Bible Commentaries
Mark 12

Verses 1-12

Mar 12:1-12

Commentary On Mark 12:1-12

J.W. McGarvey

Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, Mark 12:1-12. (Matthew 21:33-46; Luke 20:9-19)

1. planted a vineyard.—On the description of the vineyard, see the note, Matthew 21:33.

2, 4, 5. a servant.—Here again we find Mark, according to his characteristic method, fixing attention on a single individual when a plurality were actually engaged in the transaction. (See Matthew 21:34; Matthew 21:36, and comp. note on Mark 11:2.) Luke, like Mark, uses the singular number in this place. (Luke 20:10.)

4, 5. another servant.—The increase of severity toward the servants, the first being merely beaten, the. second being wounded in the head with stories, and the third being killed, gives the force of a climax to the description, but points to no historical feature in the significance of the parable. The servants sent to the husbandmen represent the prophets who had been sent to the Jews (note on Matthew 21:43), but there was no regular gradation in the persecutions which they encountered.

7. the inheritance shall be ours.—The vine-dressers are here represented as hoping to become owners of the vineyard by slaying the heir. If the heir were slain, and the death of the present owner should leave them in possession, they might hope to hold the vineyard as their own. There is nothing corresponding to this purpose in the dealing of the Jews with Jesus, consequently it has no significance in the interpretation of the parable.

9. he will come and destroy.—Mark represents Jesus as answering his own question, "What shall the Lord of the vineyard do?" But Matthew (Matthew 21:41) represents the chief priests and scribes as giving the answer. Doubtless the latter is the more exact representation, and Mark reports it as the answer of Jesus, because it was the answer that he wanted, and because, when it was given, he approved it.

10, 11. The Stone.—On the meaning and the application of this remark, see the note, Matthew 21:42.

12. for they knew.—The parties referred to are the chief priests and scribes who had introduced this conversation by asking him for his authority (Mark 11:27). They now "sought to lay hands on him"—an advance on the feeling of the previous day, when they "sought now they might destroy him" (Mark 11:18); but the Fear of the people was still, as then, in their way.

they left him.—Being afraid to lay hold of him, and being too much exasperated to continue the conversation with him, they went away and devised the plot mentioned in the next paragraph.

Verses 13-17

Mar 12:13-17

Commentary On Mark 12:13-17

J.W. McGarvey

Question about Tribute to Cæsar, Mark 12:13-17. (Matthew 22:15-22; Luke 20:20-26)

This paragraph contains nothing in addition to Matthew’s report of the same conversation; the reader is therefore referred for comments to the parallel in Matthew.

Verses 18-27

Mar 12:18-27

Commentary On Mark 12:18-27

J.W. McGarvey

Question about the Resurrection, Mark 12:18-27. (Matthew 22:23-33; Luke 20:27-40)

For the discussion of this paragraph also, see the parallel in Matthew.

Verses 28-34

Mar 12:28-34

Commentary On Mark 12:28-34

J.W. McGarvey

The Great Commandment, Mark 12:28-34. (Matthew 22:34-40)

28. one of the scribes.—A characteristic difference between Matthew and Mark is apparent at this point. Matthew says, "When the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together," and he represents "one of them who was a lawyer," as putting the question about the great commandment. Mark, pursuing his usual method of selecting an individual from a group of actors, says nothing of the Pharisees, but simply says "one of the scribes came" and put the question. (Comp. note, Mark 11:2, and references there given.) The defeat of the Sadducees by Jesus, had put the Pharisees in a sufficiently good humor to make them feel like renewing the conversation which they had abruptly terminated a short time previous. (Mark 12:12.)

first commandment.—Not the first numerically, for this was well known; but the first in point of importance.

29. The first.—In quoting the answer of Jesus, Mark reverses the order of the first two sentences as they are given by Matthew. The latter gives the commandment, "Thou shalt love," etc., and then the remark. "This is the first and great commandment; "while Mark makes the latter thought introductory to the former. This is an example of free quotation, in which, for the sake of brevity, there is a change in the order of the sentences without the slightest change in the meaning.

30, 31. Thou shalt love.—On the two commandments, see the notes, Matthew 22:36-40.

32, 33. the scribe said to him.—The scribe had propounded his question for the purpose of tempting Jesus (Matthew 22:35); that is, of testing his knowledge of the law. But the answer which he received was so luminous and so self-evidently true, that he at once exclaimed, "Master, thou hast said the truth." He had the good sense, too, to enlarge on the answer in a very happy and forcible style. Never was a would-be captivator more unexpectedly captured.

34. not Far from the kingdom.—The man’s response arrested the attention of Jesus. It showed a readiness in perceiving the truth, and a promptness in accepting it, which were surprising in one of his class, and the more so from the fact that he had been put forward for the purpose of testing the Master with hard questions. With a penetrating but approving look, Jesus said to him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." The obvious meaning of this remark is, that the man was in a condition to very readily receive the kingdom. It was perhaps also true that he was not far from the kingdom in point of time. It would be strange if such a man did not immediately enter the kingdom when it was preached by the apostles on and after Pentecost.

durst ask him any question.—They dared not ask any more, because they were not willing to be defeated as some of the questioners had been, nor compelled to give assent to his answer as the last one had been, and they could hope for nothing better. Matthew introduces the remark that no one dared to ask him any more questions, at the close of the next paragraph, but Mark more appropriately introduces it here, because this was the last question which they propounded to him, and the next paragraph discusses one which he propounded to them.

Verses 35-37

Mar 12:35-37

Commentary On Mark 12:35-37

J.W. McGarvey

The Lordship of the Christ, Mark 12:35-37. (Matthew 22:41-46; Luke 20:41-44)

35, 36.—Mark omits the part which the Pharisees played in this conversation, and gives but a synopsis of the argument made by Jesus. For remarks, see the notes on the parallel in Matthew.

37. the common people heard him gladly.—This remark has reference, not merely to the paragraph with which it is connected, but to the entire discussion which had occupied the day. But what was true of the common people assembled then in Jerusalem, was equally true of those among whom he had taught in Galilee and Perea. It was only the elders, the chief priests, the lawyers, and the scribes, who did not hear him gladly. To these he appeared in the light of a rival and an enemy, and he appeared thus only because he persisted in exposing their errors and in pressing on the attention of the people truths which they rejected. That the common people hear a man gladly in our own age can not be taken as a proof in itself that his teaching is like that of Jesus, yet he who is most like Jesus will still be most gladly heard by the common people. He who in any great degree fails of this must have some most serious defect as a preacher of the gospel of Christ.

Verses 38-40

Mar 12:38-40

Commentary On Mark 12:38-40

J.W. McGarvey

Ostentation and Avarice of the Scribes, Mark 12:38-40. (Matthew 23; Luke 20:45-47)

38. Beware of the scribes.—In this paragraph Mark quotes but two sentences from a speech which fills the entire twenty-third chapter of Matthew. Luke treats the subject in the same way, making the same quotation almost verbatim. (See the parallels. For remarks on the thoughts of Mark 12:38-39, see the notes, Matthew 23:5-12.)

40. devour widows’ houses.—This is a hyperbole to represent the extreme avarice of the scribes. The greed with which they defrauded widows is represented by the strong figure of eating up the houses in which they lived.

for a pretense.—To keep up an appearance of piety which did not exist. As the prayers were made for this purpose, and made long in order to more effectually accomplish the purpose, they only added to the wickedness which they were designed to conceal. The damnation was greater because the wickedness was greater. So it must ever be with men who use the cloak of religion to serve the devil in.

Verses 41-44

Mar 12:41-44

Commentary On Mark 12:41-44

J.W. McGarvey

The Widow’s Mite, Mark 12:41-44. (Luke 21:1-4.)

41. over against the treasury.—The treasury was the chest or other receptacle into which the people cast the contributions which the law of Moses required all of them to bring when they came up to the annual festivals. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17.) Jesus was sitting opposite to this receptacle, and purposely "beholding how the people cast money into the treasury," in order that he might give a lesson on the subject.

42. two mites.—Our translators use the word "mite" for want of any term in English corresponding to the original (λεπτον), which is the Greek name of a coin equal to about two mills of American money. The two mites, or lepta, which the woman contributed, were equal to four mills, or a little less than half a cent. To the expression "two lepta," Mark appends for the benefit of his Roman readers the clause, "which make a kodrantes" (inaccurately translated farthing); the latter being a Roman coin, and the Greek lepton being unfamiliar where the Roman coins alone were in circulation.

43, 44. hath cast more in.— More in proportion to her ability. There are two ways in which to estimate the value of contributions; first, with reference to the benevolent object on which the money is to be expended; and second, with reference to the spiritual good resulting to the contributor. Estimated according to the former standard, the larger gifts of the rich were the more valuable, because they would accomplish more in feeding the poor and in providing for the expenses of the temple. Hut from the latter point of view, the gift of the widow was greater than all, because she actually gave more in proportion to her ability, and secured to herself a greater blessing at the hand of God. She did voluntarily what Jesus had vainly commanded the rich young ruler to do; though poor herself, she gave her all to feed the poor. She did this, too, when she had only her widow’s hands with which to earn more; but he had refused though he had the strength and ingenuity of young manhood to guard him against future want.

Argument of Section 2

In this section the historian has presented only one miracle, that of withering the barren fig-tree. The section is chiefly taken up with conversations and speeches, in which some of the peculiar teachings of Jesus are set forth, and in which his superhuman wisdom is conspicuously exhibited. In the conversations about his own authority, the tribute to Cæsar, the resurrection of the dead, the great commandment, and the Lordship of the Christ, he not only silenced his enemies, so that no man dared to ask him any more questions, but he displayed a wisdom which has never ceased to command the admiration of wise and good men. All men, in the presence of his utterances on these subjects, feel themselves in contact with a mind which towers above their own as the heavens are above the earth. They contain a subtile but irresistible proof, that he who spoke them was filled with a wisdom which came down front heaven; and such must be the ever deepening conviction of all who dwell on them thoughtfully.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For Mark Chapter Twelve

1. By what method did he begin to speak ?

2. State the first subject.

3. What did the owner prepare for it?

4. To whom did he let it out?

5. Where did he then go?

6. Whom did he send ?

7. At what time?

8. Tell how he was treated ?

9. Whom did he send next?

10. With what result?

11. Was this attempt repeated?

12. What change did the owner decide upon?

13. Was this more successful?

14. State the question Jesus asked them.

15. Did they answer it correctly?

16. Who is the. owner of this vineyard?

17. And who were the servants sent?

18. Also the son ?

19. Who are the husbandmen ?

20. What scripture docs Jesus cite ?

21. Whose doing is all this?

22. Why did they not lay hold on Jesus?

23. And why did they wish to ?

24. Whom did they send to capture him ?

25. With what flattery did they approach him?

26. Tell what they then asked him?

27. Who was Caesar?

28. What did Jesus perceive in their answer?

29. Of what did he accuse them?

30. What was brought to him ?

31. What ownership did they acknowledge?

32. Give the statement of Jesus.

33. What is meant by the “things that are God’

34. How were they affected by his remark ?

35. What do the Sadducees deny?

36. To what writing did they refer?

37. Did they correctly quote him?

38. What question did they ask?

39. Of what did Jesus accuse them?

40. State the reason for their error.

41. How will we be like angels?

42. Of whom is God the God?

43. Where was this said?

44. Is Abraham alive?

45. What part of man dies?

46. Who next came with a question ?

47. Why are the scribes so called ?

48. State his question.

49. Give the one Jesus first named.

50. And the second.

51. How many were on the stones?

52. How many do above two include ?

53. What did the scribe reply to Jesus?

54. State the comment of Jesus on this reply.

55. How did all this affect the questioners?

56. What question did he ask them?

57. What is your answer to this?

58. Who are said to have heard him gladly ?

59. Of whom did he bid them beware ?

60. What do they affect to wear?

61. How do they desire to be noticed ?

62. Whom do they oppress?

63. By what did they try to hide their guilt ?

64. What will they receive?

65. To what was Jesus’ attention called ?

66. What did the rich contribute literally?

67. What did the widow cast in literally?

68. State the conclusion of Jesus.

69. On what basis was this conclusion ?

70. Does such basis still exist?

Mark Chapter Twelve

By Ralph L. Starling

Now Jesus speaks again in parables

That His words would be more understandable.

First, the parable about a vineyard.

The owner leased it out to go on a journey.

While he was gone, everything went wrong.

A list of crimes made a list quite long.

The owner sent 3 servants to check on them.

After they were mistreated, he sent his son.

When it was known that the heir was to come,

They killed Him and cast Him out like a stone.

When His accusers realized he was talking about them,

They were all the more determined to kill Him.

The Pharisees and Scribes and the Herodians,

Posed some questions hoping to trap Him.

They asked about marriage, and paying taxes.

Another question was, “Who is the greatest?”

Marks says, “the people heard Him gladly.”

Jesus warns them about the Scribes, emphatically.

Later, they watched them taking up collections.

A widow gave 2 mites and Jesus said, “more than all collectively.”