And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
Mark 12:8 belongs to the parable of the vineyard, where the tenants kill the owner's beloved son and heir and cast him out, climaxing their earlier persecution and killing of the messengers sent to claim the owner's rights. The messengers are God's prophets, patiently sent to call His people to account, whom they treated as enemies and killed with increasing hatred, already showing their rebellion. The son and heir represents Christ, and the tenants' act portrays the rejection and killing of Him by the Jewish leaders, priests and elders, including their effort to destroy Him.
The killing points to Christ's death, with His blood soon to be shed for the sins of the world, yet valued by the priests and elders no more than the blood of sacrificial animals. Satan worked through disobedient people to oppose God's work and cut off light and communication from God, and in killing the heir they crucified the Lord of life and glory. The priests and teachers were guilty because they withheld from God the service He claimed, misled the people and turned the nation away from Christ. Their resistance to His presentation of God's law and their influence against Him made them responsible for His rejection and the resulting national ruin. Rejection of the Son brought punishment and the vineyard's removal from them and its entrusting to other husbandmen who would give its fruits in their season.
The parable presents the Jewish nation as husbandmen entrusted with the Lord's vineyard and its fruits, with responsibility to serve faithfully and unselfishly throughout the vineyard and return its fruits to the Lord. Concentrating blessings and facilities in only part of the field was unfaithful stewardship. The parable applies not only to the Jewish nation but also to the church in every generation, which has received great privileges and blessings from God and is accountable to return fruit in keeping with them. Its warning also applies to religious teachers who turn people from God's law and resist the messengers who call for obedience. By withholding the vineyard's fruits of love, humility, and self-sacrificing service, they act as unfaithful tenants. The vineyard represents the world, and these parables of Christ should be studied. The lesson bears on training for mission work through cultivation of the soil and manual labor, for faithful cultivation of land and disinterested care of buildings drives out the love of sports and amusements.
Mark 12:8 belongs to the parable of the vineyard, where the tenants kill the owner's beloved son and heir and cast him out, climaxing their earlier persecution and killing of the messengers sent to claim the owner's rights. The messengers are God's prophets, patiently sent to call His people to account, whom they treated as enemies and killed with increasing hatred, already showing their rebellion. The son and heir represents Christ, and the tenants' act portrays the rejection and killing of Him by the Jewish leaders, priests and elders, including their effort to destroy Him.
The killing points to Christ's death, with His blood soon to be shed for the sins of the world, yet valued by the priests and elders no more than the blood of sacrificial animals. Satan worked through disobedient people to oppose God's work and cut off light and communication from God, and in killing the heir they crucified the Lord of life and glory. The priests and teachers were guilty because they withheld from God the service He claimed, misled the people and turned the nation away from Christ. Their resistance to His presentation of God's law and their influence against Him made them responsible for His rejection and the resulting national ruin. Rejection of the Son brought punishment and the vineyard's removal from them and its entrusting to other husbandmen who would give its fruits in their season.
The parable presents the Jewish nation as husbandmen entrusted with the Lord's vineyard and its fruits, with responsibility to serve faithfully and unselfishly throughout the vineyard and return its fruits to the Lord. Concentrating blessings and facilities in only part of the field was unfaithful stewardship. The parable applies not only to the Jewish nation but also to the church in every generation, which has received great privileges and blessings from God and is accountable to return fruit in keeping with them. Its warning also applies to religious teachers who turn people from God's law and resist the messengers who call for obedience. By withholding the vineyard's fruits of love, humility, and self-sacrificing service, they act as unfaithful tenants. The vineyard represents the world, and these parables of Christ should be studied. The lesson bears on training for mission work through cultivation of the soil and manual labor, for faithful cultivation of land and disinterested care of buildings drives out the love of sports and amusements.