Luke 20:1–18

Introduction

Luke 20:1–18: While Jesus is teaching in the Temple, the religious leaders question his authority. His response includes a parable about wicked tenants who are punished, and a word picture in which Jesus refers to himself as “the stone which the builders rejected as worthless.”

Today’s Key Verse: Luke 20:17b

“‘The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.’”

Reading

20 One day when Jesus was in the Temple teaching the people and preaching the Good News, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law, together with the elders, came ² and said to him, “Tell us, what right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Now let me ask you a question. Tell me, ⁴ did John’s right to baptize come from God or from human beings?”

⁵ They started to argue among themselves, “What shall we say? If we say, ‘From God,’ he will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe John?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From human beings,’ this whole crowd here will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ⁷ So they answered, “We don’t know where it came from.”

⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you, then, by what right I do these things.”

⁹ Then Jesus told the people this parable: “There was once a man who planted a vineyard, rented it out to tenants, and then left home for a long time. ¹⁰ When the time came to gather the grapes, he sent a slave to the tenants to receive from them his share of the harvest. But the tenants beat the slave and sent him back without a thing. ¹¹ So he sent another slave; but the tenants beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him back without a thing. ¹² Then he sent a third slave; the tenants wounded him, too, and threw him out. ¹³ Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my own dear son; surely they will respect him!’ ¹⁴ But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the owner’s son. Let’s kill him, and his property 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 the tenants?” Jesus asked. ¹⁶ “He will come and kill those men, and turn the vineyard over to other tenants.”

When the people heard this, they said, “Surely not!”

¹⁷ Jesus looked at them and asked, “What, then, does this scripture mean?

‘The stone which the builders rejected as worthless
turned out to be the most important of all.’

¹⁸ Everyone who falls on that stone will be cut to pieces; and if that stone falls on someone, that person will be crushed to dust.”

Reflect

Why do the religious leaders question Jesus’s authority? Reread verses 9–18. How would those listening to Jesus have interpreted this parable? How do you understand it?

Pray

Holy God, you alone are worthy of praise. Guide me this day as I seek to do your will. May my words and actions give glory and honor to you. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

And now, join us in praise that God’s Word is transforming families in Africa. In a remote region of West Africa, Bibles are very scarce, and illiteracy and poverty hinder people from receiving the hope of the Gospel. But, Lord God, thanks to the generous support from Bible-A-Month Partners, audio Bibles are becoming available to local pastors who can host listening groups and travel to share the devices with families in remote villages. Lord God, the availability of your life-transforming Word is reaching people who are eager to learn about Jesus. Praise to you, Lord, that people are accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Luke 20:19–47: The religious leaders continue to question Jesus.