Luke 20:14

“But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' ”

The reaction of the husbandmen is then given. Reasoning with each other (which has been seen to be a trait of the Jewish leaders - Luke 20:5) they determined what they would do. They would kill the heir so that they might retain control of the inheritance. For the Law allowed for the fact that if those in physical possession of land were able to farm it untroubled by anyone for a number of years they could claim legal possession of it also.

Certainly as the Jewish leaders saw the great crowds hanging on to Jesus' every word they must have felt that ‘their inheritance' was slipping away from them. Thus the picture is graphic, and in view of their plans to kill Jesus, telling. And once He was out of the way they would be able to regain control over the inheritance.

‘Let us kill him.' The words are similar to those used by Joseph's brothers in Genesis 37:20 (see LXX). Jesus was likening these men to Joseph's brothers, full of hate and jealousy. They were the forerunners of the persecutors of the prophets, and of these men who now planned Jesus' downfall.