“Listen to another parable!
There was a landowner
Who planted a vineyard.
He put a fence around it.
He dug a wine press in it.
He built a watchtower.
Then he leased it
To tenants.
He went away
To another country.”
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἀκούσατε. Ἄνθρωπος ἦν οἰκοδεσπότης ὅστις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ φραγμὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκεν καὶ ὤρυξεν ἐν αὐτῷ ληνὸν καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν πύργον, καὶ ἐξέδετο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν.
This parable of the absentee landowner can be found in Mark, chapter 12:1, word for word, and Luke, chapter 20:9, almost word for word. Jesus wanted them to listen to another parable or story (Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἀκούσατε) about a male landowner (Ἄνθρωπος ἦν οἰκοδεσπότης), who planted a vineyard (ὅστις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα). He then put a fence around it (καὶ φραγμὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκεν) and dug a wine press in it (καὶ ὤρυξεν ἐν αὐτῷ ληνὸν). He even built a fortified watchtower (καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν πύργον). This seemed like a very nice vineyard. This was reminiscent of the allegory of the vineyard of Isaiah, chapter 5:1-2. Isaiah had a song about a friend’s fertile field. He also dug out stones and planted choice vines. He put a tower in the middle to look over the vineyard with a carved wine vat there also. However, he got bad grapes instead of good grapes. Clearly, he did not get what he expected. However, this landowner here leased his land or rented it to farmer tenants (καὶ ἐξέδετο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς). Then he left that region and went away to another country (ἀπεδήμησεν). These last two things, renting and leaving the land will cause him a problem.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 