Bible Commentaries
Mark 12

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

1 In a parable of the vineyard let out to unthankful husbandmen, Christ foretelleth the reprobation of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles.

13 He avoideth the snare of the Pharisees and Herodians, about paying tribute to Cesar:

18 convinceth the error of the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection:

28 resolveth the scribe, who questioned of the first commandment:

35 refuteth the opinion that the scribes held of Christ:

38 bidding the people to beware of their ambition and hypocrisy:

41 and commendeth the poor widow for her two mites, above all.

Verses 1-12

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

A certain man, &c. — See notes on Matthew 21:33-46.

Verses 13-17

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. — See the notes on Matthew 22:16-22.

Verse 18

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, &c. — See notes on Matthew 22:23-33.

Verse 28

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

One of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together. — The only difference between. St. Mark and St. Matthew here is, that the latter quotes the passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, short; the former, no doubt as our Lord spoke it, in full, “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love,” &c. St. Matthew wrote in the first place for the Jews, to whom this partial mode of quoting would suggest the whole passage which was put into their phylacteries, and repeated twice a day. See notes on Matthew 22:36, &c.

Verse 30

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Thou shalt love the Lord, &c. — St. Mark adds to “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” as the words stand in Matthew, with all thy strength, conformably to Deuteronomy 6:5, and 2 Kings 23:25. To love God with all our might or strength, is to have all our faculties raised to their best pitch, and employed in their utmost vigour in his service.

Verses 32-34

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Well, Master, &c. — St. Mark adds this reply of the scribe, who respectfully salutes him as rabbi, and acknowledges that the love of God and our neighbour is more, more acceptable to God, than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. In this our Lord acknowledges that the scribe answered discreetly, νουνεχως , judiciously, with proper knowledge of the subject, and pronounced that he was not far from the kingdom of God; that is, that his principles well corresponded with those of Christ’s doctrine, and that holding them he was in a state of preparation to embrace it.

Verse 35

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

How say the scribes, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 22:41-45.

Verse 36

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

By the Holy Ghost. — The articles here are cancelled by Griesbach, Tittman, and others, on the authority of many of the best MSS. But should the textual emendation be allowed, the sense is the same; for not to urge that πνευμα , and πνευμα αγιον , in the undoubted sense of the Holy Spirit, are often found in the New Testament, no meaning can be attached to the passage if the term be taken in any other sense. For what possible sense can be attached to David’s calling the Messiah Lord in Spirit, unless this be meant of the Holy Spirit?

Verse 37

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And the common people heard him gladly. — They heard him with delight, both silence the learned objectors who came to dispute with him, whether Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, or scribes; and propose questions to them, as in the preceding verse, which they could not answer. For as these things indicated the superiority of his wisdom, so they gave weight and authority to those salutary and heart-felt truths which men of simple minds delighted to hear from him, and which stood in so direct a contrast to the vain and heartless doctrines which they had been accustomed to hear from the scribes.

Verse 38

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Beware of the scribes, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 23:5-7.

Long clothing. — Sweeping and stately robes, στολαι .

Verse 40

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Widows’ houses. — See notes on Matthew 22:14.

Verse 41

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Over against the treasury. — In the second court of the temple there were thirteen chests placed to receive offerings for sacred uses, and an inscription upon each, denoting to what the offerings contained in it were to be applied. The name treasury, γαζοφυλακιον , was applied to that part of the court where the chests were placed. Every one was to cast into the treasury whatever he would, much or little, provided it was not less than two prutahs, the smallest Hebrew coin, and rendered by us mites.

How the people cast money. — The word is χαλκος , properly brass money, but sometimes used as a term for money in general. These offerings were principally made at the three great feasts; and on this occasion it is added, many that were rich cast in much.

Verse 42

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Two mites. — The mite, λεπτον , was the Hebrew prutah, two of which was the lowest offering permitted to be made: the value was about three halfpence of our money; but according to some calculations of the value of ancient coin, the mite was not equal in value to our farthing, so that the two would not be a halfpenny.

Verse 43

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Hath cast more in, &c. — The reason is given in the next verse: the others had cast in of their abundance; it was a part only of a considerable superfluity which they offered to God; but she of her want, υστερησεως , her poverty, did cast in all she had, even all her living; that is, all she had to support her life for the day. Proportionably, therefore, her gifts were greater than those of others; but greater also because, as springing from a more unequivocal principle of pious regard to the worship of God, indicating greater love, as being willing to sacrifice even the necessaries of the day to glorify God in his sanctuary, and greater faith in Providence to supply her wants, and not suffer her to perish.