Discovery BoxLuke 13:6 
Context13:6 Then 1 Jesus 2 told this parable: “A man had a fig tree 3 planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
Luke 20:9
Context20:9 Then 4 he began to tell the people this parable: “A man 5 planted a vineyard, 6 leased it to tenant farmers, 7 and went on a journey for a long time.
Luke 20:13
Context20:13 Then 8 the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son; 9 perhaps they will respect him.’
Luke 20:16
Context20:16 He will come and destroy 10 those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” 11 When the people 12 heard this, they said, “May this never happen!” 13
1 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 sn The fig tree is a variation on the picture of a vine as representing the nation; see Isa 5:1-7.
4 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The parable Jesus tells here actually addresses the question put to him by the leaders.
5 tc ‡ There are several variants here, most of which involve variations in word order that do not affect translation. However, the presence or absence of τις (ti") after ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), which would be translated “a certain man,” does affect translation. The witnesses that have τις include A W Θ Ë13 1241 2542 al sy. Those that lack it include א B C D L Ψ Ë1 33 Ï it. Externally, the evidence is significantly stronger for the omission. Internally, however, there is some pause. A feature unique to Luke-Acts in the NT is to use the construction ἄνθρωπος τις (cf. 10:30; 12:16; 14:2, 16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:12; Acts 9:33). However, scribes who were familiar with this idiom may have inserted it here. In light of the overwhelming external support for the omission of τις, the shorter reading is preferred. NA27 places τις in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
6 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
7 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
8 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
9 tn Grk “my beloved son.” See comment at Luke 3:22.
sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
10 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.
11 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.
12 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people addressed in v. 9) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 sn May this never happen! Jesus’ audience got the point and did not want to consider a story where the nation would suffer judgment.
