9 And he began to speak unto the people this simile: 'A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time, 10 and at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that from the fruit of the vineyard they may give to him, but the husbandmen having beat him, did send 'him' away empty. 11 'And he added to send another servant, and they that one also having beaten and dishonoured, did send away empty; 12 and he added to send a third, and this one also, having wounded, they did cast out. 13 'And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son—the beloved, perhaps having seen this one, they will do reverence; 14 and having seen him, the husbandmen reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, we may kill him, that the inheritance may become ours; 15 and having cast him outside of the vineyard, they killed 'him'; what, then, shall the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come, and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others.' And having heard, they said, 'Let it not be!' 17 and he, having looked upon them, said, 'What, then, is this that hath been written: A stone that the builders rejected—this became head of a corner? 18 every one who hath fallen on that stone shall be broken, and on whom it may fall, it will crush him to pieces.'
19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him in that hour, and they feared the people, for they knew that against them he spake this simile.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 20:9-19
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.