← All Chapters The Book of Mark · Chapter 12

Mark 12: The Great Commandment and the Cornerstone

Through parable and pointed questions, Jesus exposes hardened hearts, names the greatest commandment, and commends a poor widow's wholehearted gift.

Coming soon

Mark 12 (WEB)

1 He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.

2 When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

3 They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.

4 Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

5 Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some.

6 Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

7 But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

8 They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

9 What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.

10 Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.

11 This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.

13 They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

14 When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”

16 They brought it. He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”

17 Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

18 There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying,

19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’

20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.

21 The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;

22 and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”

24 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?

25 For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26 But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”

28 One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:

30 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.’ This is the first commandment.

31 The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,

33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that.

35 Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’

37 Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.

38 In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

39 and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:

40 those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

42 A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

43 He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

Summary

Jesus tells a parable of a vineyard whose tenants beat the owner's servants and finally kill his beloved son, warning the leaders that the rejected stone has become the cornerstone. They want to arrest him but fear the crowd. The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap him over paying taxes to Caesar, and he tells them to give Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. The Sadducees test him about the resurrection, and he shows they err in not knowing the Scriptures or God's power. A scribe asks which commandment is greatest, and Jesus answers with love for God with all one's heart and love for neighbor as oneself. He silences his opponents, asks how the Christ can be David's son and Lord, and warns against the proud scribes. Finally he watches the offerings and commends a poor widow who gives two small coins, for she has given out of her poverty all she had.

Main Characters

  • Jesus — He teaches in the temple, answers every test with wisdom, names the greatest commandments, and honors the widow's gift.
  • The Pharisees and Herodians — Opponents who try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar.
  • The Sadducees — Religious leaders who deny the resurrection and question Jesus to test him.
  • The poor widow — A woman who quietly gives two small coins, all she had, and is commended by Jesus above the rich.

Key Verse

Mark 12:30 (WEB)

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.’ This is the first commandment.

Lessons Learned

  • Those who reject God's Son still cannot thwart his plan, for the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone.
  • We owe Caesar his due, but we owe God our whole selves, made in his image.
  • The greatest commandments are to love God with everything and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
  • God measures our giving not by its amount but by the heart and sacrifice behind it.
  • The rejected Son is God's chosen cornerstone. Jesus quotes, 'The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner' (Mark 12:10, WEB), pointing to his own rejection and vindication.
  • We belong wholly to God. Jesus says, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's' (Mark 12:17, WEB).
  • To love God is the first and greatest command. Jesus answers, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart... This is the first commandment' (Mark 12:30, WEB).
  • Love for neighbor flows from love for God. The second command is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (Mark 12:31, WEB).
  • God values sacrificial, wholehearted giving. Of the widow Jesus says she 'gave more than all those who are giving... she gave all that she had to live on' (Mark 12:43-44, WEB).
  1. What does the parable of the vineyard reveal about the leaders and about God's beloved Son?
  2. How does Jesus answer the question about paying taxes to Caesar?
  3. Which commandments does Jesus name as greatest, and how are they related?
  4. Why does Jesus commend the poor widow over the wealthy givers?
  5. Where in your own life is God inviting you to love him more wholeheartedly?
  1. The tenants beat the servants and kill the owner's beloved son, picturing Israel's leaders rejecting God's messengers and finally his Son (Mark 12:1-8). Yet the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone (12:10-11), showing God's plan stands.
  2. Jesus asks whose image is on the coin and says, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's' (12:17). We meet earthly obligations while giving God our whole selves.
  3. Jesus names loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength as first, and loving neighbor as oneself as second (12:29-31). The second flows from the first; together they sum up the law.
  4. The rich give out of their abundance, but the widow gives two small coins, all she had to live on (12:43-44). Jesus measures the heart and sacrifice, not the size of the gift.
  5. This is a personal application question. Invite members to consider what holds back their love for God, and point to the widow's wholehearted devotion. As leader, encourage honest reflection and do not press anyone to share more than they wish.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.