Mark 12:6-9

12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. 1  Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 12:7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 12:8 So 2  they seized him, 3  killed him, and threw his body 4  out of the vineyard. 5  12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy 6  those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 7 

1 tn Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at Mark 1:11.

sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.

2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

3 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.

4 tn Grk “him.”

5 sn Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.

6 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.

7 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.