Luke 20 15

Luke 20:15 kjv

So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

Luke 20:15 nkjv

So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Luke 20:15 niv

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Luke 20:15 esv

And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Luke 20:15 nlt

So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?" Jesus asked.

Luke 20 verses

Luke 20 15 Meaning

Luke 20:15 describes the climactic act of the wicked tenants in Jesus' parable: their willful removal of the owner's son from the vineyard and his subsequent murder. This verse, allegorically, signifies the profound rejection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the religious leaders of Israel, who were entrusted with God's vineyard (Israel) but instead scorned His ultimate messenger and heir. It highlights humanity's rebellious nature against divine authority, culminating in the ultimate sin of killing God's Son.

Luke 20 15 Context

Luke 20:15 is a pivotal verse within Jesus' Parable of the Wicked Tenants, recorded in Luke 20:9-19. This parable immediately follows an encounter where chief priests, scribes, and elders challenge Jesus' authority to teach and perform signs (Luke 20:1-8). In response, Jesus tells this parable, which is a thinly veiled allegory directed squarely at these Jewish leaders.

The parable depicts a landowner who leases his vineyard to tenants. He repeatedly sends servants to collect his produce, but the tenants beat and mistreat them, even killing some. Finally, the landowner sends his beloved son, reasoning that they will respect him. However, the tenants, driven by greed and a desire to usurp the inheritance, "cast him out of the vineyard and killed him." This entire narrative serves as a strong indictment against the religious leaders who had, for generations, rejected God's prophets (the servants) and were about to reject and murder His Son (Jesus Himself).

Historically, the vineyard imagery deeply resonated with the Jewish audience, as it symbolized Israel (e.g., Isa 5:1-7; Ps 80:8-16). The parable portrays the long history of God's patience and persistent outreach to Israel through His messengers. Jesus' direct prophecy of His own rejection and crucifixion, just days before its fulfillment in Jerusalem, starkly contrasted His divine authority with their rebellious actions and established their impending judgment. The Jewish leaders themselves understood the parable was spoken against them (Luke 20:19), further emphasizing its polemical nature against their unbelief and resistance to God's ultimate revelation in Christ.

Luke 20 15 Word analysis

• So they (καὶ αὐτόν - kai auton): The conjunction "καὶ" (kai, "and" or "so") signals the direct continuation and culmination of the tenants' escalating defiance, emphasizing a logical progression from beating servants to murdering the son. "Αὐτόν" refers directly to "him," the owner's son, foregrounding his personal involvement and fate.
• cast him out (ἐξέβαλον ἔξω - exebalon exō): The Greek verb "ἐκβάλλω" (ekballo) means to cast out, drive out, or expel. The addition of "ἔξω" (exō), meaning "outside," strengthens the idea of complete and decisive expulsion. This specific action of casting outside is deeply significant:
  • It indicates utter rejection and removal from what was considered the proper place or inheritance.
  • It allegorically foreshadows Jesus' crucifixion "outside the gate" of Jerusalem (Heb 13:12), signifying His rejection by those within the covenant community and His bearing of their shame.
  • The act itself suggests a defiling, criminal removal, deeming him unworthy of being killed inside the sacred or rightful space.
• of the vineyard (τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος - tou ampelōnos): "Ἀμπελών" (ampelōn) specifically means "vineyard." As previously noted, the vineyard is a powerful Old Testament symbol for the nation of Israel. Their casting the son out of the vineyard thus signifies the leaders' rejection of God's Son outside of the very community God established, demonstrating their perceived ownership and perverse right to determine the Messiah's fate.
• and killed him (ἀπέκτειναν - apekteinan): The verb "ἀποκτείνω" (apokteinō) means to kill or murder. This is the ultimate act of rebellion, malice, and criminal intent. Following the expulsion, the act of killing is presented as a deliberate, decisive, and final measure, underscoring the tenants' complete disregard for the owner's authority and their avaricious desire for the inheritance. It explicitly foreshadows Jesus' crucifixion.

Word-group analysis:

• cast him out of the vineyard and killed him: This sequence is crucial. The expulsion precedes the killing, highlighting the tenants' initial intent to seize possession, leading to the murder as a necessary step to secure it. This order emphasizes that their rejection (casting out) directly facilitated and was a prerequisite for their violent act (killing). Spiritually, it signifies the religious leaders' judgment of Jesus as an outsider and criminal before condemning Him to death. This deliberate sequence shows an organized and malicious plot, rather than an impulsive act, emphasizing the depth of their rebellion. The dual action symbolizes a complete repudiation—first exiling Him from His rightful place (Israel) and then executing Him to remove His claim.

Luke 20 15 Bonus section

The profound impact of this verse, coupled with the entire parable, immediately became apparent to Jesus' listeners, particularly the religious authorities. Luke 20:19 notes that "the scribes and the chief priests perceived that he had told this parable against them," revealing their instant comprehension of Jesus' allegorical indictment. This insight clarifies the direct, confrontational nature of Jesus' teaching at this critical juncture in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, this parable implicitly highlights God's patience but also His ultimate justice. He repeatedly sent servants (prophets) and finally His Son. The tenants' actions exhausted divine patience, leading to severe consequences. Their desire to inherit "their own" underscores the core sin of humanity seeking to appropriate God's kingdom for selfish gain, rather than stewarding it for His purposes. The verse perfectly sets the stage for the follow-up question regarding taxes (Lk 20:20ff) and Jesus' subsequent statements about the cornerstone (Lk 20:17-18), directly linking the rejection of the son to the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone of a new spiritual building, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles and the establishment of the Church.

Luke 20 15 Commentary

Luke 20:15 powerfully encapsulates the heart of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants and serves as a poignant prophetic statement about Jesus' impending passion. The act of casting the son out of the vineyard before killing him is more than a narrative detail; it's a theological statement. It reflects the Jewish leaders' determination to deny Jesus any legitimate claim to Israel ("the vineyard") and their perceived right to judge and dispose of Him as an outsider or criminal. This action prefigures Jesus' actual crucifixion "outside the gate" of Jerusalem (Heb 13:12), emphasizing His complete rejection by those He came to save, enduring shame and ostracism.

The "killing" is the ultimate act of rebellion and covetousness, signifying their intent not just to disown the son but to usurp his inheritance entirely. Jesus, through this allegory, exposes the true motive behind the religious leaders' growing animosity: their desire to maintain control over God's people and institutions for their own benefit, rather than submitting to God's sovereign plan or accepting His ultimate Son. The parable forces His audience to confront the historical pattern of rejecting God's messengers and recognize their own role in culminating that history by rejecting and condemning Jesus Himself. The immediate understanding of the scribes and chief priests (Lk 20:19) underscores the chilling accuracy and directness of Jesus' message, serving as a warning of the catastrophic judgment awaiting those who violently reject the Son of God.