Marcos 12
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Marcos 12
Wiersbe adds "Before they had opportunity to escape, He told them a parable (Mark 12:1-12) that revealed where their sins were leading them. They had already permitted John the Baptist to be killed, but soon they would ask for the crucifixion of God’s Son!" (Bible Exposition Commentary). Daniel Hill makes an excellent point - Now normally a parable was given to instruct the positive ones (ED: THOSE WHO HAD HEARTS TO RECEIVE THIS TRUTH) while not giving the negative one (THOSE WHO DID NOT HAVE EYES TO SEE NOR EARS TO HEAR) more to reject. But this parable is different: This parable is for the rejecters of truth and we be understood by those who are the antagonist. Hence, this is a warning parable. (Mark 12) Ray
Marcos 12
Wiersbe has an interesting note - According to Leviticus 19:23–25, a farmer would not use the fruit until the fifth year (ED: Usually it took at least five years for grapevines to begin to produce at commercial levels. The owner expected to participate in his investment.), though we are not sure the Jews were obeying this regulation at that time. In order to retain his legal rights to the property, the owner had to receive produce from the tenants, even if it was only some of the vegetables that grew between the rows of trees or vines. This explains why the tenants refused to give him anything: they wanted to claim the vineyard for themselves. It also explains why the owner continued to send agents to them; it was purely a question of authority and ownership. (Bible Exposition Commentary). Hiebert - The three activities of the owner in preparing the vineyard (Mk 12:1) indicate that nothing was left undone to make this vineyard a choice estate. (1) He set a hedge about it, not merely to mark its boundaries but to provide protection against marauders and wild animals. Such a hedge or fence might be built of unmortared stone gathered out of the field or be a planted hedge of thorn bushes. (2) He also dug a pit for the winepress, essential equipment for processing the crop. The phrase a place for the winefat, one word in the original, occurs only here in the New Testament and refers to the vat located below the winepress to hold the wine. The winepress, generally hewn out of the solid rock, was composed of two vats—an upper, broad, and shallow hollow where the grapes were crushed and the lower, smaller, and deeper vat connected by a channel where the juice was collected. (3) The tower was used for shelter and storage as well as an observation post for the watchman. It was often circular in shape, built of stone, with a flat roof, and was as much as fifteen or twenty feet high. (The Gospel of Mark: An Expositional Commentary) Question - What is the meaning of the Parable of the Vineyard? Answer: The Parable of the Vineyard appears in three of the gospels (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19), with Matthew’s account being the most complete. However, there are additions in the others; hence, it is wise to study all three accounts so as to achieve the greatest understanding. To get the context of what is happening, we need to look at Matthew 21:18. Early in the morning, Jesus goes to the temple courts to teach (21:23). While He is teaching, the chief priest and elders confront Him, wanting to know by what authority He is teaching. Not allowing them to control the conversation, Jesus answers the question by first asking a question (21:24-26). They do not like His question nor His response to their answer; essentially, He has told them that they can’t save face from their obvious attempt to cajole Him and, therefore, He is not obligated to answer their question (21:27). What Jesus told them is that John the Baptist and He received their authority from the same source. This exchange causes the leaders to become angry and puts them in opposition to Jesus. Jesus then further frustrates the priests by telling two parables: the first one is the Parable of the Two Sons, and the second is the Parable of the Vineyard, sometimes called the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. The first parable Jesus teaches tells the priests that they have claimed to accept the message from God but they have failed to live up to it by being obedient. Outwardly, they are pious and appear to be people of God, but God knows the heart, and there they have failed miserably. The next parable (the Parable of the Vineyard) is like pouring salt on a wound. Just in case they didn’t fully understand (which they did), Jesus gives a much clearer picture of what He means. Obviously, this further infuriates the priests, but it also gives the others who were present an opportunity to hear Jesus fully explain the implications of the disobedience of the Jewish people throughout the ages. Background: There are 6 main characters in this parable: 1) the landowner—God, 2) the vineyard—Israel, 3) the tenants/farmers—the Jewish religious leadership, 4) the landowner’s servants—the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people of Israel, 5) the son—Jesus, and 6) the other tenants—the Gentiles. The imagery used is similar to Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard (it would be prudent to study this also) found in Isaiah chapter 5. The watchtower and the wall mentioned in verse 33 are means of protecting the vineyard and the ripened grapes. The winepress is obviously for stamping out the juice of the grapes to make the wine. The farmer was apparently away at the time of harvest and had rented the vineyard to the tenants. This was customary of the times, and he could expect as much as half of the grapes as payment by the tenants for use of his land. Explanation: Verses 34-36 tell us the landowner sent his servants to collect his portion of the harvest and how they were cruelly rejected by the tenants; some were beaten, stoned, and even killed. Then he sent even more the second time and they received the same treatment. The servants sent represent the prophets that God had sent to His people/Israel and then were rejected and killed by the very people who were claiming to be of God and obedient to Him. Jeremiah was beaten (Jeremiah 26:7-11; 38:1-28), John the Baptist was killed (Matthew 14:1-12), and others were stoned (2 Chronicles 24:21). In this parable Jesus is not only reminding the religious establishment what they were like, but He was putting in their minds a question: how could they claim obedience as God’s people and still reject His messengers? We don’t know how many servants the owner sent, but that is not what is important; the theme is God’s repeated appeal through His prophets to an unrepentant people. In next verses (37-39), the situation becomes even more critical. The landowner sends his own son, believing that they will surely respect him. But the tenants see an opportunity here; they believe that if they kill the son they will then receive his inheritance. The law at the time provided that if there were no heirs then the property would pass to those in possession (possession is nine tenths of the law). This amounts to conspiracy to commit murder by the Jewish leadership, and it is prophetic in the sense that Jesus is now telling them what they are going to do to Him (see Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16). After Jesus’ death, Peter would make the same charges against the religious establishment (Acts 4:8-12). The tenants probably thought that the fight for the property was over, but it wasn’t; the owner would now appear on the scene. Jesus now (vs.40-41) asks the question, what will the owner do to the evil tenants? What He is doing is forcing the religious leaders/priests to declare their own miserable fate: condemnation for their blatant disobedience. This is similar to the question that Nathan put to David (2 Samuel 12:1-7). Up to this point, Jesus has been dealing with the immediate situation of Israel and its past disobedience; now Jesus leaves open the question of what Israel’s leadership is going to do with the Messiah, the Son of God, whom He refers to as the “chief cornerstone” (vs 42). Cornerstones and capstones are used symbolically in Scripture and picture Christ as the main piece of the foundation of the church and the head of the church, respectively. Jesus is the beginning of and is foundational to the church, and He now stands over the church in His rightful position of honor, guiding the church to fulfill its divine destiny. This verse makes clear prophetically how Jesus will be rejected by the religious establishment and ultimately be crucified (see Psalm 118:22-23). The key to understanding this parable and what it says about the religious leaders is found in Mt 21:43, where Jesus makes their lack of obedience personal. Jesus tells the leaders that because of their disobedience they will be left out of the kingdom of heaven (individually and as a people); that they have let their opportunity for the time being slip away to be given to the Gentiles (see Mt 21:41, “other tenants”). This will be more than they can tolerate, as we will see in Mt 21:45, 46. He is saying that there will be a new people of God made up of all peoples who will temporarily replace the Jews so that Jesus can establish His church. This will change the way God deals with man, from the old dispensation of the law to a new dispensation of God’s grace. It will usher in a period of time where man will no longer understand forgiveness of sins as man’s work through what he does or doesn’t do or by the sacrifices of animals on the altar, but by the work of Christ on the cross. It will be a time where each individual can have a personal and saving relationship with the One and only God of the universe. The exciting part of the verse is the phrase “who will produce fruit”; this gives authority to the church to share the gospel of Christ to the lost of the world. Up to this time, the Jews felt that they had automatic membership in God’s kingdom because of their relationship to Abraham; this is why they put so much emphasis on genealogies. But the new people of God would truly have what God wanted for Israel all along: a personal and holy relationship that would be honored through the spreading of God’s word to all peoples (see Exodus 19:5-6). Jesus continues the stone metaphor in Mt 21:44 to show how a stone can be used to build something beautiful, such as His church, or it can be used to crush and destroy, depending on the situation. This could be likened to God’s word: to some it is salvation, peace and comfort. To others it is foolish and disconcerting because of its ability to convict man of his sins (2 Timothy 3:16). Verses 45 and 46 give us three insights into the psyche of the chief priest of the religious establishment. 1) They are jealous and envious of Jesus’ popularity with the common people. This encroaches on their authority and power to govern. 2) They have come to the realization that Jesus is talking about them. This hurts their pride and embarrasses them in front of the people. 3) They understood the analogy of the son and that Jesus was referring to Himself. This would be blasphemous to them, and they would now seek to kill Jesus. From here the leaders would meet in secrecy to plot how they would get rid of Jesus. Why all the secrecy? The people thought of Jesus as a prophet from God; arresting Him could cause an uprising. An uprising would jeopardize the leaders’ relationship with the Roman authorities, something that the Jews did not want at any cost. Application: We apply this parable to our lives by asking two questions; first, have you come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior, or have you rejected Him like the Jewish leadership did? The process is simple, as long as you are sincere in seeking a relationship with Christ. You need to recognize your sins, and then accept Christ as the only One who can save you from the penalty of your sins. Second, if you are a believer, what have you done with Jesus? Are you like the bad tenants, rejecting His Word and living a life of disobedience? If you are, you need to study God’s Word and pray for guidance, seeking His will for your life and living out that will as best as you can, moment by moment, day by day.(Source: GotQuestions.org) Mark 12:2 "At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. at: Ps 1:3 Mt 21:34 Lu 20:10 a slave: Jdg 6:8-10 2Ki 17:13 2Ch 36:15 Ezr 9:11 Jer 25:4,5 35:15 44:4 Mic 7:1 Zec 1:3-6 7:7 Lu 12:48 Joh 15:1-8 Heb 1:1 Mark 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 21:34 “When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. Luke 20:10+ At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. SENDING SLAVE TO CLAIM "RENT" At the harvest time - Time is the Greek word kairos so more literally this reads "at the season," clearly the season when vintage was expected. "The harvest time stands for the time when God expected to obtain some reward for His investment in Israel. " (Constable) Time (season, opportunity, epoch, proper time) (2540)(kairos) means a point of time or period of time, time, period, frequently with the implication of being especially fit for something and without emphasis on precise chronology. It describes the period as especially appropriate and favorable (the right time). Uses in Mark Mk. 1:15; Mk. 10:30; Mk. 11:13; Mk. 12:2; Mk. 13:33; He sent a slave (doulos) to the vine-growers - Who are the slaves in the parable? Clearly they represent the OT prophets, the warning messages of which they largely rejected. His sending of slave after slave in this parable is a picture of the longsuffering of the owner of the vineyard, i.e., the Lord's patience with His rebellious people. NET Note - This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected. Slave (1401) doulos from deo = to bind) was an individual bound to another in servitude and conveys the idea of the slave's close, binding ties with his master, belonging to him, obligated to and desiring to do his will and in a permanent relation of servitude. In sum, the will of the doulos is consumed in the will of the master. A bondservant is one who surrendered wholly to another’s will and thus devoted to another to the disregard of his own interest This is a wonderful and accurate description of the Old Testament prophets God sent to Israel. 🙏 THOUGHT - A doulos should be the description of every disciple of Jesus - wholly devoted and surrendered to Him with our will totally subsumed in His good and acceptable and perfect will (Ro 12:2b+)! In order to (term of purpose) receive some of the produce (karpos - "fruits") of the vineyard from the vine-growers - The vine-growers would be the Jewish leadership. The produce expected would have been the sharing of the truth of Jehovah with the lost Gentiles who had no direct access to and revelation of the living God in their pagan cultures that served dead gods that were no gods. Produce (benefit (fruit) (2590) (karpos) is used in its literal sense to refer to fruit, produce or offspring, which describes that which is produced by the inherent energy of a living organism. Karpos is what something naturally produces. Figuratively, karpos is used of the consequence of physical, mental, or spiritual action. In the NT the figurative (metaphorical) uses predominate and this is particularly true in the Gospels, where human actions and words are viewed as fruit growing out of a person's essential being or character. Karpos refers to that which originates or comes from something producing an effect or result (benefit, advantage, profit, utility). Uses in Mark - Mk. 4:7; Mk. 4:8; Mk. 4:29; Mk. 11:14; Mk. 12:2; Vineyard (290)(ampelon) was a plot of land where grapes were grown on grapevines. Used figuratively Figuratively in Matt. 21:28, 33, 39-41; Mark 12:1, 2, 9; Luke 13:6; 20:9, 10, 13, 15, 16. Ampelon - 23x in 21v - Matt. 20:1; Matt. 20:2; Matt. 20:4; Matt. 20:7; Matt. 20:8; Matt. 21:28; Matt. 21:33; Matt. 21:39; Matt. 21:40; Matt. 21:41; Mk. 12:1; Mk. 12:2; Mk. 12:8; Mk. 12:9; Lk. 13:6; Lk. 20:9; Lk. 20:10; Lk. 20:13; Lk. 20:15; Lk. 20:16; 1 Co. 9:7 SIDE NOTE: It is interesting that in Deut 23:24-25 specific instructions had been given to Israeli farmers to share their grapes and grain with others! The produce of the vineyard or the field, that which had been given freely by the Lord, was not to be greedily withheld from others. To meet the need of the poor or the hungry traveller (Jew or Gentile) it was permissible for them to eat the grapes or pluck the ears of corn. In this parable of course Israel was commissioned to share what God had graciously given her, the "produce" of the revelation of God in the Scriptures so that hungry (lost) souls might "eat" and come to a knowledge of the truth about the true and living God. Israel failed miserably to carry out her commission to be a light to the Gentiles, a function Paul alluded to in Acts 13:47+ “For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’” (see the Gentile's reaction to Paul's declaration = Acts 13:48-49+ and then note the Jewish reaction in Acts 13:50+ which is exactly what the Lord is speaking about in this parable - no produce for the Owner of the Vineyard. Saved souls are the ultimate produce or "fruit" (cf Mt 3:8) and here in Acts 13 the Jews actively fought against this goal! Amazing greed instead of amazing grace!) Barton lists the main elements in this parable the man who planted the vineyard—God, the vineyard—Israel, the tenant farmers—the Jewish religious leaders, the landowner’s servants—the prophets and priests who remained faithful to God and preached to Israel, the son—Jesus, and the others to whom the vineyard was given—the Gentiles. (LAC) Mark 12:3 "They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. they: 1Ki 18:4,13 19:10,14 22:27 2Ch 16:10 24:19-21 36:16 Ne 9:26 Jer 2:30 20:2 26:20-24 29:26 37:15,16 38:4-6 Mt 23:34-37 Lu 11:47-51 13:33,34 Ac 7:52 1Th 2:15 Heb 11:36,37 and sent: Jer 44:4,5,16 Da 9:10,11 Zec 7:9-13 Lu 20:10-12 Mark 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 21:35 “The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. Luke 20:10+ “At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Hebrews 11:36-38+ And others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38(men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. FIRST SLAVE BEATEN They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed - NET = "But those tenants seized his slave." Beat refers to a severe beating or flogging. This slave was dispatched with no fruit in his hands. Barton - Israel, pictured as a vineyard, was the nation that God had cultivated to bring salvation to the world ("FRUIT"). The religious leaders not only frustrated their nation’s purpose; they also killed those who were trying to fulfill it. They were so jealous and possessive that they ignored the welfare of the very people they were supposed to be bringing to God. (LAC)
Marcos 12
Wiersbe adds that "The leaders answered the question first and thereby condemned themselves (Matt. 21:41), and then Jesus repeated their answer as a solemn verdict from the Judge. But before they could appeal the case, He quoted what they knew was a messianic prophecy, Psalm 118:22–23+. We met this same psalm at His triumphal entry (Mark 11:9–10). “The Stone” was a well-known symbol for the Messiah (Ex. 17:6+; Daniel 2:34+, Da 2:44–45+; Zech. 4:7; Ro. 9:32–33; 1 Cor. 10:4; and 1 Peter 2:6–8). The Servant-Judge announced a double verdict: they had not only rejected the Son, but they had also refused the Stone! There could be only one consequence—judgment (Matt. 22:1–14)." (Bible Exposition Commentary). He will come and destroy (apollumi) the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others (allos not heteros) - The rejection of the beloved son would bring judgment, in this case judgment on Israel and its leaders "and would transfer their privileges to others temporarily (cf. Rom. 11:25, 31+)." (Grassmick) Is this not similar to the warning that Jesus' forerunner John the Baptist declared to the religious leaders (Mt 3:7+) in Mt 3:10+ “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Who are the others? Most commentaries say the "others" are the Gentiles which sounds reasonable considering the fact that the church is now predominantly Gentile. But as discussed below by John MacArthur, one should not overlook that the first individuals who received charge over God's "Gospel seed" were all Jewish - 12 Jewish apostles and then one additional Jewish apostle Paul. It was through their ministry that the Gospel of the Kingdom was spread throughout the known world. So MacArthur makes an interesting point that the "others" may not be Gentiles as normally interpreted but actually be the believing Jewish apostles who replace the evil "vine-growers," the unbelieving Jewish religious leaders. John MacArthur as alluded to above has a somewhat different explanation for the "others" writing "It is not just a simple shift from Jew to Gentile, although obviously the people of God in the past were predominantly Jewish and now are predominantly Gentile. It is a shift in leadership. That’s what our Lord is talking about. And of all people, the new leadership are the despised apostles and disciples of Jesus." MacArthur devotes almost an entire sermon to explaining who the "others" are and if you are interested in a more detailed discussion read or listen to The Murder of God's Son - A Prophetic Parable-Part 2. It is certainly food for thought and something I have never heretofore considered. It is notable that others is not heteros (different kind which would favor others as Gentiles) but allos (others of the same kind which would favor Jews), which does support MacArthur's premise the other vine-growers are of the same kind are also Jews. And of course the early church was almost entirely Jewish at its inception. Interesting! R. C. H.
Marcos 12
Wiersbe comments "Governmental authority is instituted by God and must be respected (Pr 8:15; Da 2:21, 37-38; Ro 13:1-7; 1 Pe 2:11-17-note). Yes, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20-note), and we are strangers and pilgrims on earth, but that does not mean we should ignore our earthly responsibilities. Human government is essential to a safe and orderly society, for man is a sinner and must be kept under control. (Bible Exposition Commentary). Is it lawful - Is it allowed?
Marcos 12
Wiersbe - Jesus made love the most important thing in life, because “love is the fulfilling of the Law” (Rom. 13:8–10). If we love God, we will experience His love within and will express that love to others. We do not live by rules but by relationships, a loving relationship to God that enables us to have a loving relationship with others. (Bible Exposition Commentary). Dwight Edwards - As we pursue our relationship with God in whole-hearted devotion, the immediate spill over of the fullness of that relationship will be into the lives of other men and women. Note also the significance of the order: first God, second people. We cannot give to others out of spiritual and emotional bankruptcy, thus our relationship with God must be the top priority of our life. (Mark Commentary) 🙏 THOUGHT - If your horizontal relationships are "messed up," don't pretend to be in communion and fellowship with God (vertical relationship. John said it this way "If we say that we have fellowship with Him (VERTICAL) and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another (HORIZONTAL), and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7+) Driving Lessons There is no other commandment greater than these. — Mark 12:31 Today's Scripture: Mark 12:28-34 One morning on my way to work, I began to wonder, Why should I obey God’s laws? The answer played out as I approached a traffic light that had just turned yellow. A driver at the intersection waited to make sure I had fully stopped. Why did I stop? I asked myself. I could have made it. Two reasons came to mind—survival and surveillance. I could be injured or killed. Or a police officer might see me and give me a ticket. Good reasons, don’t you think? But are these the highest motives? Am I concerned about other drivers? Obeying God’s commands out of fear would reduce much of the wreckage strewn along life’s highway due to adultery, murder, lying, stealing, and coveting. But there is a higher motive. When Jesus was asked, “Which is the first commandment of all?” He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart,” and second, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Then He said, “There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). "We love You, Lord Jesus," we often may say, But are we as ready His will to obey? Let's heed what God's Spirit would have us to do, That's how we can show Him a love that is true. —DJD To love God is to obey God. Question: What does it mean to love your neighbor as you love yourself? | GotQuestions.org Answer: An expert in the law tried to test the Lord Jesus by asking Him to declare what was the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses. In one masterful statement, Jesus condensed the entire law that God had given Moses: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40). When we read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, we are struck with the realization that they focus on these two issues. Certainly we are to love God supremely. But what does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves? Jesus is quoting here from Leviticus 19. Let’s look at its context: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God. You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD. You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:9–18). Notice that loving our neighbor would include sharing with the poor and the alien; compassion and absolute honesty and justice in our relationships with others; impartiality; a refusal to be a party to gossip or slander; an absence of malice toward anyone and a refusal to bear a grudge; taking care never to put another’s life at risk and never taking private vengeance upon another. It is also interesting to note that when we have an issue with anyone, we should strive to make it right by going to him or her directly. James calls this the “royal law” (James 2:8). Our Lord taught that we should do to others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12). It is a fact that anyone who does not have a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ will die in his sins and face eternity in hell. Therefore, we owe it to our neighbors to lovingly share with them the good news of the gospel. True believers have been forgiven, possess eternal life, and have blessings forever as the result of others who have shared the gospel with them. God’s love is evidenced in us as we communicate this precious gospel and love others as we have been loved. Question - What does the Bible say about self-love, loving self? | GotQuestions.org Answer: Love as described in the Bible is quite different from the love as espoused by the world. Biblical love is selfless and unconditional, whereas the world’s love is characterized by selfishness. In the following passages, we see that love does not exist apart from God and that true love can only be experienced by one who has experienced God’s own love firsthand: Romans 13:9–10, “The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” John 13:34–35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 1 John 4:16–19, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” The statement “love your neighbor as yourself” is not a command to love yourself. It is natural and normal to love yourself—it is our default position. There is no lack of self-love in our world. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is essentially telling us to treat other people as well as we treat ourselves. Scripture never commands us to love ourselves; it assumes we already do. In fact, people in their unregenerate condition love themselves too much—that is our problem. (ED: compare 2 Ti 3:2+). In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, there was only one who showed himself to be a true neighbor to the man in need: the Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37). There were two others, a priest and a Levite, who refused to help the man in need. Their failure to show love to the injured man was not the result of loving themselves too little; it was the result of loving themselves too much and therefore putting their interests first. The Samaritan showed true love—he gave of his time, resources, and money with no regard for himself. His focus was outward, not inward. Jesus presented this story as an illustration of what it means to love one’s neighbor as one’s self (verse 27). We are to take our eyes off ourselves and care for others. Christian maturity demands it. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3–4). According to this passage, loving others requires humility, a valuing of others, and a conscious effort to put others’ interests first. Anything less than this is selfish and vain—and falls short of the standard of Christ. None of this should be taken to mean that we should see ourselves as “worthless.” The Bible teaches that we are created in the image of God, and that fact alone gives us great worth (see Luke 12:7). The balanced, biblical view is that we are God’s unique creation, loved by God in spite of our sin, and redeemed by Christ. In His love, we can love others. We love others based on God’s abiding love for us in Christ. In response to this love, we share it with all whom we come in contact with—our “neighbors.” Someone who is worried that he doesn’t love himself enough has the wrong focus. His concern, biblically, should be his love for God and his love for his neighbor. “Self” is something we want out of the way so that we can love outwardly as we ought. Related Resources: How should a Christian view self-esteem? What does the Bible say about self-worth? What does the Bible say about self-image? Mark 12:32 The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; NET Mark 12:32 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. NLT Mark 12:32 The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. ESV Mark 12:32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. NIV Mark 12:32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. for: De 4:39 5:7 6:4 Isa 44:8 45:5,6,14,18,21,22 46:9 Jer 10:10-12 Mark 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: NO PARALLEL IN MATTHEW OR LUKE Hiebert - The scribe’s reaction revealed that he was an open-minded inquirer, ready to accept the truth even from Jesus. He was the most honest questioner during this day, and he alone received a commendation from Jesus. (The Gospel of Mark: An Expositional Commentary) The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher - Right ( kalos) means well or good and was used as " an exclamatory particle, used on hearing something which one approves, as one says “good.”" (Wuest) You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM - NIV "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him." Hiebert - the scribe again regarded the reply of Jesus as admirable and did not hesitate to say so openly. He commended Him as an able Teacher: “Beautifully, Teacher; of a truth you said.” Jesus’ reply was excellent because He answered “of a truth,” had based His answer on truth. Anderson notes, “Only here in the Gospel is a representative of Jewish religious officialdom found agreeing with Jesus.” His omission of the divine name (GOD) (literally “he is one”) is in keeping with the Jewish practice of avoiding any unnecessary usage of that name. (The Gospel of Mark: An Expositional Commentary) Expositors says of the scribe’s words: “There is a ring of conviction in the words. The varied expression of the law of the love to God also bears witness to sincerity and independent thought.” Mark 12:33 AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." is much more: 1Sa 15:22 Ps 50:8-15,23 Pr 21:3 Isa 1:11-17 58:5-7 Jer 7:21-23 Ho 6:6 Am 5:21-24 Mic 6:6-8 Mt 9:13 12:7 1Co 13:1-3 Mark 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: NO PARALLEL IN MATTHEW OR LUKE SCRIBE SEES SUPERIORITY MORAL OVER CEREMONIAL! AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH - The scribe repeats Jesus' words but substitutes "understanding" (sunesis) for "mind" (dianoia). AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF - Identical to the words of Jesus. In both of these he emphasizes the crucial verb "love!" Is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices - This is quite a declaration by this scribe and runs counter to the mindset of almost all of the Jewish hierarchy! It recalls the words of the prophet Samuel to disobedient King Saul "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." (1 Sa 15:22) In Proverbs 21:3 God says "To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice." (cf Isa. 1:11–20; Jer. 7:22–23; Hos. 6:6, Amos 5:21–24, Mic. 6:6–8). He is not necessarily depreciating temple ritual, but to assert that proper motive and faith are crucial so that the "ritual" is motivated and energized by relationship. Offerings and sacrifices should be one's delight, not an onerous obligation or duty.
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Wiersbe - What does it mean when a person is “not far from the kingdom of God”? It means he or she is facing truth honestly and is not interested in defending a “party line” or even personal prejudices. It means the person is testing his or her faith by what the Word of God says and not by what some religious group demands. People close to the kingdom have the courage to stand up for what is true even if they lose some friends and make some new enemies. (Bible Exposition Commentary). Geddert - Not Far from the Kingdom - Jesus declares that the scribe is not far from the kingdom of God. Mark’s point is that in God’s economy, there is something more important than all the technicalities of law-keeping (the preoccupation of Pharisees and many of the scribes). There is something more important than all the sacrifices and ceremonies (the preoccupation of the chief priests, the entire priesthood, and the rest of the scribes). What really matters is the condition of the heart. What matters is the quality of one’s relationship to God. What matters is the quality of relationships within the community and with those in need. Love, not legalism or ceremonialism, is the way of God’s kingdom. Why is the scribe declared not far from the kingdom? How far is not far? Two points are worth considering. First, nowhere in Mark is anyone ever said to fully enter the kingdom. That experience awaits the kingdom’s full consummation. Second, Mark may well be saying that one is positioned near God’s kingdom when priorities are correctly set. However, life within God’s kingdom depends not just on setting right priorities, but on living them out. Jesus is not critiquing this scribe for being not far away (= “still outside”). Instead, Jesus is implicitly inviting him (and all others, then and now) to accept and practice the priorities Jesus teaches, thus participating in God’s reign.(Mark Believers Church Bible Commentary) Gentle Persuasion When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." —Mark 12:34 Today's Scripture: Mark 12:28-34 I react negatively to high-pressure sales people, whether it be in a clothing store, on a car lot, or over the phone. Nonbelievers may react in a similar way to Christians who try to pressure them into making a decision to trust Jesus as Savior. Our Lord showed us a better way. He patiently taught truth, plainly declared the dire consequences of deliberate unbelief, and tenderly invited the lost to come to Him for salvation. He never manipulated or coerced. The scribe who came to Jesus with a sincere question was delighted with the Lord’s answer (Mk. 12:28-34). He also greatly admired Jesus, unlike most of his colleagues. All that remained for him to do was to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and place his trust in Him. The Lord encouraged him by saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (v.34). We don’t know if the scribe ever took that step of faith in Jesus, but enough had been said, and the decision was the scribe’s to make. I love to tell the story— 'Tis pleasant to repeat What seems, each time I tell it, More wonderfully sweet. —Hankey You can introduce a person to Christ, but you can't make him believe. THE Lord Jesus was sitting in the temple watching people put their money into the treasury. The rich dropped in large amounts, making the bucket resound with the clang of their coins. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two tiny copper coins worth less then a penny. They made only a slight tinkling sound, impressing no one—except Jesus. He called His disciples to Him and said that she had given more than the rest, for she had given "her whole livelihood." Mark 12:34 - So Near and Yet So Far - John Bunyan in Pilgrim's Progress perceived that "there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven." Jesus said to a scribe who had agreed with the two greatest commandments, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34). But a miss is as bad as a mile. One may know the Scriptures and yet not know Jesus. He said in essence, "You search the Scriptures but you will not come unto me." One may be as near as sound doctrine and miss Jesus. Martha believed in the resurrection, but she needed to move from the doctrinal to the personal. "I am the life," Jesus told her (John 11:25). One may call Him Lord and say one day, "We have prophesied and cast out demons in your name," only to hear Him say, "Depart, you workers of iniquity; I never knew you" (cf. Matt. 7:22, 23). One may be an enquirer, as was the rich young ruler, and never be a disciple. Some are confused when they hear all this and then read that some of Jesus' disciples failed miserably, even to forsaking Him for the moment. Simon Peter was a disgrace to the cause he espoused on several occasions, but he had the root of the matter in him and loved his Lord. Old Mister Fearing in Pilgrim's Progress lived his life afraid he wouldn't get to heaven, but he got there anyway, because deep inside he trusted—though with a feeble faith. It takes more than close proximity to the Lord to save us. Near is not close enough. Only simple faith, as of a little child, can save us. (Vance Havner) Mark 12:34 - Almost to Jesus TO the scribe who spoke well the heart of the Law, Jesus said, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34). But one may almost reach salvation and still be lost. A soldier, after going through the war in France, was killed in a wreck when he had almost reached his home in America. Almost, but lost! Some get as far as the church. The father brought his demonized boy to the disciples but they could not heal him. Then Jesus came and said, "Bring him to Me" (Matt. 17:14-21). Today a powerless church stands before needy souls, and all too often it must be said of us disciples, "And they could not." We can do no mighty works because of unbelief. And men lambaste the church and talk of the mistakes and failures of the church. But back of the church stands the Lord saying, "Bring him to Me. I have not failed. The church cannot save. You must get through to Me." To be sure, this does not excuse the weakness of the church. Such power comes only by prayer and fasting and the church will not fast and pray today. But men need to know that it is not enough to get as far as the church and into the church. Press through to Jesus! Some get as far as the Bible. "Ye search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And ye will not come to Me that ye might have life" (John 5:39-40). One may study the Bible in an academic way and never know its Christ. This scribe we started with knew his Scripture but not the Lord. To be an expert in a biography is not to know the subject of the biography. And greater is the condemnation if we know the Bible and know not Christ. The heathen has not that condemnation. To read travel folders is not to travel! All roads in the book lead to Christ; but do you travel the road? Some get as far as doctrine. At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus said to Martha, "Thy brother shall rise again." She said, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha was orthodox; she was correct in her doctrine, a good fundamentalist. But our Lord changed the emphasis from the doctrinal to the person: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" He made the resurrection not something to believe but someone to believe, and it brought personal confession from Martha: "I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." One may know doctrine and not know Him. It is not he that believes in the resurrection but he that believes in Him who rose who is saved. Certainly one who comes to Him will belong to the church, read the Bible and believe doctrine. But back of all these stands Christ Himself. The devil will have men join the church and become theologically orthodox if only they do not touch Christ. And one may come almost to Christ! Jostle Him in the crowd but never touch Him and feel His virtue: this is almost. Be sure you get through to Jesus! (Vance Havner) Mark 12:35 And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? as: Mk 11:27 Lu 19:47 20:1 21:37 Joh 18:20 How: Mt 22:41,42 Lu 20:41-44 Joh 7:42 Mark 12:35-37 - Scribes Mark 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “The son of David.” 43 He *said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, Luke 20:41+ Then He said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is David’s son? (Copyright 2014 Faithlife / Logos Bible Software) MESSIAH IS SON OF DAVID In this section we see that now it is Jesus asking the question to His questioners and it is not surprising, His hearers are left speechless (see Mt 22:46)..Those listening include the Pharisees (Mt 22:41) and a large crowd (Mk 12:38) which would place Him in the large Court of the Gentiles in the Temple Complex (click picture above). Hiebert refers to Mark 12:35-40 as "Counterattack by Jesus explaining "Having brought the enemy attacks to a halt, Jesus now took the offensive against the religious leaders. With His question concerning Messiah’s Sonship, He exposed the inadequacy of the scribes as teachers (vv. 35–37) and then uttered His solemn condemnation of their conduct (vv. 38–40). (The Gospel of Mark: An Expositional Commentary) Geddert - Jesus has not usually taken the initiative in his debates with his opponents. They have posed the questions (Mk 11:28; 12:14–15; 12:23; 12:28), and he has responded. This time Jesus takes the initiative. Jesus’ question implies a critique against the scribes. They claim that the Messiah is the son of David. Mark Believers Church Bible Commentary) And Jesus began to say (imperfect tense), as He taught (didasko) in the temple (hieros - the temple complex) - Presumably He is teaching in the spacious court of the Gentiles. In Mt 22:41-42 we see Jesus directly addresses the Pharisees and "asked them a question: What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” Mark does not include this interchange. "How is it that the scribes (grammateus) say that the Christ is the son of David? - The scribes were the recognized experts in the law. It was the firm teaching of the scribes that the Christ is the son of David. Jesus' use of the name Christ is used in the sense of Messiah. Some translations render it with that meaning, as in the CSB "How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? (Mk 12:35CSB). Hiebert makes an interesting comment - That no questions were raised on this point against Jesus as Messiah proves that His Davidic descent was unassailable. Only two days before, the crowd had acclaimed Him as “the son of David” (Matt. 21:9; Luke 19:38). But the Jewish masses, following the lead of the scribes, understood the term to mean a human being who would be a triumphant warrior-king. (The Gospel of Mark: An Expositional Commentary) NET Note- It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David's son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David's Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man. Akin - The Davidic sonship of the Messiah was a common and almost universally accepted belief in Israel in Jesus’ day. It is still a popular belief today among orthodox Jews. For example in John 7:42 we read, “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” Indeed the Davidic sonship of the Messiah is firmly and widely established in Old Testament scripture: - 2 Sam 7:1-17 - Jere. 23:5-6 -Hosea 3:5 - Ps. 89:3-4 - Jere. 30:9 - Amos 9:11 - Isa. 9:1-7 - Jere. 33:15-17, 22 - Micah 5:2-5 3 - Isa. 11:1-9 - Ezk. 34:23-24 The Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God, will be a human descendant of David. This was expected. This was a long hoped for reality among the Jewish people. On this they could all agree.
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Wiersbe - Experts in management tell us that most people wear an invisible sign that reads, “Please make me feel important”; if we heed that sign, we can succeed in human relations. On the other hand, if we say or do things that make others feel insignificant, we will fail. Then people will respond by becoming angry and resentful, because everybody wants to be noticed and made to feel important. In Jesus’ day, as today, there were “status symbols” that helped people enhance and protect their high standing in society. If you were invited to the “right homes” and if you were seated in the “right places,” then people would know how important you really were. The emphasis was on reputation, not character. It was more important to sit in the right places than to live the right kind of life. (Bible Exposition Commentary).
Marcos 12
Wiersbe - When it comes to our giving, God sees more than the portion; He also sees the proportion. Men see what is given, but God sees what is left, and by that He measures the gift and the condition of our hearts. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” He may have learned that from Jesus (Luke 6:38) or perhaps from Paul (2 Cor. 8:1–15). (Bible Exposition Commentary). NET Note Comments - The contrast between this passage, Mk 12:41–44, and what has come before in Mk 11:27–12:40 is remarkable. The woman is set in stark contrast to the religious leaders. She was a poor widow, they were rich. She was uneducated in the law, they were well educated in the law. She was a woman, they were men. But whereas they evidenced no faith and actually stole money from God and men (cf. Mk 11:17), she evidenced great faith (WHERE DOES THE TEXT MAKE THIS STATEMENT???) and gave out of her extreme poverty everything she had (THE TEXT DOES SUPPORT THIS CONCLUSION). COMMENT: The points of contrast the NET Note makes are valid observations based on the text and context, but the text does not allow one to make a statement regarding her FAITH. This type of statement reminds one of those religious hucksters in our day who say demonstrate your FAITH by sending me your widow's pension just like this poor widow did in Luke 21:1-4 and I will pray over it and you will get back far more that you sent in and you will be pleasing to and blessed of God just as was this poor widow. And there are people in America today who have sent all they have to live on to the religious charlatans but this act is clearly not a reflection of their faith in God nor is it a faith based on the Word of God! It is important to observe that Jesus does not conclude as He sometimes does, "How great is your faith, in giving everything you have to live on." (Compare Mt 8:10, 15:28, Lk 7:9). One reasonable question in fact to ask is does God really want us to given EVERYTHING we have to live on regarding which John