Although the previous section (verses 28-30) is not specifically identified as a parable, this parable is introduced with the words Hear another parable. Jesus is still talking to the chief priests and elders. However, the section heading makes a break in the text, and some translators have begun the verse with “Jesus went on to say.” On the meaning of the word parable, see comment at 13.3.

There was is translated “There was once” by Good News Translation (see verse 28).

Householder (Good News Translation, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible “landowner”) is a favorite Matthean word (see 10.25); it is also used in 13.27, 52; 20.1, 11; 24.43. In this context “property owner” or “a man who owned a farm” may be natural. Some translators have used “farmer” if that term clearly meant that the person owned the farm.

Translators in languages where a vineyard will be unknown should see the comments at 20.1.

Hedge (so also New American Bible, Barclay) is translated “wall” by New English Bible and New International Version, and “fence” by Good News Translation and Moffatt. Several translations prefer a verb phrase: “fenced it in” (An American Translation) and “fenced it round” (New Jerusalem Bible, Phillips). This statement represents the clearest indication that Matthew has in mind the Greek Old Testament text of Isaiah 5.2, which replaces “he dug it up” of the Hebrew with “I fenced it in.”

Dug a wine press in it is translated “dug a hole for the wine press” by Good News Translation, which intends to help the reader who may not be familiar with the custom of digging a hole to use as a place to press grapes. Barclay is even more explicit: “and dug out a pit in which the juice could be extracted from the grapes.” The words in it do not mean the wine press was dug in the fence or hedge; it was in the vineyard, inside the area surrounded by the fence.

Tower is more specifically “watchtower” (Good News Translation, New English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New International Version). Reference is to the custom of erecting a tower from which one can be on the lookout against thieves and animals which may break into the vineyard to steal the grapes when they are either ripe or almost ripe.

Let it out to tenants probably means on a sharecropping basis, according to which the rent was a certain percentage of the harvest (see verse 34: “to receive his share of the harvest” [Good News Bible]). This kind of arrangement is known in many parts of the world. Where it is not, translators can say “had some men do the work on the farm in exchange for receiving some of the crop” or “found some people who agreed to take care of the vineyard for him.”

Went into another country is translated “went abroad” by a number of modern translations (Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Phillips, Barclay). The intimation is that the owner is a foreigner, and that he is returning to his home abroad. At least this interpretation makes more sense of the other details in the story. Translators can say “traveled to another country” or “left on a trip to a distant place.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .