Mark 12

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

1Then #Matt. 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–19He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, #2 Chr. 36:16beating some and killing some. 6Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8So they took him and #(Acts 2:23)killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not even read this Scripture:

#Ps. 118:22, 23‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

11This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12#Matt. 21:45, 46; Mark 11:18; John 7:25, 30, 44And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

13#Matt. 22:15–22; Luke 20:20–26Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the #Acts 18:26way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”

But He, knowing their #Matt. 23:28; Luke 12:1hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16So they brought it.

And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

17And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to #(Eccl. 5:4, 5)God the things that are God’s.”

And they marveled at Him.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

18#Matt. 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–38Then some Sadducees, #Acts 23:8who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19“Teacher, #Deut. 25:5Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”

24Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but #(1 Cor. 15:42, 49, 52)are like angels in heaven. 26But concerning the dead, that they #(John 5:25, 28, 29); Acts 26:8; Rom. 4:17; (Rev. 20:12, 13)rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, #Ex. 3:6, 15‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

28#Matt. 22:34–40; Luke 10:25–28; 20:39Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: #Deut. 6:4, 5; Is. 44:8; 45:22; 46:9; 1 Cor. 8:6‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall #(Deut. 10:12; 30:6); Luke 10:27love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31And the second, like it, is this: #Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than #(Rom. 13:9)these.”

32So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, #Deut. 4:39; Is. 45:6, 14; 46:9; (John 1:14, 17; 14:6)and there is no other but He. 33And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, #(1 Sam. 15:22; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6–8; Matt. 9:13; 12:7)is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

#Matt. 22:46But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

35#Matt. 22:41–46; Luke 20:41–44Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36For David himself said #2 Sam. 23:2by the Holy Spirit:

#Ps. 110:1‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

37Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his #(Acts 2:29–31)Son?”

And the common people heard Him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38Then #Mark 4:2He said to them in His teaching, #Matt. 23:1–7; Luke 20:45–47“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, #Matt. 23:7; Luke 11:43love greetings in the marketplaces, 39the #Luke 14:7best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40#Matt. 23:14who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Two Mites

41#Luke 21:1–4Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money #2 Kin. 12:9into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that #(2 Cor. 8:12)this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, #Deut. 24:6; (1 John 3:17)her whole livelihood.”

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Mark 12: NKJV

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