He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard [it], they said, God forbid.

He shall come {G2064} and {G2532} destroy {G622} these {G5128} husbandmen {G1092}, and {G2532} shall give {G1325} the vineyard {G290} to others {G243}. And {G1161} when they heard {G191} it, they said {G2036}, God forbid {G3361}{G1096}.

He will come and put an end to those tenants and give the vineyard to others!” When the people heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!”

He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”

He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

Luke 20:16 concludes the primary action and pronouncement within the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, delivered by Jesus to the religious leaders of His day. This verse reveals the severe judgment the vineyard owner (God) would bring upon the unfaithful husbandmen (the Jewish religious authorities) who rejected and killed His servants (the prophets) and finally His beloved son (Jesus Christ). The subsequent reaction, "God forbid," from the audience underscores their immediate understanding of the parable's pointed message against them.

Context

This powerful parable (Luke 20:9-19, also found in Matthew 21:33-46 and Mark 12:1-12) was spoken by Jesus in the temple courts during Passion Week, directly after the chief priests, scribes, and elders challenged His authority. The "vineyard" symbolizes Israel, or more broadly, God's kingdom and His covenant people. The "husbandmen" are the unfaithful spiritual leaders who were entrusted with its care. The sending of "servants" represents God's dispatch of prophets throughout history, who were often persecuted, and ultimately, the sending of His "beloved son," Jesus, whom they intended to kill to seize the inheritance for themselves. Luke 20:16 explicitly states the divine judgment: the destruction of these unfaithful stewards and the transfer of the vineyard to others.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Justice: The verse highlights God's righteous response to chronic rebellion and rejection of His authority and messengers. It demonstrates that there are severe consequences for spiritual negligence and active opposition to God's plan.
  • Rejection of God's Son: The core of the parable is the ultimate rejection of Jesus, God's own Son. The husbandmen's plot to kill the heir mirrors the religious leaders' intent to eliminate Jesus, believing they could then retain their power and control.
  • Transfer of the Kingdom: The phrase "shall give the vineyard to others" signifies a monumental shift. It points to the transfer of spiritual privilege and responsibility from the unfaithful Jewish leadership to those who would genuinely receive the Son – including the early church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus states this explicitly in Matthew 21:43.
  • Human Resistance to Truth: The reaction "God forbid" (KJV) or "May it never be!" (NIV) reveals that the religious leaders understood the parable's condemnation was aimed directly at them. Their plea was not repentance but a desperate hope that such a judgment would not fall upon them.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "God forbid" translates the Greek expression mē genoito (μὴ γένοιτο). This is a strong optative negation, meaning "may it never happen," "by no means," or "far be it." It's a powerful exclamation of aversion, often used by Paul in his epistles (e.g., Romans 3:4) to emphatically reject a proposition. Here, it underscores the religious leaders' dismay and horror at the implications of Jesus' words, recognizing themselves as the condemned "husbandmen."

Practical Application and Reflection

Luke 20:16 serves as a timeless warning about accountability and stewardship. It reminds us that spiritual privilege comes with great responsibility. For believers today, it prompts reflection on:

  • Responsibility to God's Kingdom: Are we faithfully stewarding the spiritual gifts, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to us?
  • Acceptance of God's Word: Do we truly receive and obey Jesus Christ, the Son, and His teachings, or do we, like the husbandmen, resist His authority for our own gain or comfort?
  • Consequences of Unbelief: The verse highlights that persistent rejection of God's truth and His Son leads to severe consequences. God's justice will prevail.
  • The Inclusive Nature of the Kingdom: The transfer of the "vineyard to others" signifies God's unwavering purpose to build His kingdom, even if it means extending it beyond those who initially rejected Him. This points to the inclusion of Gentiles into the family of God and the universal call to salvation.

This verse powerfully encapsulates the unfolding drama of God's redemptive plan and the consequences of rejecting the cornerstone of that plan, Jesus Christ (Luke 20:17-18).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
  • Luke 19:27

    But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.
  • Matthew 21:41

    They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
  • Acts 13:46

    Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
  • Nehemiah 9:36

    Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we [are] servants in it:
  • Nehemiah 9:37

    And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we [are] in great distress.
  • Psalms 21:8

    Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
  • Psalms 21:10

    Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

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