Chapter 12

Read Mark 12:1-12; The Parable of the Tenants

Jesus boldly tells a parable that has a parallel meaning to the way the Jewish people treated the prophets in the Old Testament. A man planted a vineyard (God called a people) and left it in the hands of some farmers (religious leaders). When the man sent servants (prophets) to the vineyard, the farmers beat some and killed some.

Then Jesus brings the parable to His current time and finishes the parable in verses 7-11…

⁷ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
¹¹ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes?”

The chief priests knew Jesus was talking about them but being afraid of the crowd left Him.

Read Mark 12:13-17, Paying tax to Ceasar

The Pharisees were always trying to discredit Jesus. This is one of my favorite stories about the interaction with Jesus and the Pharisees. His way of turning their trap back on themselves always amazes me. Verses 14-17 are one of my favorite stories…

¹⁴ They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know that You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because You pay no attention to who they are; but You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap Me?” He asked. “Bring Me a denarius and let Me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

“They were amazed”. I love that line. Again, I see Peter’s smile while telling Mark the story.

Read Mark 12:18-27; Marriage at the Resurrection

The Sadducees were a sect of Judaism that did not believe in the resurrection. They thought they could make Jesus look foolish with their bazar story of a woman that had married seven

brothers and they had all died. In verses 24-27 Jesus shows them their error in thinking…

²⁴ Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. ²⁶ Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Jesus corrects religious leaders with Scripture. I love that.

Read Mark 12:28-31; The Greatest Commandment

After hearing Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees, a teacher of the law liked Jesus’ answer and so asked Jesus which is the most important commandment. Jesus answered him in verses 29-31…

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

This teacher understood. He responded to Jesus in verses 32-33…

³² “Well said, Teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but Him. ³³ To love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

A teacher of the law that knew loving God and others was more important than their rituals. Jesus was delighted with his answer. Imagine the reaction of Peter and the others as they witnessed this exchange. They must have felt like finally a teacher that understands.

Read Mark 12:35-44; Jesus teaching

Jesus explains to the crowd that the Messiah was not the son of David because David himself called the Messiah Lord.

Then Jesus warned the crowd about the teachers of the law. He told them they like to be seen as important and to be greeted with respect, but all the while they devour widows’ houses. Then he told the crowd these men will be punished severely.

After that He called His disciples together to teach them about giving in verses 41-44…

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Giving is about the heart, not the amount given.