What is the meaning of Mark 12:7?

But the tenants said to one another

• Jesus pictures the tenant farmers as Israel’s religious leaders entrusted with God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7).

• Their private conference reveals premeditated rebellion, echoing Psalm 2:1-3 where earthly rulers “conspire” against the Lord and His Anointed.

• These leaders have already rejected the owner’s previous servants (Mark 12:2-5), just as earlier generations persecuted the prophets (2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Acts 7:52).

• The phrase “to one another” underscores collective guilt; they act in agreement, not ignorance (Luke 22:2).

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This is the heir

• They recognize the son’s unique identity. The religious elite knew Jesus’ messianic claims (John 5:18; 10:30-33).

• Acknowledging Him as “heir” recalls Psalm 2:7-8, where the Son is promised the nations as inheritance.

• Their response shows that unbelief is not always due to lack of information; it can arise from willful hardness (Romans 1:18-21).

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Come, let us kill him

• The invitation “come” invites shared complicity, mirroring Genesis 37:20 where Joseph’s brothers plotted similar violence.

• This foreshadows the Sanhedrin’s resolve to destroy Jesus (Mark 14:1; John 11:53).

• God’s sovereignty remains intact; while men intend evil, God weaves redemption through the Son’s death (Acts 2:23).

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and the inheritance will be ours

• The leaders crave control of God’s vineyard—authority over worship, people, and prestige (Matthew 23:5-7).

• Their logic is twisted: eliminating the rightful heir cannot secure legitimate ownership (James 3:16).

• Jesus later warns that the vineyard will be given to others—believing Jews and Gentiles forming His church (Mark 12:9; Romans 11:17-20).

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summary

Mark 12:7 exposes the calculated rejection of God’s Son by those entrusted with His people. Recognizing Jesus yet refusing Him, they scheme to secure power rather than submit. Their plot fulfills Scripture, revealing humanity’s rebellion and God’s redemptive plan: the rejected Heir becomes the cornerstone for all who believe (Mark 12:10; 1 Peter 2:6-7).