LUKE 20:9–18
THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS
Text – Luke 20:9–18
9 Then he proceeded to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time.
10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to receive some of the produce of the vineyard; but they beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
11 So he proceeded to send another servant, but him also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed.
12 Then he proceeded to send a third, but this one too they wounded and threw out.
13 The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I shall send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’
14 But when the tenant farmers saw him they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him that the inheritance may become ours.’
15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and put those tenant farmers to death and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they exclaimed, “Let it not be so!”
17 But he looked at them and said, “What then does this scripture passage mean: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
Historical and Jewish Context
Vineyards were common symbols of Israel in the Old Testament (cf. Is 5:1–7). When Jesus spoke this parable in the temple, the religious leaders and the people would immediately recognize the imagery. Tenant farming was a typical arrangement in which farmers owed part of the harvest to the landowner. To refuse payment—and even more, to attack the owner’s messengers—violated both civil and religious expectations. The repeated sending of servants recalls the prophetic mission in Israel’s history: prophet after prophet was rejected, mistreated, or killed. The “beloved son” unmistakably echoes biblical language for the Messiah. The crowd’s horrified response, “Let it not be so!”, shows they sensed the seriousness of Jesus’ warning.
Catholic Theological Perspective
In Catholic interpretation, the vineyard represents God’s people; the servants symbolize the prophets; and the beloved Son is Christ Himself. Jesus foretells His Passion: He, the heir, will be cast out and killed. Yet through His rejection and death, He becomes the cornerstone of God’s saving plan. The shift of the vineyard to “others” indicates the inclusion of all nations in God’s covenant through the Church. The warning about the stone teaches that Christ is unavoidable: one must either build on Him or stumble over Him. Divine judgment is not arbitrary but the result of rejecting God’s Son, who comes in humility seeking repentance and fruitfulness.
Parallels in Scripture
Is 5:1–7 – Israel portrayed as God’s vineyard.
Jer 7:25–26 – Israel’s rejection of the prophets.
Mt 21:33–46 – A parallel version of the parable.
Ps 118:22 – “The stone the builders rejected” becomes foundational.
Acts 4:11–12 – Christ proclaimed as the rejected cornerstone and only source of salvation.
Key Terms
Vineyard – Symbol of God’s people and His covenant relationship.
Beloved Son – Direct reference to Christ, the heir of the Kingdom.
Cornerstone – The foundational stone upon which the entire structure rests.
Reject – To refuse God’s message and thereby exclude oneself from His saving plan.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This parable is proclaimed during Lent, Holy Week, and weekday Masses to emphasize conversion, accountability, and the call to bear fruit for God. It also reinforces Christ’s identity as the cornerstone of the Church and the fulfillment of salvation history. The text is frequently used in catechesis on ecclesiology, prophecy, and God’s patience with His people.
Conclusion
Jesus reveals the tragic pattern of rejecting God’s messengers and ultimately the Son. Yet from this rejection comes salvation—the cornerstone of a new covenant built upon Christ. God desires fruitfulness, faithfulness, and openness to His Son. Those who reject Him lose the very inheritance He longs to give.
Reflection
Do I bear the fruit God desires—charity, justice, repentance, and fidelity?
Am I open to Christ’s correction, or do I resist His claims over my life?
The Lord invites me not to fear His authority but to receive His Son with gratitude and surrender.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Beloved Son and Cornerstone, help me receive You with faith and humility. Make my life fruitful in Your vineyard and free me from resistance to Your will. May I build my life firmly upon You, the foundation of salvation. Amen.