Lease
The umbrella collects the parable in which a vineyard owner leases his land to tenant farmers, sends slaves and finally his son to collect the fruit, and is met with violence. The arrangement is the standard pre-modern lease of real estate: an owner who lives elsewhere, husbandmen who work the land, and a return owed at harvest. Two gospel accounts of the parable preserve the lease structure.
The vineyard let out to husbandmen — Mark
Mark frames the parable around the planting and the lease, with the owner equipping the property before letting it:
"And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country." (Mr 12:1).
The owner's collection of the fruit follows the lease. Successive slaves are sent and abused:
"And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a slave, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard." (Mr 12:2).
"And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty." (Mr 12:3).
"And again he sent to them another slave; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully." (Mr 12:4).
"And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some." (Mr 12:5).
The owner sends his son last:
"He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last to them, saying, They will reverence my son." (Mr 12:6).
"But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours." (Mr 12:7).
"And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard." (Mr 12:8).
The lease is broken — the husbandmen are destroyed and the property given to others:
"What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others." (Mr 12:9).
The vineyard let out to husbandmen — Luke
Luke's version compresses the planting (no hedge, pit, or tower) but keeps the lease frame intact:
"And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time." (Lu 20:9).
The same season-collection pattern follows, with three slaves sent in turn:
"And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a slave, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty." (Lu 20:10).
"And he sent yet another slave: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty." (Lu 20:11).
"And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth." (Lu 20:12).
The owner deliberates and sends his son:
"And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him." (Lu 20:13).
"But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours." (Lu 20:14).
"And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?" (Lu 20:15).
The breaking of the lease is the same — destruction and re-letting:
"He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid." (Lu 20:16).