Compare Luke 20:14 with Genesis 37:19-20. What similarities do you observe? Setting the Scene Luke 20:14 – “But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’” Genesis 37:19-20 – “‘Here comes that dreamer!’ they said to one another. ‘Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns; we can say that a vicious animal devoured him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams.’” Key Parallels at a Glance • Conspirators speak privately, hatching a murderous plot. • A unique, favored son/dreamer/heir is targeted. • Motive centers on envy and the desire to seize benefit for themselves. • Violence is seen as the quickest path to remove rightful authority. • Plotters assume killing will end the threat and secure their future. Shared Motives: Jealousy and Self-Interest • Both sets of plotters resent the privileged position of the son (Joseph is Jacob’s favorite, Luke’s son is the vineyard owner’s heir). • Envy propels them beyond mere dislike to premeditated murder (cf. Acts 7:9; Matthew 27:18). • Personal gain is in view: Joseph’s brothers hope to silence his “ruling” dreams; the tenants want the entire inheritance. The Rejected Deliverer Theme • Joseph, later exalted to save those same brothers (Genesis 45:4-8), prefigures the Son ultimately rejected and crucified yet raised to save (Acts 4:10-12). • In both narratives, the men who conspire represent God’s covenant people resisting God’s chosen deliverer. The Irony of the Plotters’ Plans • What they intend for evil becomes the avenue of God’s greater purpose (Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23-24). • Their scheme fails: Joseph’s dreams come true; the vineyard owner’s son (symbolizing Christ) is vindicated in resurrection and judgment (Luke 20:15-18). Foreshadowing the Cross • Joseph’s story is a prophetic shadow of Messiah’s rejection, suffering, and exaltation (Psalm 118:22). • Luke 20:14 crystallizes Israel’s leadership repeating the brothers’ sin—rejecting the heir out of envy, fulfilling Scripture (John 11:53). Summing It Up Both passages portray envious men conspiring to kill a beloved, rightful heir. Their plots reveal human rebellion against God’s ordained authority, yet God overturns their evil, exalting the rejected son and accomplishing salvation through what seemed like defeat. |
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