Mark 12:7

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

But {G1161} those {G1565} husbandmen {G1092} said {G2036} among {G4314} themselves {G1438}, This {G3754}{G3778} is {G2076} the heir {G2818}; come {G1205}, let us kill {G615} him {G846}, and {G2532} the inheritance {G2817} shall be {G2071} ours {G2257}.

But the tenants said to each other, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!'

But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

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

Commentary

Mark 12:7 is a pivotal verse within the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, also known as the Parable of the Tenants, which Jesus tells in the temple courts of Jerusalem. This parable, also recorded in Matthew 21:33-46 and Luke 20:9-19, is directed primarily at the chief priests, scribes, and elders who were challenging His authority.

Context

In the parable, a vineyard owner (representing God) leases his vineyard (representing Israel or God's kingdom) to husbandmen or tenants (representing the religious leaders of Israel). The owner sends various servants (representing God's prophets) to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants repeatedly abuse and kill them. Finally, the owner sends his "beloved son" (representing Jesus Christ), believing they will respect him. Mark 12:7 captures the wicked tenants' chilling decision: seeing the son, they conspire to murder him, hoping to seize the inheritance for themselves.

Key Themes

  • Rejection of God's Authority: The verse vividly portrays the tenants' ultimate defiance against the vineyard owner, culminating in their plot against his son. This mirrors the religious leaders' rejection of God's prophets throughout history and their imminent rejection and crucifixion of Jesus, the Son of God.
  • Greed and Usurpation: The motivation "that the inheritance shall be ours" highlights immense covetousness and a desire to usurp what rightfully belongs to another. This reflects the spiritual blindness and self-serving ambition of those who opposed Jesus, seeking to maintain their power and control over God's people.
  • Foreshadowing of the Crucifixion: This verse serves as a stark prophecy of Jesus' own death. The tenants' plot to kill the heir directly parallels the Jewish leaders' plot to kill Jesus, seeing Him as a threat to their perceived "inheritance" or authority. The parable's conclusion (Mark 12:9) reveals the owner's judgment upon these wicked tenants.

Linguistic Insights

  • The term "husbandmen" (Greek: georgos) simply means "earth-worker" or "cultivator," emphasizing their role as stewards rather than owners. Their declaration, "This is the heir" (Greek: houtos estin ho klēronomos), confirms their full awareness of the son's true identity and rightful claim, making their subsequent actions even more heinous.
  • The phrase "the inheritance shall be ours" (Greek: hē klēronomia hēmon estai) underscores their profound misunderstanding of God's sovereignty and their audacious attempt to seize what was never theirs to possess.

Practical Application

This parable, and specifically Mark 12:7, serves as a powerful warning against spiritual rebellion and the rejection of God's truth. It challenges us to examine our own hearts:

  • Are we truly stewards of what God has entrusted to us, or do we seek to claim His blessings as our own?
  • Do we recognize and receive Jesus Christ as the rightful heir and Son of God, or do we, in our own ways, resist His authority and seek to live life on our own terms?
  • The verse reminds us that ultimately, to all who receive Him, He gives the right to become children of God, sharing in His true spiritual inheritance, not one seized by force.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 2:3

    When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

  • Matthew 2:13

    ¶ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

  • Matthew 2:16

    ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

  • Genesis 3:15

    And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

  • Acts 5:28

    Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

  • Genesis 37:20

    Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

  • Isaiah 49:7

    ¶ Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
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