Luke 20:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This parable, though concise, imparts significant lessons, revealing that God has demonstrated unique care for the Jewish people, highlighting their historical tendency towards violence, affirming the singularity of God in both the Old and New Testaments, and indicating that the Gentiles will be welcomed while the Jews may be excluded. The vineyard symbolizes the very community of the Jews, while the vinedressers represent the scribes and Pharisees, who are the leading figures and overseers of the populace. Alternatively, each individual can be seen as both a vineyard and a vinedresser, as we are all responsible for our own spiritual cultivation. The man, having entrusted this vineyard to the laborers, ‘departed,’ meaning he left them to operate according to their own judgement.

The Lord Jesus Christ once remarked, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” Indeed, it is true that those who prioritize wealth and seek out treasure do not find it waiting for them, nor do they simply gather it. Instead, they tend to conceal it and bury it from view; they must toil and dig diligently to uncover it, and even then, with great effort. Therefore, let us approach the teachings of the Gospel as if they were precious treasures; let us delve deeply into the insights they offer, for through this pursuit, we will discover what we desire. Christ has made it known to us: “for in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and the mysteries of knowledge,” and He bestows wisdom and understanding upon all rational beings.

A certain individual established a vineyard (Luke 20:9). Various interpretations can be drawn from this vineyard, yet Isaiah unmistakably declared: The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isa. 5:7). Who but God could cultivate such a vineyard? He is the one who planted it and distinguished it. This does not suggest that the Lord has moved from one location to another—He is omnipresent and eternal; however, He draws near to those who seek Him earnestly while remaining distant from the indifferent. He delayed His return for an extended period to avoid the premature expectation of the harvest. The greater the patience shown in generosity, the more egregious the obstinacy becomes.

This parable is found in the fiftieth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, and one should consult it for an in-depth understanding of its meaning.

The Son of Man was eager to share yet another parable, through which the misguided notions of the Jewish chief priests were unveiled, revealing their entire corrupt and sorrowful approach toward the Messiah. The Lord stated, “A certain rich man planted a vineyard and took great care of it; he surrounded it with a hedge, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower.” As his work required him to be elsewhere, he entrusted the vineyard to the vine-growers, instructing them to deliver a specific quantity of wine and fruit each year. The meaning was clear; the allegorical language was transparent, and all understood that the lord of the vineyard symbolized God, the vineyard represented the Jewish people, the servants stood for the prophets, and the only begotten Son referred to the Messiah, Jesus. Thus, the unworthy vine-growers illustrated the actual rulers and leaders of the Jewish nation. The example of the prophet Isaiah, who presented a similar parable with a comprehensive explanation, clarified any remaining doubts.

Through the same expressive discourse, the Lord revealed that due to their obstinacy and malevolent resistance, not just they but the entire nation was losing the privilege of the initial entrance into the kingdom of the Messiah. The new parable, directed not only to the Pharisees but also to the crowds (Luke 20:9-19), drew from the imagery of a vineyard, which the Lord entrusted to certain laborers—not for their own gain, but to generate a harvest. These laborers were sent multiple times to collect the fruits of the vineyard, yet the unfaithful workers harmed some of the servants, killing others and stoning still more. Eventually, the Lord sent His Son, who they resolved to kill as well, intending to seize control of the Master's estate by force.

In the story of the unfaithful vinedressers, Jesus began, "Listen to another parable." A man established a vineyard, surrounded it with a fence, constructed a winepress, and erected a watchtower. However, needing to travel, he entrusted the vineyard to a vinedresser, expecting him to provide a share of the harvest. The audience surely recognized that the vineyard represents the people of Israel, chosen by God, whose stewardship has been placed in the hands of the chief priests and the leaders (the vinedressers) of the people.

He subsequently called upon them to "listen to another parable," that of the disobedient vineyard workers who refused to relinquish the yield of the vineyard. The vineyard belonging to the Lord of Hosts represented the people of Israel, with the Jewish nation being His cherished cultivation. The leaders and instructors responsible for guiding the populace were rightly anticipated to provide the Lord with the fruits of the vineyard.

This parable, known as the parable of the vineyard, is presented in the book of Hebrews. Both Luke and Mark narrate this parable in a manner that is consistent with one another, although Matthew differs in specific details while maintaining a general similarity. Nevertheless, Matthew provides additional insights found in the narratives of the two preceding Gospel writers and excludes certain elements found in their accounts. The pertinent texts can be found in Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12. It is noted that He began to convey this teaching to the people. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the Lord delivered this parable in response to the chief priests, scribes, and elders who inquired about His authority (refer to verse 2).