en_tn_lite_do_not_use/mrk/12/01.md

# Connecting Statement:

Jesus speaks this parable against the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parables]])

# Then Jesus began to teach them

The word "them" here refers to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders to whom Jesus had been talking in the previous chapter.

# put a hedge around it

He put a barrier around the vineyard. It could have been a row of shrubs, a fence, or a stone wall.

# dug a pit for a winepress

This means that he carved a pit on the rock, which would be the bottom part of the winepress used for collecting the squeezed grape juice. Alternate translation: "carved a pit into rock for the winepress" or "he made a vat to collect the juice from the winepress" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])

# leased the vineyard to vine growers

The owner still owned the vineyard, but he allowed the vine growers to take care of it. When the grapes became ripe, they were to give some of them to the owner and keep the rest.