Mark 12

The Parable of the Tenant Farmers in the Vineyard

1 And he began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard, and put a fence [around it], and dug a trough for the winepress, and built a watchtower, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey.

2 And he sent a slave to the tenant farmers at the proper time, so that he could collect [some] of the fruit of the vineyard from the tenant farmers.

3 And they seized him [and] beat [him] and sent [him] away empty-handed.

4 And again he sent to them another slave, and that one they struck on the head and dishonored.

5 And he sent another, and that one they killed. And [he sent] many others, [some] of whom they beat and [some] of whom they killed.

6 He had one more, a beloved son. Last [of all] he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours!'

8 And they seized [and] killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others.

10 Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become {the cornerstone}.

11 This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12 And they were seeking to arrest him, and they were afraid of the crowd, because they knew that he had told the parable with reference to them. And they left him [and] went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 And they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him so that they could catch him unawares in a statement.

14 And [when they] came, they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and {you do not care what anyone thinks}, {because you do not regard the opinion of people} but teach the way of God in truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?"

15 But [because he] knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at [it]!"

16 So they brought [one]. And he said to them, "Whose image and inscription [is] this?" And they said to him, "Caesar's."

17 And Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!" And they were utterly amazed at him.

A Question About Marriage and the Resurrection

18 And Sadducees--who say there is no resurrection--came up to him and began to ask him, saying,

19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if someone's brother dies and he leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, that his brother should take the wife and {father} descendants for his brother.

20 There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife. And [when he] died, he did not leave descendants.

21 And the second took her, and he died without leaving descendants. And the third likewise.

22 And the seven did not leave descendants. Last of all the woman also died.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise, {whose} wife will she be? For the seven had her [as] wife.

24 Jesus said to them, "Are you not deceived because of this, [because you] do not 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, that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses {in the passage about the bush} how God spoke to him, saying, 'I [am] the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'?

27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken!"

The Greatest Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up [and] heard them debating. [When he] saw that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.'

31 The second [is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 And the scribe said to him, "That is true, Teacher. You have said {correctly} that he is one and there is no other except him.

33 And to love him from your whole heart and from your whole understanding and from your whole strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 And Jesus, [when he] saw that he had answered thoughtfully, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to put a question to him any longer.

David’s Son and Lord

35 And continuing, Jesus said [while] teaching in the temple [courts], "How can the scribes say that the Christ is David's son?

36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet." '

37 David himself calls him 'Lord,' and how is he his son?" And the large crowd was listening to him gladly.

Warning to Beware of the Scribes

38 And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and greetings in the marketplaces

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

40 who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy [prayers] for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!"

A Poor Widow’s Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the contribution box [and] was observing how the crowd was putting coins into the contribution box. And many rich people were putting in many [coins].

42 And one poor widow came [and] put in two small copper coins (that is, a penny).

43 And summoning his disciples, he said to them, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all those who put [offerings] into the contribution box.

44 For they all {contributed} out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in everything she had, her whole means of subsistence."

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]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("seized") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [d]. *The words "[he sent]" are not in the Greek text, but are an implied repetition from earlier in the verse
• [e]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("seized") has been translated as a finite verb
• [f]. Some manuscripts have "What then"
• [g]. A quotation from Ps 118:22-23
• [h]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("left") has been translated as a finite verb
• [i]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
• [j]. Literally "it is not a care to you concerning anyone"
• [k]. Literally "because you do not look at the face of men"
• [l]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("knew") which is understood as causal
• [m]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [n]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [o]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to ask")
• [p]. Literally "raise up"
• [q]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("died") which is understood as temporal
• [r]. Literally "who of them"
• [s]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("know") which is understood as causal
• [t]. Literally "at the bush"
• [u]. A quotation from Exod 3:6
• [v]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [w]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [x]. A quotation from Deut 6:4-5; Josh 22:5
• [y]. A quotation from Lev 19:18
• [z]. Literally "in accordance with truth"
• [aa]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [ab]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [ac]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [ad]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [ae]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [af]. *Here "[while]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("teaching") which is understood as temporal
• [ag]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [ah]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("sat down") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ai]. Although often translated "large sums," the plural here suggests large numbers of individual coins, which would make an impressive noise
• [aj]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ak]. This coin was the lepton, worth 1/128 of a denarius
• [al]. This coin was the quadrans, the smallest Roman coin, worth 2 lepta
• [am]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [an]. Literally "put in"