Exploring the Gospel of Mark: Chapter 12 Insights

Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the Matter ESPRESSO! where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraney, your host.

Show 12 541
Forty-Four Verses
March 14th 2017
Prayer

Reflecting on the Gospel

You know I was very excited to teach the next principle from Chomsky – Regulate the Regulators – but on Thursday morning I was led to create in another direction tonight. We’re going to call this short-break from hacking at the branches, Forty Four Verses. I have not read through the Gospel of Mark in a number of years. Why, I can’t really say, but I am doing a self-survey of the New Testament on the topic of end-times and eternal punishment and finishing Matthew began in Mark.

Coming to chapter 12, I was blown away at how it spoke to me. Now let me emphasize, How it spoke to me – as I didn’t read it with any commentary or even with the help of a Greek Concordance. Again, how it spoke to ME. Now, a gift God has given me (I have not been trained) is that of a teacher. It is the central gift to my earthly existence as I am bent on teaching all the time. Teachers are certainly not infallible, but when it comes to scripture I believe the best teaching comes from the Spirit.

Spirit-Led Reading

As I read over the contents of Chapter 12, I had to ask: “Is the Spirit speaking to me the things I am thinking, or is this just me and my prejudices, my world view, my slant?” I firmly believe that when I am reading and subsequently teaching the Word, that the Spirit is leading. When it is not, I am prone to error – and if I didn’t believe it was leading, there would be no reason to teach. I want to take the next few minutes together to discuss these forty-four verses and how I believe the Spirit speaks – at least to me. See if we are in the same boat. Chapter twelve consists of Seven Events, as I will label them. Let’s work through them together. I will insert words as we read each of these seven events to explain what I believe is most pressing in them:

Event 1 (verses 1-12 of chapter 12 of Mark)

Mark 12:1 And he (Jesus) began to speak unto them by parables. “A certain man (representing God) planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, (a product from the fruit of the vineyard) and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. (In this case, the far country being heaven as this is a picture of God establishing a vineyard THAT PRODUCES on earth among the Nation of Israel) Got that?

2 And at the season (the time when He expected there to be a harvest of fruit or product) he sent to the husbandmen (the Jews in charge) a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. (this was God’s expectation – to receive fruit from the vineyard). 3 And they (some from the Nation of Israel) caught him (the servant or messenger sent to them) and beat him, and sent him away empty. (without any fruit). 4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

(In these examples, we find an increase in the mistreatment of those God sent to the Nation of Israel – messengers, prophets – the first was beat-up, the second was wounded in the head, the next were killed). 6 Having yet therefore one son, (God’s one and only begotten human Son, Jesus Christ – not just a servant but a Son) his “well-beloved,” he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (Did you catch it – God would last of all send His Son unto the caretakers of this special vineyard – last of all. No more coming. And his saying upon sending Him was, “They will Reverence my Son.”)

7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

(There seems to have been some knowledge on the part of these caretakers on who Jesus was).

The Parable of the Vineyard and Its Implications

"What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."

The parable began with the Lord creating this vineyard for a people to care for in order to produce fruit. None was gathered. After trying to obtain the fruit in a number of different ways, even sending His Only Son whom they killed "LAST of all," Jesus asks and answers, saying: "What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."

Did this happen? Of course, it did. The husbandmen of the vineyard were wiped out in 70AD. Done. No more priesthood. No more temple. No more genealogies. That stewardship was destroyed as those stewards destroyed God's only Son. And . . . he gave the vineyard unto others? Who? Not a nation, not a people-group, but (LISTEN) those who receive His Son and (going back to the original purpose of the vineyard) and produce fruit.

The Cornerstone and the Rejection

What kind of fruit? We’ll get to that in a minute. Jesus wraps this first event up by saying:

10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
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.

Tribute to Caesar and Allegiance to God

EVENT 2 (verses 13-17)

13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

These words convey their impression of Jesus – which may or may not be correct – I happen to think they are, that "He was 'true,' and cared for no (man’s opinion) 'for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth.'"

Again, I personally believe this was a pretty good assessment of Jesus relative to what He came to do and teach and if I’m right can we not learn a great deal of how to be as well in our walk – in other words, shouldn’t we too "care nothing about the opinions or statures of Man but teach the way of God in truth too?"

In any case, as a means to trap Him they say: "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, 'Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.'
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, 'Whose is this image and superscription?' And they said unto him, 'Caesar's.'
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.

Another Encounter with the Sadducees

From this second event, we have a clear directive from the Son of God – "pay and do what Caesar demands in his Kingdom – in Jesus name, and as a good witness (Romans 14). "But always render to God the things that are God's" (another reference to giving Him the fruits of our hearts and minds and hands.)

EVENT 3

18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
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.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
22 And the seven

The Question of Resurrection and Marriage

The Sadducees, who did not believe in a resurrection, concocted a situation based on a practice Moses instituted in Deuteronomy known as Leverite Marriage. Apparently, this was set in motion among the Nation of Israel as a means to keep family lines intact, so inheritances would remain in-house, and the deceased brother could carry on the family name through the living brother. Taking this practice to an extreme, the Sadducees wanted to show what a mess all of these marriages would be if there was a resurrection of the dead. (So in verse 23, having set the stage, they ask Jesus)

23 “In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife?”

Now remember, these men did not believe in a resurrection so their question was not based on a belief in marriage after this life. It was a trick to try and catch Jesus, that’s all. But being the Word made flesh, Jesus knew His scriptures and so He clarifies everything up (verse 24)

24 And Jesus answering said unto them, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (has not your misunderstanding of scripture and of the Power of God caused you to make mistakes here? He asks.)

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.”

Understanding Life After Resurrection

Now remember, these were all married – so this Jesus is not talking about getting married after this life. He is clearly addressing the question, “If people are married here to several others, how will these earthly marriages carry over into the afterlife?"

The Pharisees (who opposed the Sadducees) believed that the future resurrected body continued performing marital functions. So do Muslims and Mormons. Of course, the Pharisees were in error (as Jesus makes plain). But the Sadducees made this one of their objections to belief in the resurrection altogether. So Jesus tells them that when people who have been married here rise from the dead, there will be no marriage in heaven; neither will the marriages they have had be binding.

He then clarifies for them the resurrection, since they stood opposed to it, and adds:

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?"
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.”

Commandment and the Living God

What is He telling them? God is the God of living things, not dead things. Therefore, all that has died will be made alive again. Through Him. I take this passage literally. If something is dead, God is not the God of that person, place, or thing. He is the God of the living. If all shall rise again (as scripture clearly states), then He is the God of all this made alive – those raised to life eternal and those raised to damnation.

The First Commandment

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?
29 And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
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.”

(Here Jesus quotes the Great Shema, located in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

I trust the Great Shema – I accept it and take it for what it says without any messing around. I take it as Jesus presented it to this Scribe – “This is the first commandment, “Yahwey our God is One Yahwey.” I believe this was Jesus professing the Nature of the One True and Living God to the Scribe and the

The Two Great Commandments

First commandment related to Him – to LOVE Him with our all.

I do NOT hear Jesus including Himself in this to the scribe. He is merely revealing the True and Living God and the 1st Commandment to love Him. (Jesus adds 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.

What was at the heart of the two great commandments that Jesus, the Word made flesh, shared with this more than well-read scribe? LOVE. LOVE of God first. Love of neighbor second.

32 And the scribe said unto him, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 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 neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Now listen to what Jesus says to this scribe after they have agreed –

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, (the Greek word translated, “discreetly” here in the King James is Noonechos, and it means “His mind soundly held to these facts”) he said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Did you notice that to this scribe, whose mind had comprehended that the first two great commandments were all about LOVE that Jesus did NOT tell the man that He needed to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior? Now, it’s not that He wouldn’t – no man comes to the father but by Him – but Jesus did not say one word to this guy about faith in Him.

My point is sometimes even Jesus didn’t preach Jesus. Why? I think the Spirit led Him to realize that this one would be okay. After all, did Jesus Himself say in Matthew 9:13:

“for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

We make a huge deal in modern Evangelicalism about getting everyone to claim Jesus with their mouths. And while I believe ALL mouths will – including this scribe – profess Him, perhaps we need to step back a bit on the rhetoric and zeal and gently reason with folks about the King – as the Spirit leads.

Jesus and the Scribes

EVENT V

35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

I’m not going to explain this event entirely, but bottom line it is Jesus' attempt to prove that while the Messiah was to come from the Line of King David, that Messiah would be superior to him.

Understanding the Messiah's Role

But there are two points I want you to take a look at in this event.

First, note that scripture says

The LORD (Yahway – the one true God) said to my (David’s Lord – Jesus) “Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Sit here UNTIL . . . UNTIL . . . the “Jesus role” at the Right hand of God, according to this, was for a span of time, that He would sit at His right hand until God made all of His enemies His footstool?

Has God accomplished this? Has He made all of Jesus' enemies subservient to Him? There are many believers who suggest that Satan is still in power, still in control, still owner of the title deed to the earth.

I am of the opinion, based on a number of passages, that while Satan still roams with an ability to tempt (like he did in the Garden of Eden), he is completely without any power to keep – that he is a footstool to Jesus. And if he is under the control of Jesus, then all things have been placed under Jesus' feet AND Jesus no longer remains at the right hand of the Father, but God is now all in all, as was the purpose and intent of Him becoming flesh in the first place.

But also notice that upon sharing this who Mark says understood what He meant – Mark writes:

“And the common people heard.

Beware of Religious Leaders

In my opinion, EVENT 6 (verses 38-40) describes all religious-oriented men and women – but to me, it really is applicable to the LDS leaders today.

38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, (meaning He said this to those who were followers of Him) “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Jesus gives us a description of the heart of such religious players here and he says beware of scribes who love to go in long clothing and love salutations in the marketplaces and the chief seats in the synagogues and the uppermost rooms at feasts who “devour widows' houses,” and for a pretense make long prayers and he says, “these shall receive greater damnation,” (which is a clear indication that after-life damnation is meted out in degrees or levels).

Characteristics of Religious Leaders

And so I say to you, my friends these same words of our King: “Beware of the learned men of the faith, those who . . .”

They love to go in long clothing. Long robes that illustrate their learnedness, their social status, their levels of academia – watch out for these – their fashions are indicative of pride. Beware of those same people who love salutations in the marketplaces. Who love to be openly greeted in the agora – Beloved Pastor! Honorable Reverand! Bishop! Pope! Come eat our meaty broths and hearty breads and share with us YOUR wisdom.” They love to be seen, and heard, and adored because they LOVE to be seen as perhaps superior to the rest, as entitled, as evidenced by the fact that they also love “the chief seats in the synagogues” and “the uppermost rooms at feasts.” Ego. Pride. To be seen. To be praised. To show forth an example of power and public persuasion. We justify all of this today in our treatment of such. We believe they should have the best seats, and the greatest honor.

Jesus says the greatest among us are those who are SERVANTS – therefore those who have no long robes, no titles, no good seats. We’ve lost this – probably 2000 years ago – and need it back not just among the fringe groups but in the mainstreams of the faith. Then Jesus adds a couple of final descriptions of these sorts, and says:

• who “devour widows' houses,” (which we will wrap tonight's program up with)
• and for a pretense make long prayers

On “the long prayer” comment note that Jesus is not speaking against long prayers in and of themselves but those that are given for a pretense – a profacis – a show. Ah, the eloquence, the insight, the flowery language – and we might at times – ah the pretense.

The Poor Widow's Offering

Final Event of Mark 12? Right after telling those who were His to beware of these types, and includes in the description of them that they, “devour widows houses.” Jesus fortuitously is witnessing a living example of this. Luke chapter 20, which covers most of what Mark 12 covers, tells us that Jesus was in the temple and teaching and warning. And the first verse of chapter 21 begins with:

“And he looked up,” and then we read the Seventh Event of Mark Chapter 12 beginning at verse 41 which, after reporting that Jesus has said that these devour widows houses, says He looked up:

41 And sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. (This is yet another point applicable to our day and age – those who give much are often hailed (even publicly) as the more noble. But let’s read on) 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 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: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

Now, as we’ve seen and said before, many leaders in the faith will use this event as proof that Jesus wants all to give – even to give all of their living (if they are really sick). Is that

Teaching from Mark Chapter 12

First of all, Jesus was just talking about these “long-robed, salutation loving, best seat taking” religious leaders who He also accused of devouring widows houses. Then right then and there, in the same breath almost, He gives them a living example of this very thing. I mean Jesus does not even commend the widow. There is no praise. He just makes an observation to point out that what He had said earlier was true!

Neither is there a directive for poor widows in the future to do like her. If this was a disconnected teaching on giving, Jesus could have simply used a “poor person” as his example but He was very specific in His choice of “a poor widow,” tying His criticism of the Scribes (who again He said were “devouring widows’ houses) to this actual living example. As such the story is actually a proof that they were devouring widows houses and not a support for widows to give.

God's Care for the Vulnerable

Scripture has God constantly caring for the widow, the poor, the fatherless and the stranger, and has Him angry at those who deprive them of what they need to live. If anything this story reveals their abuses not the honor of widows (or the poor) giving. Right now, right here – all healthy hopeful mindful gentle people ought to approach their pastors and have them announce over the pulpit that, “All who are on a LIMITED fixed income – the poor, the struggling, the widows, the fatherless – ought to use their incomes to survive and to forbid them from giving to the church.” Can we agree to this at least?

So there is Mark chapter 12, and how I would teach it in a quick presentation. Have you agreed? Been repulsed? Now you go, re-read it, and see what God tells you.

Community Interaction

Let’s open up the phone lines: (801)

While the operators clear your calls consider THIS:

(RUN SPOT HERE PLEASE)

Calls?

End show.