Discover the Gospel of Mark in 3 WeeksSample

Standoff in Jerusalem - Part 1 of 2 (Mark 12:1-44)

Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. Mark 12:12 (NIV)

Context:

The readings on Days 16 and 17 are about the “final standoff” between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem. The section begins with a parable, which we will interpret today (Mark 12:1-12). On Day 17 we will look at how the section moves on to describe the questions brought to Jesus by his opponents, concluding with Jesus asking a question of his own (Mark 12:13-44).

On Day 6, we introduced a process for interpreting parables. Check out the devotional for that day if you need a reminder. What follows here is a summary.

The PURPOSE of parables is to elicit a response to God’s kingdom from those who hear.

The PARTS of a parable to identify in observation and interpretation are:

1. The Audience - Who is around as Jesus is telling the parable?
2. The Reference Points - Which elements in the story need to be understood in order to interpret the parable correctly? Which parts point to something beyond the story?
3. The Kingdom Truth - What is the one main point the parable teaches about the kingdom, which is calling for a response from the audience?

Observation:

1. Jesus’s Audience is the crowd, but the chief priests, teachers of the law, and the elders are his focus (Mark 12:12; also, notice their involvement in the story preceding this parable in Mark 11:27-33)
2. The Points of Reference:

• The vineyard
• The vineyard owner
• The tenants
• The owner’s servants
• The owner’s son
• The others given the vineyard

Interpretation

The parable which begins today’s passage sets the tone for the rest of this section (which we will finish tomorrow). Isaiah 5:1-7 helps us to interpret the points of reference in the following way:

• The vineyard = Israel, God’s people who were intended to produce good fruit (Isaiah 5:2, 7)
• The vineyard owner = God (Isaiah 5:7)
• The tenants = also Israel, but specifically those with hard hearts who resisted God’s plan for the vineyard (Isaiah 5:2, 7)
• The owner’s servants = the prophets sent to Israel with God’s word
• The owner’s son = Jesus
• The others given the vineyard = the ones who accept Jesus as God’s Son and are thus revealed as the true people of God (which will extend to include Gentiles)

3. How would you explain this parable’s kingdom truth and its main point? What is the response Jesus desires from those who hear it?

Application:

What stood out to you from today’s reading? What did you hear?

Do you feel like you understand what you heard? What truths about God’s kingdom were illustrated?

How is the Spirit inviting you respond to this truth in a practical way?