Mar 12:1-12 | Clarke | STEP | The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen, . The Pharisees and Herodians question him about paying tribute to Caesar, . The Sadducees question him about the resurrection, . A scribe questions him concerning the chief commandment of the law, . Christ asks the scribes why the Messiah is called David's son, . He warns his disciples against the scribes, . Of the widow that cast two mites into the treasury, . Verse 1 A certain man planted a vineyard

Mark 12:1-12

Introduction

The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen, Mar 12:1-12. The Pharisees and Herodians question him about paying tribute to Caesar, Mar 12:13-17. The Sadducees question him about the resurrection, Mar 12:18-27. A scribe questions him concerning the chief commandment of the law, Mar 12:28-34. Christ asks the scribes why the Messiah is called David's son, Mar 12:35-37. He warns his disciples against the scribes, Mar 12:38-40. Of the widow that cast two mites into the treasury, Mar 12:41-44.

Verse 1

A certain man planted a vineyard - See this parable explained, Mat 21:33-41 (note). Verse 4

At him they cast stones and wounded him in the head - Or rather, as most learned men agree, they made short work of it, εκεφαλαιωσαν. We have followed the Vulgate, illum in capite vulneraverunt, in translating the original, wounded him in the head, in which signification, I believe, the word is found in no Greek writer. Ανακεφαλαιοομαι signifies to sum up, to comprise, and is used in this sense by St. Paul, Rom 13:9. From the parable we learn that these people were determined to hear no reason, to do no justice, and to keep the possession and the produce by violence; therefore they fulfilled their purpose in the fullest and speediest manner, which seems to be what the evangelist intended to express by the word in question. Mr. Wakefield translates, They speedily sent him away; others think the meaning is, They shaved their heads and made them look ridiculously; this is much to the same purpose, but I prefer, They made short work of it. Dr. Lightfoot, De Dieu, and others, agree in the sense given above; and this will appear the more probable, if the word λιθοβολησαντες, they cast stones, be omitted, as it is by BDL, the Coptic, Vulgate, and all the Itala. Verse 7

This is the heir - So they appear to have acknowledged in their consciences that this was the Messiah, the heir of all things.

The inheritance shall be ours - By slaying him we shall maintain our authority, and keep possession of our revenues. Verse 9

And will give the vineyard unto others - The vineyard must not perish with the husbandmen; it is still capable of producing much fruit, if it be properly cultivated. I will give it into the care of new vine-dressers, the evangelists and apostles. - And under their ministry, multitudes were brought to God before the destruction of Jerusalem.