Mark 12

1 And Jesus began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and delved a lake, and builded a tower [and built a tower], and hired it to earth-tillers, and went forth in pilgrimage.

2 And he sent to the earth-tillers in time a servant, to receive of the earth-tillers of the fruit of the vineyard. [+And he sent to the earth-tillers in time a servant, that he should receive of the fruit of the vineyard of the earth-tillers.]

3 And they took him, and beat him, and let him go void [and left him void].

4 And again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and tormented him [and punished him with chidings, or reprovings].

5 And again he sent another, and they slew him, and others more, beating some, and slaying others. [And again he sent another, and they killed him, and others more, and they beat some, soothly they killed others.]

6 But yet he had a most dear-worthy son, and he sent him last to them, and said [Therefore yet he having one son most dear-worthy, and to them he sent him the last, saying], Peradventure they shall dread [with reverence] my son.

7 But the earth-tillers said together [said to themselves], This is the heir; come ye, slay we him, and the heritage shall be ours.

8 And they took him, and killed him, and casted [cast] him out without the vineyard.

9 Then what shall the lord of the vineyard do [What therefore shall the lord of the vinery do]? He shall come, and destroy [and lose] the earth-tillers, and give the vineyard to others.

10 Whether ye have not read this scripture, The stone which the builders have despised, this is made into the head of the corner?

11 This thing is done of the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

12 And they sought to hold him, and they dreaded the people; for they knew that to them he said this parable; and they left him, and they went away.

13 And they sent to him [And they send to him] some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to take him in word.

14 Which came, and said to him [Which coming say to him], Master, we know that thou art soothfast, and reckest not of any man; for neither thou beholdest into the face of any man, but thou teachest the way of God in truth. Is it leaveful that tribute be given to the emperor [Is it leaveful to give tribute to Caesar], or we shall not give?

15 Which witting their privy falseness, said to them, What tempt ye me [What tempt ye me, hypocrites]? bring ye to me a penny, that I [may] see.

16 And they brought to him. And he said to them [And he saith to them], Whose is this image, and the writing above? And they say to him, The emperor's [They say to him, Caesar's].

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, Then yield ye to the emperor those things that be the emperor's; and to God those things that be of God. And they wondered of him. [Forsooth Jesus answering said to them, Therefore yield ye to Caesar those things that be of Caesar, and to God, those things that be of God. And they wondered on him.]

18 And Sadducees, that say that there is no resurrection, came to him, and asked him, and said, [+And Sadducees, that say that no rising again is, come to him, and they asked him, saying,]

19 Master, Moses wrote to us, that if the brother of a man were dead, and left his wife, and have no sons [and left no sons], his brother [shall] take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

20 Then seven brethren there were [Therefore seven brethren were]; and the first took a wife, and died, and left no seed.

21 And the second took her, and died, and neither he left seed. And the third also.

22 And in like manner the seven took her, and left no seed. And the woman the last of all died. [And seven took her, and left no seed. And the woman last of all is dead.]

23 Then [Therefore] in the resurrection, when they shall rise again, whose wife of these shall she be? for seven had her to wife.

24 And Jesus answered, and said to them, Whether ye err not therefore, that ye know not [the] scriptures, neither the virtue of God? [+And Jesus answering said to them, Whether ye err not therefore, not knowing the scriptures, neither the virtue of God?]

25 For when they shall rise again from death, neither they shall wed, nor shall be wedded, but they shall be as angels of God in heavens. [+Forsooth when they shall rise again from dead, neither they wed, nor be wedded, but they shall be as angels of God in heaven.]

26 And of dead men, that they rise again, have ye not read in the book of Moses, on [upon] the bush, how God spake to him, and said [saying], I am God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob?

27 He is not God of dead men, but [God] of living men; therefore ye err much.

28 And one of the scribes, that had heard them disputing together, came nigh, and saw that Jesus had well-answered them, and asked him [+And one of the scribes, that had heard them seeking together, came nigh, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him], which was the first commandment of all.

29 And Jesus answered to him, That the first commandment of all is, Hear thou, Israel, thy Lord God is one God; [+Forsooth Jesus answered him, That the first of all commandments is, Hear, Israel, the Lord thy God is one God;]

30 and thou shalt love thy Lord God of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy mind, and of all thy might [and thou shalt love the Lord thy God of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy mind, and of all thy virtue, or strength]. This is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like to this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said to him, Master, in truth thou hast well said; for one God is, and there is none other, except him;

33 [and] that he be loved of all the heart, and of all the mind, and of all the understanding, and of all the soul, and of all the strength, and to love the neighbour as himself, is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices [and to love thine neighbour as himself, is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices].

34 And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And then no man durst ask him more any thing [And now no man durst ask him more].

35 And Jesus answered and said, teaching in the temple, How say [the] scribes, that Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself said in the Holy Ghost, the Lord said to my Lord, Sit [thou] on my right half, till I put thine enemies the stool of thy feet. [Forsooth David himself said in the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet.]

37 Then if David himself calleth him Lord, how then is he his son [Therefore David himself sayeth him Lord, and whereof is he his son]? And much people gladly heard him.

38 And he said to them in his teaching, Be ye ware of scribes, that will wander in stoles [that will go in stoles], and be saluted in [the] market,

39 and sit in synagogues in the first chairs [and sit in the first chairs in synagogues], and in the first sitting places in suppers;

40 which devour the houses of widows under [the] colour of long prayer; they shall take the longer doom [these shall take longer doom, either damnation].

41 And Jesus sitting against the treasury, beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many rich men casted many things [and many rich cast many things].

42 But when a poor widow was come [Soothly when a poor widow had come], she cast two minutes, that is, a farthing.

43 And he called together his disciples, and said to them [and saith to them], Truly I say to you, that this poor widow cast more than all, that cast into the treasury.

44 For all they cast of that thing that they had plenty of; but this of her poverty cast all things that she had, all her livelode [but this of her mis-ease sent all things that she had, all her lifelode].

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.