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Mark Chapter
Twelve
Mark 12~13
In chapter 13 the Lord takes up much more the service of
the apostles in the circumstances that would surround them, than the
development of the dispensations and the ways of God with respect to the
kingdom-a point of view more presented in Matthew, who treats of this subject.
It will be observed, that the disciples' question takes only a general
view of the subject which pre-occupied them. They ask when the judgment upon
the temple and all these things shall be fulfilled. And from verses 9-13,
although some circumstances found in Matthew 24 are included, the passage
relates even more to that which is said in Matthew 10. It speaks of the service
which the disciples would accomplish in the midst of Israel, and in testimony against
persecuting authorities, the gospel being preached in all nations before the
end came. They were, as preachers, to fill the place which Jesus had occupied
among the people, only that the testimony was to extend much farther. It would
be in the face of all possible suffering and most trying persecutions.
But there would be a moment when this service should end.
The well-known sign of the abomination that maketh desolate would point it out.
They were then to flee. These would be the days of unparalleled distress, and
of signs and wonders, which, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect.
But they were forewarned. Everything should be shaken after that time, and the
Son of man should come. Power should take the place of testimony, and the Son of
man should gather together His elect (of Israel) from all parts of the earth.
It appears to me that in this Gospel, more than in any
other, the Lord brings together the judgment on Jerusalem then at hand, and
that which is yet to come, carrying the mind on to the latter, because He is
here more occupied with the conduct of His disciples during those events.
Israel, the whole system into which the Lord had come, was to be set aside
provisionally, in order to bring in the assembly and the kingdom in its heavenly
character, and afterwards the millennium-that is, the assembly in its glory and
the kingdom established in power-when the legal system and Israel under the
first covenant should be finally set aside. At these two periods the general
position of the disciples would be the same; but the events of the latter
period would be definitive and important, and the Lord speaks especially of
them. Nevertheless that which was the most imminent, and which, for the
present, set aside Israel and the testimony, required that a warning should be
addressed to the disciples on account of their immediate danger; and they
receive it accordingly.
The effort of the Jews to re-establish their system at
the end, in despite of God, will but lead to open apostasy and definitive judgment.
This will be the time of unequalled affliction, of which the Lord speaks. But
from the time of the first destruction of Jerusalem by Titus until the coming
of the Lord, the Jews are considered as set aside and under this judgment, in
what degree soever it may have been accomplished.
The disciples are commanded to watch, for they know not the hour. It
is the conduct of the disciples in this respect which is here especially before
the eyes of the Lord. It is of this great day, and the hour of its arrival,
that the angels and even the Son, as Prophet, know not. For Jesus must sit at
the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool, and the time of
His rising up is not revealed. The Father has kept it, says Jesus, in His own
power. See Acts 3, where Peter proposes to the Jews the Lord's return. They
rejected his testimony; and now they wait for the full accomplishment of all
that has been spoken. Meantime the servants are left to serve during the
Master's absence. He commanded the porter in particular to watch. They knew not
at what hour the Master would come. This applies to the disciples in their
connection with Israel, but at the same time it is a general principle. The
Lord addresses it to all.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Mark》
Mark 12
Chapter Contents
The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. (1-12)
Question about tribute. (13-17) Concerning the resurrection. (18-27) The great
command of the law. (28-34) Christ the Son and yet the Lord of David. (35-40)
The poor widow commended. (41-44)
Commentary on Mark 12:1-12
(Read Mark 12:1-12)
Christ showed in parables, that he would lay aside the
Jewish church. It is sad to think what base usage God's faithful ministers have
met with in all ages, from those who have enjoyed the privileges of the church,
but have not brought forth fruit answerable. God at length sent his Son, his
Well-beloved; and it might be expected that he whom their Master loved, they
also should respect and love; but instead of honouring him because he was the
Son and Heir, they therefore hated him. But the exaltation of Christ was the
Lord's doing; and it is his doing to exalt him in our hearts, and to set up his
throne there; and if this be done, it cannot but be marvellous in our eyes. The
Scriptures, and faithful preachers, and the coming of Christ in the flesh, call
on us to render due praise to God in our lives. Let sinners beware of a proud,
carnal spirit; if they revile or despise the preachers of Christ, they would
have done so their Master, had they lived when he was upon earth.
Commentary on Mark 12:13-17
(Read Mark 12:13-17)
The enemies of Christ would be thought desirous to know
their duty, when really they hoped that which soever side he took of the
question, they might find occasion to accuse him. Nothing is more likely to
insnare the followers of Christ, than bringing them to meddle with disputes
about worldly politics. Jesus avoided the snare, by referring to the submission
they had already made as a nation; and all that heard him, marvelled at the
great wisdom of his answer. Many will praise the words of a sermon, who will
not be commanded by the doctrines of it.
Commentary on Mark 12:18-27
(Read Mark 12:18-27)
A right knowledge of the Scripture, as the fountain
whence all revealed religion now flows, and the foundation on which it is
built, is the best preservative against error. Christ put aside the objection
of the Sadducees, who were the scoffing infidels of that day, by setting the
doctrine of the future state in a true light. The relation between husband and
wife, though appointed in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the
heavenly one. It is no wonder if we confuse ourselves with foolish errors, when
we form our ideas of the world of spirits by the affairs of this world of
sense. It is absurd to think that the living God should be the portion and
happiness of a man if he is for ever dead; and therefore it is certain that
Abraham's soul exists and acts, though now for a time separate from the body.
Those that deny the resurrection greatly err, and ought to be told so. Let us
seek to pass through this dying world, with a joyful hope of eternal happiness,
and of a glorious resurrection.
Commentary on Mark 12:28-34
(Read Mark 12:28-34)
Those who sincerely desire to be taught their duty,
Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He tells the scribe that the
great commandment, which indeed includes all, is, that of loving God with all
our hearts. Wherever this is the ruling principle in the soul, there is a
disposition to every other duty. Loving God with all our heart, will engage us
to every thing by which he will be pleased. The sacrifices only represented the
atonements for men's transgressions of the moral law; they were of no power
except as they expressed repentance and faith in the promised Saviour, and as
they led to moral obedience. And because we have not thus loved God and man,
but the very reverse, therefore we are condemned sinners; we need repentance,
and we need mercy. Christ approved what the scribe said, and encouraged him. He
stood fair for further advance; for this knowledge of the law leads to
conviction of sin, to repentance, to discovery of our need of mercy, and
understanding the way of justification by Christ.
Commentary on Mark 12:35-40
(Read Mark 12:35-40)
When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the
person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and
God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these
things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are
happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety,
is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy.
Commentary on Mark 12:41-44
(Read Mark 12:41-44)
Let us not forget that Jesus still sees the treasury. He
knows how much, and from what motives, men give to his cause. He looks at the
heart, and what our views are, in giving alms; and whether we do it as unto the
Lord, or only to be seen of men. It is so rare to find any who would not blame
this widow, that we cannot expect to find many who will do like to her; and yet
our Saviour commends her, therefore we are sure that she did well and wisely.
The feeble efforts of the poor to honour their Saviour, will be commended in
that day, when the splendid actions of unbelievers will be exposed to contempt.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Mark》
Mark 12
Verse 10
[10] And
have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is
become the head of the corner:
Verse 12
[12] And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew
that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their
way.
They feared the multitude — How wonderful is the providence of God, using all things for the good of
his children! Generally the multitude is restrained from tearing them in pieces
only by the fear of their rulers. And here the rulers themselves are
restrained, through fear of the multitude!
Verse 13
[13] And
they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him
in his words.
Verse 17
[17] And
Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,
and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
They marvelled at him — At the wisdom of his answer.
Verse 18
[18] Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and
they asked him, saying,
Verse 19
[19]
Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind
him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up
seed unto his brother.
Verse 25
[25] For
when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
When they rise from the dead, neither men
marry nor women are given in marriage.
Verse 26
[26] And
as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses,
how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Verse 27
[27] He
is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly
err.
He is not the God of the dead, but the God of
the living — That is, (if the argument be proposed at
length,) since the character of his being the God of any persons, plainly
intimates a relation to them, not as dead, but as living; and since he cannot
be said to be at present their God at all, if they are utterly dead; nor to be
the God of human persons, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, consisting of
souls and bodies, if their bodies were to abide in everlasting death; there
must needs be a future state of blessedness, and a resurrection of the body to
share with the soul in it.
Verse 28
[28] And
one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and
perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first
commandment of all?
Which is the first commandment? — The principal, and most necessary to be observed. Matthew 22:34; Luke 10:25.
Verse 29
[29] And
Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The
Lord our God is one Lord:
The Lord our God is one Lord — This is the foundation of the first commandment, yea, of all the
commandments. The Lord our God, the Lord, the God of all men, is one God,
essentially, though three persons. From this unity of God it follows, that we
owe all our love to him alone. Deuteronomy 6:4.
Verse 30
[30] And
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
With all thy strength — That is, the whole strength and capacity of thy understanding, will, and
affections.
Verse 31
[31] And
the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
The second is like unto it — Of a like comprehensive nature: comprising our whole duty to man. There
is no other moral, much less ceremonial commandment, greater than these. Leviticus 19:18.
Verse 33
[33] And
to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all
the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is
more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
To love him with all the heart — To love and serve him, with all the united powers of the soul in their
utmost vigour; and to love his neighbour as himself - To maintain the same
equitable and charitable temper and behaviour toward all men, as we, in like
circumstances, would wish for from them toward ourselves, is a more necessary
and important duty, than the offering the most noble and costly sacrifices.
Verse 34
[34] And
when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far
from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Jesus said to him, Thou art not far from the
kingdom of God — Reader, art not thou? then go on: be a
real Christian: else it had been better for thee to have been afar off.
Verse 35
[35] And
Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes
that Christ is the Son of David?
Verse 36
[36] For
David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my
right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Verse 38
[38] And
he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in
long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
Beware of the scribes — There was an absolute necessity for these repeated cautions. For,
considering their inveterate prejudices against Christ, it could never be
supposed the common people would receive the Gospel till these incorrigible
blasphemers of it were brought to just disgrace. Yet he delayed speaking in
this manner till a little before his passion, as knowing what effect it would
quickly produce. Nor is this any precedent for us: we are not invested with the
same authority. Matthew 23:5; Luke 20:46.
Verse 41
[41] And
Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into
the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
He beheld how people cast money into the
treasury — This treasury received the voluntary
contributions of the worshippers who came up to the feast; which were given to
buy wood for the altar, and other necessaries not provided for in any other
way. Luke 21:1.
Verse 43
[43] And
he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you,
That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the
treasury:
I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast
in more than they all — See what judgement is cast on the most
specious, outward actions by the Judge of all! And how acceptable to him is the
smallest, which springs from self-denying love!
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Mark》
Mark 12:31
The
relationship between the greatest commandment, to love the Lord, and the second
commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself, is similar to the relationship
between the cue ball and eight ball in a game of billiards. The cue ball
represents our relationship to God and the eight ball represents our
relationship to men. If we are off center when we shoot the cue ball, we can
forget about having the eight ball sink in the corner pocket. This is why to
love God is the first and greatest commandment.
Chapter 12. The Wicked Tenants
The Rejected
Stone
the Chief Cornerstone
I. Parable of
the Wicked Tenants
II. Enemies
Question by Trickery
III. Put in Her
Whole Livelihood
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》