Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 12:9
What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
9. he will come ] According to St Matthew, this was the answer of the Pharisees themselves, either, before they were aware, pronouncing sentence against themselves, or pretending in the hardness of their hearts not to see the drift of the Parable. The answer was followed by “a deep God forbid” from several voices (Luk 20:16).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. And will give the vineyard unto others.] The vineyard must not perish with the husbandmen; it is still capable of producing much fruit, if it be properly cultivated. I will give it into the care of new vine-dressers, the evangelists and apostles. – And under their ministry, multitudes were brought to God before the destruction of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do?…. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions add, to them; that is, to the husbandmen, as is expressed in Mt 21:40,
[See comments on Mt 21:40]:
he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. As the former clause contains a question put by Christ upon his having finished the parable, this is an answer to it, given by the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, in whose presence, and for whose sake it was delivered; [See comments on Mt 21:41].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do,” (ti poiesei ho jurios tou ampelonos) “What in response will the lord of the vineyard do? “the one to whom the vineyard belongs? 1Co 4:2. Jesus appealed to their natural sense of justice.
2) “He will come and destroy the husbandmen,” (eleusetai kai apolesei tous georgous) “He will come and will destroy (bring to just judgement) those husbandmen,” those trustees, cut them off from their administration of his ground and vineyard, Mar 12:1; Ecc 12:13-14; 2Sa 12:6-9, perhaps fulfilled nationally at the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem and the dispersion, AD 70. Luk 21:20-24; Pro 1:24-31.
3) “And give the vineyard unto others.” (kai dosei to ampelona allois) “And he will give over (entrust the vineyard to others,” to others more trustworthy for a time, to the Gentiles in general, and the church in particular, called from among the Gentiles (in Galilee), as a people for His name’s sake, Dan 9:26; Pro 1:24-31; Act 15:14; Joh 15:16; Joh 15:27; Eph 3:3-11; Eph 3:21; Rom 11:11; Rom 11:25; Joh 20:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(9) He will come and destroy the husbandmen.St. Matthew reports the words as having been spoken by the by-standers. Here they form part of the parable itself. We may think of them as having been probably taken up and repeated by our Lord after they had been uttered by others.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenant farmers and will give the vineyard to others.”
‘The lord of the vineyard’ here is the owner and the outcome is exactly what anyone would expect. He would come and destroy them. What else could the owner do? (The tenants had clearly hoped he would not think it worth the trouble).
Strictly the meaning here is simply that those responsible for God’s people will be judged and replaced. It is not the vineyard that is to be destroyed but the tenant farmers. Jesus’ point was that it was necessary that these be replaced. God would not leave them still in control.
This was a stark warning to the Jewish authorities. Did they really think that God would stand by and do nothing when they continually rejected His prophets and finally His Son?
And although they did not yet realise it He was already making provision for their replacement with the training of His disciples. He knew that they would shortly take over the responsibilities of the Jewish religious leadership, for that was why He had trained them. Then, for those who responded to Jesus, the authority of those Jewish leaders would be destroyed. It was they who would be ‘cast out’.
But this would also later be seen as fulfilled in a much more powerful way in the cessation of the priesthood because of the destruction of the Temple (although that had not happened when Mark was writing). The main idea, however, was of the passing over of the authority to the Apostles. That was the whole purpose of training them (see also John 13-16).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The application of the parable:
v. 9. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
v. 10. And have ye not read this Scripture: The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner;
v. 11. this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
v. 12. And they sought to lay hold on Him, but feared the people; for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them. And they left Him and went their way. The vivid presentation of Christ in bringing out the cowardliness, greed, and cruelty of the wicked husbandmen must have been most impressive. And so the question which He presented at the climax of the story must have forced the answer in their minds, even if they did not all voice it aloud: He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and give the vineyard to others. The Lord spoke the judgment which His parable forced from the lips of His hearers. Note: The vineyard must not be left desolate after the destruction of the wicked men; it is still capable of producing much fruit if properly cultivated. The evangelists and apostles brought in many a rich result of their labors, even before the destruction of Jerusalem. To bring out the point of His story still more strongly, Jesus refers to a passage of the Psalms, a verse from the great Halley which the Jews sang so proudly at their great festivals, Psa 118:22. The stone which the builders rejected, repudiated, thought of no value for their building, for the Church of God, this very one has become the corner-stone, on which the whole building rests, without which it would be insecure and could not stand. This fact is indeed wonderful in our eyes, just as it is represented by Isa 53:2-3. The Jews rejected Christ, the Messiah, they delivered Him into the hands of the heathen to be killed, but Jesus arose from the dead and thus became the foundation and corner-stone of the New Testament Church. In Him, and in Him only, there is salvation. Trust in Him as the Savior of the world is absolutely essential for membership in the body which is named after Him.
The obvious application of the parable and of the Scripture-passage to which Jesus referred angered the Jewish authorities beyond measure. They tried most anxiously to lay hold upon Him, but their fear of the people restrained them, as on the day before, chapter 11:18. Even this earnest admonition did not have any effect upon their calloused hearts; their hatred of Jesus did not permit any feeling of repentance to arise. They felt the sting of the parable and, being foiled in all their attempts to harm Jesus, they gnashed their teeth in helpless rage and marched off.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
9. ] . . . is not the answer of the Pharisees, or of the people, as the corresponding sentence in [37] Matt. (see note there), but, here and in [38] Luke, a continuation of our Lord’s discourse.
[37] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
[38] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
After Mar 12:11 comes in Mat 21:43-45 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
shall = will.
the lord. Implying and leading up to the interpretation. App-98. A.
unto others. The new Israel, as foretold in Isa 66:7-14.
others. Greek. Plural of’ allos. App-124.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9.] … is not the answer of the Pharisees, or of the people, as the corresponding sentence in [37] Matt. (see note there), but, here and in [38] Luke, a continuation of our Lords discourse.
[37] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25, the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified, thus, Mk., or Mt. Mk., &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others.
[38] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25, the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified, thus, Mk., or Mt. Mk., &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others.
After Mar 12:11 comes in Mat 21:43-45.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
destroy
Fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70. Cf. Luk 21:20-24.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
shall: Mat 21:40, Mat 21:41
he will: Lev 26:15-18, Lev 26:23, Lev 26:24, Lev 26:27, Lev 26:28, Deu 4:26, Deu 4:27, Deu 28:15-68, Deu 28:61, Jos 23:15, Pro 1:24-31, Isa 5:5-7, Dan 9:26, Dan 9:27, Zec 13:7-9, Mat 3:9-12, Mat 12:45, Mat 22:7, Mat 23:34-38, Luk 19:27, Luk 19:41-44, Luk 20:15, Luk 20:16
and will: Isa 29:17, Isa 32:15, Isa 32:16, Isa 65:15, Jer 17:3, Mal 1:11, Mat 8:11-13, Mat 21:43, Act 13:46-48, Act 28:23-28, Rom 9:30-33, Rom 10:20, Rom 10:21, Rom 11:1-12
Reciprocal: Isa 5:3 – judge Hos 4:6 – I will also reject Mat 13:12 – from Rev 2:5 – else
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE LOST VINEYARD
The will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
Mar 12:9
Palestine was a land of vineyards (especially Juda; Deu 8:8). The slopes of the hills even now show traces of vine cultivation; on some old coins the vine is the emblem of the country.
It was natural, therefore, for our Lord to allude to them in His teaching. See in this parable a picture of Gods dealings with the Jewish nation.
I. Gods special kindness to the Jewish Church and nation.He dealt with them as a man deals with a piece of land which he separates and hedges in for a vineyard. He planted them in a goodly land, and cast out seven nations before them.
II. Gods patience and longsuffering towards the Jewish nation.What is their whole history as recorded in the Old Testament but a long record of repeated provocations and repeated pardons? They mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and misused His prophets (2Ch 36:16). Yet hundreds of years passed away before the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Never was there a people so patiently dealt with as Israel.
III. The hardness and wickedness of human nature, as exemplified in the history of the Jewish people.It is difficult to imagine a more striking proof of this truth than the summary of Israels dealings with Gods messengers, which our Lord sketches in this parable. The Son of God Himself, the well-beloved, at last came down to them, and was not believed. God Himself was manifest in the flesh, dwelling among them, and they took Him and killed Him.
IV. The lost vineyard.Such ingratitude and unkindness could not go unpunished. The hearers of the parable admit this, when the Lord asked, What shall the lord of the vineyard do? Our text was the answer given by those whose conduct was described. It showed they would be (1) destroyed. This was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem when, after famine, etc., about one million Jews perished; and (2) the vineyard given to others. Our Lord made this quite clear (Mat 21:43). They had forfeited their privileges, and the Gentiles (whom they hated) would take their place.
V. And what is the application to ourselves?
(a) The vineyard is given to us Gentiles. Ye are Gods husbandry (1Co 3:9); grafted into the True Vine (Joh 15:5). The privileges given to the Jews have passed on to us. Do we value them?
(b) God expects fruit. Any one who has fruit trees looks for fruit. God expects fruit from us (Rom 6:22; Joh 15:8). Ought we not to make some return?
(c) Punishment and forfeiture follow upon refusal to yield fruit. The fruitless are cast forth and withered (Joh 15:6). Let us take warning by this parable.
Illustrations
(1) Edersheim shows that there were three modes of dealing with land: (1) where the labourers received a third or fourth of the produce; (2) where a money rent was paid; and (3) where the tenant agreed to give the owner a definite amount of produce, whether the harvest had been good or bad.
(2) Not many years ago an English bishop met a martyrs death in Southern seas: and when a British cruiser sought some explanation of the ruthless deed, the native islanders shot some arrows at the boat with fatal aim. Swift and terrible was the vengeance following this insult on the British flag. At once the principle in Mat 22:7 was acted on, the murderers were almost literally destroyed and their city burnt, for firearms wrought sad havoc in their midst. So men deal with men. But, oh, the depths of the riches of the mercy of God!
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
9
According to Matthew’s account (chapter 21:40, 41), this answer to the question of Jesus was made by the Jews. Having in mind some literal case of an earthly vineyard, they answered correctly, not realizing that their own answer would condemn them for their wicked attitude towards the servants of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
These words of our Saviour are taken out of the 118th Psalm, which the Jews understood to be a prophecy of the Messiah, and accordingly Christ applies them to himself: the church is the building intended, Christ himself the stone rejected.
The rejecters, or the builders rejecting, are the heads of the Jewish church; that is the chief priest and pharisees. God, the great master-builder of his church, takes this precious foundation-stone out of the rubbish, and sets it in the head of the corner. Nevertheless, there are many that stumble at this stone; some through ignorance, others through fear and malice: some are offended at his person, others at his doctrine.
These shall be broken in pieces; but on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it will grind them to powder; that is, Christ himself will fall as a burdensome stone upon all them that knowingly and malicoiusly oppose him; and particularly upon the Jews; who not only rejected, but persecuted and destroyed him.
Thus Christ tells the Chief Priests and Pharisees their particular doom, and also declares what will be the fatal issue of all that opposition which is made against himself and his church; it will terminate in the inevitable destruction of all its opposers; Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; and on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind them to powder.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
The tenant farmers’ rejection of the owner’s son was really a rejection of the owner. His logical reaction would be to remove them and give the care of his vineyard to other tenants. Likewise God would remove Israel’s leaders and replace them with other leaders, leaders of the church.
"This prediction was fulfilled in the church where the spiritual leadership became entrusted mainly to those of Gentile origin. But the determining factor is their faithfulness, not their national origin." [Note: Hiebert, p. 290.]