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Mark 12:1. And he began to speak to them in parables: A certain man planted a vineyard and surrounded it with a fence, and dug a winepress, and built a tower, and having given it to vinedressers, he went away. Mark 12:2. And at one time he sent a servant to the winegrowers to receive from the winegrowers the fruits of the vineyard. Mark 12:3. They grabbed him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Mark 12:4. Again he sent another servant to them; and they smashed his head with stones and released him in dishonor. Mark 12:5. And again he sent another: they killed him, and they beat and killed many others. Mark 12:6. Having another son dear to him, he finally sent him to them, saying: They will be ashamed of my son. Mark 12:7. But the vinedressers said to each other: This is the heir; Let's go, kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. Mark 12:8. And they seized him, killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. Mark 12:9. What will the owner of the vineyard do? “He will come and put the vinedressers to death and give the vineyard to others.” The vineyard means the Jewish people, which the Lord planted: “Guard,” it is said, “what Your right hand has planted” (Ps. 79:16) and Moses says: “Bring it in and plant it on the mountain of Your heritage” (Ex. 15:17). By “fence” we mean the Law, which did not allow the Jews to mix with other peoples. The "tower" is a church that was magnificent. “The grindstone” * signifies the altar on which the (sacrificial) blood was shed. God gave His people to the “vinedressers,” that is, to the teachers and rulers of the Jews, all in due time. He sent first one servant, that is, as one might think, the prophets who were around the time of Elijah, for example Micah, who was beaten by the false prophet Zedekiah (1 Kings 22:24); sent another, whose head was pierced with stones and thus completely desecrated - this can be attributed to the times of Hosea and Isaiah; He also sent a third slave, which can be understood about the prophets of the times of the Jewish captivity, for example, about Daniel and Ezekiel. Finally, God sent His Son (who is called man for the sake of love for mankind), saying: “They will be ashamed of My Son.” He said this, knowing what they would do to His Son, but expressing what (according to His intention) should have happened and what was possible. But the evil workers, knowing that this was the Heir of the vineyard, took Him out of the vineyard, that is, from Jerusalem, and killed Him. Christ was indeed crucified outside the city. For this, the Lord of the vineyard, the Father of the slain Son, or, better, the slain Son Himself, will destroy the workers, handing them over to the Romans, and will give His vineyard to other workers, that is, to the apostles. Do you want to know how the apostles cultivated this vineyard? Read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and you will see how three thousand (Acts 2:41) and five thousand souls suddenly (Acts 4:4) believed and began to bear fruit to God. Mark 12:10. Haven’t you read this in Scripture: “the stone that the builders rejected,” that same one “has become the head of the corner; Mark 12:11. this is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps. 117:22–23). Mark 12:12. And they tried to seize Him, but they were afraid of the people, for they realized that He had spoken a parable about them; and leaving Him, they went away. Through all this the Lord shows that the Jews are rejected and the pagans are accepted. The “stone” is the Lord Himself, and the “builders” are the teachers of the people. Thus, Whom these teachers neglected, He “became the head of the corner,” becoming the Head of the Church; for the corner means the Church, which unites and unites everyone - Jews and pagans, just as an angle connects two walls, bringing them together in itself. This corner, that is, the Church, “is from the Lord and marvelous in the eyes of our faithful,” while for the unfaithful even miracles seem to be lies. So, the Church is wonderful because it is based on miracles “with the Lord’s assistance” to the apostles “and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:20). Mark 12:13. “And they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Him in the word. Mark 12:14. They came and said to Him: Teacher! we know that You are fair and do not care about pleasing anyone, for You do not look at any face, but teach the true way of God. Is it permissible to give tribute to Caesar or not? should we give or not give? Mark 12:15. But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them: Why are you tempting Me? Bring me a denarius so that I can see it. Mark 12:16. They brought it. Then he says to them: whose image and inscription is this? They said to Him: Caesar's. Mark 12:17. Jesus answered and said to them, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him. We said about the Herodians in another place that this was some kind of newly emerging sect of people who called Herod Christ for the reason that in his time the succession of the kings of the Jews ended. And others say that Herodians are called here the soldiers of Herod, whom the Pharisees took so that they would be witnesses to what Christ would say, and then they could take Him and take Him to trial. But look at their malice, with what kindness they try to seduce the Lord! We know, they say, that You do not look at the faces of men, and therefore you will not fear Caesar himself. Yet this was only deceit, in order to catch Him in any case. For if He had said that taxes should be paid to Caesar, they would have accused Him before the people of enslaving the people to someone else’s yoke; and if he said that he should not, in that case they could accuse Him of revolting the people against Caesar. But the Source of wisdom escapes their wiles. Show Me,” he says, “the coin, and, seeing the image of Caesar on it, he said: whatever has such an image on it, then give (to the person) depicted, that is, to Caesar, and “God’s things to God.” That is, the obligation to pay tribute to Caesar does not in the least hinder you in the matter of worshiping God, for you can give to Caesar what is due and render tribute to God. But each of us has a kind of Caesar: this is an inevitable bodily need. So, the Lord commands to give the body food appropriate to it and necessary clothing, and “God’s things to God,” that is, vigil, prayer, and so on. But to both the devil and this Caesar, throw away what is given to you from him, such as: anger, evil lust; and bring God to God - humility, abstinence in everything, and so on. Mark 12:18. Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: Mark 12:19. Teacher! Moses wrote to us: if anyone’s brother dies and leaves his wife, but leaves no children, then let his brother take his wife and restore seed to his brother (Deut. 25:5). Mark 12:20. There were seven brothers: the first took a wife and, dying, left no children. Mark 12:21. The second one took her and died, and he left no children; also the third one. Mark 12:22. Seven took her for themselves and left no children. After all, the wife died. Mark 12:23. So, in the resurrection, when they rise again, which of them will she be the wife of? For seven had her as a wife? Mark 12:24. Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you being led astray by this, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God?” Mark 12:25. For when they rise from the dead, then they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but will be like angels in heaven. Mark 12:26. And about the dead, that they will be resurrected, haven’t you read in the book of Moses, how God said to him at the bush (Ex. 3:6): “I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”? Mark 12:27. God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. So, you are very mistaken. The Sadducees were heretics among the Jews who said that there was no Resurrection, no Angel, no Spirit. Like insidious people, they invent such a story in order to subvert the truth of the Resurrection. They pose a question about something that has never happened and cannot exist. And that seven husbands took (one after another) the same wife, they invented this to make a greater mockery of the Resurrection. What about the Lord? Since they based their question on the Law of Moses, He accuses them of ignorance of the Scriptures. “You,” he says, “don’t understand what kind of Resurrection the Scriptures are talking about: you think that in the Resurrection the state (of people in the flesh and in the soul) will be the same as now; no, not like that: you do not understand the meaning of Scripture, and you do not comprehend the power of God. You, apparently, pay attention only to the difficulty of the matter and therefore are perplexed how destroyed bodies can be united with souls again, but this means nothing for the power of God. After the Resurrection, the state of the resurrected will not be sensual, but God-like, and the way of life will be angelic. For we will no longer be subject to corruption, but will live forever, and for this reason then the marriage will be destroyed. Nowadays marriage exists because of mortality, so that, supported by the continuity of the family, we do not bend. But then, like the Angels, people will exist without marriage, will never decrease in number and will always remain without decline. In yet another respect, the Sadducees turn out to be ignorant of Scripture. If they understood it, they would understand why it is said: “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” which points to the living. For the Lord did not say: “I was,” but “am” their God, as if inherent, and not lost. But perhaps someone will say that the Lord said this only about the soul of the forefathers, and not together about the body, and that from this one cannot conclude about the Resurrection of bodies. To this I will say that Abraham is not called one soul, but the soul and the body together, since God is God and bodies, and it is alive before God, and has not turned into nothingness. Further, since the Sadducees did not believe only in the resurrection of bodies, the Lord said about bodies that they are alive with God, and not about souls; the Sadducees also recognized the latter. Then pay attention to this: resurrection is the rising of the fallen (into the earth, into dust); but it was not the soul that fell (it is immortal), but the body; consequently, it will rise, again uniting with the united soul. Mark 12:28. One of the scribes, hearing their debate and seeing that Jesus answered them well, came up and asked Him; What is the first of all commandments? Mark 12:29. Jesus answered him: The first of all commandments is: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; Mark 12:30. and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Deut. 6:4-5), - this is the first commandment! Mark 12:31. The second is similar to it: love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). There is no other greater commandment than these. Mark 12:32. The scribe said to Him: good, Teacher! You have spoken the truth, that there is only God and there is no other besides Him; Mark 12:33. and to love Him with all your heart and with all your mind, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:34. Jesus, seeing that he answered wisely, said to him: You are not far from the Kingdom of God. After that, no one dared to ask Him anymore. Matthew says that the scribe approached (Christ) “tempting” (Matthew 22:35), and Mark notes about him that he “answered wisely.” Do evangelists contradict each other? No; At first, he probably asked as a tempting person, and then he was enlightened by Christ’s answer and answered wisely, and thus was praised. However, note that praise also testifies to him as still imperfect, for Christ did not say: you are in the very Kingdom of God, but only “not far away.” Why does the lawyer so boldly pose his question to Christ? He thought to show himself to Christ as perfect in the Law, and for this purpose he addresses Him in such a way as if he were concerned only with the Law. But the Lord, wanting to show that without love, with hatred of one’s neighbors, there is no fulfillment of the law, answers the lawyer’s question that the first and great commandment is to love God, and the second, similar one, is to love one’s neighbor. Why is it similar? Because they are both closely related. For he who loves God loves His creation, and the closest creature to God is man; therefore, he who loves God will love all people. And vice versa, whoever loves his neighbor loves God all the more; for if he loves people, who are often the cause of temptations and hatred, much more does he love God, who is always good. Hear the word of the Lord: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” (John 14:21). You see that the fulfillment of His commandments depends on love for God, and all His commandments converge on one subject - mutual love. And in another place (the Lord says): “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Do you see again how love for one another is sustained by love for Christ and His true disciples and friends are known! Pay attention also to how He, in answering the lawyer, calculated all the powers of the soul. There is animal strength in the soul; He points to it with the words: “with all my soul,” for Christ commands that the power of irritation and lust be completely subordinated to the love of God. There is another power of the soul, called vegetable, otherwise it is called the power of nutrition and growth. And this power must be completely given over to God. Finally, there is a rational force in the soul, which the Law called “thought.” So, all the forces of the soul must be directed towards love. Mark 12:35. Continuing to teach in the church, Jesus said: How do the scribes say that Christ is the Son of David? Mark 12:36. For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Ps. 109:1). Mark 12:37. So, David himself calls Him Lord: how then is He His Son? And a multitude of people listened to Him with delight. Mark 12:38. And He said to them in His teaching: Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes and receive greetings in public assemblies, Mark 12:39. to sit in front in the synagogues and recline in the first place at feasts, - Mark 12:40. these, who devour the houses of widows and pray for a long time for show, will receive the most severe condemnation. Since the Lord had to go into suffering, He corrects the false opinion of the scribes, who thought that Christ was (only) the Son of David, and not God. Therefore, He shows from the very words of David that He (Christ) is God; and not simply, but frighteningly, he says: “until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” And they (the scribes and Pharisees) were the enemies whom God the Father placed at the footstool of Christ. Notice also how He asks! So as not to confuse them, He did not say: what do you think about Me, but about Christ. But you cannot say that David did not say this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; no, he called Him (Christ) Lord by the Spirit, that is, being moved by the grace of the Holy Spirit. How can one think that Christ is only the Son of David, and not both his Lord and God? The common people, it is said, listened to “Him with delight,” and He began to say to the people: beware of the scribes who wear magnificent clothes, and because of them demand honors for themselves; who love to receive greetings and praise in the marketplace and all other signs of glory; who devour the houses of widows, creeping into these defenseless wives under the guise of their intercessors; who, through hypocritical prolonged prayer, outward piety and hypocrisy, deceiving the inexperienced, devour the houses of the poor. For this they will be subjected to even more severe condemnation than other sinning Jews: “the strong will be greatly tormented” (Wis. 6:6). Speaking in this way to the people, the Lord also teaches the apostles, so that they do not follow the example of the scribes, but imitate Himself. Since He appointed them as teachers of the Church, He justly sets out to them the rules of life. Mark 12:41. And Jesus sat opposite the treasury and watched as the people put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in a lot. Mark 12:42. Having arrived, one poor widow put in two mites, which is a coin. Mark 12:43. Calling His disciples, Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who put into the treasury, Mark 12:44. for everyone put in out of their abundance, but out of her poverty she put in everything she had, all her food. The Jews retained a special custom, the one that those who had and those who wished made contributions to the church treasury, which was called “gazophylakion”, from which priests, the poor and widows received their maintenance. While many were doing this, the widow also came up and showed her zeal better than the rich. Glory to You, Christ, that You accept even small things better than great things! Oh, if only my soul would become a widow, rejecting Satan, with whom it had been united in inappropriate deeds, and would decide to throw into the church treasury “two mites” - the flesh and the mind, refining them, the flesh with abstinence, and the mind with humility, so that I too would hear that I dedicated my whole life to God, having no worldly thoughts or carnal motives in me! In the literal sense, a winepress was a reservoir, usually carved into a rock, in which the juice was squeezed out of the grapes by stomping underfoot. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith”