Luke 20:13
“The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’”
What does Luke 20:13 mean?
A vineyard owner has been sending servants to collect what's rightfully his, but the workers keep beating them and sending them away empty-handed. Finally, he decides to send someone who carries his own authority and love: his son. There's something both hopeful and heartbreaking in his thinking, isn't there? Maybe, just maybe, if they see someone they can't dismiss or ignore, they'll finally do what's right. Jesus tells this parable to the religious leaders who've rejected God's messengers for generations. The owner's plan reveals what we might call tragic optimism: he gives people one more chance, one more opportunity to recognize what matters and respond with respect. It's a question that hangs in the air for all of us: when God extends something precious and personal to us, how will we respond?