When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
Parallel Translations
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When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
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And when the tyme was come he sent to the tennauntes a servaunt that he myght receave of the tenauntes of the frute of the vyneyarde.
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And at the time, he sent to the husbandmen a seruant, that he might receiue of the husbandmen of the fruite of the vineyard.
Cross-references (16)
Passages linked to Mark 12:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. “In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.
- Judges 6:8-10 Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage. I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land. I said to you, “I am Yahweh your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not listened to my voice.’ ”
- 2 Kings 17:13 Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:15 Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place;
- Ezra 9:11 which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.
- Psalms 1:3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
- Jeremiah 25:4-5 Yahweh has sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear), saying, “Return now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Yahweh has given to you and to your fathers, from of old and even forever more.
- Jeremiah 35:15 I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Every one of you must return now from his evil way, amend your doings, and don’t go after other gods to serve them, then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers:’ but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me.
- Jeremiah 44:4 However I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, “Oh, don’t do this abominable thing that I hate.”
- Micah 7:1 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
- Zechariah 1:3-6 Therefore tell them: Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Return to me,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘and I will return to you,’ says Yahweh of Armies. Don’t you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Yahweh of Armies says, ‘Return now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings;’ but they didn’t hear, nor listen to me, says Yahweh. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, didn’t they overtake your fathers? “Then they repented and said, ‘Just as Yahweh of Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’ ”
- Zechariah 7:7 Aren’t these the words which Yahweh proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’ ”
- Matthew 21:34 When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his fruit.
- Luke 12:48 but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.
- Luke 20:10 At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty.
- Hebrews 1:1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain When the fruits of the ground used to be…
When the fruits of the ground used to be gathered.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And at the season he sent unto the husbandman…
And at the season he sent unto the husbandman a servant,.... The Evangelist Matthew says, "when the time of the fruit drew near", Mat 21:34; and so the Persic version here reads. The Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, "in its own time", or "season", which was the fourth year from the planting of it; and then it was holy to the Lord; and might not be eaten until the fifth year, Lev 19:23. According to the Jewish canons (l), a vineyard of the fourth year was marked with clods of earth, to show it was not to be eaten of; and the fruit of it was brought up to Jerusalem, from every place that was but a day's journey from thence, there to be eaten, or redeemed. Nor by the "servant" are intended the prophets of the Old Testament, who were sent to the Jews to call upon them to bring forth fruits of righteousness; for not a single person, but a set of men, are here designed; and the Evangelist Matthew expresses it in the plural number, "servants":
that he might receive from the husbandmen the fruit of the vineyard: by the hands of his servants; for in Matthew it is, "that they might receive", &c. such as righteousness and judgment, truth and holiness, so as to give an account of them, which might have been expected from a people under such advantages, Isa 5:7; See Gill on Mat 21:34.
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(l) Misn. Maaser Sheni, c. 5. sect. 1, 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain The first servant whom the Almighty sent was Moses;…
The first servant whom the Almighty sent was Moses; but they sent him away empty; for, says the Psalmist, they provoked him to anger in the camp. (Psalm cv.) The second servant sent was David, whom they used reproachfully, saying: What have we to do with David? (3 Kings xii. 16.) The third was the school of the prophets; and which of the prophets did they not kill? (Matthew xxiii.) (Ven. Bede)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. He sent… a servant — Matthew says servants,…
2. He sent… a servant — Matthew says servants, in the plural. Doubtless Mark specifies the principal servant or messenger, who was attended by many others. This is implied in the fifth verse, where it is said that he sent another servant, and him they killed, and many others, beating some and killing some. Mark, being the more minute in his details, may be supposed to give with more exactness the Lord’s words.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. at the season] i. e. when the fruit…
2. at the season] i. e. when the fruit season drew near.
a servant] So Luk_20:10; his servants, Mat_21:34; the prophets and other eminent messengers of God raised up at particular periods for particular purposes. “Servi sunt ministri extraordinarii, majores; agricolæ, ordinarii.” Bengel.
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of the fruit] The householder’s share. The rent not being paid in money, but in a stipulated portion of the produce, according to the well-known metayer system once prevalent over great part of Europe. The prophets were sent to the people from time to time to require of them “the repentance and the inward longing after true inward righteousness, which the Law was unable to bring about.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (2) A servant.—The variations in the reports are, as…
(2) A servant.—The variations in the reports are, as has been said, few and slight, but it may as well be noted that St. Mark speaks of “one servant” having been sent, and then another, and another, and then many others, while St. Matthew divides them simply into two great groups. St. Mark, characteristically, seizes on the most vivid presentation of the facts.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 2-5. And at the season he sent to…
Vers. 2-5. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. St. Matthew (Mat_21:34) says he sent "his servants." St. Mark mentions them in detail. These servants were the prophets, as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others, whom the Jews persecuted and slew in different ways, as the reprovers of their vices. But the mercy of God was long-suffering, and still triumphed over their wickedness. In his account of this parable St. Mark is very minute. The first servant that was sent received no fruit, and was beaten. The second received much worse usage. According to the Authorized Version the words are, At him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled (kakeinon liyobolhsantev ekefalaiwsan kai apesteilan htimwmenon). The word liyobolhsantev is, however, not to be found in the best authorities; and the right reading of the next word is apparently ekefaliwsan a very unusual word; but the context makes it plain that it expresses some injury done to the head. The other form of the word is usual enough; but it ordinarily signifies "a summing up," "a gathering up into a head." And handled shamefully htimwmenon); literally, dishonored. The third messenger they killed outright. The words run. And him they killed; and many others; beating some, and killing some. The construction here is incomplete, although the meaning is plain. The complete sentence would be, "And him they killed; and they did violence to many others, beating some and killing some."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain sent to
sent to
Mar 12:2-5. the prophets and John the Baptist.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The wicked husbandmen:
The wicked husbandmen:
v. 2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
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v. 3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
v. 4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
v. 5. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some and killing some.
v. 6. Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will relevance my son.
v. 7. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
v. 8. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
At the season, at the appointed time, when the first fruits were about to be expected, the owner sent a servant as his representative. The amount agreed upon was to be collected, either in the form of fruit, or of a specified sum of rent money, in accordance with the contract. But instead of living up to their contract, the wicked husbandmen caught hold of the servant, gave him a thorough beating, and turned him away without a cent. The master was patient. He sent another servant, with the result that they treated the representative with every sign of disrespect and contempt, wounding him about the head and otherwise making short work of him. A third servant was killed outright. And so matters continued for some time, the owner sending servants, and the husbandmen maltreating, beating, or killing them. Note how the evangelist piles up the records against the husbandmen, as he summarizes the parable of Christ. Mark also how the patience of the owner stands out in the account. Now the master had an only son, whom he loved dearly, and who would incidentally be his heir. Him he sent as the last one to these men, with the hope and expectation that they must surely feel a certain amount of relevance for him, since he so obviously represented the master and was entitled to full honor as the future lord of the vineyard. But the wicked husbandmen discussed the matter among themselves; they wanted to get possession of the vineyard, they wanted to rule in it as they pleased, they wanted to enjoy all its produce without interference. So they planned to kill the heir and calmly take possession of the property. This plan they carried out; when the son of the owner came, they admitted him to the vine. yard, but then cast him out and killed him, or they cast out his body after having killed him.
This was the gruesome parable that the Lord told the elders, and chief priests, and scribes. Its explanation is evident. The owner of the vineyard is God Himself. The vineyard is His kingdom, which He had planted in Israel. Through the covenant which He had made with this people in the wilderness He had accepted them as His peculiar people. And He had taken the very best care of His nation. He had separated them from the Gentiles, He had given them the strong hedge of His Law, He had set the kingdom and dynasty of David as their strong tower against all enemies, and in the Temple at Jerusalem the rich wine of God’s mercy flowed in streams. But history shows how the chosen people of God repaid His mercies, for the husbandmen are the individual members of the Jewish Church, but especially their religious leaders. All of these God admonished and warned, again and again, to bring forth fruit that measured up to the standard of God’s mercy. But His prophets were treated with contempt, they were abused, as Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah; they were even put to death, Mat 23:35; Heb 11:36-38. And still God’s patience was riot exhausted. In accordance with His eternal plan of love He sent His own, His only beloved Son, Mat 3:17; Mar 9:7. But Him the leaders of the people were even now planning to kill and would carry out their evil design in only a few days. The result, the final outcome, is even now present with Christ. They were jealous of the authority and power of Jesus, they wanted to have the heritage for themselves to do with it as they pleased.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 12:2-5 The time of the grape harvest probably refers…
12:2-5 The time of the grape harvest probably refers to the time, some four years after planting, when a new vineyard would produce its first harvest. The owner’s share of the crop would have been a quantity of grapes or wine, given in payment for the lease of the vineyard. • In the Old Testament, prophets are often referred to as servants (Jer 7:25-26; Amos 3:7; Zech 1:6); they were repeatedly mistreated and killed by Israelite leaders (1 Kgs 18:13; 19:10, 14; 2 Chr 24:20-27; 36:15-16; Jer 26:20-23; Neh 9:26; see Matt 23:34, 37; 1 Thes 2:15).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.