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Mark 12

And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

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

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

What does Mark 12:3 mean?

Explanation

Mark 12:3 recounts an event in a parable Jesus tells about a vineyard owner and his tenants. In this particular verse, the owner sends a servant to collect fruit from the tenants as a form of rent.

However, instead of receiving the owner's representative respectfully and paying their dues, the tenants choose to mistreat and reject him, beating him and sending him away empty-handed.

This action symbolizes the mistreatment and rejection of God's messengers by the people of Israel throughout biblical history.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, which is found in the New Testament in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 12.

Jesus shares this parable with the religious leaders and people of Israel during the final week of his life, commonly known as the "Passion Week." At this time, Jerusalem is under Roman occupation, and there are heightened expectations of a prophesied Messiah who would deliver the Jews from foreign rule.

The parable, in a broader sense, acts as a historical recount of the numerous prophets sent by God to Israel, who often faced rejection, persecution, and even death.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse reflects numerous themes:

God's patient persistence in sending messengers despite continued rejection.
The human tendency to rebel against divine authority as well as mistreat those who come in its name.
The prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus' own rejection and crucifixion.
Judgment upon those who reject God's message and mistreat His messengers.

Different Christian traditions draw various insights from the parable.

Some emphasize the sovereignty of God and divine foreknowledge; others focus on human free will and accountability.

The common thread is seeing the mistreatment of the servant as emblematic of Israel's history of prophet rejection leading up to Jesus Christ, whom Christians consider the ultimate and final messenger of God.

Practical Applications

The teachings of Mark 12:3 can be applied in daily life as follows:

Emphasizing the importance of respecting and heeding those who bring wise counsel or spiritual guidance.
Cultivating humility and openness to correction, recognizing that message bearers are often met with resistance.
Reflecting on one's own behavior towards authority figures and spokespeople for justice or truth.
Contemplating God's patience and mercy, and one's own behavior in light of these divine attributes.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:35 - "And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another."
Hebrews 11:36-37 - "And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;"
Jeremiah 7:25-26 - "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words include:

"caught" (ἐκράτησαν - ekratēsan): to seize or grasp with force.
"beat" (ἔδειραν - edeiran): to flay, thrash or whip, implying severe physical punishment.
"empty" (κενόν - kenon): barren or without anything, indicating that the servant was denied the fruits he was sent to collect.

Understanding the nuances of these words enriches the level of hostility and rejection experienced by the servant.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Religious texts and myths from other cultures also have stories of messengers or prophets being rejected.

In Greek mythology, Cassandra was granted the ability to prophesy but cursed to never be believed.

In some strands of Hinduism, there are tales of sages who were mistreated by those to whom they brought wisdom.

The consistent theme is that truth-bearers often face adversity from those who are challenged or exposed by their messages.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives may not directly relate to this figurative verse.

However, psychology and sociology offer insights into group dynamics and authority resistance that can further illuminate why messengers might be rejected or mistreated.

Studies show that individuals or groups in power may react adversely to critiques or challenges to maintain their status quo, which is reflected in this parable's depiction of the tenant farmers.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations and applications of Mark 12:3:

William Barclay notes the historical pattern of prophet rejection and the implication of divine judgment.
John Calvin comments on the justice of God in holding people accountable for their treatment of His messengers.
Theologian N.T.

Wright emphasizes the parable as a stark warning to the leaders of Israel at that time, signaling the change in the way God's work would be done in the world with the coming of Jesus.

Each commentary enriches the understanding of the text, helping to form a holistic interpretation of its meaning and implications.

Mark 12

Mark 12

What does Mark 12:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 12:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?