Mark 12:17

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Mark 12:1-27

Jesus Silences His Enemies Mark 12:1-27 Our Lord reviews the history of the theocracy. He recounts the long roll of God’s servants who had been persecuted and misused from the first to the last, including Himself. In doing so, He openly implied that He was the Son of God and made the Pharisees realize how clearly He foresaw the fate which they were preparing for Him. They were accustomed to apply Psalms 118:22 to the Messiah, and recognized at once what Jesus meant, when He claimed it as an... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Mark 12:1-44

In this parable of the vineyard the Lord very graphically sketched for those people their own national history, and condemned them thereby. "They perceived that He spake the parable against them." These words would seem to intimate that the rejection of the Saviour by these rulers of the people was more a sin against light than we sometimes imagine. They had a clear comprehension of what He meant, but they set their hearts and wills against Him. A coalition of religion and politics, Pharisees... read more

James Nisbet

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:16-17

GOD AND CAESAR‘Whose is this image and superscription?… Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ Mark 12:16-Esther : These words contain a peculiarly characteristic example of our Saviour’s mode of teaching, and a profound evangelical principle, applicable to all religious study and instruction. The question was put to Him, not sincerely, but ‘to catch Him in His words’; and therefore, in one sense, the answer was no answer at all. He took them in... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:1-44

Jesus Begins His Final Journey to Jerusalem On The Road To The Cross and Spends Much Time in Teaching His Disciples And Disputing With His Enemies In Readiness For That Event, For He Is Giving His Life As A Ransom For Many (9:33-12:44). Having returned to Capernaum Jesus now has His face set towards Jerusalem, and in Mark 9:33-50 He will lay the foundation by pointing out the fact that all must look to and respond to His Name, and the dangers inherent in not doing so. Then He will advance into... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:13-17

The Pharisees and Herodians Are Sent to Entrap Him (12:13-17). In order to fully understand this incident we need to have some background to it. Many years before, Herod the Great had ruled Palestine as its tributary king, paying homage to the Emperor of Rome. But when he died (between about 5 and 0 BC) Palestine was split up. Archelaus received Samaria, Judea, and Idumaea, Herod Antipas received Galilee and Peraea and Herod Philip received the wild country in the North East around Ituraea,... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:13-44

Jesus Deals With The Final Challenges With Which The Jews Seek To Entrap Him (12:13-44). In this last part of Section 4 Jesus is faced with attempts to entrap and discredit Him. They come from various sources, the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees, and a Scribe. In each case He emerges having confounded His adversaries. The picture is of Jesus against the establishment, because the establishment have all gone astray. Analysis. a The question of payment of tribute, and the need to give... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:16-17

‘And they brought it. And he says to them, “Whose is this image and superscription?”. And they said to him, “Caesar’s”. And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and render to God what is God’s.” As we have noted earlier, a sovereign’s issued currency was seen as belonging to that sovereign. And to possess such currency was to admit obligation to the monarch. Thus, He said, those who possessed such currency should give it back to Caesar, for it belonged to him and by their... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:17

‘And they marvelled greatly at him.’ They were baffled. He had brilliantly avoided their trap and they could only be amazed. They had thought that they had got Him this time. But they had been wrong. And they looked at Him with grudging admiration. His ways were marvellous in their eyes. read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:13-17

Mark 12:13-Esther : . The Question of Tribute.— The Pharisees and the Herodians perhaps represent the two horns of the dilemma by which they try to catch Jesus. The Pharisees leant to the popular view which chafed at tribute, and which found its extreme expression in the Zealots ( cf. Josephus, Ant. XVH 1. 16). The Herodians probably desired the status quo which ensured Herod’ s throne. If Jesus says it is lawful to pay tribute, the Pharisees will denounce Him to the people; if He says... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Mark 12:13-18

See Poole on "Matthew 22:15", and following verses to Matthew 22:22. The Sadducees most probably derived their name from one Sadoc, scholar to Antigonus Sochaeus. It is said that the occasion of their heresy was their master’s teaching them, that they must not serve God as servants for rewards. Upon which they builded their notion, that there is no resurrection, no rewards nor punishments in another life. They denied the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the body, and angels, and... read more

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