Luke 20:14

14 "But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. 'This is our chance - this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.'

Luke 20:14 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:14

But when the husbandmen saw him
In human nature, heard him preach, and observed the miracles done by him:

they reasoned among themselves;
as the Scribes and Pharisees, and elders of the people often did:

saying, this is the heir;
the heir of God, being his Son; and so the Ethiopic version; "this Son is his heir", or the heir of the vineyard; being, by appointment, heir of all things, and by his descent from David heir to the kingdom of Israel;

come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
The Arabic and Persic versions render it, "and his inheritance shall be ours": the nation, city, temple, and all the emoluments and benefits thereof. The word "come" is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Gothic and Vulgate Latin versions.

Luke 20:14 In-Context

12 He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street.
13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'I know what I'll do: I'll send my beloved son. They're bound to respect my son.'
14 "But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. 'This is our chance - this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.'
15 They killed him and threw him over the fence. "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do?
16 Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others." Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.