Luke 20:9 Meaning and Explanation
“Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus tells the people a parable: a man plants a vineyard, leases it to tenant farmers, and departs to a far country for a long time.
What Does Luke 20:9 Mean?
Turning from the leaders to the listening people, Jesus tells a story every Israelite would know by heart. Isaiah had sung of Israel as the Lord's vineyard, planted and tended with love (Isaiah 5:1-7). The owner is God; the tenant farmers are the leaders entrusted with his people; the long absence is the long stretch of history in which their faithfulness would be proved.
The parable begins with sheer generosity. The owner does all the planting; the tenants receive a finished vineyard, ready to bear. So it is with everything we hold — life, ability, calling, the care of other souls. All of it is entrusted, none of it owned. And the owner's distance is not neglect but trust: room and time given to be found faithful.
Luke 20:9 in the Original Language
ampelon (ἀμπελών), 'vineyard' -- a planted vineyard; in the prophets, a familiar emblem of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 20:9
What does Luke 20:9 mean?
Jesus tells the people a parable: a man plants a vineyard, leases it to tenant farmers, and departs to a far country for a long time.