Luke 20:15 (KJV)

What does Luke 20:15 mean?

Luke 20:15 describes how the tenants in Jesus’ parable threw the owner's son out of the vineyard and killed him, and then asks what the owner will do in response. The verse sets up a moment of judgment or reckoning for those who rejected and killed the son.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to a crowd that includes religious leaders, using a story about a vineyard to illustrate a deeper point. The vineyard owner represents God, the tenants are the people entrusted with God’s work (often understood as Israel’s leaders), and the son represents someone uniquely precious to the owner. By describing the son being cast out and killed, Jesus is hinting at his own coming rejection and death, and he challenges his listeners to consider what justice would look like after such an act.

The Greek behind Luke 20:15

• ἐξέβαλον (exebalon, "cast out"): This word means to throw out or expel. The Greek here emphasizes a forceful rejection, not just a casual sending away.
• ἀπέκτειναν (apekteinan, "killed"): This word means to put to death. The Greek highlights the deliberate and final nature of the act.
• κύριος (kyrios, "lord"): This word refers to the owner or master. In the parable, it points to someone with full authority over the vineyard, reinforcing the seriousness of the tenants’ actions.

Why Luke 20:15 matters

• Luke 20:15 clarifies that the rejection of the son is not accidental or a misunderstanding, but a willful act, making the coming judgment a direct response to their choices.
• The verse draws a sharp line between the actions of the tenants and the authority of the vineyard owner, setting up the question of justice that follows.
• Understanding this verse helps make sense of the larger parable, where Jesus is warning the religious leaders about the consequences of rejecting God’s messengers, especially the one who is most precious to Him.