The Gospel According to Mark Chapter 12
Originally posted Friday, February 22, 2008
General Comment: In the
passage of the widow who gives all she has, we should be cautious in our
interpretation and application. Jesus is not proposing that those with very
little give it all away. Indeed, it is doubtful that Jesus would wish to have
anyone put themselves, through their giving, in the position of not being able
to sustain themselves with the necessities of life. At the same time it would
be equally doubtful that he would condone an ostentatious life style coupled
with a giving pattern that is not at all sacrificial. To paraphrase John
Wesley: Earn all you can, save all you can and give all you can.
Mark Chapter 12:1-12 Parable of the Wicked Tenants [see
MT 21:33-46]
Think of this
passage as a continuation of the previous events. Jesus has entered the Temple
Precincts, taken control of its traffic, essentially "occupying" the
site. He has charged the Temple leadership (chief priests and
Sadducees), the religious interpreters and teachers (Scribes and Pharisees)
with allowing the House of Prayer to become a den of robbers who have produced
no fruit - deeds of justice and mercy. Jesus has expressed in his Temple
actions that he has authority over the Temple thereby rejecting and
replacing the authority of those who have corrupted God's intentions. The parable
of the Wicked Tenants is the condemnation of those who have been charged with
responsibility as stewards of the Temple - and Israel, but have
refused the correction brought by many prophetic voices, both past and
present.
The thematic root of
the parable - the vineyard, is found in several Old Testament passages.
The most important passage, one that would have been well known to Jesus, is
from Isaiah 5:1-7. A related
passage isPsalm 80:8-13. In both it
is very clear that the vineyard is Israel. In particular the Isaiah text points
out what happens to Israel as a result of the lack of bearing the fruit of
justice and faithfulness to God. The interaction between the absentee owner and
the tenants could easily have been taken from actual happenings as recorded in
documents of the time.
As you read the
parable keep these points in mind and see how they relate to the various
characters in the story. Mark's community would have heard this passage as an
allegory, with God as the planter/ absentee owner, Israel/Temple as the
vineyard, the Jewish leadership as the evil tenants, the mistreated and killed
slaves as the Prophets, including John the Baptist, and the son and
heir of the absentee owner as Jesus. Other features might be the
fence (the Jerusalem wall), watchtower (the Temple) and the produce of the vine
(good works). For Mark, the vineyard has been taken away from the tenants who
bore no fruit and killed the Son, and given to others, the Church.
The passage closes
with a quotation from Psalm
118:22-23. This Psalm was written (and sung) as a commemoration of the
rebuilding of Solomon's Temple in 516 BCE, after the people of Judah
returned from the Babylonian exile in 537 BCE. It is an interesting use of the
text since the Temple in Jesus' time had not yet been completed even though reconstruction
had been underway for almost 46 years. The rejected cornerstone, the most
important stone in the Temple, will be the cornerstone of a new building, the
Church.
Mark Chapter 12:13-17 Paying Taxes [see MT 22:15-22]
Matthew and Mark are
very close in the wording of this passage. In vs. 15 Mark uses the word "hypocrisy" to describe
the flattering words used in the Pharisees approach. Matthew uses
"malice." Mark is probably more correct in describing the words they
use, but there is little doubt that their intent was malicious. In vs. 16 Most
modern translations have "emperor," but in the Greek text
it is "Caesar."
The Book of Genesis
has two verses that relate to this story. In Gen. 1:27, "So God created humankind in his image, in the
image of God he created them; male and female he created them." In the
older creation story, inGen 2:7,
"Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground." The first
text states that we are created in the image of God. The second text gives us
the analogy of the potter fashioning something out of clay. Walter Bruggerman,
in his commentary on Genesis writes that we, like an elaborately made clay
vessel, bear the thumbprint of God. I would liken that to God's signature, a
signature on a fine piece of art and a statement that we belong to God.
Jesus looked at the coin. It had Caesar's image on it, so it belonged to
Caesar. "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the
things that are God's." Pay the tax, it is a little matter. But give
yourself to God in fruitful discipleship.
Mark Chapter 12:18-27 About the Resurrection [see MT
22:23-33]
Both Gospels present
the same argument and response. There are a number of issues this passage
clarifies. First it points out the foolishness of the Levirate Law (Deut. 25:5-11). Note in this same text
in vss, 7-10 there is an
elaborate ceremony provided for those who did not wish to carry out this law.
Examples of the law being applied can be found in the story of Tamar and Onan
and an example of the use of the right of refusal can be found in the book of
Ruth. There is no evidence that the Law was applied or required in the
first century. Rabbinical opinions recorded in the Mishnah
strongly discouraged its application.
Second is the
mention of heaven as the place where the resurrected dead (the righteous ones)
abide. This idea arises out of the book of Daniel (written about 165 BCE), the
earliest mention of resurrection in angelic form. Heaven is but one
Biblical version of the destination of those who die "in the
faith." Paul and Isaiah envision a transformed earth.
The third issue is
the power of God. Jesus, in using the Scriptures against the Sadducees
demonstrates their lack of belief in the God who can accomplish
the impossible.
Mark Chapter 12:28-34 The First Commandment [see
MT 22:34-40]
Matthew has used a
different source for this passage. In his version it is the Pharisees who come
to question Jesus. One of their number (a lawyer is the same as a
scribe) asks the question about the greatest commandment. The remainder
of the passage is Jesus' answer and their is no added comment by Jesus. In Mark
a Scribe overhears Jesus debate with the Sadducees about the resurrection and
is impressed by Jesus' handling of the dispute. The Scribe would have believed
in the resurrection. He asks Jesus which commandment is the "first"
of all in importance, to which Jesus responds by quoting two
commandments: the Shema (Deut.
6:4-5) and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18)." The Scribe is now even
more impressed with Jesus' teaching than he was before and adds his own
understanding about the relationship of these two commandments to other
Biblical testimonies. Not only are these the two greatest commandments, they
are "...much more important than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices" Now it is Jesus who is impressed, for this Scribe has come
upon a great truth, that love of God and love of neighbor are the sum total of
true worship of God. All the rest is window dressing. Jesus pronounces his benediction
upon this brief discussion with a congratulatory gift. This Scribe is not far
from the Kingdom of God. It is not Scriptural but I would like to think
the Scribe lingered even longer and got closer.
Mark Chapter 12:35-37 David's Son? [MT
22:41-46]
Matthew seems to
have used a different source to elaborate on Mark's briefer version. The
audience seems to be either the disciples or the crowd, or both. Jesus'
adversaries have been thoroughly undone and there will be no more debates in the
Temple.
In Matthew David
speaks "in the spirit," while in Mark he speaks "by the
Holy Spirit." Both are the same in meaning. The King, like the High
Priest (and the Pope) are said to speak prophetically while in office. As a
prophesy David has spoken the words God gives him to speak. For Mark as well as
Matthew the use of Psalm 110:1 serves
as a corrective to the notion that who Jesus is can be confined within the
narrow boundaries of a messianic title such as Son of David. It is a view
which is too closely identified with Jewish nationalism. The Psalm
also is one used by the Church to speak of Jesus' exaltation as the Lord, a
term used in the Old Testament as a replacement for God's unutterable name,
YAHWEH. Using this Psalm along withPsalm 2:7 the
Church composed the Christology of Jesus as Lord and Son of God, one
who shares in God's power. For the Gospels it is this one who is more than
the Son of David.
Mark Chapter 12:38-40 Denouncing the Scribes [see
MT 23:1-36]
It is easy to see
that Matthew has a different source and he shares only two or three verses. In
Matthew note there is no vs. 14.
In some manuscripts that verse is present as an editorial addition to make
Matthew conform with Mark's vs. 40, condemning
the Scribes for devouring widows' houses. The meaning of this text is not
clear. It may refer to the practice of Scribes or other religious officials
becoming guardians for the elderly widow who has no living male
relative. In the process of "caring" for her, the Scribe
is living off (and using up) the widow's wealth, perhaps taking ownership
of the property once she dies. In any case it is one of the reasons Jesus gives
in his warning to the crowd. Jesus' instructions to his disciples as he sent
them out two by two is a statement of caution against the trappings of seeking
honor by virtue of one's position.
Mark Chapter 12:41-44 The Widow's Offering
This is one of a
very few passages of Mark's that is not used by Matthew. Luke does
use it, probably because it flows nicely after the previous warning about
the Scribes with respect to their taking advantage of widows. The passage also
serves to draw distinctions between the very poor, of whom there were many, and
the wealthy.
The Mishnah (ancient
Jewish commentaries on the Old Testament) reports that there were
thirteen chests, called trumpets because of their shape, narrow at the top
where money was put in and wide at the bottom. There were many other
such chest in other areas of the Temple precincts, some for the annual temple
tax, others for deposits to pay for offerings, etc.
As in the previous
passage about the Scribes and their desire for being noticed, here the rich are
giving large sums of money which would certainly be noticed by others standing
around the treasury receptacles in the Court of the Women. Jesus compares their
large gifts given out of their abundance without any
sacrifice, with this widow who gives two small copper leptas, all she has
to live on. Seeing this Jesus declares that she has put in more than anyone
else. Her gift was a true sacrifice.
Mark does not tell
us Jesus' thoughts about this woman's social condition, living in poverty amid
so much wealth. If he had, we would not be surprised to read of Jesus'
distain for a system that would even expect such a poor person to be
giving her last two Leptas and a society in which such poverty is invisible. We
might be reminded as we read this text of the televangelists in their large,
stadium-like arenas prodding their congregations to give and give until it
hurts because God will surely return the gift in kind and more so to their
prosperity.
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