Mark 12:7

7 But those workmen said among themselves, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property; come, let us put him to death, and the heritage will be ours.

Mark 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:7

But those husbandmen said among themselves
This, in the Persic version, is introduced thus, "when the vine dressers saw the son of the lord of the vineyard": agreeably to ( Matthew 21:38 ) . The Ethiopic version renders it, "and the servants said"; not the servants that had been sent, but the workmen in the vineyard:

this is the heir;
that is, "of the vineyard", as the Persic version expresses it they knew him by the prophecies of the Old Testament which had described him, and by the miracles which were wrought by him; and they could not deny but that the vineyard of the house of Judah belonged to him, and he was right heir to the throne of Israel; though they refused to embrace him, confess him, and declare for him: but, on the other hand, said,

come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours;
that is, "the vineyard", and the Persic version again read. The priests, Scribes, and elders of the people consulted together to take away his life, with this view: that they might continue in the quiet possession of their nation, temple, and worship, in the office they bore, and in the privileges they partook of; and that the Romans might not come, and take away their place and nation, ( John 11:47 John 11:48 ) ; (See Gill on Matthew 21:38).

Mark 12:7 In-Context

5 And he sent another; and they put him to death: and a number of others, whipping some, and putting some to death.

6 He still had one, a dearly loved son: he sent him last to them, saying, They will have respect for my son.

7 But those workmen said among themselves, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property; come, let us put him to death, and the heritage will be ours.

8 And they took him and put him to death, pushing his body out of the garden.

9 What then will the master of the garden do? He will come and put the workmen to death, and will give the garden into the hands of others.