Mark 12

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

1 Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. ¹

2 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

3 But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

4 Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.

5 He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.

6 Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

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

9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

10 Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ^[a]?”

12 At this, the leaders sought ^[b] to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words. ²

14 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

15 But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius ^[c] to inspect.”

16 So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him: ³

19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. ^[d]

20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.

21 Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.

22 In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.

23 In the resurrection, then, ^[e] whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

26 But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ^[f]?

27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment

28 Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” ⁴

29 Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ^[g]

31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ^[h] No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,

33 and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, ^[i] He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? ⁵

36 Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’ ^[j]

37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.

Beware of the Scribes

38 In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces, ⁶

39 and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

40 They defraud widows of their houses, ^[k] and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts. ⁷

42 Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius. ^[l]

43 Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.

44 For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in 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.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18)
• 2. (Matthew 22:15–22; Luke 20:19–26)
• 3. (Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40)
• 4. (Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Matthew 22:34–40)
• 5. (Matthew 22:41–46; Luke 20:41–44)
• 6. (Luke 20:45–47)
• 7. (Luke 21:1–4)

Footnotes

• [a]. Psalms 118:22–23
• [b]. Literally they sought
• [c]. A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.
• [d]. Deuteronomy 25:5
• [e]. Literally In the resurrection, when they rise,
• [f]. Exodus 3:6
• [g]. Deuteronomy 6:4–5
• [h]. Leviticus 19:18
• [i]. Literally the temple
• [j]. Psalms 110:1
• [k]. Literally They devour widows’ houses
• [l]. Greek put in two lepta, which is a kodrantēs; a lepton was a Jewish coin of bronze or copper worth about 1/128 of a denarius.