A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
ANd he began to ſpeak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and ſet an hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine-fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far countrey. 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. 3. And they caught him, and beat him, and ſent him away empty. 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. 5. And again he ſent another, and him they killed: and many others, beating ſome, and killing ſome.
1. See on Matth. 21. Note, Who did this: Anſwer, The only national Church on Earth. 2. Did they ceaſe upon this warning of Chriſt. Anſ. No but do worſe. 3. Why did they do …t. Anſ. Through folly and wickedneſs. 4. The things that have bin are: This is no ſtrange thing yet on Earth.
6. Having yet therefore one ſon, his well-beloved, he ſent him alſo laſt unto them, ſaying, They will reverence my ſon. 7. But thoſe husbandmen ſaid amongſt themſelves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and the inheritance ſhall be ours. 8. And they took him, and killed him and caſt him out of the vineyard.
8. Note, No wonder that no innocency, or worth can preſerve his Miniſters from their rage, and from being caſt out of the Vineyard.
9. What ſhall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? he will come and deſtroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
9. He will deſtroy theſe Jewes, and call the Gentiles to become his Church.
10. And have ye not read this ſcripture? The ſtone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. 11. This was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
10. Pſal. 118. Iſa. 28.16.
12. And they ſought to lay hold on him, but feared the people, for they knew that he had ſpoken the parable againſt them: and they left him, and went their way.
12. N. That which is ſpoken againſt bad men enrageth them, be it never ſo true and neceſſary.
13. And they ſend unto him certain of the Phariſees, and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. 14. And when they were come, they ſay unto him, Maſter, we know that thou art right, and careſt for no man: for thou regardeſt not the perſon of men, but teacheſt the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caeſar, or not?
13. They ſend thoſe that thought Caeſar an Uſurper, or at leaſt had no right to that ſort of tribute, alienated from the Sanctuary, and the Herodians that wer… for Caeſars right. Note, They give Chriſt a flattering Character to enſnare him.
15. Shall we give, or ſhall we not give? 16. But he knowing their hypocriſie, ſaid to them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny that I may ſee it. And they brought it, and he ſaid to them, Whoſe is this Image and ſuperſcription? and they ſaid to him Caeſars. 17. And Jeſus anſwering ſaid unto them, Render to Caeſar the things that are Caeſars: and to God the things that are Gods. And they marvelled at him.
15. See on Math. 21. Note, We are not bound to anſwer directly to all ſuch inſnaring queſtions, nor to ſatisfy the Tempters.
18. There came unto him the Sadduces who ſay there is no Reſurrection, and asked him ſaying. 19. Maſter Moſes wrote to us, If a mans Brother die and leave his wife behind and have no Children, that his brother ſhould take his wife, and raiſe up ſeed to his brother. 20. Now there were ſeven brethren, the firſt took a wife and dying left no ſeed. 21. And the ſecond took her, and dying left no ſeed, and the third likewiſe. 22. And the ſeven had her and left no ſeed, Laſt of all the woman dyed alſo. 23. In the Reſurrection therefore when they ſhall riſe, whoſe wife ſhall ſhe be of them: for the ſeven had her to wife.
23. Erroneous Men from one falſe ſuppoſition, infer many that are worſe.
24. And Jeſus anſwering ſaid to them, Do ye not therfore err, becauſe ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God. 25. For when they ſhall riſe from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angels of God which are in heaven.
24. Carnal Men think Carnally of things Heavenly: Spiritual Glorified bodies are like Angels, and as they die not, ſo they generate not any more than they (nor eat and drink as here.)
26. And as touching the dead, that they riſe: have ye not read in the book of Moſes, how in the buſh God ſpake unto him, ſaying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
See on Matth. 22.
28. And one of the Scribes came, and having heard them reaſoning together, and perceiving that he had anſwered them well, asked him, Which is the firſt commandment of all. 29. And Jeſus anſwered him, The firſt of all the commandments is, Hear, O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord. 30. And thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ſtrength: this is the firſt commandment. 31. And the ſecond is like, namely this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf: there is none other commandment greater than theſe.
Note, Love is the moſt full and final act of the Soul. It is the total inclination, and adherence of the will to God as God, the infinite good, and to Man for his ſake as far as his Conformity to God hath made him amiable. It fervently riſeth towards God here by deſire and ſeeking; and fully delighteth in him hereafter.
32. And the Scribe ſaid unto him, Well Maſter, thou haſt ſaid the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he. 33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the underſtanding, and with all the ſoul, and with all the ſtrength, and to love his neighbour as himſelf, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and ſacrifices. 34. And when Jeſus ſaw that he anſwered diſcreetly, he ſaid unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durſt ask him any queſtion.
34. Note, If the confeſſion of theſe two great commands, was a matter to greatly eſteemed both of Chriſt and by this Scribe, how greatly do they differ from Chriſt, who beſides the profeſſion of the whole Baptiſmal faith and Covenant, require abundance of unneceſſary or uncertain things to Church Communion and concord, if not to Salvation.
35. And Jeſus anſwered and ſaid, while he taught in the temple, How ſay the Scribes that Chriſt is the ſon of David? 36. For David himſelf ſaid by the holy Ghoſt, The Lord ſaid to my Lord, Sit thou on my right-hand, till I make thine enemies thy footſtool. 37. David therefore himſelf calleth him Lord, and whence is he then his ſon?
37. He is the Lord in his Divine Nature, and his Son in his human Nature.
37. And the common people heard him gladly. 38. And he ſaid to them in his doctrine, Beware of the ſcribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love ſalutations in the market-places. 39. And the chief ſeats in the ſynagogues, and the uppermoſt rooms at feaſts: 40. Who devour widdows houſes, and for a pretence make long prayers: theſe ſhall receive greater damnation.
37. Let not theſe proud Hypocrites deceive you, who by their long Liturgies, and Ceremonies, and claim of Superiority, do but cloak their Worldlineſs, Pride and Oppreſſion, and are Religious to their greater Damnation.
41. And Jeſus ſate over againſt the treaſury, and beheld how the people caſt money into the treaſury: and many that were rich caſt in much. 42. And there came a certain poor widow, and ſhe threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43. And he called unto him his diſciples, and ſaith unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, that this poor widow hath caſt more in, then all they which have caſt into the treaſury. 44. For all they did caſt in of their abundance; but ſhe of her want did caſt in all that ſhe had, even all her living.
41. It is no note of ſelf-denying piety, to ſerve God ſo Liberally of that which the fleſh can ſpare, and which coſteth the fleſh no denial of its deſires, but to ſerve it with the firſt, and God with its leavings. 2. God accepteth a willing mind, where … and power is wanting.