Mark 12:1-12 (Daily Bread 13/3/2018)

THEY KILLED HIM AND THREW HIM OUT.

Key verse 12:8

In reply to the leaders' question about authority, Jesus gave a parable, that of the winegrowers. The vineyard's authority was greatly underestimated The owner of the vineyard had authority, but it was not well known. The action of the winegrowers was very serious before God.      

1.     They killed the envoys (1-8)

A man had a beautiful vine. He took great care to establish an environment conducive to fruit bearing. Then he rented it to winegrowers before going on a trip. In the coming season, he sent his servants to receive the harvest from the winegrowers. Now the winegrowers had become extremely proud and arrogant, so much so that they put every envoy to death . Finally, for the owner, only his own son remained. Thinking that that they would have the minimum of conscience to respect his son, he sent him. However, the winegrowers were treated him more violently that they did the others. They were very wicked, for they thought that if they killed him, the heir, the vine would be theirs.  They threw his body out of the vineyard, and he would surely have fallen prey to predators.What happened to them, those men and the vines they had coveted so much.  

2.     The rejected stone became the main stone (29-33) 

Jesus quoted the word of Psalm 118:22 to indicate how he who is martyred by the wicked becomes a very important person. His tribulation and martyrdom are not in vain. God sees his pain and suffering, and He will reward such a man. Those who unjustly suffer atrocity and mistreatment from the wicked will receive the just reward from God.  This only son so unhappily killed and thrown out of the vineyard refers to the Son of God sent by God to save sinful humanity. He only had the will to receive a little bit of  fruit in exchange of the life that he gave man. It is the will of our master. The problem of the persecuting winegrowers was that they considered the field not as rented property, but as their own. They were not thankful for their fields where they could work and earn a living, but they thought the owner was exploiting their labour. Man blames God who gave him many things, including his life. As soon as he returns, the owner will take the vine away and give it to the others. The leaders grinded their teeth to grasp Jesus, but his hour had not yet come.