even more. This reaction against Jesus was in part a nationalistic response. They could never contemplate the suggestion that God could turn to “OTHERS”. To the Jews, God had only ONE group of people that He called His own. Israel was the only nation God loved. It was unthinkable that God could relate to OTHERS! “Certainly not” or “God forbid” was their outraged spontaneous reaction to Jesus’ conclusion!
3. Jesus defended Himself well by referring to the Scriptures! If they disagreed with Him on His conclusion that God would one day judge and punish , how would they explain the passage which said,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone”
Luke 20:17
There was no response from the people at this point!
4. Who among the people could think this deeply? Without a doubt this group of people would be the “chief priests and the scribes”. Luke identified them clearly.
“And the chief priests and the scribes
that very hour sought to lay hands on Him,
but they feared the people –
for they knew He had spoken this parable
against them.”
Luke 20:19