Mark 11:27-12:44


It’s the middle of Passion Week, and tempers are high. This is Jerusalem, the Jewish religious leaders’ turf, and Jesus is upsetting them.  Crowds praised Him as He approached the city, then He chased the moneymakers out of the temple.  This couldn’t be allowed to go on – time to turn up the heat!  Jesus answers His critics…and His answers are still good today!


Four Confrontations
• Sanhedrin seeks to undermine Jesus’ authority (11:27-33)


• Pharisees and Herodians seek to create controversy (12:13-17)


• Sadducees seek to deny the power of God (12:18-27)


• A scribe seeks the Truth (12:28-34)


A Parable and Instruction: Jesus Reveals Hearts
• Wicked Vine-growers: Jewish hearts closed to Jesus (12:1-12)


• David’s descendant, David’s Lord: Who Jesus is! (12:35-37)


• Beware the Scribes: The road to condemnation (12:38-40)


• Widow’s Mite: The road to commendation (12:41-44)


“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes.”
(Psalm 118:22-23, quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:10-11)


For Further Study


1. As you read through Jesus’ encounters with those opposed to Him in Mark 11-12, it seems that He is never taken by surprise.  He wasn’t (read Mark 8:31)!  There is an implicit lesson for us today: We should not be surprised when those in the world are hostile to our faith in Jesus Christ.  Read Mt 24:9; Jn 15:18-21; 16:1-4,33; 17:14; 2 Cor 4:8-10; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Pet 2:19-24; 1 Jn 3:13.  How should we be prepared?  See 1 Peter 3:15.


2. Examine closely what Jesus says, and how He says it, in His four responses in Mark 11-12.  How does He avoid getting caught in their traps?  Notice how He always keeps the focus on what is important.  What lessons can we apply as we seek to share the gospel with the unsaved…and encounter some who are antagonistic to it?


3. Read over the parable of the wicked vine-growers in 12:1-12.  Jesus is talking about the Jews, and they know it (v12).  While their judgment was coming, notice that Jesus characterizes the entire history of God working to reach mankind as filled with rejection and persecution.  Consider lessons from this: How do we view our lives as Christians today?  Are we taking our place as faithful followers?  What is our expectation? Our priority?


4. In Mark 12:35-37, Jesus highlights a fine point in Psalm 110:1.  The Jews referred to Messiah as “Son of David” because He was David’s descendant, but they denied His deity.  They were looking for a man, instead of God.  Can you think of ways we sometimes ‘reduce’ Jesus to a glorified man, instead of giving Him the homage due Him as God?


5. Contrast the scribes and the widow (12:38-44).  Reflect on the deceitfulness of pursuing power and riches now; where does it lead?  Giving up all now – for God – where does it lead?  Note that what seems to be to our eyes now may be the opposite to what God perceives!  Review Jesus’ instruction in Mark 10:29-31.

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