12:13 Then 19 they sent some of the Pharisees 20 and Herodians 21 to trap him with his own words. 22
1 sn Though parables can contain a variety of figures of speech (cf. 2:19-22; 3:23-25; 4:3-9, 26-32; 7:15-17; 13:28), many times they are simply stories that attempt to teach spiritual truth (which is unknown to the hearers) by using a comparison with something known to the hearers. In general, parables usually advance a single idea, though there may be many parts and characters in a single parable and subordinate ideas may expand the main idea further. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.
2 tn The imperfect verb is here taken iteratively, for the context suggests that the woman was trying to muster up the courage to touch Jesus’ cloak.
3 tn Grk “saved.”
sn In this pericope the author uses a term for being healed (Grk “saved”) that would have spiritual significance to his readers. It may be a double entendre (cf. parallel in Matt 9:21 which uses the same term), since elsewhere he uses verbs that simply mean “heal”: If only the reader would “touch” Jesus, he too would be “saved.”
4 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the man who had been a deaf mute) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 sn The exact location of Dalmanutha is uncertain, but it is somewhere close to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
6 tn The verb ἀναβλέπω, though normally meaning “look up,” when used in conjunction with blindness means “regain sight.”
7 tc ‡ The earliest witnesses, as well as a few other important
8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate that Jesus’ statement is in response to the disciples’ question (v. 10).
9 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Jesus and his disciples) have been specified in the translation for clarity. Without such clarification there is room for considerable confusion here, since there are two prior sets of plural referents in the context, “the chief priests and experts in the law” and “the whole crowd” (both in v. 18).
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
11 tn Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Grk “seizing him, they beat and sent away empty-handed.” The referent of the direct object of “seizing” (the slave sent by the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The objects of the verbs “beat” and “sent away” have been supplied in the translation to conform to English style. Greek often omits direct objects when they are clear from the context.
13 sn The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
14 sn The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit – and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
16 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
17 tn Grk “him.”
18 sn Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
20 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
21 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
22 tn Grk “trap him in word.”