Luke 20:13-19 - The stone the builders rejected

20:13-16

So the owner decided to send his own son. Clearly this is representing Jesus. Instead of respecting the son, the tenants got it into their heads that if they killed the son they would then have possession of the vineyard. This thinking was both wrong and wrong-headed. What about the landowner himself? Their action would bring an even worse retribution upon themselves. The Jewish religious leaders, and mankind in general, are blind imagining that we can take over the world if we simply declare that God is dead! So the tenants killed the son. Jesus then asks the people about what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will kill the tenants. The people’s reaction is against the stupidity of the tenants’ rebellion. They also sensed that the teaching was about what was going to happen to Israel.

We see here, yet again, clear teaching from Jesus on judgement. Any picture of Jesus that does not include judgement is seriously deficient.

20:17

The people were horrified at the judgement that Jesus seemed to imply was going to come upon them. Jesus responded by pointing to the Old Testament, in particular Psalm 118:22. Go and look up Psalm 118 and read all of it. It is a psalm that extols the Lord’s goodness, talks about the security that the Lord provides, it is about joy and salvation. Then we get verse 22, “the stone the builders rejected ..”. The religious leaders had rejected Jesus, the Son of God, yet He is the source of salvation. He is the One around whom all of God’s plans are designed.

20:18,19

While Jesus is a saviour to all who come in repentance and faith, to everyone who rejects Him, who takes offence at Him, there is only a terrible judgement awaiting.

The teachers of the Law and chief priests knew exactly what Jesus was saying. Sceptics often make the claim that there isn’t enough evidence, or that it is unreasonable to expect people to believe in God. At the end of day, everyone will be without excuse.

They knew Jesus was speaking about them, and against them. They could have responded by repenting, this would have been the sensible thing to do. Instead they  wanted to arrest Jesus, as if that would have changed the truth. However, they were afraid to do so, for they were afraid of the reaction of the people.