# Mark 12 📖: The Greatest Commandment [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Mark Overview]] | [[Mark 11]] | [[Mark 13]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) #### The Parable of the Tenants **Principle**: After a season of patience, judgment comes. [[#Verse 01.]] Then he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.  [[#Verse 02.]] At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop.  [[#Verse 03.]] But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.  [[#Verse 04.]] So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously.  [[#Verse 05.]] He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed.  [[#Verse 06.]] He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  [[#Verse 07.]] But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’  [[#Verse 08.]] So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.  [[#Verse 09.]] What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.  [[#Verse 10.]] Have you not read this scripture: [[#Verse 11.]] ’?” > ‘**_The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone_.** > [[#Verse 11.]] **_This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes_**’?” [[Psalm 118]] [[#Verse 12.]] Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away. #### Paying Taxes to Caesar **Principle**: We live in two kingdoms. [[#Verse 13.]] Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words.  [[#Verse 14.]] When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”  [[#Verse 15.]] But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”  [[#Verse 16.]] So they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.”  [[#Verse 17.]] Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him. #### Marriage and the Resurrection **Principle**: Ignorance of Scripture and power leads to a vacuum of heresy. [[#Verse 18.]] Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him,  [[#Verse 19.]] “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: > ‘_**If a man**’**s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man**_ **_must marry_** **_the widow and father children_** **_for his brother_**.’ [[Deuteronomy 25]] [[#Verse 20.]] There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children.  [[#Verse 21.]] The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third.  [[#Verse 22.]] None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too.  [[#Verse 23.]] In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”  [[#Verse 24.]] Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God?  [[#Verse 25.]] For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  [[#Verse 26.]] Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, [[#Verse 27.]] He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” > ‘**_I am the God of Abraham, the_** **_God_ _of Isaac, and the God of Jacob_**’?  [[#Verse 27]] He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” #### The Greatest Commandment **Principle**: First 5 commandments, love God. Second 5 commandments, love others. [[#Verse 28.]] Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”  [[#Verse 29.]] Jesus answered, “The most important is: [[#Verse 30.]] .’ > ‘**_Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one_**. [[Deuteronomy 06]] > [[#Verse 30.]] **_Love_** **_the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength_**.’ [[#Verse 31.]] The second is: > ‘**_Love your neighbor as yourself_**.’  [[Leviticus 19]] There is no other commandment greater than these.”  [[#Verse 32.]] The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that **_he is one, and there is no one else besides him_**.  [[#Verse 33.]] And **_to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength_** and **_to love your neighbor as yourself_** is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  [[#Verse 34.]] When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him. #### The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord **Principle**: Jesus reveals Himself in the Old Testament. [[#Verse 35.]] While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David’s son?  [[#Verse 36.]] David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said, > ‘**_The Lord said to my lord,_** > “**_Sit at my right hand,_** > **_until I put your enemies under your feet_**.”’ [[Psalm 110]] [[#Verse 37.]] If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. #### Warnings About Experts in the Law **Principle**: Don’t follow those who do not follow God. [[#Verse 38.]] In his teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces,  [[#Verse 39.]] and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.  [[#Verse 40.]] They devour widows’ property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.” #### The Widow’s Offering **Principle**: Jesus sees all. [[#Verse 41.]] Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts.  [[#Verse 42.]] And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny.  [[#Verse 43.]] He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others.  [[#Verse 44.]] For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.” ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. **Verse 28-34**. [[#The Greatest Commandment]] The OT has over 613 positive and negative commands. It was an often-debated topic as to which ones were most important and was there a way to obey them all by keeping. Jesus would have been asked this as a way to test His wisdom, see who He agreed with, and more. Jesus confounds the audience by not saying something new and radical, but by doubling down on the ten commandments. - It had been long thought that the 10 commandments could be divided into two categories. - 1-4: How to Love God. - 5-10: How to Love People. - We need more rules on loving people because they are more difficult to love. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. - Jesus says, (NLT) heart, soul, mind, and strength. In the ancient Hebrew, heart and mind was a compound word that meant the same things. - He is quoting the [Shema](https://bibleproject.com/articles/what-is-the-shema/). Shema is Hebrew for the word "Hear." This would mean "Hear" with an implied "Hear...and obey." It is the first word of a pronouncement in [[Deuteronomy 06]] ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ###### Verse 42. ###### Verse 43. ###### Verse 44. ###### Verse 45. ###### Verse 46. ###### Verse 47. ###### Verse 48. ###### Verse 49. ###### Verse 50. ###### Verse 51. ###### Verse 52. ###### Verse 53. ###### Verse 54. ###### Verse 55. ###### Verse 56. ###### Verse 57. ###### Verse 58. ###### Verse 59. ###### Verse 60. ###### Verse 61. ###### Verse 62. ###### Verse 63. ###### Verse 64. ###### Verse 65. ###### Verse 66. ###### Verse 67. ###### Verse 68. ###### Verse 69. ###### Verse 70. ###### Verse 71. ###### Verse 72. ###### Verse 73. ###### Verse 74. ###### Verse 75. ###### Verse 76. ###### Verse 77. ###### Verse 78. ###### Verse 79. ###### Verse 80. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The hedge, winepress, and tower in 12:1 echo Isaiah's Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7), which Jesus' hearers would have recognized. 2. Absentee landowners leasing vineyards to tenant farmers were common in first-century Galilee. 3. The question in 12:14 concerned the poll tax paid directly to Rome, a deeply resented tax. 4. The denarius of Emperor Tiberius (12:15-16) bore his image and an inscription calling him son of the divine Augustus. 5. The Sadducees (12:18) denied the resurrection and gave the five books of Moses the highest authority, so Jesus answered them from Exodus 3:6. 6. Levirate marriage (12:19) called a man to marry his brother's childless widow to carry on his brother's name (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). 7. Jewish tradition counted 613 commandments in the Law, and teachers often debated which were the weightiest. 8. Jesus answered with the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), which devout Jews recited every morning and evening. 9. Psalm 110 (12:36) is the Old Testament passage most often quoted or alluded to in the New Testament. 10. The widow's two small coins (12:42) were *lepta*, the smallest coins in circulation. Mark explains their value in Roman terms for his readers. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the beloved Son sent to the vineyard and the rejected stone who became the cornerstone (12:6-10). He is both David's Son and David's Lord (12:35-37), now seated at God's right hand (Acts 2:34-36). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The tenants refused to give the owner his fruit and killed his son (12:1-9). What does this parable teach about God's patience and His judgment? 2. Jesus said to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (12:17). If we bear God's image, what does it mean to give ourselves to Him? 3. The poor widow gave everything she had (12:43-44). How does Jesus measure generosity differently than we do? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 17: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. - 📖 verses 29-31: Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. - 📖 verses 43-44: The poor widow gave more than all the others because she gave all she had. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Isaiah 05#Verse 01.|Isaiah 5:1-7]] - The song of the Lord's vineyard. - 🔗 [[Psalm 118#Verse 22.|Psalm 118:22-23]] - The rejected stone becomes the cornerstone. - 🔗 [[Romans 13#Verse 07.|Romans 13:7]] - Pay to all what is owed them. - 🔗 [[Exodus 03#Verse 06.|Exodus 3:6]] - The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. - 🔗 [[Deuteronomy 06#Verse 04.|Deuteronomy 6:4-5]] - The Shema. - 🔗 [[Leviticus 19#Verse 18.|Leviticus 19:18]] - Love your neighbor as yourself. - 🔗 [[Psalm 110#Verse 01.|Psalm 110:1]] - The Lord said to my lord. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Mark 12- SOAP|Love Others]] ## 📂 Internal Notes [[Series_TheWay_Part1-We_Love_God]]