Mar 12:6-7 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter the Lord shows all classes of Jews the condition they are in. All groups who wish to judge Him are themselves judged by Him. The Lord again uses the form of a parable to teach. It is part of the temple teaching with which He began in Mark 11:27. Through this parable He wants to teach the people what their spiritual state is, how they are spiritually. This parable is comprehended by His adversary, but not acknowledged ( ). In the parable He shows that God, from His side, has done everything to enable His people to give Him what belongs to Him. The vineyard represents Israel ( ). In order to receive the full fruit of it, that is, the joy for His heart, He had made all kinds of provisions. It is not only about obedience, but also about fellowship, a common joy ( ). He had separated them from the rest of the sinful people by giving them the law as a wall ( ). He also made all suitable preparations for the full results of their labor. He dug a vat under the wine press in which we can see a picture of the temple as the place where they could come with their fruits. He protected them completely. Therefore He gave them a king who had a function as a watchtower. After all these preparations He left. During His absence they were responsible for the vineyard. After all His preparatory work, God sent His slaves who pointed out to the people what God expected of them. Their service was aimed at ensuring that the people would respond to God’s expectations, that is, that His people would bring Him the fruit of the land. But when God reminded the people in its history of what was due to them, their evil state came to light. They did not want to serve God, and abused those who came to them in the Name of God, without giving them what they asked for in the Name of God. In His great grace God did not send His judgment on the people because they had abused His slave, but He sent a new messenger. But the people mistreated him even more severely. The evil state of their hearts manifested itself even more clearly. They not only mistreated the slave, but also treated him shamefully. If a man does not repent, he will sin more and more. His sinful deeds become more and more evil as he resists the gospel. And yet God sent not His judgment, but yet another slave. He was even killed by them. Yet God continued in His grace to send His slaves, some of whom they mistreated and some of whom they killed. The condition of their evil hearts has become perfectly clear. Though the incorrigible state of their evil hearts has become clear, God wants to take one last test. For that final trial, He sends none other than His Son. He is the only, the unique and the beloved Son. He says that they will spare Him. Sending His Son is not an act against His better judgment. As the eternal God, He knew what they would do to His Son, just as He knew of the slaves He sent. We see here, however, that God expects a response that responds to His manifestation of grace. Therefore, His expectation is perfectly justified. If they will do to His Son what they did to the slaves, no improvement is to be expected. Then He will have to break with these people. His Son will be the last great Witness to His expectations. What was not expected happens anyway with wicked deliberation. When the Son comes, they recognize in Him the Heir. Instead of showing respect for Him, they discuss that by killing Him, they themselves will become owners of the inheritance. Now their deepest depravity comes to light. It is man’s selfishness that rejects God in His rights to take possession of everything that belongs to Him. When the Son comes, they take Him, kill Him, and cast Him out. What a terrible act! It is remarkable that it first says that they kill Him and then throw Him out. In the other Gospels it is said the other way around. In this Gospel, where He takes the humble place of Servant, His service is so despised that the leaders of the people see His corpse, as it were, as dung thrown into the field, as it once happened with the corpse of Jezebel ( ). He is treated like a Jezebel! He is murdered and except for a few faithful, the people no longer look to Him. There are no words to describe the gruesomeness of it. Contempt for a dead person is the worst contempt a Jew can show. As far as the responsibility of the people is concerned, a decent burial is out of the question. Thus, the Son of Man is considered nothing. This is what man comes to in his hardening toward all God’s proofs of grace. With this it has been proved that everything that God has given to man for good, culminating in His own Son, has been depraved and rejected by man. Nothing good can be expected of him anymore. Any hope of restoration is over.

‏ Mark 12:6-7

Introduction

In this chapter the Lord shows all classes of Jews the condition they are in. All groups who wish to judge Him are themselves judged by Him.

The Unjust Vine-Growers

The Lord again uses the form of a parable to teach. It is part of the temple teaching with which He began in Mark 11:27. Through this parable He wants to teach the people what their spiritual state is, how they are spiritually. This parable is comprehended by His adversary, but not acknowledged (Mk 12:12).

In the parable He shows that God, from His side, has done everything to enable His people to give Him what belongs to Him. The vineyard represents Israel (Isa 5:1-2). In order to receive the full fruit of it, that is, the joy for His heart, He had made all kinds of provisions. It is not only about obedience, but also about fellowship, a common joy (1Jn 1:4).

He had separated them from the rest of the sinful people by giving them the law as a wall (Eph 2:14-15). He also made all suitable preparations for the full results of their labor. He dug a vat under the wine press in which we can see a picture of the temple as the place where they could come with their fruits. He protected them completely. Therefore He gave them a king who had a function as a watchtower. After all these preparations He left. During His absence they were responsible for the vineyard.

After all His preparatory work, God sent His slaves who pointed out to the people what God expected of them. Their service was aimed at ensuring that the people would respond to God’s expectations, that is, that His people would bring Him the fruit of the land. But when God reminded the people in its history of what was due to them, their evil state came to light. They did not want to serve God, and abused those who came to them in the Name of God, without giving them what they asked for in the Name of God.

In His great grace God did not send His judgment on the people because they had abused His slave, but He sent a new messenger. But the people mistreated him even more severely. The evil state of their hearts manifested itself even more clearly. They not only mistreated the slave, but also treated him shamefully. If a man does not repent, he will sin more and more. His sinful deeds become more and more evil as he resists the gospel.

And yet God sent not His judgment, but yet another slave. He was even killed by them. Yet God continued in His grace to send His slaves, some of whom they mistreated and some of whom they killed. The condition of their evil hearts has become perfectly clear.

Though the incorrigible state of their evil hearts has become clear, God wants to take one last test. For that final trial, He sends none other than His Son. He is the only, the unique and the beloved Son. He says that they will spare Him. Sending His Son is not an act against His better judgment. As the eternal God, He knew what they would do to His Son, just as He knew of the slaves He sent. We see here, however, that God expects a response that responds to His manifestation of grace. Therefore, His expectation is perfectly justified. If they will do to His Son what they did to the slaves, no improvement is to be expected. Then He will have to break with these people. His Son will be the last great Witness to His expectations.

What was not expected happens anyway with wicked deliberation. When the Son comes, they recognize in Him the Heir. Instead of showing respect for Him, they discuss that by killing Him, they themselves will become owners of the inheritance. Now their deepest depravity comes to light. It is man’s selfishness that rejects God in His rights to take possession of everything that belongs to Him.

When the Son comes, they take Him, kill Him, and cast Him out. What a terrible act! It is remarkable that it first says that they kill Him and then throw Him out. In the other Gospels it is said the other way around. In this Gospel, where He takes the humble place of Servant, His service is so despised that the leaders of the people see His corpse, as it were, as dung thrown into the field, as it once happened with the corpse of Jezebel (2Kgs 9:37). He is treated like a Jezebel!

He is murdered and except for a few faithful, the people no longer look to Him. There are no words to describe the gruesomeness of it. Contempt for a dead person is the worst contempt a Jew can show. As far as the responsibility of the people is concerned, a decent burial is out of the question. Thus, the Son of Man is considered nothing.

This is what man comes to in his hardening toward all God’s proofs of grace. With this it has been proved that everything that God has given to man for good, culminating in His own Son, has been depraved and rejected by man. Nothing good can be expected of him anymore. Any hope of restoration is over.