Mark 12:1-12

The Stone Rejected by men Mark 12:1-12: One of Jesus' most pointed parables was the parable of the wicked husbandmen. In the parable a certain man planted a vineyard, built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in, built a lookout tower and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. When it was harvest time, he sent a servant to get his share of the grapes. These servants represented God's prophets. The Hebrew writer described what happened when God sent His prophets to the Jews. "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." (Hebrews 11:36-38)

Finally, the vineyard owner sent His son. The son was the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a prophet like Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:15) They said of the Son, "Let's kill him! That way we can have it all for ourselves." (Mark 12:7) They knew He was the Son but they wanted to kill him anyway! Christ became the rejected Stone. (Psalms 118:22) The question was asked, "Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others." (Mark 12:9) They had rejected the Son and the result would be judgment and destruction.