Mark 12:2

“…regarding the baptism of John, and after the reply which He returned to them in these words: “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”” — editor's note: Mark xii. 1–11; Luke xx. 9–18.

After the Lord had closed the mouths of His tempters by a wise question, He next shews their wickedness in a parable. Wherefore it is said: “And He began to speak unto them by parable. A certain man planted a vineyard.”

God the Father is called a man by a human conception. The vineyard is the house of Israel; the hedge is the guardianship of Angels; the winefat is the law, the tower is the temple, and the husbandmen, the priests.

Or else, the hedge is the wall of the city, the winefat is the altar, or those winefats, by which three psalms receive their name.

Or, the hedge is the law, which prohibited their mingling with strangers. There follows: “And went into a far country.”

Not by any change of place, but He seemed to go away from the vineyard, that He might leave the husbandmen to act on their own freewill. It goes on: “And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he…

The servants who were sent were the prophets, the fruit of the vineyard is obedience; some of the prophets were beaten, others wounded, others slain. Wherefore it goes on: “And they caught him, and beat him, and sent…

By the servant who was first sent we must understand Moses, but they beat him, and sent him away empty, because “they angered Moses in the tents.” [Ps 106:6] There follows: “And again he sent unto them another…

Or else, by the first servant, understand the prophets who lived about the time of Elias, for Zedekiah the false prophet beat Micaiah [2 Chron. 18:23]; and by the second servant whom they wounded in the head, that…

The well-beloved son and the last is the Only-begotten; and in that He says, “They will reverence my son,” He speaks in irony.

Or else, this is not said in ignorance, but God is said to doubt, that freedom of will may be left to man.

Or else, He said this not as thought He were ignorant of what was to happen, but to shew what it was right and fitting that they should do. “But those husbandmen said amongst themselves, This is the heir, come, let…

The Lord proves most clearly that the chiefs of the Jews did not crucify the Son of God through ignorance, but through envy; for they understood that this was He to whom it was said, “I will give thee the heathen for…

That is, without Jerusalem, for the Lord was crucified out of the city.

Or else, they case Him out of the vineyard, that is, out of the people, saying “Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil.” [John 8:48]

Or, as far as in them lay, they cast Him out of their own borders, and gave Him up to the Gentiles that they might receive Him. There follows: “What then will the Lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy…

Matthew indeed subjoins that they answered and said, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men,” [Matt 21:41] which Mark here says was not their answer, but that the Lord after putting the question, as it were…

The Lord of the vineyard then is the Father of the Son who was slain, and the Son Himself is He who was slain, who will destroy those husbandmen, by giving them up to the Romans, and who will give the people to other…

Or else, the vineyard is given to others, that is, to those who come from the east, and from the west, and from the south, and from the north, and who sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

But that this was done by Divine interposition He affirms, by immediately afterwards adding, “And have ye not read this Scripture, The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone in the corner?” As if He…

The stone then which the builders refused, the same has become the head-stone of the corner, that is, of the Church. For the Church is, as it were, the corner, joining together Jews and Gentiles; and this corner has…

This rejected stone, which is borne by that corner where the lamb and the bread met in the supper, ending the Old and beginning the New Testament, does things marvellous in our eyes [Ps 118:23] as the topaz.

But the Chief Priests shewed that those things which the Lord had spoken were true; which is proved from what follows: “And they sought to lay hold on him;” for He Himself is the heir, whose unjust death He said was…

Mark 12:2 and Luke 20:10 share the same wording (14 words).

Cited together in Bede on Mark 12:1–12 (3) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Jerome on Mark 12:1–12 (4) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 12:1–12 (2) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Bede on Mark 12:1–12 (5) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Bede on Mark 12:1–12 (3) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Jerome on Mark 12:1–12 (6) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Mark 12:1–12 (Catena Aurea).