ACC ~ Mark 12 v1 - 12

OVERVIEW:

The parable vindicates the Lord of the vineyard, who through the resurrection rights the wrongs done by the tenants. Their malice will be disclosed in the resurrection. Both Father and Son appear in the parable not to know under particular historical contingencies what they do know as Godhead (AMBROSE). The outcome of the resurrection shifts the whole premise of the parable, for amid the fury of the oppressors, Jesus looked steadfastly toward the resurrection (AUGUSTINE).

12:6 | They Will Respect My Son

LORD OF THE VINEYARD

AMBROSE: Matthew and Mark say: “He sent his only son, saying ‘they will respect my son.’” [1] Luke sounds as though the outcome is in doubt, as though he did not know without doubt. [2] But in Matthew and Mark he says: “they will respect my son,” that is, it is declared that respect will be shown. God can neither be in doubt, nor can he be deceived. For one can only be in doubt who is ignorant of the future. One is deceived who has predicted one thing while another happened. Yet what is plainer than the fact that Scripture states the Father to have said one thing of the Son, and the same Scripture proves another thing to have taken place? The Son was beaten, mocked, crucified, and died. He suffered much worse things in the flesh than those tenants who had been sent to help out. Was the Father deceived, or was he ignorant? Or was he powerless to give help? … Neither is the Father deceived nor does the Son deceive. It is the custom of holy Scriptures to speak in these many voices, as I have shown in many examples. In such instances, God feigns not to know what he does know. In this then is shown the unity of Godhead. A unity of character is shown to exist in the Father and the Son. For as God the Father seems to hide what is known to him, so also the Son, who is the image of God, [3] seems to hide what is known to him. ON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 5.17.214-18. [4]

[1] Mt 21:37; Mk 12:6.

[2] Lk 20:13.

[3] Cf. 2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15.

[4] Cetedoc 0150, 5.17.55; NPNF 2 10:311-12*.

12:7 | Come, Let Us Kill Him, and the Inheritance Will Be Ours

THE DECEPTION OF THE KILLERS

AUGUSTINE: But how will you insure that the inheritance will be yours? Merely because you killed him? Hold on! You in fact did kill him, yet the inheritance is still not yours. Do you not recall the Psalm which says: “I lie down and sleep,” and then adds, “I wake again”? [1] Did you miss that point? While you were gloating that you had killed him, he was sleeping. The Psalm says: “I slept.” Just while they were raging and would kill me, what was I doing? “I slept.” And if I had not willed it, I would not even have slept, for “I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again.” [2] So let the oppressors rage. Let the earth even be “given into the hands of the wicked,” [3] let the flesh be left to the hands of persecutors, let them suspend him on wood with nails transfixed, pierced with a spear. The one who lies down and sleeps simply adds: “I rise again.” [4] ON PSALM 41: ON THE FEAST OF THE MARTYRS 9. [5]

[1] Ps 3:5.

[2] Jn 10:17.

[3] Job 9:24.

[4] Mt 27:63; Mk 8:31; 10:34; Lk 18:33.

[5] Cetedoc 0283, 38.40.10.3; NPNF 1 8:130**.