King James Bible
"Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time."
Jesus turns from confronting religious leaders to address the crowds with a story. The parable format was his characteristic teaching method, using familiar scenarios to reveal spiritual truths about God's kingdom and judgment. The vineyard imagery immediately evokes Israel itself, drawing on Isaiah 5 where God plants and tends Israel as his choice vine. First-century Jewish listeners would recognize this as a story about their nation's relationship with God. The owner entrusts his vineyard to tenant farmers who will cultivate it and share the harvest. This arrangement reflects common agricultural practices in Roman Palestine, where absentee landlords relied on local workers to manage their estates. The owner's extended absence creates the conditions for the coming conflict, as the tenants grow presumptuous without immediate oversight. This detail sets up the tension between the owner's rightful expectations and the tenants' rebellious actions.