12:01 .. and he began to speak to them in parables . . . a man planted a vineyard and put a wall around it .. ......... and dug a vat under the wine press and built a tower .. and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey 12:02 .. at the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers .. in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers 12:03 .. they took him .. and beat him and sent him away empty-handed 12:04 .. again he sent them another slave .. and they wounded him in the head .. and treated him shamefully 12:05 .. and he sent another .. and that one they killed .. and so with many others .. beating some and killing others 12:06 .. he had one more to send .. a beloved son .. he sent him last of all to them .. saying . . . they will respect my son 12:07 .. but those vine-growers said to one another . . . this is the heir .. come .. let us kill him .. and the inheritance will be ours 12:08 .. they took him .. and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard 12:09 .. what will the owner of the vineyard do . . . he will come and destroy the vine-growers .. and will give the vineyard to others 12:10 .. have you not even read this Scripture . . . . the stone which the builders rejected .. this became the chief corner stone 12:11 .. this came about from the Lord .. and it is marvelous in our eyes 12:12 .. and they were seeking to seize him .. and yet they feared the people .. for they understood that he spoke the parable against them .. ......... and so they left him and went away
..................Jesus answers the Pharisees .. Sadducees and Scribes
12:13 .. then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him in order to trap him in a statement 12:14 .. they came and said to him . . . teacher .. we know that you are truthful and defer to no one .. for you are not partial to any .. ......... but teach the way of God in truth .. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar .. or not 12:15 .. shall we pay or shall we not pay . . . . but he .. knowing their hypocrisy .. said to them . . . why are you testing me .. ......... bring me a denarius to look at 12:16 .. they brought one .. and he said to them . . . whose likeness and inscription is this . . . and they said to him .. Caesar’s 12:17 .. and Jesus said to them . . . render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s .. and to God the things that are God’s . . . ......... and they were amazed at him
12:18 .. some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus .. and began questioning him .. saying . . . 12:19 .. teacher .. Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child .. ......... his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother 12:20 .. there were seven brothers .. and the first took a wife .. and died leaving no children 12:21 .. the second one married her .. and died leaving behind no children .. and the third likewise 12:22 .. and so all seven left no children . . . last of all the woman died also 12:23 .. In the resurrection .. when they rise again .. which one’s wife will she be .. for all seven had married her 12:24 .. Jesus said to them . . . Is this not the reason you are mistaken .. that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God 12:25 .. for when they rise from the dead .. they neither marry nor are given in marriage .. but are like angels in heaven 12:26 .. but regarding the fact that the dead rise again .. have you not read in the book of Moses .. in the passage about the burning bush .. ......... how God spoke to him .. saying . . . I am the God of Abraham .. and the God of Isaac .. and the God of Jacob 12:27 .. he is not the God of the dead .. but of the living . . . you are greatly mistaken
12:28 .. one of the scribes came and heard them arguing .. and recognizing that he had answered them well .. asked him . . . ......... what commandment is the foremost of all 12:29 .. Jesus answered .. the foremost is . . . hear .. O Israel .. the Lord our God is one Lord 12:30 .. and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart .. and with all your soul .. and with all your mind .. and with all your strength 12:31 .. the second is this .. you shall love your neighbor as yourself . . . there is no other commandment greater than these 12:32 .. the scribe said to him . . . right .. teacher .. you have truly stated that he is one .. and there is no one else besides him 12:33 .. and to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength .. and to love one’s neighbor as himself .. ......... is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices 12:34 .. when Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently .. he said to him . . . you are not far from the kingdom of God .. after that .. ......... no one would venture to ask him any more questions
12:35 .. and Jesus began to say .. as he taught in the temple . . . how is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David 12:36 .. David himself said in the Holy Spirit . . . the Lord said to my Lord .. sit at my right hand .. until I put your enemies beneath your feet 12:37 .. David himself calls Him Lord .. so in what sense is he his son .. and the large crowd enjoyed listening to him
12:38 .. In his teaching he was saying . . . beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes .. and like respectful greetings in the market places 12:39 .. and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets 12:40 .. who devour widows’ houses .. and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers . . . these will receive greater condemnation
..................the widow’s mite
12:41 .. and he sat down opposite the treasury .. and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury .. ......... and many rich people were putting in large sums 12:42 .. a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins .. which amount to a cent 12:43 .. calling his disciples to him .. he said to them . . . truly I say to you .. this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury 12:44 .. for they all put in out of their surplus .. but she .. out of her poverty .. put in all she owned .. all she had to live on
Because Christ .. God’s only Son .. made his demands with more authority than any prophet had done .. men were enraged against him and determined by some method to entangle him and put him to death .. to the last he confounded the wise of the world with his wisdom and set the seal of his favor upon the humble .. trusting worshipper . . . . Jesus knew there could be no obstruction to his exaltation .. he is the foundation stone of the Church .. will be the smiting stone destroying the Gentile world powers at his coming and will yet be set as heaven’s King .. the headstone of the corner