Mark 12

Keepers of the Vineyard

Mark 12:1 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.

Parables usually were for those who could not see spiritual truth; a story understood on two levels. Who was Jesus speaking too? The Chief priests, elders, Scribes and Pharisees, all who were responsible to God to bring his truth to a lost world. The center of their activity was the Temple in Jerusalem. This is where they were speaking from.

God planted a vineyard, a place of fruit in Jerusalem. He placed a hedge around it. There was a wall around Jerusalem, but most importantly there was a spiritual hedge of protection supplied by God. Listen America, the protective hedge protects God's people. The wall is to protect those who serve him. If you wish to remove God from your public life, he will remove the hedge of protection. All manner of evil may come in, illegal aliens and terrorists, storms and earthquakes, disease and pestilence. These come to a nation that has lost it's protective hedge from God.

There was a place for the grapes to be placed, the winefat, grapes for pressing. There was to be fruit in the temple, spiritual fruit and converts; people pressing in to receive of God's word of truth. The Jews were not open to other people coming into their faith. The courtyards of the Gentiles were places of moneychangers and thievery.

He built a tower, a temple, a place where the watchman looked out, a place to see danger and warn the people and a place to hear from God. Who will be the lookout? Who will guard the vineyard? Who will warn the people? Usually God would send a prophet to give his message if he has not heard from the stewards. The vineyard, the temple was given to certain keepers to care for it for the ruler, who was in a far country; God was in heaven.

Mark 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

The LORD's servant was his spokesman, a prophet, inquiring of the fruit harvest. He would speak to their hearts from the master and ask them to give an account of their labors; the fruit of the vineyard.

Mark 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

Instead of honoring him and showing hospitality, giving him the increase from the fruit, they treated him as an intruder. They caught him, beat him, and would not hear him sending him away without any gain from their harvest to show the Master.

Mark 12:4 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.
Mark 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

It appeared that instead of just stewards, that theives and murderers were in charge of the vineyard. They would not heed the prophets of God, but destroyed them.

Mat 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Mat 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Mat 23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Mat 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Mat 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

Next he would send his son, his very likeness. In whom he is well pleased, listen to him.

The Son is Sent

Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

Reverence: entrepo, to put self to shame, to regard, to respect.

The Father will send his only begotten son, surely they will be humbled in his presence and respect him?

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

They were thinking as natural evil men, if they could kill the son, then they will be in charge of all the vineyard, of all the religious things: gold, honor, power. But they did not see in the spiritual. The true riches are spiritual, the true heirs of God are those who honor and obey Jesus, the Son. What would these wicked religious men teach? They would make disciples after themselves, hunger for power, lusts and the worlds treasures. Though outwardly they would appear to keep the law.

Mark 12:8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

Jesus was taken outside of Jerusalem and killed.

John 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
John 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
John 19:18 Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Mark 12:9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

They rejected their savior. The temple would be completely destroyed by the Romans. Many of their men would be crucified and the kingdom of God would be open to the Gentiles through faith in Jesus, the promised one of Israel.

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
Mark 12:11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Another fulfillment of prophesy. Did God make them reject Jesus? No, but seeing all things he knew this would happen. We are responsible for our sins, even if God knows, he has given us the word and His Son to bring us to himself. The choice is ours to make. Satan can always find willing servants through lust for wealth, power and pleasure. When the Father speaks, we will serve the Lord.

Mark 12:12 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.

They knew this was about them, but still they sought their own will and that of the devil. Do we pay attention when Jesus speaks to us? Or do we go our own way?

Which law do we serve?

Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

They sent, the chief priests sent certain Pharisees, experts at the law and also liberal Herodians. Two opposites, the Pharisees supposedly teachers of God's law and the Herodians, the liberal politicians, sympathetic to Roman rule. Opposites joining together to attack Jesus with words, to try to cause him to break the law of God or the law of Rome. A two pronged attack.

Mark 12:14 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?

They begin by words of flattery, to gain a closer position of trust. Subtle they are, but what is their true intent? Jesus knew their hearts, he was not fooled by them.

Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

...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?

After the flattering praise, they come up with the question to trick him.

Mark 12:15 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.

Shall we give tribute to Caesar? If he said no, one would be offended. For one was of God's law, the other of Roman laws. If he said yes, the Jews hated the tribute money and would not like that answer. Bring a Roman coin to him.

Mark 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.
Mark 12:17 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.

They marveled and so do we at his wisdom. We owe to God, His things and to the government, their things. We obey laws, unless they are laws prohibiting the free worship of God. Even so, no man can stop the heart from worshipping God and doing good.

The greatest struggle of obeying God is in the mind.

Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Obey that which is good and lawful from your heart.

Heavenly marriage

Mark 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

The Sadducees were the unbelieving Jewish leaders of the counsel. They did not believe in the Spiritual world; angels, heaven or hell. These were the liberals of Israel's leaders, they did not believe in the resurrection They were sad - u - see.The Pharisees believed in the resurrection and an after life. Unbelieving Saducees, now come against Jesus, the Living Word, the way the truth and the life, to try to confuse him and to make him look foolish. They were the fools with foolish questions.

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;
Titus 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Mark 12:19 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.
Mark 12:20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
Mark 12:21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
Mark 12:22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
Mark 12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

This was a foolish question, from unbelief.

The Sadducees believed that when the body died, the soul died. The Bible not only tells us that the soul lives on when the body dies, but that the soul will be given a new body, a body fit for eternity - a resurrection body. (Guzik)

Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

They knew not God nor the scriptures. Heaven will not be just a continuation of life on earth at it's best. Muslim extremists see heaven as a place of lust with seventy - two virgins waiting for them. Jesus will show them truth on this matter.

Mark 12:25 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.

Angels in heaven are spiritual creatures, there is no lust and no marriage. There is one marriage, but not of two people. Jesus shall receive his bride, which is all of the believers called the church. It is a spiritual union with our Lord, he loves us as a close intimate relationship, blending soul and spirit. He will be the best provider, we will lack nothing, for all he has he will share with us.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

I AM

Mark 12:26 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?

The Saducees wanted to place Jesus where he could not answer their foolish question. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He reminds them of scripture. I love him doing that, for it proves without a doubt that the word written is the truth. This was the account of Moses hearing from God in the burning bush. Was God in the bush?

Exo 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

An angel was in the bush, but, and this is important: Angels only hear from God and are his messengers. (Do not pray to an angel of God, they only hear and obey God.) So it was God speaking in the bush through an angel messenger.

The message: I Am, the name of God, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were living souls.

Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

One final word. If the angels speak for God, why not men who hear from the Holy Spirit? The prophets, Moses and Holy men of God, also heard from God and wrote his message in the Bible. The Bible is God breathed, the inspired word of God. It is the living word from our Living God and our Living savior.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

The I am again. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus is God the Son. I believe.

One more question needed

Mark 12:28 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?

Now it is a scribe who questions Jesus, following the Saducees. There was a scribe, one who was not necessarily with the others who plotted to have Jesus look as an infidel, so that they might kill him. This scribe knew the scriptures and was asking an important question. It is not wrong to ask questions and to search the scriptures regarding a teacher or the words of a prophet, we are told to compare these to the word of God.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Acts 17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

2 Tim 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Tim 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mark 12:30 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.
Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:32 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:

One God who has sent the Son and the Holy Spirit of God for our salvation and our restitution to himself. This is hard for many Jews to see. Salvation is not by law keeping alone, but by grace through faith in God and his Son, His power and His truth from God's Spirit of truth to make us new spirit creations.

Mark 12:33 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.
Mark 12:34 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.

He was not far from the kingdom of God. The entrance was by faith in Jesus Christ. And no man durst ask him any question. Their hearts were intent on killing him. One more question was needed. Are you the savior sent from God? Yes, the answer is yes. But, the power of darkness kept them silent and outside of the kingdom. Come out of the dark, away from the crowd who seek to destroy Jesus and receive eternal life. It is your decision.

Hear Jesus and beware

Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?

Jesus answered the silence of those who had questioned him. Hear him now.

Mark 12:36 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.

A prophetic word by David, through the Holy Spirit. The Bible is a book of God's truth.

Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

The common people were not filled with wrong ideas, they wanted to hear the truth. The truth is that the savior would come from God and of the seed of David. He would be greater than king David, because he Is God's Son.

Mark 12:38 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,
Mark 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
Mark 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

He had the peoples attention, beware of the leaders who say one thing and their hearts and fruit show they are not of God's Spirit. They are the religious rulers, so look at their fruit and see if they are of God. Jesus said that they will be judged a greater judgment. Why? Because they were to guide the people in God's truth.

We are not to blindly follow this type of leaders. Know your Bible and be filled with God's spirit of truth. The Pharisees also were to be watched.

Mat 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Follow Jesus and the word by the Holy Spirit and you will not fall from truth.

Giving

Mark 12:41 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.

Rich people cast in much, but if asked to give all, would they? This was the trouble with riches, they take trust from God and money becomes an idol. Yet in many churches today people come to watch preachers with wealthy garments who speak of material prosperity. The message of wealth now, is a favorite topic. Greedy men seek wealth and devour widows' houses, as Jesus spoke of the Scribes, earlier.

Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

A mite is about one-eighth of a cent. She wouldn't be going to that new restaurant after the meeting; not unless she was invited by a wealthy one.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Mark 12:43 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:
Mark 12:44 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.

She gave all she had. God sees that as a greater gift. She gave sacrificially. God sees the giving. Jesus sat where he could watch the treasury. He also watches how it us spent. When worship comes he joins in with us if we sing with all our heart. Give all joyfully unto the Lord.

Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

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