What Jesus Did! 'Beating the Servant' — Mark 12:1-3

The symbols in this story were familiar for Jesus' audience. The vineyard would instantly be recognized as the nation of Israel, also known as God's chosen people. The tenants would be recognized as the leaders of the Israelites. They were given a beautiful and good vineyard in which to work. But, these leaders began to feel the vineyard was their own. They forgot it belonged to someone else and so they abused the vineyard owner's servants. These servants would be recognized from the Old Testament as God's messengers, the prophets. There were bad times in Israel's past when the prophets came with God's message, and they were abused, mistreated, and even killed. Jesus' message in today's verses had a clear historical connection, but we can carry away a powerful reminder for ourselves from the implications of the first part of the story. So often, we begin to view God's Kingdom, God's people, God's gifts, as our own. We forget that all we have is "on loan" from God and is to be used for him and his purposes. What we are and what we have are not ours by right, but by grace. We must never forget it.