Markus 4:1-41
Konteks4:1 Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while 1 the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. 4:2 He taught them many things in parables, 2 and in his teaching said to them: 4:3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 3 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed 4 fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground 5 where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6 4:6 When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, 7 it withered. 4:7 Other seed fell among the thorns, 8 and they grew up and choked it, 9 and it did not produce grain. 4:8 But 10 other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times.” 4:9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!” 11
4:10 When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 4:11 He said to them, “The secret 12 of the kingdom of God has been given 13 to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,
4:12 so that although they look they may look but not see,
and although they hear they may hear but not understand,
so they may not repent and be forgiven.” 14
4:13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then 15 how will you understand any parable? 4:14 The sower sows the word. 4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan 16 comes and snatches the word 17 that was sown in them. 4:16 These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. 4:17 But 18 they have no root in themselves and do not endure. 19 Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. 4:18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, 4:19 but 20 worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, 21 and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, 22 and it produces nothing. 4:20 But 23 these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”
4:21 He also said to them, “A lamp 24 isn’t brought to be put under a basket 25 or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand? 4:22 For nothing is hidden except to be revealed, 26 and nothing concealed except to be brought to light. 4:23 If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!” 27 4:24 And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, 28 and more will be added to you. 4:25 For whoever has will be given more, but 29 whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” 30
4:26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. 4:27 He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 4:28 By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 4:29 And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle 31 because the harvest has come.” 32
4:30 He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? 4:31 It is like a mustard seed 33 that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground – 4:32 when it is sown, it grows up, 34 becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds 35 can nest in its shade.” 36
4:33 So 37 with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. 4:34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.
4:35 On that day, when evening came, Jesus 38 said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” 39 4:36 So 40 after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, 41 and other boats were with him. 4:37 Now 42 a great windstorm 43 developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. 4:38 But 44 he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 4:39 So 45 he got up and rebuked 46 the wind, and said to the sea, 47 “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then 48 the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 4:40 And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” 4:41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? 49 Even the wind and sea obey him!” 50
Markus 12:1-44
Konteks12:1 Then 51 he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. 52 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 53 he leased it to tenant farmers 54 and went on a journey. 12:2 At harvest time he sent a slave 55 to the tenants to collect from them 56 his portion of the crop. 57 12:3 But 58 those tenants 59 seized his slave, 60 beat him, 61 and sent him away empty-handed. 62 12:4 So 63 he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 12:5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. 64 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 65 they seized him, 66 killed him, and threw his body 67 out of the vineyard. 68 12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy 69 those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 70 12:10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 71
12:11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 72
12:12 Now 73 they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So 74 they left him and went away. 75
12:13 Then 76 they sent some of the Pharisees 77 and Herodians 78 to trap him with his own words. 79 12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality 80 but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 81 Is it right 82 to pay taxes 83 to Caesar 84 or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said 85 to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius 86 and let me look at it.” 12:16 So 87 they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image 88 is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, 89 “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 90 And they were utterly amazed at him.
12:18 Sadducees 91 (who say there is no resurrection) 92 also came to him and asked him, 93 12:19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man 94 must marry 95 the widow and father children 96 for his brother.’ 97 12:20 There were seven brothers. The first one married, 98 and when he died he had no children. 12:21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. 12:22 None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. 12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, 99 whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 100 12:24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived 101 for this reason, because you don’t know 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 102 in heaven. 12:26 Now as for the dead being raised, 103 have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, 104 how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the 105 God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 106 12:27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. 107 You are badly mistaken!”
12:28 Now 108 one of the experts in the law 109 came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus 110 answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love 111 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 112 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 113 There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 114 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength 115 and to love your neighbor as yourself 116 is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.
12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law 117 say that the Christ 118 is David’s son? 119 12:36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said,
‘The Lord said to my lord, 120
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 121
12:37 If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 122 And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
12:38 In his teaching Jesus 123 also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. 124 They like walking 125 around in long robes and elaborate greetings 126 in the marketplaces, 12:39 and the best seats in the synagogues 127 and the places of honor at banquets. 12:40 They 128 devour widows’ property, 129 and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.”
12:41 Then 130 he 131 sat down opposite the offering box, 132 and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. 12:42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, 133 worth less than a penny. 12:43 He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, 134 this poor widow has put more into the offering box 135 than all the others. 136 12:44 For they all gave out of their wealth. 137 But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.” 138
[4:1] 1 tn Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.
[4:2] 2 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.
[4:3] 3 sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots (Isa 55:10-11). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God (cf. 4:11).
[4:4] 4 tn Mark’s version of the parable, like Luke’s (cf. Luke 8:4-8), uses the collective singular to refer to the seed throughout, so singular pronouns have been used consistently throughout this parable in the English translation. However, the parallel account in Matt 13:1-9 begins with plural pronouns in v. 4 but then switches to the collective singular in v. 5 ff.
[4:5] 5 sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
[4:5] 6 tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”
[4:6] 7 tn Grk “it did not have root.”
[4:7] 8 sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.
[4:7] 9 sn That is, crowded out the good plants.
[4:8] 10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.
[4:9] 11 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[4:11] 12 tn Grk “the mystery.”
[4:11] sn The key term secret (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because it suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).
[4:11] 13 tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).
[4:12] 14 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.
[4:13] 15 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:15] 16 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
[4:15] 17 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
[4:17] 18 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[4:17] 19 tn Grk “are temporary.”
[4:19] 20 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[4:19] 21 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”
[4:19] 22 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
[4:20] 23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[4:21] 24 sn The lamp is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry.
[4:21] 25 tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
[4:23] 27 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[4:24] 28 tn Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”
[4:25] 29 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[4:25] 30 sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.
[4:29] 31 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
[4:29] 32 sn Because the harvest has come. This parable is found only in Mark (cf. Matt 13:24-30) and presents a complete picture of the coming of God’s kingdom: (1) sowing; (2) growth; (3) harvest. Some understand the parable as a reference to evangelism. While this is certainly involved, it does not seem to be the central idea. In contrast to the parable of the sower which emphasizes the quality of the different soils, this parable emphasizes the power of the seed to cause growth (with the clear implication that the mysterious growth of the kingdom is accomplished by God), apart from human understanding and observation.
[4:31] 33 sn Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.
[4:32] 34 tn Mark 4:31-32 is fairly awkward in Greek. Literally the sentence reads as follows: “As a mustard seed, which when sown in the earth, being the smallest of all the seeds in the earth, and when it is sown, it grows up…” The structure has been rendered in more idiomatic English, although some of the awkward structure has been retained for rhetorical effect.
[4:32] 35 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
[4:32] 36 sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
[4:33] 37 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[4:35] 38 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:35] 39 tn The phrase “of the lake” is not in the Greek text but is clearly implied; it has been supplied here for clarity.
[4:36] 40 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the response to Jesus’ request.
[4:36] 41 tn It is possible that this prepositional phrase modifies “as he was,” not “they took him along.” The meaning would then be “they took him along in the boat in which he was already sitting” (see 4:1).
[4:36] sn A boat that held all the disciples would be of significant size.
[4:37] 42 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[4:37] sn The Sea of Galilee is located in a depression some 700 ft (200 m) below sea level and is surrounded by hills. Frequently a rush of wind and the right mix of temperatures can cause a storm to come suddenly on the lake. Storms on the Sea of Galilee were known for their suddenness and violence.
[4:38] 44 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[4:39] 45 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[4:39] 46 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
[4:39] 47 sn Who has authority over the seas and winds is discussed in the OT: Ps 104:3; 135:7; 107:23-30. When Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea he was making a statement about who he was.
[4:39] 48 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:41] 49 sn Jesus’ authority over creation raised a question for the disciples about who he was exactly (Who then is this?). This verse shows that the disciples followed Jesus even though they did not know all about him yet.
[4:41] 50 sn This section in Mark (4:35-5:43) contains four miracles: (1) the calming of the storm; (2) the exorcism of the demon-possessed man; (3) the giving of life to Jairus’ daughter; (4) the healing of the woman hemorrhaging for twelve years. All these miracles demonstrate Jesus’ right to proclaim the kingdom message and his sovereign authority over forces, directly or indirectly, hostile to the kingdom. The last three may have been brought together to show that Jesus had power over all defilement, since contact with graves, blood, or a corpse was regarded under Jewish law as causing a state of ritual uncleanness.
[12:1] 51 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 52 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
[12:1] 53 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 54 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
[12:2] 55 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
[12:2] sn This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
[12:2] 56 tn Grk “from the tenants,” but this is redundant in English, so the pronoun (“them”) was used in the translation.
[12:2] 57 tn Grk “from the fruits of the vineyard.”
[12:3] 58 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[12:3] 59 tn Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:3] 60 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.
[12:3] 61 sn The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
[12:3] 62 sn The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit – and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
[12:4] 63 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.
[12:6] 64 tn Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at Mark 1:11.
[12:6] sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
[12:8] 65 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:8] 66 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
[12:8] 68 sn Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
[12:9] 69 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.
[12:9] 70 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.
[12:10] 71 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
[12:10] sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Matt 21:42; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 in Mark 12:10-11 is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
[12:11] 72 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
[12:12] 73 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to introduce a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.
[12:12] 74 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:12] 75 sn The point of the parable in Mark 12:1-12 is that the leaders of the nation have been rejected by God and the vineyard (v. 9, referring to the nation and its privileged status) will be taken from them and given to others (an allusion to the Gentiles).
[12:13] 76 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:13] 77 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
[12:13] 78 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.
[12:13] 79 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[12:14] 80 tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[12:14] 81 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[12:14] 82 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[12:14] 83 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[12:14] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[12:14] 84 tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[12:15] 85 tn Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
[12:15] 86 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[12:15] sn A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.
[12:16] 87 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[12:16] 88 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[12:16] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[12:16] 89 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[12:17] 90 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[12:18] 91 sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). They also did not believe in resurrection or in angels, an important detail in v. 25. See also Matt 3:7, 16:1-12, 22:23-34; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 4:1, 5:17, 23:6-8.
[12:18] 92 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:18] 93 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[12:19] 94 tn Grk “his brother”; but this would be redundant in English with the same phrase “his brother” at the end of the verse, so most modern translations render this phrase “the man” (so NIV, NRSV).
[12:19] 95 tn The use of ἵνα (Jina) with imperatival force is unusual (BDF §470.1).
[12:19] 96 tn Grk “raise up seed” (an idiom for fathering children).
[12:19] 97 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
[12:20] 98 tn Grk “took a wife” (an idiom for marrying a woman).
[12:23] 99 tc The words “when they rise again” are missing from several important witnesses (א B C D L W Δ Ψ 33 579 892 2427 pc c r1 k syp co). They are included in A Θ Ë1,(13) Ï lat sys,h. The strong external pedigree of the shorter reading gives one pause. Nevertheless, the Alexandrian and other
[12:23] 100 tn Grk “For the seven had her as wife.”
[12:24] 101 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
[12:25] 102 sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
[12:26] 103 tn Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”
[12:26] 104 sn See Exod 3:6. Jesus used a common form of rabbinic citation here to refer to the passage in question.
[12:26] 105 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[12:26] 106 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
[12:27] 107 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
[12:28] 108 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[12:28] 109 tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:28] 110 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:30] 111 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
[12:30] 112 sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
[12:31] 113 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:32] 114 sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.
[12:33] 115 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.
[12:33] 116 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:35] 117 tn Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:35] 118 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[12:35] sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
[12:35] 119 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David’s son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
[12:36] 120 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
[12:36] 121 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[12:37] 122 tn Grk “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ So how is he his son?” The conditional nuance, implicit in Greek, has been made explicit in the translation (cf. Matt 22:45).
[12:38] 123 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:38] 124 tn Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:38] 125 tn In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39. It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.
[12:38] 126 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
[12:39] 127 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[12:40] 128 tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 38.
[12:40] 129 tn Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, TDNT 5:131; BDAG 695 s.v. οἶκια 1.a).
[12:41] 130 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:41] 131 tc Most
[12:41] 132 tn On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.
[12:41] sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200); 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294), and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Luke 21:1; John 8:20).
[12:42] 133 sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.
[12:43] 134 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[12:43] 135 tn See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41.
[12:43] 136 sn Has put more into the offering box than all the others. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.
[12:44] 137 tn Grk “out of what abounded to them.”
[12:44] 138 sn The contrast between this passage, 12:41-44, and what has come before in 11:27-12:40 is remarkable. The woman is set in stark contrast to the religious leaders. She was a poor widow, they were rich. She was uneducated in the law, they were well educated in the law. She was a woman, they were men. But whereas they evidenced no faith and actually stole money from God and men (cf. 11:17), she evidenced great faith and gave out of her extreme poverty everything she had.
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