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Begin Section 1: Mark 12 Text & Questions

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Verses 1-12  The Parable of the Tenants

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1Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.

2At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

3But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

4Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.

5He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

6“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

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

8So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

9“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

10Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

 

“‘The stone the builders rejected

    has become the cornerstone;

11the Lord has done this,

    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

 

12Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

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1)       Whom does the owner of the vineyard represent?

 

2)       Whom do the farmers represent, given that they are hostile to the owner?

 

3)       What does the vineyard represent?

 

4)       Whom does a servant of the owner represent?

 

5)       How did the Jews consistently treat prophets God sent to them, given that the tenants consistently mistreated servants the owner sent to them?

 

6)       Whom does the son of the owner represent?

 

7)       What was on the mind of the owner when he said that the tenants would respect his son, given that respecting his son began with respecting him?

 

8)       What risk did the owner put his son at when he sent his son to the tenants, given what happened to the servants?

 

9)       To what extent did the owner desire to broker a peaceful resolution of the conflict between him and the tenants?

 

10)   Why had the tenants not considered the scenario that if they killed the son of the owner, the owner would come and reckon with them, given that the owner had been so lenient with them that they had formed an opinion of him?

 

11)   What did Jesus mean when he said that the owner will give the vineyard to others, given that others are the Gentiles?

 

12)   What is a cornerstone and whom does it represent?

 

13)   Whom do the builders that rejected the stone in verse 10 represent?

 

14)   In accordance with verse 10 who is the stone that is rejected by the builders and that has become the cornerstone, i.e., the Christ?

 

15)   Why is it marvelous in the eyes of the Jews that God made Jesus the Christ, given that the Jews expected the Christ to be a figure of military might?

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Verses 1-12  The Parable of the Tenants

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Verses 13-17  Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

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13Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

14They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?

15Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”

16They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.

17Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

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16)   What would be the consequence for Jesus when he answered the question either in the affirmative or in the negative: ‘Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not’ HHJJJJ?

 

17)   What did Jesus say in reply in verses 16 and 17 that avoided the trap of the Pharisees and Herodians?

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Verses 13-17  Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

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Verses 18-27  Marriage at the Resurrection

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18Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.

19“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

20Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children.

21The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third.

22In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.

23At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

25When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

26Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

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18)   Who were the Sadducees?

 

19)   In what way were the Sadducees being disingenuous in the question they posed to Jesus in verse 23, given that they denied the resurrection of the dead?

 

20)   What was ironic about the Sadducees not knowing the Scriptures, i.e., the bible, that records the law of Moses?

 

21)   What was Jesus’ understanding about God in verse 27 that led to the confirmation that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are living even though they had already died?

 

22)   What did the Sadducees deny that Jesus confirmed in verse 25?

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Verses 18-27  Marriage at the Resurrection

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Verses 28-34  The Greatest Commandment

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28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.

33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

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23)   What does it mean that the Lord is one?

 

24)   With what intensity does the most important commandment in verse 30 command us to love God?

 

25)   In the context of the second most important commandment who is my neighbor, given that a neighbor is not just the person living next door?

 

26)   How did the teacher of the law compare the two most important commandments with religious rituals in verse 33?

 

27)   In telling the teacher of the law that he was not far from the kingdom of God, what did Jesus imply concerning those who considered religious rituals to be more important than these two commandments?

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Verses 28-34  The Greatest Commandment

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Verses 35-37  Whose Son Is the Christ

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35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?

36David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

 

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:

    “Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

    under your feet.”’

 

37David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.

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28)   Who is the Lord who was told to sit at the right hand of the Lord who spoke in verse 36?

 

29)   Who is the Lord who spoke in verse 36?

 

30)   When did Jesus start sitting at the right hand of God the Father, given that Jesus returned to God the Father after he had completed his mission of dying for the sins of the whole world and rising from the dead?

 

31)   What does sitting at the right hand of God the Father mean, given that the right hand of God the Father is a position of power in the kingdom of God that is next only to him?

 

32)   When will God the Father put Jesus’ enemies under his feet, given that Jesus will come again to judge the world at the end of this age?

 

33)   How can Jesus’ question in verse 37 be properly answered?

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Verses 35-37  Whose Son Is the Christ

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Verses 38-40  Jesus condemned the teachers of the law

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38As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,

39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

40They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

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34)   According to what Jesus said in verse 40 how will the teachers of the law be punished for their conduct?

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Verses 38-40  Jesus condemned the teachers of the law

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Verses 41-44  The Widow’s Offering

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41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

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35)   How did Jesus evaluate the giving of the widow and others in terms of its proportion of what one had and in terms of what one could afford?

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Verses 41-44  The Widow’s Offering

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End Section 1: Mark 12 Text & Questions

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Begin Section 2: Mark 12 Questions & Answers

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Verses 1-12  The Parable of the Tenants

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Concerning the parable of the tenants,

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1)       Whom does the owner of the vineyard represent?

o   He represents God.

 

2)       Whom do the farmers that rented the vineyard represent?

o   They represent the Jews.

 

3)       What does the vineyard represent?

o   It represents all the blessings God gives to the Jews.

 

4)       Whom do the servants of the owner represent?

o   They represent prophets sent by God to the Jews.

 

5)       How did the Jews consistently treat prophets God sent to them, given that the tenants consistently mistreated servants the owner sent to them?

o   The Jews consistently mistreated the prophets.

o   That

o   God sent to them.

 

6)       Whom does the son of the owner represent?

o   He represents Jesus.

 

7)       What was on the mind of the owner when he said that the tenants would respect his son, given that respecting his son began with respecting him?

o   The owner thought that he held sway over the tenants.

o   Such that

o   They would change their attitude.

o   When

o   They saw his son.

 

8)       What risk did the owner put his son at when he sent his son to the tenants, given what happened to the servants?

o   The owner put his son at the risk of getting killed.

 

9)       To what extent did the owner desire to broker a peaceful resolution of the conflict between him and the tenants?

o   The owner desired a peaceful resolution so much.

o   So that

o   He was willing to put the son whom he loved at the risk of getting killed.

 

10)   Why had the tenants not considered the scenario that if they killed the son of the owner, the owner would come and reckon with them, given that the owner had been so lenient with them that they had formed an opinion of him?

o   They

§  Despised the owner.

§  And thought nothing of him.

 

11)   What did Jesus mean when he said that the owner will give the vineyard to others, given that others are the Gentiles?

o   Jesus meant that God will give to the Gentiles all the blessings.

o   That

o   He has given to the Jews.

 

12)   What is a cornerstone and whom does it represent?

o   A cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a building.

o   Such that

o   All other stones would be set in reference to the cornerstone.

o   The cornerstone represents the Christ.

 

13)   Whom do the builders that rejected the stone in verse 10 represent?

o   They represent the religious leaders.

 

14)   In accordance with verse 10 who is the stone that is rejected by the builders and that has become the cornerstone, i.e., the Christ?

o   Jesus is the stone

§  That is rejected by the builders, i.e., the Jewish religious leaders.

§  And that has become the cornerstone, i.e., the Christ.

 

15)   Why is it marvelous in the eyes of the Jews that God made Jesus the Christ, given that the Jews expected the Christ to be a figure of military might?

o   God actually made Jesus the Christ, who was

§  Rejected.

§  And killed by the Jewish religious leaders.

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Verses 1-12  The Parable of the Tenants

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Verses 13-17  Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

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Concerning paying the imperial tax to Caesar,

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16)   What would be the consequence for Jesus when he answered the question either in the affirmative or in the negative: ‘Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not’ HHJJJJ?

o   Jesus would be legitimizing the rule of the Romans over Israel. 

o   If

o   He said that it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

o   Jesus would be inciting rebellion against the Romans.

o   If

o   He said that it was not right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

 

17)   What did Jesus say in reply in verses 16 and 17 that avoided the trap of the Pharisees and Herodians?

o   Jesus got them to acknowledge that the coin used for paying the tax

§  Bears the image and inscription of Caesar.

§  And belongs to Caesar.

o   Paying the imperial tax to Caesar was therefore legitimate.

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Verses 13-17  Paying Taxes to Caesar

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Verses 18-27  Marriage at the Resurrection

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Concerning marriage at the resurrection,

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18)   Who were the Sadducees?

o   The Sadducees were a sect of the Jews who

§  Denied

Ø  The resurrection of the dead.

Ø  And The existence of angels.

§  And emphasized the law of Moses.

 

19)   In what way were the Sadducees being disingenuous in the question they posed to Jesus in verse 23, given that they denied the resurrection of the dead?

o   They

§  Denied the resurrection of the dead.

§  Yet asked Jesus a question that assumed the reality of resurrection.

 

20)   What was ironic about the Sadducees not knowing the Scriptures, i.e., the bible, that records the law of Moses?

o   It was ironic.

o   Because

o   They emphasized the law of Moses.

 

21)   What was Jesus’ understanding about God in verse 27 that led to the confirmation that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are living even though they had already died?

o   God is

§  Not the God of the dead.

§  But of the living.

 

22)   What did the Sadducees deny that Jesus confirmed in verse 25?

o   Jesus confirmed

§  That the dead rise.

§  And that angels exist.

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Verses 18-27  Marriage at the Resurrection

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Verses 28-34  The Greatest Commandment

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Concerning the greatest commandment,

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23)   What does it mean that the Lord is one?

o   It means that there is only one God.

 

24)   With what intensity does the most important commandment in verse 30 command us to love God?

o   We are commanded to love God with our entire being.

 

25)   In the context of the second most important commandment who is my neighbor, given that a neighbor is not just the person living next door?

o   My neighbor can be anyone.

o   That

o   I come into contact with.

 

26)   How did the teacher of the law compare the two most important commandments with religious rituals in verse 33?

o   The two most important commandments are more important than religious rituals.

 

27)   In telling the teacher of the law that he was not far from the kingdom of God, what did Jesus imply concerning those who considered religious rituals to be more important than these two commandments?

o   Jesus implied that they were far from the kingdom of God.

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Verses 28-34  The Greatest Commandment

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Verses 35-37  Whose Son Is the Christ

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Concerning whose son is the Christ,

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28)   Who is the Lord who was told to sit at the right hand of the Lord who spoke in verse 36?

o   The Lord who was told is

§  The Christ.

§  The Son of God.

 

29)   Who is the Lord who spoke in verse 36?

o   The Lord who spoke is God the Father.

 

30)   When did Jesus start sitting at the right hand of God the Father, given that Jesus returned to God the Father after he had completed his mission of dying for the sins of the whole world and rising from the dead?

o   Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father.

o   After

o   He had completed his mission.

 

31)   What does sitting at the right hand of God the Father mean, given that the right hand of God the Father is a position of power in the kingdom of God that is next only to him?

o   Sitting at the right hand of God the Father means occupying a position of power in the kingdom of God that is next only to him.

 

32)   When will God the Father put Jesus’ enemies under his feet, given that Jesus will come again to judge the world at the end of this age?

o   God the Father will put Jesus’ enemies under his feet.

o   When

o   Jesus comes again to judge the world at the end of the age.

 

33)   How can Jesus’ question in verse 37 be properly answered?

o   David calls the Christ Lord.

o   Because

o   The Christ is the Son of God. 

o   Jesus Christ is also David’s descendant.

o   Because

o   Jesus as a man came from the line of David.

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Verses 35-37  Whose Son Is the Christ

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Verses 38-40  Jesus condemned the teachers of the law

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Concerning Jesus condemning the teachers of the law,

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34)   According to what Jesus said in verse 40 how will the teachers of the law be punished for their conduct?

o   They will be punished most severely.

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Verses 38-40  Jesus condemned the teachers of the law

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Verses 41-44  The Widow’s Offering

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Concerning the widow’s offering,

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35)   How did Jesus evaluate the giving of the widow and others in terms of its proportion of what one had and in terms of what one could afford?

o   The giving of the poor widow was more significant than the larger amounts.

o   That

o   Others gave out of plenty.

o   Since

o   She gave a larger proportion of what she had than all the others.

o   She put more into the temple treasury than all the others.

o   Since

o   She gave more than what she could afford.

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Verses 41-44  The Widow’s Offering

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End Section 2: Mark 12 Questions & Answers

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