Luk 20:16 | KingComments | STEP | The owner is looking for ways to persuade the vine-growers to give him his fruit. It is no longer so much about the fruit, but of the attitude of the vine-growers. It cannot be better tested than by sending his son. The owner may assume that they will in any case respect and spare him. From this attitude God finally sent His Son. He considered the chance present, which is indicated by the word “perhaps”, that they will not give Him such treatment as they have given the slaves, but will respect Him. Although God as the Omniscient knew what they would do with His Son, His assumption that they would respect His Son is perfectly justified. By the fact of sending His Son He places man under the responsibility to acknowledge His Son. He couldn’t have expected anything else, could He? The purpose of the coming of the beloved Son is presented here and that is to receive fruit for His Father. The Father wishes to receive fruit through His Son from the hands of the vine-growers. That goal is still valid today. God still seeks the fruit of the lips ( ). We may offer praise to God through the Son. It is even so, that the beloved Son Himself starts the song of praise and we may sing together with Him ( ). In connection with the temple, the area where the Lord is when He tells this parable, we can also think of the church as a temple, as a spiritual house, where we offer spiritual sacrifices ( ). When the Son comes, they also acknowledge Him as the Heir. At that same moment, their true nature comes fully to the surface. They reveal themselves as people who do not want to acknowledge God’s rights because they want to be lord and master themselves. What God has purposed as the last possibility to obtain fruit from His people becomes the opportunity of revealing the incorrigible wickedness of man who consciously rejects God in His Son. The intent of the vine-growers is followed by their deeds. The Son is thrown out of His vineyard and killed and shares in the fate of the prophets sent before Him ( ). The Lord asks the question what the lord of the vineyard will do now. Isn’t the measure filled up? Everything has been tried to bring the people to the producing of fruit. There has not only been shown unwillingness, but utter enmity and rebellion against the Lord of the vineyard, that is God. God’s grace is not endless. If every attempt to prove grace is answered with deadly hatred, God is left nothing but to execute judgment. The Lord pronounces judgment on the vine-growers. And not only that. He says that the vineyard will be given to others. clearly states that the leaders understand that He has spoken this parable against them. Also their spontaneous reaction “may it never be!” makes that clear. They have followed the Lord’s story well and recognized themselves in it. When He speaks of “others”, they understand that these must be the Gentiles. That thought makes them furious. This is the expression of people who themselves despise grace and begrudge it to others. But how is our reaction? The thought can easily take hold that the church where we are is the only right one and that it will never depart from us. In pride we can hold on to what God must take from us precisely because of our pride. If we forget that grace is the power in which we may be a church and also experience that when we come together to bring God the fruit of our lips, we cease to be God’s church and witness.

‏ Luke 20:16

The Beloved Son Killed

The owner is looking for ways to persuade the vine-growers to give him his fruit. It is no longer so much about the fruit, but of the attitude of the vine-growers. It cannot be better tested than by sending his son. The owner may assume that they will in any case respect and spare him.

From this attitude God finally sent His Son. He considered the chance present, which is indicated by the word “perhaps”, that they will not give Him such treatment as they have given the slaves, but will respect Him. Although God as the Omniscient knew what they would do with His Son, His assumption that they would respect His Son is perfectly justified. By the fact of sending His Son He places man under the responsibility to acknowledge His Son. He couldn’t have expected anything else, could He?

The purpose of the coming of the beloved Son is presented here and that is to receive fruit for His Father. The Father wishes to receive fruit through His Son from the hands of the vine-growers. That goal is still valid today. God still seeks the fruit of the lips (Heb 13:15). We may offer praise to God through the Son. It is even so, that the beloved Son Himself starts the song of praise and we may sing together with Him (Psa 22:22b). In connection with the temple, the area where the Lord is when He tells this parable, we can also think of the church as a temple, as a spiritual house, where we offer spiritual sacrifices (1Pet 2:5).

When the Son comes, they also acknowledge Him as the Heir. At that same moment, their true nature comes fully to the surface. They reveal themselves as people who do not want to acknowledge God’s rights because they want to be lord and master themselves. What God has purposed as the last possibility to obtain fruit from His people becomes the opportunity of revealing the incorrigible wickedness of man who consciously rejects God in His Son. The intent of the vine-growers is followed by their deeds. The Son is thrown out of His vineyard and killed and shares in the fate of the prophets sent before Him (Lk 13:34).

The Lord asks the question what the lord of the vineyard will do now. Isn’t the measure filled up? Everything has been tried to bring the people to the producing of fruit. There has not only been shown unwillingness, but utter enmity and rebellion against the Lord of the vineyard, that is God. God’s grace is not endless. If every attempt to prove grace is answered with deadly hatred, God is left nothing but to execute judgment. The Lord pronounces judgment on the vine-growers. And not only that. He says that the vineyard will be given to others.

Lk 20:19 clearly states that the leaders understand that He has spoken this parable against them. Also their spontaneous reaction “may it never be!” makes that clear. They have followed the Lord’s story well and recognized themselves in it. When He speaks of “others”, they understand that these must be the Gentiles. That thought makes them furious. This is the expression of people who themselves despise grace and begrudge it to others.

But how is our reaction? The thought can easily take hold that the church where we are is the only right one and that it will never depart from us. In pride we can hold on to what God must take from us precisely because of our pride. If we forget that grace is the power in which we may be a church and also experience that when we come together to bring God the fruit of our lips, we cease to be God’s church and witness.