Mark 12:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

MARK CHAPTER 12 Mark 12:1-12 In the parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen Christ foretells the reprobation of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. Mark 12:13-17 His reply to the insidious question concerning paying tribute to Caesar. Mark 12:18-27 He confutes the Sadducees who questioned him concerning the resurrection. Mark 12:28-34 He shows which are the two great commandments of the law. Mark 12:35-37 He proposes a difficulty to the scribes concerning the character of Christ. Mark 12:38-40 He cautions the people against their ambition and hypocrisy, Mark 12:41-44 and values the poor widow's two mites above all the gifts of the rich. Ver. 1-12. This parable is related by Matthew, and by Luke also: See Poole on "Matthew 21:33", and following verses to Matthew 21:46. Matthew 21:12 tells us, that the rulers of the Jewish church knew that he had spoken this parable against them, and they needs must know it, considering what Matthew adds to this parable, (which Mark and Luke have not), that he also told them, Matthew 21:43, Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. By the man planting a vineyard, is to be understood God, who, Psalms 80:8-11, brought a vine out of Egypt, and cast out the heathen, and planted it in the land of Canaan, and prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. It was a noble vine, a right seed, Jeremiah 2:21. God planted it in a fruitful hill; he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, Isaiah 5:1,2. The church of the Jews then was this vineyard, which God hedged by his providence, and gave them all means necessary for the production of fruit. The servants sent to receive the fruit, so abused by the husbandmen, (as Mark 12:2-5,) were the prophets. 2 Chronicles 36:16 is a compendious exposition of these verses. They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words and misused his prophets. The son mentioned as sent at last was Christ, and the latter part of the parable is prophetical, foretelling what they should do unto him, and also of the ruin of the Jewish nation and church, and the passing of the gospel to the Gentiles, who should more freely believe in Christ, and embrace and receive the gospel: so as they should not obtain their end; but Christ, though rejected by them, should yet be the Head of a far larger and more glorious church, according to a prophecy owned by themselves as a piece of holy writ, Psalms 118:22. See Poole on "Matthew 21:33", &c.