Mark 12

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

1 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

2 At harvest time he sent a slave to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers.

3 But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

4 Again he sent another slave to them, and they ^[a] hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. ^[b]

5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. [He] also [sent] many others; they beat some and they killed some.

6 "He still had one to send, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

7 "But those tenant farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!'

8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 "Therefore, what will the owner ^[c] of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others.

10 Haven't you read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ^[d]

11 This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes ?" ^{[e] [f]}

12 Because they knew He had said this parable against them, they were looking for a way to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left Him and went away.

God and Caesar

13 Then they^[g] sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to Him to trap Him by what He said.^[h]

14 When they came, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know You are truthful and defer to no one, for You don't show partiality^[i] but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

15 Should we pay, or should we not pay?" But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at."

16 So they brought one. "Whose image and inscription is this?" He asked them. "Caesar's," they said.

17 Then Jesus told them, "Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

18 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and questioned Him:

19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies , leaves his wife behind, and leaves no child, his brother should take the wife and produce offspring for his brother. ^[j]

20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying, left no offspring.

21 The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

22 The seven also^[k] left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died too.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise,^[l] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?"^[m]

24 Jesus told them, "Are you not deceived because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God?

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.

26 Now concerning the dead being raised-haven't you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him: I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob ? ^[n]

27 He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are badly deceived."

The Primary Commandments

28 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"^[o]

29 "This is the most important," ^[p] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. ^[q]

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ^{[r] [s]}

31 "The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^[t] There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 Then the scribe said to Him, "You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him.

33 And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[u] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more [important] than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to question Him any longer.

The Question about the Messiah

35 So Jesus asked this question as He taught in the temple complex, "How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David?

36 David himself says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declared to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.' ^[v]

37 David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how then can the Messiah be his Son?" And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.

Warning against the Scribes

38 He also said in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, and who want greetings in the marketplaces,

39 the front seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

40 They devour widows' houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher punishment."

The Widow's Gift

41 Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums.

42 And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.^[w]/ 64 of a daily wage, was the smallest Roman coin.

43 Summoning His disciples, He said to them, "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury.

44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed-all she had to live on."

Mark 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. (1-12) Question about tribute. (13-17) Concerning the resurrection. (18-27) The great command of the law. (28-34) Christ the Son and yet the Lord of David. (35-40) The poor widow commended. (41-44)

Verses 1-12 Christ showed in parables, that he would lay aside the Jewish church. It is sad to think what base usage God's faithful ministers have met with in all ages, from those who have enjoyed the privileges of the church, but have not brought forth fruit answerable. God at length sent his Son, his Well-beloved; and it might be expected that he whom their Master loved, they also should respect and love; but instead of honouring him because he was the Son and Heir, they therefore hated him. But the exaltation of Christ was the Lord's doing; and it is his doing to exalt him in our hearts, and to set up his throne there; and if this be done, it cannot but be marvellous in our eyes. The Scriptures, and faithful preachers, and the coming of Christ in the flesh, call on us to render due praise to God in our lives. Let sinners beware of a proud, carnal spirit; if they revile or despise the preachers of Christ, they would have done so their Master, had they lived when he was upon earth.

Verses 13-17 The enemies of Christ would be thought desirous to know their duty, when really they hoped that which soever side he took of the question, they might find occasion to accuse him. Nothing is more likely to insnare the followers of Christ, than bringing them to meddle with disputes about worldly politics. Jesus avoided the snare, by referring to the submission they had already made as a nation; and all that heard him, marvelled at the great wisdom of his answer. Many will praise the words of a sermon, who will not be commanded by the doctrines of it.

Verses 18-27 A right knowledge of the Scripture, as the fountain whence all revealed religion now flows, and the foundation on which it is built, is the best preservative against error. Christ put aside the objection of the Sadducees, who were the scoffing infidels of that day, by setting the doctrine of the future state in a true light. The relation between husband and wife, though appointed in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the heavenly one. It is no wonder if we confuse ourselves with foolish errors, when we form our ideas of the world of spirits by the affairs of this world of sense. It is absurd to think that the living God should be the portion and happiness of a man if he is for ever dead; and therefore it is certain that Abraham's soul exists and acts, though now for a time separate from the body. Those that deny the resurrection greatly err, and ought to be told so. Let us seek to pass through this dying world, with a joyful hope of eternal happiness, and of a glorious resurrection.

Verses 28-34 Those who sincerely desire to be taught their duty, Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He tells the scribe that the great commandment, which indeed includes all, is, that of loving God with all our hearts. Wherever this is the ruling principle in the soul, there is a disposition to every other duty. Loving God with all our heart, will engage us to every thing by which he will be pleased. The sacrifices only represented the atonements for men's transgressions of the moral law; they were of no power except as they expressed repentance and faith in the promised Saviour, and as they led to moral obedience. And because we have not thus loved God and man, but the very reverse, therefore we are condemned sinners; we need repentance, and we need mercy. Christ approved what the scribe said, and encouraged him. He stood fair for further advance; for this knowledge of the law leads to conviction of sin, to repentance, to discovery of our need of mercy, and understanding the way of justification by Christ.

Verses 35-40 When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy.

Verses 41-44 Let us not forget that Jesus still sees the treasury. He knows how much, and from what motives, men give to his cause. He looks at the heart, and what our views are, in giving alms; and whether we do it as unto the Lord, or only to be seen of men. It is so rare to find any who would not blame this widow, that we cannot expect to find many who will do like to her; and yet our Saviour commends her, therefore we are sure that she did well and wisely. The feeble efforts of the poor to honour their Saviour, will be commended in that day, when the splendid actions of unbelievers will be exposed to contempt.

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss add threw stones and
• [b]. Other mss add and sent him off
• [c]. Or lord
• [d]. Lit the head of the corner
• [e]. 1 Pt 2:7
• [f]. Ps 118:22-23
• [g]. Mk 11:27
• [h]. Lit trap Him in (a) word
• [i]. Lit don't look on the face of men; that is, on the outward appearance
• [j]. Gn 38:8; Dt 25:5
• [k]. Other mss add had taken her and
• [l]. Other mss omit when they rise
• [m]. Lit the seven had her as a wife
• [n]. Ex 3:6,15-16
• [o]. Lit Which commandment is first of all?
• [p]. Other mss add of all the commandments
• [q]. Or The Lord our God is one Lord.
• [r]. Dt 6:4-5; Jos 22:5
• [s]. Other mss add This is the first commandment.
• [t]. Lv 19:18
• [u]. Other mss add with all your soul
• [v]. Ps 110:1
• [w]. Lit dropped in two lepta, which is a quadrans; the lepton was the smallest and least valuable Gk coin in use. The quadrans, 1