Luke 20:13

Then 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.

Luke 20:13 (KJV)

Context

Jesus told the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen in response to the chief priests and teachers of the law who questioned His authority (Luke 20:1-8). In the story, a man plants a vineyard, leases it to tenant farmers, and goes away for a long time. At harvest time, he sends servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants beat, wound, and kill them. The owner then asks what he should do and decides to send his beloved son, hoping the tenants will reverence him.

The parable is an allegory. The vineyard represents Israel, as in Isaiah 5:1-7; the owner represents God; the tenants represent the religious leaders; the servants represent the prophets who were rejected; and the beloved son represents Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Meaning

In Luke 20:13, the lord of the vineyard contemplates what to do after the tenants mistreated his servants. He says, “What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.” The owner’s question echoes Isaiah 5:4, where God asks what more could have been done for His vineyard. The sending of the son is the final, climactic act of grace, expressing hope that the tenants will reverence him. The word “reverence” implies showing respect and honor.

This verse foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. God, as the owner of the vineyard, sent prophets to His people, but they were often rejected and mistreated. Finally, God sent His beloved Son, Jesus, to fulfil His redemptive plan. The owner’s hope that the tenants would reverence his son reflects God’s desire for His people to receive and honour Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour.

Biblical connections

The parable continues with the tenants killing the son, which foretells the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus by the religious leaders of Israel. This rejection leads to judgment: the owner will destroy those wicked tenants and give the vineyard to others (Luke 20:16). The parable serves as a warning and rebuke to the religious leaders, highlighting their rejection of the prophets and ultimately of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Application

This verse highlights God’s patience and the supreme significance of sending His Son. It calls readers to consider how they respond to God’s messengers and, above all, to His Son. The hope that the tenants would reverence the son challenges us to examine whether we truly honour Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Saviour, or whether we, like the tenants, reject Him.

Reflection

Luke 20:13 is a pivotal verse within the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. It showcases the owner’s hope that his beloved son would be respected, representing God’s desire for His people to receive and honour Jesus Christ. However, the parable reveals the tragic rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders of Israel, leading to the consequences that befell them.