At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
Christ spoke this parable against those who were resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was ever so full and convincing; and it comes very seasonably to show that by questioning his authority they forfeited their own. Their disowning the lord of their vineyard was a defeasance of their lease of the vineyard, and giving up of all their title. I.
Commenting on Luke 20:9-19
And again he sent the third,.... Perhaps after the return of the Jews from captivity, and between that time and the coming of Christ, in which interval many good men were used in a very inhuman manner, Heb 11:37 and they wounded him also; by casting stones at him; see Mar 12:4 and cast him out; of the vineyard.
beat, &c.-- (Mat 21:35); that is, the prophets, extraordinary messengers raised up from time to time. (See on Mat 23:37.)