12:1 And 1 he began to speak unto them by a parables. A
[certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about
[it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a
tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far
country.
(1) The calling of God is unbounded, without exception, in
regard to place, person, or time.
(a) This word "parable", which the evangelists use, not
only signifies a comparing of things together, but also
speeches and allegories with hidden meaning.
12:2b And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant,
that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of
the vineyard.
(b) When the fruits of the ground used to be gathered.
12:12 And they c 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.
(c) They were greedy and very desirous.
12:132 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of
the Herodians, to catch him in [his] words.
(2) The gospel links the authority of the magistrate with the
service of God.
12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we
know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou
d regardest not the person of men, but teachest the e
way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to
Caesar, or not?
(d) You do not judge by the outward appearance, so that
the truth is therefore not darkened by any means at
all.
(e) The way by which we come to see God.
12:183 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is
no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
(3) The resurrection of the body is confirmed, opposed to the
foolish ignorance and malice of the Sadducees.
12:284 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?
(4) Sacrifices and outward worship never pleased God unless we
first did the things which we owe to God and our
neighbours.
12:355 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the
temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of
David?
(5) Christ proves his Godhead even out of David himself, from
whom he came according to the flesh.
12:36 For David himself said by f the Holy Ghost, The LORD
said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make
thine enemies thy footstool.
(f) Literally, "in the Holy Spirit"; and there is a great
power in this kind of speech, by which is meant that
it was not so much David who was speaking, but instead
the Holy Spirit, who in a way possessed David.
12:386 And he said unto them in g his doctrine, Beware of
the scribes, which love to go in h long clothing, and
[love] salutations in the marketplaces,
(6) The manners of ministers are not to be followed rashly as
an example.
(g) While he taught them.
(h) The word is a "stole", which is a kind of woman's
garment that goes down even to the heels, and is taken
generally to refer to any pleasant looking garment, but
in this place it seems to signify the fringed garment
mentioned in (De 22:12).
12:417 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld
how the people i cast money into the treasury: and many
that were rich cast in much.
(7) The doing of our duties which God allows is not considered
worthy according to the outward value, but instead
according to the inward affections of the heart.
(i) Money of any type of metal which the Romans used, who
in the beginning stamped or made coins of brass, and
after used it for currency.
