Luke 20:14

“But 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.”

This verse is part of a parable that Jesus told to the chief priests, scribes, and elders who questioned His authority. The parable is commonly known as the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers or the Parable of the Tenants.

In this parable, Jesus uses agricultural imagery to illustrate a deeper spiritual truth. The owner of a vineyard represents God, while the vineyard symbolizes Israel, and the tenant farmers symbolize the religious leaders of Israel.

The verse you mentioned, Luke 20:14, focuses on the response of the tenant farmers when they see the owner’s son, who is the heir of the vineyard. Instead of respecting and honouring the owner’s authority, they engage in a wicked plot. They reason among themselves, saying, “This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.”

This statement reveals the tenants’ rebellious and self-centred attitude. They recognise the son as the rightful heir and realise that their current position as tenants would be jeopardised once the son takes over. Rather than submitting to the authority of the owner’s son, they plan to kill him in order to seize the inheritance for themselves.

In a broader sense, this parable is an allegory for God’s dealings with Israel. The religious leaders of Israel, who were entrusted with the spiritual well-being of the people, had become corrupt and were rejecting God’s messengers, including the prophets sent to them. Now, with the arrival of Jesus, the ultimate messenger and the Son of God, they were faced with a critical decision. However, instead of acknowledging Jesus’ authority and accepting Him as the Messiah, they conspired to have Him crucified, ultimately fulfilling the very prophecy they rejected.

Through this parable, Jesus was challenging the religious leaders to recognise their wickedness, repent, and accept Him as the Son of God. The parable also serves as a warning to all who reject God’s authority and seek to exalt themselves above His plan.

In summary, Luke 20:14 highlights the rebellion and selfishness of the tenant farmers in the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers. It illustrates the response of those who reject God’s authority and seek to assert their own desires and ambitions, ultimately leading to their own destruction.