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Mark 11:27-12:12
Marveling about stones
- What constitutes a marvel?
Do you use the word Marvelous anymore?
Marvelous.
I was trying to think these past few weeks about things that I would call marvelous. I might clap and tell my children good job, but I don’t remember the last time I said “marvelous.” I am not even sure I have ever seen anything that justifies marvel. Something amazing. Something spectacular, something awe-inspiring.
What is worthy of justifying such an adjective: “marvelous?”
There was something in the Old Testament that the people thought was marvelous. Something stunning and spectacular and splendid and fabulous and marvelous.
Psalm 118:22-23 it says these words:
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes
Marvelous in the eyes of the singers is the fact that the Lord has used a stone that was rejected by the builders to be the most important stone in the entire project. A stone without which the entire project would fail.
In the book of Psalms this stone represents Israel, or perhaps the king who leads and is therefore a representative of Israel. They were a small irrelevant country that was used and thrown away. The kings of Israel were disdained and abused by invading Kings who were far more interested in ruling an empire than a country. A confederacy of nations all came against Israel and Israel fought hard and now they celebrate with songs of thanksgiving for deliverance from their enemies. They rejoice that he who was despised and rejected, has now conquered. Israel, who was low, is now lifted up. They continue to sing, this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. The day of victory, the day, perhaps, that the ark of the covenant is brought into the temple again after going into war. A day of great celebration.
Do you grasp the importance of this Old Testament event in the minds of the people? They recognize that Israel is small and a nothing nation, and it has now shown the world that by the Lord’s doing, it is mighty. It is marvelous.
Perhaps if I stood at Independence Hall as they signed the Constitution of the United States of America after a hard fought victory with the British, I would be saying “Marvelous,” “spectacular.” Perhaps it is that emotion we are to feel every 4th of July when the fireworks go off. It’s the greatest display men can create and it is to foster that feeling of 233 years ago. Victory. The lowly colonies have become a nation. Victory.
- A question of authority
The passage we examine this morning in Mark 11 and 12 ends with this same passage. Something the Lord has done is marvelous in our eyes. But it begins back in 11:27 over a question of authority.
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
28 "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"
A significant shift has taken place in the book of Mark. Jesus arrived again in Jerusalem. While most of his ministry has been in Galilee, these are the last few days of his ministry and they are centered around the Temple. In fact, the next several stories in a row—7 controversies with the leaders—all take place around the temple.
We must keep this in mind for the temple is the context of all that he will say. He wants to get it through to people, that things have changed. The old has passed away and the new, he himself, the image of God, the son of God, the eternal one himself is there in their presence. As wonderful as this might seem, the Sanhedrin are more than a little bit worried about it. The Sanhederin are a group of officials including chief priests, teachers of the law and elders. There are 71 members and they hold nearly complete freedom in matters religious, even in many matters political. These are the most important religious leaders in Israel and they have all gathered to deal with this man. He just removed the merchants from the temple. Their way of life is in peril. Probably the captain of the temple, the second highest official was there and maybe even Caiaphas himself. Jesus must be dealt with. And so a question—where does your authority come from?
There is no question that he has authority. Everywhere he speaks in the book of Mark amazing, dare I say Marvelous, things happen. The people follow him around listening to his authoritative words. He calls disciples and they leave everything for him. He demands demons and they flee from his presence. He ousts deafness and blindness and lameness and palsy and he even calls people to rise up from the dead. No one can question that he has power. But does he have the right to do this—who gives him this right? He has no formal training; he isn’t one of them. And most significantly, he is messing things up.
- A question in reply
29 Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
30 John's baptism-- was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!"
This is a seemingly simple question with which Jesus turns the table. It is really an answer in itself, as well as a dodging of the question. Jesus Authority comes from the same place John’s authority does. But they rejected that authority too and he is now without a head.
- The Sanhedrin’s quandary
The Sanhedrin are left with a quandary.
31 They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'
32 But if we say, 'From men'...." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
A quandary—they were afraid of the people. They didn’t believe for a moment that John was from God, He was simplifying everything. Just repent and be baptized. Just look to the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. If they legitimized John, then they legitimized Jesus for John claimed to be the forerunner of Jesus. If they legitimized John, this meant the end of their power and the end of the temple system as they knew it. But if they denounced John, when all the people loved him, it also meant the end of their power and maybe even their life. One wrong word might result in a mob scene.
33 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
Smart Sanhedrin. Better to be seen as ignorant, than to give in to the masses or be killed by them.
And the chapter is over. Now comes Pastor Jace’s quandary. Talk in general terms about the authority of Jesus which has been incredibly important from the very beginning of Mark or bring more into this story so it becomes more concrete. Someone obviously thought the story more or less ended there—there is a chapter break. But it doesn’t, not by a long shot. It’s in the context of this confrontation about his authority that he tells them a parable. There is no geographical change and no chronological change. Mark immediately records Jesus parable of the tenants.
- Parable of the tenants
NIV Mark 12:1 He 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 went away on a journey.
2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.
5 He 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.'
8 So 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.
10 Haven't you read this scripture: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
11 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
12 Then they 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.
This parable is found elsewhere in the other gospels and even in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas. The details are a little bit different but it is a story after all.
Now, this story like most of the Bible has been seriously molested. That’s the best word I can think of. People use this story for whatever they need it for and then discard it.
Here are two beautiful ideas that preachers got from this sermon. I wont tell you who said them:
The point of the story is:
- The earth is God’s and we are there to be stewards of it
- We need to remember that the property is not ours and we are tenants of God’s earth and we can use it on his terms
My friends, this is not a story about the earth and ecological carefulness and carbon footprints. It is a story about a creation that you can’t possibly save. It is the story of a doomed earth that screams out its need for a real savior. Not one who hugs trees or stops using hair spray or recycles their plastic bags.
This is the story of Jesus, who in his great love came for you when you would not have him.
Let’s jump in.
- Great plans for the vineyard
But what you might hear as a simple story, the Jewish people hear as a well-known allegory. “A man planted a vineyard” is the same language of Isaiah 5. This parable wasn’t to hide anything as some had been, but to be painfully obvious.
And let’s not forget that they stand in the temple which sported a richly carved grapevine, seventy cubits high, sculpted around the door which led from the porch to the holy place. The branches tendrils and leaves were made of finest gold. From the branches hung costly jewels. Even the coins of the Maccabeans had grape clusters of vines on them. This was the symbol of Israel and everyone understood this.
But they understood something far greater. Israel, the vineyard, was something special to God. He created it, he had plans for it, he loved it, he kept people from abusing it. He created a wall around it and gave it a watchtower (verse 1). It was to be protected because it was important to him. And it had a winepress for Israel had a job to do.
- Great farmers for the vineyard
And God loved Israel so much that he put people in charge of Israel, the vineyard. This was a common thing in Israel. Lots of foreign landlords in the Galilean uplands and the upper Jordan valley. But this was a picture of the leaders who were to watch over Israel. Much rested with these farmers—would they lead well?
I think about this parable often. Because in many senses I stand as a farmer in the vineyard. God’s people sit here before me and I am charged with leading well. Will I model well, will I preach well, Will I compromise my convictions just so we get a few more members and can afford a building? Will I continue to call you to account and cry out to you to repent when I know that is offensive? And most importantly perhaps, will I continue to be humble remembering that I too am a huge failure—a sinner at the top of the chart—will I remember to give you Christ and not laws. Will I give you grace in addition to admonishment? Will I wound and not neglect to heal?
But this is not just for me as a leader. It is for everyone here. You represent the king. The people of God. We must all look like Christ. We have been entrusted with much here in Montgomery county Maryland. The 8th wealthiest county in America according to Forbes Magazine. And to whom much has been given, much will be required.
We were created to look like him. To represent him. We are his people created by him to do good works and to glorify him. Just as Israel was. We are called to lead the world to Christ and I wonder if we can justly be called leaders of anything.
But the story continues. Not only did God createdthe vineyard and expect great things of it and even supply it with leaders to watch out for their best interests even when they didn’t. Not only did he have great hope for Israel.
- Great patience with the farmers
But even when his demands are ignored, he remains patient.
He sends servants to call the leaders to account.
I am reminded of Jeremiah 7:25-26
25 From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.
26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers.'
And yet this is even more than that. They are not simply paying no attention, they are seizing them, beating them and sometimes even killing them. Over and over again.
And still he sends. This is a picture of the marvelous grace of God. Those who come in the name of God to call them to repentance, have been killed and he keeps sending more. He sends Elijah and he is driven into the wilderness by the king. Isaiah was, according to tradition, sawn in two. Zechariah was stoned to death near the altar. John the Baptist, whom Jesus has just connected with was decapitated. Hebrews summarizes it: “They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground” (11:37-8)
Israel’s leaders wanted the vineyard for themselves. The fruit was theirs and the servants of God that he kept sending threatened their own glory and their own financial gain.
I can see the leaders listening to this. Their discomfort at this blatant rebuke. They wanted to kill Jesus. What was he claiming? That he was a servant of God. Is he answering the authority question?
I think the answer is yes, but he is far more. The parable continues—then he sent his son. They must respect him right?
This was a call to them. Do not go through with your plans. In three days they would haul him before their authorities and condemn him. Then they would arrange his death outside the city (outside the vineyard). After all, the vineyard was theirs. They must reap the benefits.
They are no different than the world of today. Humanity refuses him and pretends he does not exist. If we get rid of his servants we rid the world of God. But he will not be ignored and he will not be cast out. He will keep sending people to call them to himself.
Martin Luther said “If I were God, and the world had treated me as it treated Him, I would kick the wretched thing to pieces.”[1] But praise be to God that he does not treat us as this. He is patient. Servant after servant, insult after beating after killing.
Spurgeon says “If you reject him, he answers you with tears; if you wound him, he bleeds out cleansing; if you kill him, he dies to redeem; if you bury him, he rises again to bring resurrection. Jesus is love made manifest.”[2]
But the people must listen. Jesus is clearly implying that they are rejecting God’s final messenger and disaster will ensue. The sacred trust of the chosen people will be transferred to the new Israel of God. You leaders are trying to keep it for yourself, but the blessing will soon be moved. The temple was to be a place that the Gentiles could pray. They are invited in.
Do you hear his plea?
And do you hear his judgment? This parable the final verdict. Grace for millennia, but it will not last forever.
There is love.
But they toy with it.
Toying with the love of God, assuming he will always be there and hear you is an assumption that might prove to be untrue. There does come a day when it is too late. Then there is no more grace, only severity and justice and destruction.