King James Bible
"And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them."
The religious authorities react immediately to Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants, recognizing their urgent need to arrest him. Their swift response reveals both their anger at being exposed and their determination to silence Jesus before his influence grows further. Despite their authority, the leaders are constrained by public opinion, as the crowds still view Jesus as a prophet. This fear of popular uprising forces them to plot secretly rather than act openly, highlighting the political tension in Jerusalem. The leaders correctly understand they are the wicked tenants in Jesus' story who killed the prophets and would kill the son. Their self-recognition as the parable's villains ironically drives them to fulfill the very prophecy Jesus just proclaimed about their rejection of God's messenger.