Luke 20:13
Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
Luke 20:13
The landowner decides to send his beloved son, hoping reverence will rise when the tenants see him. This dramatic turn prefigures Jesus’ own death and the people’s response to him. The owner’s hope in affection and reverence contrasts with the tenants’ anticipated murder, revealing the moral and spiritual crisis of the leadership: will they recognize the Son as the rightful heir and respond accordingly?
This moment is pivotal for Christian theology. It foreshadows the crucifixion, the revelation of Jesus as the Son and heir, and the rejection that leads to judgment and, for believers, redemption through the Son. It highlights the interplay between divine initiative and human response, inviting readers to trust in the Son’s authority and to respond in faith rather than fear.
- Welcome the Son: invite Jesus into every corner of life—relationships, work, finances, and values.
- Evaluate allegiance: whose authority governs your decisions—the Son or other pressures?
- Live with reverence: treat Jesus’ words and the gospel as deserving of honor, not as optional or situational.
Cross-References
- Matthew 21:33-46
- Mark 12:1-12
- Colossians 1:15-20