Mark 12
12
Tenants of a vineyard
(Matthew 21.33-46; Luke 20.9-19)
1Jesus then told them this story:#Is 5.1,2.
A farmer once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he let his vineyard and left the country.
2When it was harvest time, he sent a servant to get his share of the grapes. 3The tenants grabbed the servant. They beat him up and sent him away without a thing.
4The owner sent another servant, but the tenants beat him on the head and insulted him terribly. 5Then the man sent another servant, and they killed him. He kept sending servant after servant. They beat some of them and killed others.
6The owner had a son he loved very much. Finally, he sent his son to the tenants because he thought they would respect him. 7But they said to themselves, “Some day he will own this vineyard. Let's kill him! That way we can have it all for ourselves.” 8So they grabbed the owner's son and killed him. Then they threw his body out of the vineyard.
9Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? He will come and kill those tenants and let someone else have his vineyard. 10Surely you know that the Scriptures say,#Ps 118.22,23.
‘The stone that the builders
tossed aside
is now the most important
stone of all.
11This is something
the Lord has done,
and it is amazing to us.’ ”
12The leaders knew that Jesus was really talking about them, and they wanted to arrest him. But because they were afraid of the crowd, they let him alone and left.
Paying taxes
(Matthew 22.15-22; Luke 20.20-26)
13The Pharisees got together with Herod's followers.#12.13 Herod's followers: People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great and his son Herod Antipas. Then they sent some men to trick Jesus into saying something wrong. 14They went to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are honest. You treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. And you teach the truth about what God wants people to do. Tell us, should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”
15Jesus knew what they were up to, and he said, “Why are you trying to test me? Show me a coin!”
16They brought him a silver coin, and he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”
“The Emperor's,” they answered.
17Then Jesus told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” The men were amazed at Jesus.
Life in the future world
(Matthew 22.23-33; Luke 20.27-40)
18The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus and said:#Ac 23.8.
19Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.#Dt 25.5. 20There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children. 21The second brother married his brother's widow, and he also died without having children. The same thing happened to the third brother, 22and finally to all seven brothers. At last the woman died. 23When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? After all, she had been married to all seven brothers.
24Jesus answered:
You are completely wrong! You don't know what the Scriptures teach. And you don't know anything about the power of God. 25When God raises people to life, they won't marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. 26You know about people being raised to life. You know that in the story about Moses and the burning bush, God said, “I am the God worshipped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”#12.26 “I am the God worshipped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”: Jesus argues that if God is worshipped by these three, they must still be alive, because he is the God of the living.#Ex 3.6. 27He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. You Sadducees are all wrong.
The most important commandment
(Matthew 22.34-40; Luke 10.25-28)
28One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?”#Lk 10.25-28.
29Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God.#Dt 6.4,5. 30You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ 31The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.”#Lv 19.18.
32The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God.#Dt 4.35. 33It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.”#Ho 6.6.
34When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, “You are not far from God's kingdom.” After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions.
About David's son
(Matthew 22.41-46; Luke 20.41-44)
35As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the teachers of the Law of Moses say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David? 36The Holy Spirit led David to say,#Ps 110.1.
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right side#12.36 right side: The place of power and honour.
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you.’
37If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be his son?”#12.37 David…his son: See the note at 10.47.
The large crowd enjoyed listening to Jesus teach.
Jesus condemns the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses
(Matthew 23.1-36; Luke 20.45-47)
38As Jesus was teaching, he said:
Guard against the teachers of the Law of Moses! They love to walk around in long robes and be greeted in the market. 39They like the front seats in the meeting places and the best seats at banquets. 40But they cheat widows out of their homes and pray long prayers just to show off. They will be punished most of all.
A widow's offering
(Luke 21.1-4)
41Jesus was sitting in the temple near the offering box and watching people put in their gifts. He noticed that many rich people were giving a lot of money. 42Finally, a poor widow came up and put in two coins that were worth only a few pennies. 43Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said:
I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 44Everyone else gave what they didn't need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had. Now she doesn't have a penny to live on.
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Mark 12: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Mark 12
12
The Parable of the Tenants
1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “There once was a man who planted a vineyard # 12:1 The Aramaic can be translated “He planted a vineyard by a stream.” and put a secure fence around it. # 12:1 See Isa. 5:1–7. The vineyard is a metaphor for the promises of life and glory for Israel. The leaders of the nation were but tenants who were to tend the vineyard. The fence was God’s protection and favor that surrounded them. The winepress was the Holy Spirit, who gave them the inspired revelation of Scripture. The watchtower could speak of the ministry of the prophets, who were like watchmen on the walls for God’s people. He dug a pit for its winepress and erected a watch tower. Then he leased it to tenant-farmers and traveled abroad. 2When the time of harvest came, he sent one of his servants # 12:2 These servants represent the prophets whom God commissioned to take his word to the people, but they were rejected and persecuted. to the tenants to collect the landowners’ share of the harvest. 3But the tenants seized him and beat him and sent him back empty-handed. 4So the owner sent another servant to them. And that one they shamefully humiliated and beat over the head. # 12:4 Some Greek manuscripts and the Aramaic read “and stoned him.” 5So he sent another servant, and they brutally killed him. Many more servants were sent, and they were all severely beaten or killed. 6The owner had only one person left to send—his only son, whom he dearly loved. So he sent him to them, saying, ‘Surely they will restrain themselves # 12:6 The Aramaic is “They’ll be ashamed of what they’ve done.” and respect my son.’ 7But the tenants saw their chance and said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come! Let’s kill him, and then we’ll inherit it all!’ 8So they violently seized him, killed him, and threw his body over the fence! # 12:8 Jesus was the true Heir, who was crucified outside the walls of the city. See Heb. 13:12. 9So what do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? He will come and put to death those tenants and give his vineyard to others. # 12:9 The “others” is a hint of the gentiles who would receive the new covenant promises of God. See also John 15:1–2; Eph. 2:11–22. 10Haven’t you read what the psalmist said?
The stone the builders examined and rejected
has become the cornerstone,
the most important stone of all? # 12:10 See Ps. 118:22–23; Isa. 8:14–15; 28:16.
11This was the Lord’s plan—
and he # 12:11 Or “it.” is wonderful for our eyes to behold!” # 12:11 The Aramaic reads “This came from the presence of Lord Yahweh and is a marvel in our eyes.”
12Now, the chief priests, religious scholars, and leaders realized that Jesus’ parable was aimed at them. They had hoped to arrest him then and there, but they feared the reaction of the crowd, so they left him alone and went away.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
13Then they sent a delegation of Pharisees, together with some staunch supporters of Herod, to entrap Jesus with his own words. 14So they approached him and said, “Teacher, we know that you’re an honest man of integrity and you teach us the truth of God’s ways. We can clearly see that you’re not one who speaks only to win the people’s favor, because you speak the truth without regard to the consequences. # 12:14 Or “You don’t look into the faces of men” (before you speak the truth). So tell us, then, what you think. Is it proper for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
15Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, “Why are you testing me? Show me one of the Roman coins.” 16They brought him a silver coin used to pay the tax.
“Now, tell me,” Jesus said, “whose head is on this coin and whose inscription is stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied. # 12:16 Actual coins from that era have been found with the emperor’s image and a superscription saying, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus.”
17Jesus said, “Precisely. The coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar, so you should pay the emperor his portion. But because you bear the image of God, # 12:17 Implied in the text. The coin belongs to Caesar because it carries his image. We have an obligation to God because we carry his image. you must give to God all that belongs to him.” And they were utterly stunned by Jesus’ words.
A Question about Marriage
18Some of the Sadducees, a religious group that denied there was a resurrection of the dead, came to ask Jesus this question: 19“Teacher, the law of Moses teaches # 12:19 See Deut. 25:5–10. that if a man dies before he has children, his brother should marry the widow and raise up children for his brother’s family line. 20Now, there was a family with seven brothers. The oldest got married but soon died, and he had no children. 21The second brother married his oldest brother’s widow, and he also died without any children, and the third also. 22This repeated down to the seventh brother, none of whom had children. Finally, the woman died. 23So here’s our dilemma: Which of the seven brothers will be the woman’s husband when she’s resurrected from the dead, since they all were once married to her?”
24Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken # 12:24 Or “You wander off the path” (of truth). because your hearts are not filled with the revelation of the Scriptures or the power of God. 25For when they rise from the dead, men and women will not marry, just like the angels of heaven don’t marry. 26Now, concerning the resurrection, haven’t you read in the Torah # 12:26 Or “in the book of Moses.” what God said to Moses at the burning bush? ‘I AM the living God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? # 12:26 See Ex. 3:6. The implication Jesus is making is that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all alive (in glory) when God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. 27God is not God of the dead, but of the living, and you are all badly mistaken!” # 12:27 Or “you wander off the path” (of truth).
The Greatest Commandment
28Now a certain religious scholar overheard them debating. When he saw how beautifully Jesus answered all their questions, he posed one of his own, and asked him, “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest of all?”
29Jesus answered him, “The most important of all the commandments is this: ‘The Lord Yahweh, our God, is one!’ # 12:29 As translated from the Aramaic. 30You are to love the Lord Yahweh, your God, with a passionate heart, from the depths of your soul, with your every thought, and with all your strength. This is the great and supreme commandment. 31And the second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor # 12:31 The Aramaic is literally “your nearest,” which is a figure of speech for “your friend.” in the same way you love yourself.’ You will never find a greater commandment than these.”
32The religious scholar replied, “Yes, that’s true, Teacher. You spoke beautifully when you said that God is one, and there is no one else besides him. # 12:32 See Deut. 4:35. 33And there is something more important to God than all the sacrifices and burnt offerings: it’s the commandment to constantly love God with every passion of your heart, with your every thought, and with all your strength—and to love your neighbor in the same way as you love yourself.”
34When Jesus noticed how thoughtfully and sincerely the man answered, he said to him, “You’re not far from the reality of God’s kingdom.” # 12:34 Jesus tells the man that God’s kingdom is within reach. It is a present reality, not just a far-off concept. In Mark 11–12, the religious scholars (scribes) are mentioned a number of times. It was a religious scholar who questioned Jesus’ authority (11:27–28), and it was a religious scholar who questioned his interpretation of Scripture (12:28). Now, in the verses that follow, Jesus shows that they had taught a theology without knowing the reality of Christ, the Messiah. Every teaching needs to be weighed by the reality of Christ, not the traditions of men. After that, no one dared to question him again.
Jesus, Son of David—Lord of David
35While Jesus was teaching in the courts of the temple, he posed a question to those listening: “Why do the religious scholars say that the Messiah is David’s son? 36Yet it was David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, who sang:
Yahweh said to my Lord,
‘Sit near me in the place of authority
until I subdue all your enemies under Your feet.’ # 12:36 See Ps. 110:1, the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. Jesus is challenging them to consider that the Christ will be both God and man (David’s son and David’s Lord).
37Since David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
The large crowd listened to him with delight.
Jesus Warns Against the Religious Scholars
38Jesus also taught the people, “Beware of the religious scholars. # 12:38 The implied meaning of Jesus’ teaching is that we should choose carefully those we follow. The religious scholars are not rebuked for their plans to crucify Jesus, but for their flawed character. They love to parade around in their clergy robes and be greeted with respect on the street. # 12:38 Or “marketplaces.” 39They crave to be made the leaders of synagogue councils, # 12:39 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “the best seats [reserved for respected leaders] in the synagogues.” and they push their way to the head table at banquets. 40For appearance’s sake, they will pray long religious prayers at the homes of widows for an offering, cheating them out of their very livelihood. # 12:40 Translated from the Aramaic, which is literally “They eat of the household with the ladle of their tender prayers.” The implication is that the religious leaders would go and pray at the homes of widows, then intimidate them by asking for offerings. Beware of them all, for they will one day be stripped of honor, and the judgment they receive will be severe.”
The Widow’s Offering
41Then he sat down near the offering box, watching all the people dropping in their coins. Many of the rich would put in very large sums, 42but a destitute widow walked up and dropped in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. 43Jesus called his disciples to gather around and then said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given a larger offering than any of the wealthy. 44For the rich only gave out of their surplus, but she sacrificed out of her poverty and gave to God all that she had to live on, which was everything she had.”
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