201 On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel , the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him, 2 and they spoke , saying to Him, "Tell us by what authority You are doing these things , or who is the one who gave You this authority ?" 3 Jesus answered and said to them, "I will also ask you a question , and you tell Me: 4 "Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men ?" 5 They reasoned among themselves , saying , "If we say , 'From heaven ,' He will say , 'Why e did you not believe him?' 6 "But if we say , 'From men ,' all the people will stone us to death , for they are convinced that John was a prophet ." 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things ."
9 And He began to tell the people this parable : "A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers , and went on a journey for a long time . 10 "At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers , so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard ; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed . 11 "And he proceeded to send another slave ; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed . 12 "And he proceeded to send a third ; and this one also they wounded and cast out. 13 "The owner of the vineyard said , 'What shall I do ? I will send my beloved son ; perhaps they will respect him.' 14 "But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another , saying , 'This is the heir ; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours .' 15 "So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What , then , will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 "He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others ." When they heard it, they said , " May it never be!" 17 But Jesus looked at them and said , "What then is this that is written : ' THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED , THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'? 18 " Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces ; but on whomever e it falls , it will scatter him like dust ."
19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour , and they feared the people ; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 20:1-19
Commentary on Luke 20:1-8
(Read Luke 20:1-8)
Men often pretend to examine the evidences of revelation, and the truth of the gospel, when only seeking excuses for their own unbelief and disobedience. Christ answered these priests and scribes with a plain question about the baptism of John, which the common people could answer. They all knew it was from heaven, nothing in it had an earthly tendency. Those that bury the knowledge they have, are justly denied further knowledge. It was just with Christ to refuse to give account of his authority, to those who knew the baptism of John to be from heaven, yet would not believe in him, nor own their knowledge.
Commentary on Luke 20:9-19
(Read Luke 20:9-19)
Christ spake this parable against those who resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was so full. How many resemble the Jews who murdered the prophets and crucified Christ, in their enmity to God, and aversion to his service, desiring to live according to their lusts, without control! Let all who are favoured with God's word, look to it that they make proper use of their advantages. Awful will be the doom, both of those who reject the Son, and of those who profess to reverence Him, yet render not the fruits in due season. Though they could not but own that for such a sin, such a punishment was just, yet they could not bear to hear of it. It is the folly of sinners, that they persevere in sinful ways, though they dread the destruction at the end of those ways.