Mark 12:1-12 - The Wicked Tenants

Jesus is teaching in the temple. He has just been confronted by representatives of the Sanhedrin asking him, demanding to know, by what authority he does these things. “These things” certainly includes his teaching, but it also includes his overturning of the tables of the money changers and his driving out those who sold animals there. “These things” include his pronouncement of judgment on those who were in charge of the temple, and the temple itself.




Jesus’s response to the challenge of his authority was to ask his challengers whether John the Baptist was from God or not. They declined to answer and so Jesus declined to answer their challenge. Inherent in the answer to Jesus’s question was the answer to their challenge to Jesus. But because they did not want to face up to his question, they exposed themselves as unworthy to challenge Jesus on his authority. Chapter eleven ended right there.

But when chapter twelve begins the scene has not changed. We are still in the same place—the temple grounds, probably Solomon’s porch—and at the same moment. Immediately after their challenge Jesus turns to the crowd and gives a devastating parable. That parable is the subject of this sermon I preached back in December. It is the parable of the wicked tenants.

The audio of this sermon. Is found at the link below. When you click on the link a new window will open up in your browser. The website opened is located within the domain of SoundCloud and it will allow you to either stream the sermon for immediate listening or download it for later. I hope you will take the time to do that. Just click the link below. God bless.

Click here: Mark 12:1-12 - The Wicked Tenants


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