Bede — Commentary on Scripture

Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

Therefore, still having one beloved son, he sent him to them last, saying: They will respect my son. What he said: They will respect my son, does not come from ignorance. For what does the head of the household not know, who is understood as God the Father in this place? But God is always said to be in doubt so that free will may be reserved for man. Let us ask Arius and Eunomius. Behold, the Father is said to be ignorant, and moderates his judgment, and as much as it depends on us, is proven to be lying. Whatever they respond on behalf of the Father, let them understand the same for the Son, who says he does not know the day of completion.

Mark 12:7

But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

The husbandmen said to one another: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. Most plainly the Lord proves that the leaders of the Jews crucified the Son of God not out of ignorance, but out of envy. For they understood this to be the one of whom it was said: Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance (Psalm II). And so, as if consulting for themselves, they said: Behold, the whole world has gone after him. And if we let him thus alone, all men will believe in him (John XII). Therefore the inheritance of the Son is the Church, given to him from among all the nations, which the Father did not leave to him by dying, but he himself wondrously acquired by his own death, which he possessed by rising again. However, after killing him, the evil husbandmen sought to seize it, when the Jews, crucifying him, endeavored to extinguish the faith that comes through him and preferred rather their own righteousness, which is by the law, and sought to instill it in the gentiles.

Mark 12:8

And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

And taking him, they killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. It notes their persistent malice, who, even with the Lord crucified and risen from the dead, did not wish to believe in the preaching of the apostles but cast him away as if he were a vile corpse. For, as far as it was in their power, excluding him from their borders, they delivered him to be received by the gentiles.

Mark 12:9

What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

What will the Lord of the vineyard do, therefore? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and give the vineyard to others. The Lord himself explained this verse shortly afterward in Matthew, saying: Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matthew XXI). He also figuratively showed this was about to happen when he cursed the unfruitful fig tree as an example of the unbelieving Jews. Conversely, he compared those who afterward believed, whether from the Jews or the gentiles, to a fruitful and excellent tree, saying: I am the vine; you are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit (John XV). When he had said that the Lord of the vineyard, after the destruction of the wicked husbandmen, would give the vineyard to others, he immediately affirmed that this was procured by divine guidance in a prophetic example, saying:

Mark 12:10

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Have you not read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. How, he says, will this prophecy be fulfilled, that the stone rejected by the builders is said to be placed as the cornerstone, unless because Christ, rejected and killed by you, is to be preached to the Gentiles who will believe, so that, like a cornerstone, he may unite the two in himself and build from both peoples one faithful city for himself, one temple? For he now calls the same synagogue teachers, whom he previously called tenants, builders. For those who were commanded to cultivate the people subject to them to bear the fruits of life, like a vineyard, were also commanded to construct and adorn it as a house worthy of God as its inhabitant. Hence, the Apostle, writing to the faithful, says: You are God's field, God's building (I Cor. III). But those who refused to return the fruit of God's vineyard to the great householder, like the worst tenants, the same, like evil masons, strive to remove from the house of God the p…

Have you not read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. How, he says, will this prophecy be fulfilled, that the stone rejected by the builders is said to be placed as the cornerstone, unless because Christ, rejected and killed by you, is to be preached to the Gentiles who will believe, so that, like a cornerstone, he may unite the two in himself and build from both peoples one faithful city for himself, one temple? For he now calls the same synagogue teachers, whom he previously called tenants, builders. For those who were commanded to cultivate the people subject to them to bear the fruits of life, like a vineyard, were also commanded to construct and adorn it as a house worthy of God as its inhabitant. Hence, the Apostle, writing to the faithful, says: You are God's field, God's building (I Cor. III). But those who refused to return the fruit of God's vineyard to the great householder, like the worst tenants, the same, like evil masons, strive to remove from the house of God the precious and chosen stone, which was to be placed either in the foundation or in the corner, that is, they sought to take away the faith of Christ from their listeners.

Mark 12:12

And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

And they sought to seize him, and they feared the crowd. For they understood that he had spoken this parable against them, and leaving him, they went away. The chief priests and the scribes, as if they found the Lord lying against them, sought to kill him. But by seeking this, they taught that what he had said was true. For he himself is the heir, whose unjust death he declared would be avenged by the father. Those wicked tenants, who from killing the Son of God were indeed delayed a little by human fear, until his hour had come, could never be restrained by divine love. Surely, in a moral sense, for each of the faithful, when the mystery of baptism entrusted to him is exercised by working, it is as if the vineyard he cultivates is leased out. One servant is sent, another, and a third, to receive produce, when law, psalms, prophecy, whose admonition to follow by doing well, are read. But the sent servant, afflicted with insults or beaten, is cast out, when the word heard is disdained, or (what is worse) even blasphemed. Moreover, the sent heir is killed, as far as it depends on them…

And they sought to seize him, and they feared the crowd. For they understood that he had spoken this parable against them, and leaving him, they went away. The chief priests and the scribes, as if they found the Lord lying against them, sought to kill him. But by seeking this, they taught that what he had said was true. For he himself is the heir, whose unjust death he declared would be avenged by the father. Those wicked tenants, who from killing the Son of God were indeed delayed a little by human fear, until his hour had come, could never be restrained by divine love. Surely, in a moral sense, for each of the faithful, when the mystery of baptism entrusted to him is exercised by working, it is as if the vineyard he cultivates is leased out. One servant is sent, another, and a third, to receive produce, when law, psalms, prophecy, whose admonition to follow by doing well, are read. But the sent servant, afflicted with insults or beaten, is cast out, when the word heard is disdained, or (what is worse) even blasphemed. Moreover, the sent heir is killed, as far as it depends on them, who have also trampled the Son of God and insulted the spirit of grace by which he was sanctified. With the wicked tenant destroyed, the vineyard will be given to another, when the gift of grace which the proud one spurned, the humble one will be enriched. But even this, that the chief priests, scribes, and elders seeking to lay hands on Jesus are restrained by fear of the crowd, happens daily in the Church, when anyone, merely on account of the name "brother," does not love the unity of ecclesiastical faith and peace, either out of shame or fear of the multitude of good brothers living together, refrains from attacking it. Yet, as the Lord says of the most foolish bird, the ostrich, when the time comes, it raises its wings on high, because by persecuting the Church, he will rejoice to have crucified the Lord and have him as a showpiece.

Mark 12:13 · 2 passages

And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians, to catch him in his words. The Herodians are said to be soldiers of Herod the tetrarch, who was also at that time in Jerusalem, and in scorning and mocking the Lord, he agreed with Pilate and the Jews, as the evangelist Luke attests. Therefore, seeking to seize the Lord, the chief priests, scribes, and elders feared the crowd. And thus, since they could not do so by themselves, they attempted to accomplish it through the hands of earthly authority, so that they themselves might seem to be free of his death. For recently under Caesar Augustus, Judaea was subjected to the Romans when a census was celebrated throughout the whole world, and it had become tributary, and there was great sedition among the people, some saying that for the sake of security and peace, for which the Romans fought for all, tribute ought to be paid; but the Pharisees, who prided themselves on righteousness, contended otherwise, that the people of God, who paid tithes, and gave firstfruits, and all other things written in the law, ought not to be subject t…

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians, to catch him in his words. The Herodians are said to be soldiers of Herod the tetrarch, who was also at that time in Jerusalem, and in scorning and mocking the Lord, he agreed with Pilate and the Jews, as the evangelist Luke attests. Therefore, seeking to seize the Lord, the chief priests, scribes, and elders feared the crowd. And thus, since they could not do so by themselves, they attempted to accomplish it through the hands of earthly authority, so that they themselves might seem to be free of his death. For recently under Caesar Augustus, Judaea was subjected to the Romans when a census was celebrated throughout the whole world, and it had become tributary, and there was great sedition among the people, some saying that for the sake of security and peace, for which the Romans fought for all, tribute ought to be paid; but the Pharisees, who prided themselves on righteousness, contended otherwise, that the people of God, who paid tithes, and gave firstfruits, and all other things written in the law, ought not to be subject to human laws. The spark of this sedition grew so strong that after the resurrection of the Lord, the Romans pressed on and the native people, the kingdom, as well as that august temple with its religion, moreover even the light itself, chose rather to perish than to pay tribute.

(ubi sup.) The Chief Priests though they sought to take Him, feared the multitude, and therefore they endeavoured to effect what they could not do of themselves, by means of earthly powers, that they might themselves appear to be guiltless of His death; and therefore it is said, And they send, unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. (ubi sup.) But this bland and crafty question was intended to induce Him in His answer rather to fear God than Cæsar, and to say that tribute should not be paid, so that the Herodians immediately on hearing it might hold Him to be an author of sedition against the Romans; and therefore they add, And carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of any. (ubi sup.) A denarius was a piece of money, accounted equal to ten smaller coins, and bearing the image of Cæsar; wherefore there follows: And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar's. Let those who think that our Saviour asked the question through ignorance and not by an economy, learn from this that He m…

(ubi sup.) The Chief Priests though they sought to take Him, feared the multitude, and therefore they endeavoured to effect what they could not do of themselves, by means of earthly powers, that they might themselves appear to be guiltless of His death; and therefore it is said, And they send, unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

(ubi sup.) But this bland and crafty question was intended to induce Him in His answer rather to fear God than Cæsar, and to say that tribute should not be paid, so that the Herodians immediately on hearing it might hold Him to be an author of sedition against the Romans; and therefore they add, And carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of any.

(ubi sup.) A denarius was a piece of money, accounted equal to ten smaller coins, and bearing the image of Cæsar; wherefore there follows: And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar's. Let those who think that our Saviour asked the question through ignorance and not by an economy, learn from this that He might have known whose image it was; but He puts the question, in order to return them a fitting answer; wherefore there follows: And Jesus answering said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's.

(ubi sup.) That is, tithes, first-fruits, oblations, and victims. In the same way as He gave tribute both for Himself and Peter, He also gave to God the things that are God's, doing the will of His Father.

Mark 12:14

And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Those coming said to him: Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and do not care about anyone. For you do not look at the face of man, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? This flattering and deceitful question provokes the respondent, so that he fears God more than Caesar, and says that tribute ought not to be paid, so that immediately the Herodians, hearing this, could seize him as the author of sedition against the Romans.

Mark 12:15

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

But knowing their deceit, he said to them: Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see it. And they brought it to him. Wisdom always acts wisely, so that the tempters are rather confounded by their own words: Bring me, he said, a denarius. This is a type of coin, which was accounted for ten nummi, and had the image of Caesar.

Mark 12:16

And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.

And he said to them: Whose image and inscription is this? Those who think the question of the Savior shows his ignorance, and not his design, should learn from the present passage that Jesus could certainly have known whose image was on the coin: but he asks so that he might appropriately respond to their words.

Mark 12:17 · 2 passages

And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

And they marveled at him. Those who should have believed in such great wisdom, marveled because their cunning in plotting had found no place. And, as Matthew writes, they left him and went away, carrying their unbelief along with the miracle.

They said to him: Caesar's. Then Jesus, answering, said to them: Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. What he said: Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, the coin, the tribute, and the money; and unto God the things that are God's, we understand as tithes, first fruits, offerings, and sacrifices. Just as he himself pays the tribute for himself and for Peter, and rendered to God the things that are God's, doing the will of the Father. Another way: Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Just as Caesar demands from us the impression of his image, so too does God, that just as the coin is rendered to Caesar, so the soul illuminated and marked by the light of his countenance is rendered to God. Hence the Psalmist says: The light of your countenance, O Lord, has been signed upon us (Psalm IV). This light is also the whole of man, and true good, which is seen not with the eyes but with the mind. He said it is signed upon us, just as a coin is engraved with the image…

They said to him: Caesar's. Then Jesus, answering, said to them: Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. What he said: Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, the coin, the tribute, and the money; and unto God the things that are God's, we understand as tithes, first fruits, offerings, and sacrifices. Just as he himself pays the tribute for himself and for Peter, and rendered to God the things that are God's, doing the will of the Father. Another way: Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Just as Caesar demands from us the impression of his image, so too does God, that just as the coin is rendered to Caesar, so the soul illuminated and marked by the light of his countenance is rendered to God. Hence the Psalmist says: The light of your countenance, O Lord, has been signed upon us (Psalm IV). This light is also the whole of man, and true good, which is seen not with the eyes but with the mind. He said it is signed upon us, just as a coin is engraved with the image of the king. For man was made in the image and likeness of God, which he corrupted by sinning. Therefore, his true and eternal good is if he is marked again by being reborn.

Mark 12:18 · 2 passages

Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him. There were two sects among the Jews, one of the Pharisees and the other of the Sadducees. The Pharisees, who preferred justice of traditions and observances which they called "deuterosis," were commonly known as separated from the people. But the Sadducees, whose name means "just," also claimed what they were not. The former believed in the resurrection of both body and soul, and admitted angels and spirits; the latter, following the Acts of the Apostles, denied everything.

(ubi sup.) And fitly do they frame such a fable in order to prove the madness of those who assert the resurrection of the body. Such a thing however might really have happened at some time or other among them.

(ubi sup.) We must here consider that the Latin custom does not answer to the Greek idiom. For properly 1different words are used for the marriage of men, and that of women; but here we may simply understand that, marry is meant of men, and given in marriage of women.

(ubi sup.) Or else; because after proving that the soul remained after death, (for God could not be God of those who did not exist at all,) the resurrection of the body also might be inferred as a consequence, since it had done good and evil with the soul.

Mark 12:19

Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

And they questioned him, saying: Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children, and so on. Believing neither in the resurrection of bodies nor the survival of souls beyond death, they rightly concoct such a tale to ridicule those who assert the resurrection of bodies. Yet it could happen that such an event occurred in their nation.

Mark 12:23

In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

In the resurrection, when they rise again, to which of them will the woman be wife? For the seven had her as a wife. They use the absurdity of the story to deny the truth of the resurrection; but mystically, these seven brothers who died without children are like all the wicked, who, throughout the entire span of this life which revolves in seven days, are barren of good works. To each of them who is taken by a miserable death, ultimately worldly living itself, which they wasted without producing any vital work, will pass away like a barren wife.

Mark 12:24

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

And Jesus answered them, saying: Are you not mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? They err because they do not know the Scriptures. And because they are ignorant of the Scriptures, consequently they do not know the power of God, which is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God (I Cor. I).

Mark 12:25

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven. The Latin custom does not correspond to the Greek idiom. Women are properly said to marry, and men to take wives. But let us simply understand this to mean that marrying applies to men, and being married applies to wives. If in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, then bodies which can marry and be given in marriage shall rise. For no one says of a stone or a tree and those things which do not have genital members that they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but of those who, while able to marry, nevertheless do not marry for some reason. But what follows: “But are as the angels in heaven,” a spiritual conversation is promised. For they are as the angels in heaven, who, renewed by the glory of the resurrection, enjoy the perpetual vision of God without any fear of death, without any stain of corruption, without any activity of earthly state. To which anyone desiring to ascend to the equality of angelic dignity must now condescend by ac…

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven. The Latin custom does not correspond to the Greek idiom. Women are properly said to marry, and men to take wives. But let us simply understand this to mean that marrying applies to men, and being married applies to wives. If in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, then bodies which can marry and be given in marriage shall rise. For no one says of a stone or a tree and those things which do not have genital members that they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but of those who, while able to marry, nevertheless do not marry for some reason. But what follows: “But are as the angels in heaven,” a spiritual conversation is promised. For they are as the angels in heaven, who, renewed by the glory of the resurrection, enjoy the perpetual vision of God without any fear of death, without any stain of corruption, without any activity of earthly state. To which anyone desiring to ascend to the equality of angelic dignity must now condescend by acting piously towards the least of the brethren.

Mark 12:26

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

But concerning the dead, that they will rise, have you not read in the book of Moses at the bush, how God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? To confirm the truth of the resurrection, he could use many more manifest examples, among which is this: The dead will be raised, and those in the tombs will rise. And in another place: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and others to shame and ever-lasting contempt (Dan. XII). Therefore it is asked what the Lord meant by bringing forth this testimony, which seems ambiguous or not sufficiently relevant to the truth of the resurrection. We have previously said that the Sadducees, not confessing either angels, spirits, or the resurrection of bodies, also preached the destruction of souls. These Sadducees accepted only the five books of Moses, rejecting the prophecies of the prophets. Thus it was foolish to bring forth testimonies whose authority they did not follow. Now, to prove the eternity of souls, he presents the example: I am the God…

But concerning the dead, that they will rise, have you not read in the book of Moses at the bush, how God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? To confirm the truth of the resurrection, he could use many more manifest examples, among which is this: The dead will be raised, and those in the tombs will rise. And in another place: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and others to shame and ever-lasting contempt (Dan. XII). Therefore it is asked what the Lord meant by bringing forth this testimony, which seems ambiguous or not sufficiently relevant to the truth of the resurrection. We have previously said that the Sadducees, not confessing either angels, spirits, or the resurrection of bodies, also preached the destruction of souls. These Sadducees accepted only the five books of Moses, rejecting the prophecies of the prophets. Thus it was foolish to bring forth testimonies whose authority they did not follow. Now, to prove the eternity of souls, he presents the example: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Immediately he adds: