Luke 20:19

19 The chief Kohanim and the Sofrim sought to lay hands on Him that very hour, but they feared the people -- for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

Luke 20:19 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:19

And the chief priests, and the Scribes, that same hour,
&c.] As soon as he had delivered the above parable, together with that of the two sons:

sought to lay hands on him;
they had a good will to it, being exceedingly gravelled with the question he put to them concerning John's baptism, which confounded them, and put them to silence; and with the parables he delivered, in which they were so manifestly pointed at:

and they feared the people;
lest they should rise and stone them, as in ( Luke 20:6 ) or rescue him out of their hands;

for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them:
and that they were the husbandmen that had used the servants of God so ill, and would put to death the son of God, the Messiah; and who would at length be destroyed themselves, and the kingdom of God be taken from them, though they seem to detest and deprecate it, saying in ( Luke 20:16 ) God forbid; that we should kill the heir, or that we should be destroyed, and the vineyard given to others: these things grievously nettled them, and exasperated them against him; but they knew not how to help themselves at present.

Luke 20:19 In-Context

17 But he looked at them, and said, "Then what is this that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the chief cornerstone?'

18 "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, But it will crush whoever it falls on to dust."

19 The chief Kohanim and the Sofrim sought to lay hands on Him that very hour, but they feared the people -- for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

20 They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.

21 They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.