Mark 12:1-12
Find a way to separate yourself from whatever’s going on around you so you can fully enter into today’s passage. if you haven’t read the introduction to Mark’s Gospel, read it here.
Read Mark 12:1-12 imagining that you are one of the religious leaders who is listening.
Parables are either fictional stories or real-life comparisons that lead the hearer toward larger truths, and Jesus often used both kinds of parables in his teaching to prod his listeners toward deep reflection and ultimately toward action. In this parable, it is apparent that the vineyard owner is meant to represent God the Father, the Creator of everything, but as in all parables the details are not necessarily completely descriptive of the true nature of God. Yes, God is Creator, but God did not set the world in motion and then “move to another country” and remain unaware of what was happening back in the world.
Nevertheless, as Jesus spins the story, the religious leaders are quick to pick up on the fact that the wicked tenants are representative of them.
Why do you think the religious leaders recognize themselves in the parable?
Read Mark 12:1-12 again as if Jesus was telling this story to you and those around you right now.
One of the main themes of this parable is that everything we have is given by God – our livelihood, our work, our possessions, even our very lives. Do you think about your life, work and possessions this way?
It’s interesting to note that the vineyard owner in the parable didn’t demand the entire crop of grapes but instead held to his agreement with the tenants and didn’t begrudge them the fruit of their labor. It was the tenants who denied the owner what was due.
Is there anything you are holding onto tightly that in reality belongs to God? Knowing that God loves you and cares for your well-being, what makes it difficult for you to give this over to God?
God, unlike the vineyard owner, is nearer than our breath because the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who follows Jesus and has placed their hope in him. Spend a moment reflecting on the love and nearness of God.
What is Jesus prompting you to do as a result of this time of reflection? Spend some time talking this over with Jesus and then make a plan for acting on whatever he is prompting you to do.
Are you finding these meditations to be helpful? If so, please forward them to a couple of friends. Interested in going deeper? Check out The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide and blog.
