Study Passage: Mark 12
Point of the Passage
1-12
In Jesus' parable, a vineyard owner rented it to some tenants. The tenants mistreated the servants of the owner in a journey whenever he sent one, even kiled them. Finally, when the owner sent his son, they killed him, too. The owner will come and destroy them. Jesus quoted the rejected stone became the capstone. Hearing this parable, the Israelite leaders plotted to arrest Jesus.
13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. Showing the portrait and inscription of Caesar in a denarius, Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"
18-27
The Sadducees insisted that there is no resurrection asking whose wife she will be at the resurrection, if seven men in turn marries a woman according to Mosaic law since each one died with no children. Jesus pointed their misunderstanding and emphasized the reality of resurrection explaining that there would be no marriage in heaven. God is the God of the living, not of the dead.
28-34
A teacher of the law asked which is the most important commandment. Jesus answered. Love your God wholeheartedly and your neighbor as yourself. He agreed. Jesus praised him. No one dared ask Jesus again.
35-37
Jesus taught the Christ can't be David's son because David himself calls the Christ 'Lord'. People liked the message.
38-40
Jesus criticized the hypocrisy of the teachers of the law.
41-44
Jesus praised a small amount of the poor widow's offering because she put all she had to live on.
Parallel Passages
| Verse | Reference | Key thought |
| 10-11 | Psalm 118:22-23 | The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. |
| 17 | Romans 13:5-7 | Paying taxes is one way of admitting authority God has given. |
| 19 | Deutronomy 25:5-6 | A man should marry his brother's wife if his brother dies without a son. The first son will have the dead brother's name. |
| 26 | Exodus 3:6 | I am the God of your father. Here 'am' is used because, Jesus emphasized, God is the God of the living, not of the dead. |
| 30 | Deutronomy 6:4,5 | Love your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. |
| 30 | Levictus 19:18 | Love your neighbor as yourself. |
| 35 | Psalm 110:1 | Jesus said that David called the Messiah my Lord in Psalm 110:1 |
Problems of the Passage
| Verse | Question |
| 1 | What is a 'winepress'? |
| 1 | What is a 'watchtower' |
| 43 | How much is a current currency of two lepta and one kodrantes? - In current Korean won, it is about 1,500 won. |
Profit of the Passage
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. How can I love God in this way? Heart, soul, mind and strength are related to whole being of mine.
My life is to resemble God's character, that is holiness. Our spirit, soul and body should be like Him.
I am lack of staying holy with respect to my body. The holiness of my body is related to cleaness in Levictus. The balanced life is very important as God's children. We are created not only as a soul or spirit but also as a body. I have to stay in healthy condition in my whole being including my emotion and my physical wellness.