THEOSISTheophylact of Bulgaria
removed Him from the vineyard, which refers to Jerusalem, and executed Him. Christ was truly crucified beyond the city limits.
Mark 12:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And laying hold on him, they killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
και λαβοντες αυτον απεκτειναν και εξεβαλον εξω του αμπελωνος
The Church Fathers on this verse
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Alexander Gorsky
Using the same channel of expression, the Lord further disclosed that due to their obstinacy and malevolent defiance, not just themselves but the entire nation was forfeiting the privilege of being the initial recipients of the Messiah’s kingdom. The new parable shared with both the Pharisees and the crowd (Luke 20:9-19) drew from the imagery of a vineyard, which the Lord established not for personal labor but entrusted to certain workers, sent repeatedly to gather its fruits. However, these wicked vineyard workers abused their privilege, mistreating and killing the messengers sent to them. Ultimately, He sent His Son, but they conspired to end His life as well in a bid to seize the landowner's inheritance. They took Him outside the vineyard and executed Him.
Read more (57 words)
This parable required no further clarification; its recipients clearly recognized the identity of the unjust stewards. It was equally evident that when the Lord refrained from responding to queries about His authority as the Messiah, He claimed the honored title of the Son of the Master, thus setting Himself apart from all prior servants sent before Him.
Gladkow B.I.
It appeared that the moment had arrived for the landowner to reclaim his vineyard from the unworthy caretakers, yet in his goodness, he resolved to make one final attempt: "I have," he declared, "a cherished son; I will send him; surely they will not dismiss him; they will likely feel remorse and honor him." Thus, the owner's son approached the vinedressers. However, upon seeing him from afar, they recognized him as their rightful heir and, fearing his claim over the vineyard, plotted his demise. "Let us slay him," they conspired, "and the vineyard will be ours eternally." Having reached this conclusion, they seized him, killed him, and cast him outside the vineyard.
Read more (142 words)
This allegory resonated deeply with the audience; and when Jesus remarked that the vinedressers had slain the son and discarded him, the crowd erupted in righteous anger against the evil vinedressers, exclaiming earnestly: "Let it not be so!" (Luke 20:16). The religious leaders—chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and elders—looked upon the crowd with wrath, akin to guilty parties confronting their accusers. Jesus’ final remarks regarding the first parable made it unmistakably clear that His subsequent parable would likewise condemn their transgressions; the clarity of the second parable should have prompted the leaders among the Jewish people to recognize themselves in the malevolent caretakers, understanding that Jesus was aware of their intention to bring about His death. Indeed, they grasped that Jesus, who identified Himself as the Son of God, was already marked for death, though the act had not yet been carried out.
Lopuchin A.P.
He then urged them to listen to another parable, the story of the disobedient vineyard keepers who refused to surrender the fruits of the vineyard. This vineyard, belonging to the Lord of Hosts, represented the house of Israel, with the nation of the Jews as His cherished planting. The leaders and educators entrusted with the people were expected to yield the harvest to the master of the vineyard. However, despite his efforts for the vineyard, no fruit was produced, or perhaps only wild fruit at best. Unable to bear fruit and unwilling to admit their failure, for which they were accountable, the vineyard keepers insulted, beat, wounded, and killed messenger after messenger sent by the master of the vineyard.
Read more (120 words)
Finally, he sent his son; yet this son, whom they recognized and could not deny, they also beat, expelled, and killed. “Now therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?” The audience, either expressing sincere conviction or the Pharisees present, in an attempt to ridicule the meaning of the parable, answered that “these wicked men he will put to an evil death, and he will give the vineyard to other vinedressers, who will render him the fruits in their season.” Once again, they found themselves compelled to deliver a response that condemned them inexorably: their own words acknowledged that divine justice demanded their special privileges be stripped away and granted to the Gentiles.
Michail (Lusin)
"Cast out of the vineyard" serves as a profound indication of the deep disdain held for both him and his father, the proprietor of the vineyard.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Matt 21:39And taking him, they cast him forth out of the vineyard and killed him.
- Matt 21:33Hear ye another parable. There was a man, an householder, who planted a vineyard and made a hedge round about it and dug in it a press and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a strange country.
- Luke 20:15So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
- Heb 13:11For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holies by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp.
- Heb 13:13Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
The original text
Greek text, 10 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- λαβόντεςlabontesI receiveG2983 · λαμβάνω
- ἀπέκτεινανapekteinanI put to deathG615 · ἀποκτείνω
- αὐτόνautonheG846 · αὐτός
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- ἐξέβαλονexebalonI throwG1544 · ἐκβάλλω
- αὐτὸνautonheG846 · αὐτός
- ἔξωexōwithoutG1854 · ἔξω
- τοῦtoutheG3588 · ὁ
- ἀμπελῶνοςampelōnosa vineyardG290 · ἀμπελών