Thirdmill Study Bible

Notes on Mark 11:31-12:12

A threat to the chief priest - Mark 11:31-32

The fact that the people regarded John as a true prophet from God was a great threat to the chief priest and the rest of the Jerusalem aristocracy. In 1 Macc. 14:35-49 when Israel had driven the foreign forces out of Jerusalem Simon, and his sons after him, was designated high priest, governor, and leader of Israel "until a trustworthy priest arises" (v.41). If they admitted that John had been from God, they would have needed to give up all of their authority and power. They were unable to answer without either angering the people or admitting their guilt for rejecting God's messenger. So they claimed that they didn't know.

Jesus refused to explain - Mark 11:33

Jesus refused to explain his authority in the face of such hard-hearted disbelief.

Jesus began to speak in parables - Mark 12:1

But Jesus was not finished talking to them. He turned and went on the offensive. His parable was a condemning attack on their hypocrisy and pretended interest in the source of his authority. Jesus let them know that he understood that they were plotting his death. The parable was built on the long Old Testament tradition of describing Israel as God's vineyard (Ps. 80:8-16; Isa. 5:1-5; Jer. 2:21; Jer. 19:10-14). The vine growers were the leaders of Judaism.

Servant - Mark 12:2-4

The was the prophet of the Old Testament. One after another they had been mistreated by Israel. Perhaps the last servant was intended to call to mind John the Baptist who was in a real sense the last of the Old Testament prophets.

Beloved - Mark 12:6-8

The son was Jesus. The word beloved occurs only two other times in the Gospel of Mark and both times it referred to Jesus (1:11; 9:7). The use of the word heir implies that the vine growers thought the owner had died. In typical Palestinian fashion the heir then would have come to establish his own claim of ownership of the vineyard. Jesus was accusing the Jewish leaders of trying to rip Israel away from the control of God and make it their own.

Owner - Mark 12:9

The Greek word Mark used for owner is the same word that is usually translated Lord in the New Testament. Jesus' intention is clear. The Jewish leadership may condemn and kill Jesus but in the end God is coming in judgment. God refuses to allow his vineyard to be stolen by the hired hands. The reference to the others to whom the vineyard would be given would not have been lost on the Gentiles in Rome who first received this gospel.

Rejected cornerstone - Mark 12:10

Jesus continued his attack by quoting Ps. 118:22. Jesus, the Messiah, was the rejected cornerstone that God was making the foundation of the true temple God was building, the people of God who followed Jesus. (See Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5.) For Jesus to apply this verse to himself at any time is amazing. To do so at this particular moment is even more so. In verse 8 he had spoken of his own death. Here in verse 10 he speaks with complete trust in the promise of the Father that he will be the messianic cornerstone. (See Acts 4:11 and 1 Pet.2:7 where Ps. 118:22 is also quoted.)

The work of God himself - Mark 12:11

That Jesus would be rejected and then become the cornerstone on which the people of God would be built is so marvelous that there is only one explanation for it. It is the work of God himself.