And they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
This verse, in its severity, foretells the tragic climax of Christ’s saving history. The landowner’s son, who in the parable symbolizes Jesus Christ, is seized, rejected, and killed by the very ones who were called to care for the Lord’s vineyard. The phrase “they threw him out of the vineyard” prophetically points to Christ’s crucifixion outside the walls of Jerusalem, as Hebrews 13:12 testifies: “Jesus also, in order to sanctify the people by his blood, suffered outside the gate.” This killing happens not because of ignorance, but as the result of a conscious choice: people prefer their own power and darkness rather than the light and obedience to God’s will. By that cruel act the depth of human sin is laid bare, yet at the same moment the mystery of salvation is also opened: what people did in evil, God transformed into a work of love and reconciliation, making the cross a symbol of salvation. The Son rejected by people was exalted by God and became the cornerstone of the whole saving plan.