Mark 12:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He also dispatched a third servant, which can be interpreted as the prophets from the period of the Jewish captivity, including figures like Daniel and Ezekiel.

In a similar manner, the Lord continued to disclose that due to their obstinacy and wicked resistance, not just they, but the entire nation was deprived of the honor associated with the initial entrance into the Kingdom of the Messiah. The novel parable shared with both the Pharisees and the people (Luke 20:9-19) drew from the imagery of a vineyard, which the Lord entrusted not for cultivation but to certain laborers solely for the purpose of gathering its fruits. He sent servants to them repeatedly—twice, even thrice—yet the malicious laborers mistreated some, killed others, and stoned still others. Ultimately, He sent His Son, but they decided to put Him to death as well, intending to seize control of their master's estate by force.

He again dispatched another servant, but they stoned him and sent him away in disgrace; likewise, the vinedressers mistreated him and gave him nothing. Then, the owner of the vineyard sent yet another servant, but the vinedressers took his life as well. He continued to send numerous servants, yet each time resulted in failure: the vinedressers yielded no harvest, and the servants sent were either beaten or killed. They must have recalled that these prophets faced persecution and even death, and that the final Prophet, John the Baptist, was also rejected by them.

He then encouraged them to “hear another parable,” that of the unfaithful vinedressers who refused to surrender the fruits of the vineyard. This vineyard, belonging to the Lord of Hosts, represented the house of Israel, His cherished plantation composed of the Jewish nation. The leaders and teachers entrusted with guiding the people were expected to yield the produce to the Lord. Yet despite all He had done for His vineyard, it bore no fruit, or perhaps only wild produce. Unable to generate fruit and unwilling to acknowledge their lack of productivity for which they were accountable, the vinedressers insulted, beat, injured, and killed one messenger after another whom the lord of the vineyard had sent.