ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Mark 12

Mark 12:1–12 This parable of judgment is addressed primarily to the religious leaders of Israel (vv. 1, 12). Disputes between absentee landlords, their representatives (a servant), and tenants were common in Israel (vv. 3–5). The vineyard is a well-known symbol for Israel (Neh. 9:16–37; Isa. 5:1–5).

Mark 12:1 vineyard, fence, tower. The landlord goes to great expense, so he is justified in expecting a share in the profit.

Mark 12:3–5 The landlord’s servants are increasingly mistreated: they are beaten, struck . . . on the head, and killed. The repetition of these events (and so with many others) reinforces the injustice. While Israel might have borne fruit, the leaders of Israel have prevented the fruit from being given to God.

Mark 12:6 The tenants’ attitude toward the landlord will be directly reflected in their respect, or lack of it, for his beloved son, who represents Jesus (1:11; 9:7).

Mark 12:7 kill. They may be assuming that the heir’s arrival means the landlord has died.

Mark 12:9 give the vineyard to others. Israel (and the Son sent to her) belongs to God. Israel’s leaders disrespect the possessions of God (11:27–12:12) and thus incur the judgment of God.

Mark 12:10 In Jesus’ day, Ps. 118:22–23 was seen as messianic (see Acts 4:11). Jesus’ opponents can thus understand that the “stone” refers to the Messiah. Builders refers to the leaders of Israel. Rejected echoes the theme of the persecution of the prophets of God (Neh. 9:9–35; Acts 7:1–53). The new Israel (faithful Israel) will accept the Son as the rightful messenger, heir, and cornerstone of the messianic kingdom (Jer. 31:26; Zech. 4:7).

Mark 12:13 The Pharisees and Herodians collaborate against Jesus (see notes on 3:6; Matt. 22:16).

Mark 12:14 Is it lawful to pay taxes? Refusing to pay taxes to Rome would seem to entail rebellion against Caesar. But a willingness to pay taxes would seem to compromise devotion to God. On the relationship between church and state, see note on Matt. 22:21.

Mark 12:16 The likeness and inscription on the denarius represent the person of Caesar and his authority (see note on Matt. 22:19). Simply by having the coin, Jesus’ opponents show that they already participate in the Roman social order.

Mark 12:17 the things that are Caesar’s . . . the things that are God’s. See notes on Matt. 22:21; Luke 20:25. Jesus does not discuss the question of whether the current Roman government is just or unjust, but he does imply that it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. God’s kingdom, however, transcends all of these “things.”

Mark 12:18–23 The Sadducees, who reject any belief in the resurrection of the dead, try to show how such a belief would be in conflict with the law about levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5–6; see note on Matt. 22:24). How, they ask, can one woman be married to seven men in heaven?

Mark 12:25 The Sadducees falsely assume there will be marriage in heaven. Interpersonal relationships in heaven are similar to the relationships of angels (whose existence the Sadducees deny; see Acts 23:8). On the nature of human relationships in heaven, see note on Matt. 22:29–30.

Mark 12:26–27 The Lord is a covenant-keeping God, keeping his covenants with Abraham . . . Isaac, and . . . Jacob. And he is the God of the living. Abraham therefore continues to exist and to enjoy the blessings of God’s covenant (see Rom. 8:35–39), and hence will also be raised from the dead.

Mark 12:28–31 love the Lord your God. See Deut. 6:4–5; and note on Matt. 22:37–38. love your neighbor as yourself. See Lev. 19:18, 34; Rom. 13:8–10; Gal. 5:14; 1 John 4:10–11.

Mark 12:34 Jesus declared that the scribe who had questioned him (v. 28) was not far from the kingdom of God. Among the key truths the scribe didn’t understand were Jesus’ identity as the beloved Son (9:7), as the one to be confessed (8:38), and as the one who would die on his behalf (10:45; see 12:35–37).

Mark 12:35–37 While in the temple, Jesus publicly raises a question: who is the Messiah of God? Is he the son of David or the Lord of David? Jesus’ point is not to deny that the Messiah is a descendant of David. The issue is that, in the quoted passage (Ps. 110:1–5), the Messiah is called the Lord of David (see note on Matt. 22:41–46). Jesus affirms that the Psalm was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus anticipates being exalted to the right hand of God, and thus he far transcends any expectation of a merely political, Davidic messiah.

Mark 12:38 scribes. Experts in handling written documents.

Mark 12:42–44 The small copper coins were worth about 1/128th of a denarius, which was a day’s wage for a laborer.