Mark 12 8

Mark 12:8 kjv

And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

Mark 12:8 nkjv

So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

Mark 12:8 niv

So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

Mark 12:8 esv

And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

Mark 12:8 nlt

So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

Mark 12 verses

Mark 12 8 Meaning

Mark 12:8 portrays the climactic and violent actions of the wicked tenants in Jesus' parable, where they seized the landowner's beloved son, murdered him, and then cast his body out of the vineyard. This verse serves as a profound prophetic allegory, directly foreshadowing the real-life rejection, crucifixion, and ultimate demise of Jesus, the Son of God, who was killed by the religious authorities and crucified outside the city walls of Jerusalem, a place of public shame and ritual impurity. It highlights the profound rebellion, spiritual blindness, and violent intent of those who should have protected God's heritage, ultimately leading to their own judgment.

Mark 12 8 Context

Mark 12:8 is part of the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, delivered by Jesus in the Temple courts in Jerusalem during the final week of His earthly ministry. This parable immediately follows Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His cleansing of the Temple, events that profoundly challenged the authority of the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Mk 11:27). When these leaders directly questioned Jesus' authority, He responded with this parable. It served as a pointed indictment and prophetic warning to the religious leadership of Israel, clearly illustrating their historical rejection of God's prophets and their impending, climactic rejection and murder of His Son, Jesus, which would lead to their downfall and the vineyard's transfer to others.

Mark 12 8 Word analysis

• And they took him, (Καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸν - Kai labontes auton):

  • took (λαβόντες - labontes): From lambano, meaning to take, seize, lay hold of. It implies a deliberate and forceful apprehension, not an invitation or passive reception. This prefigures the violent arrest of Jesus.
  • him (αὐτὸν - auton): Refers to the landowner's beloved son, directly representing Jesus, the unique Son of God. The personal pronoun emphasizes the direct, intentional target of their malice.

• and killed him, (καὶ ἀπέκτειναν - kai apekteinan):

  • killed (ἀπέκτειναν - apekteinan): From apokteino, meaning to kill, slay, murder. It denotes a decisive and lethal act. This is not an accidental death but a premeditated murder, highlighting the malicious intent of the tenants. This word underscores the gravity of their crime against God's Son and prophetically refers to the crucifixion of Jesus.

• and cast him out (καὶ ἐξέβαλον - kai exebalon):

  • cast... out (ἐξέβαλον - exebalon): From ekballo, meaning to cast out, throw out, expel, or drive out. This verb suggests an act of forceful expulsion, disdain, dishonor, and rejection. In Jewish custom, certain executions and the disposal of those considered accursed took place outside the city/camp, symbolizing ritual impurity and utter rejection. This is a crucial detail foretelling Jesus' crucifixion outside Jerusalem's walls (Heb 13:12).

• of the vineyard. (ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος - exō tou ampelōnos):

  • out (ἔξω - exō): A preposition meaning outside, outward from. Reinforces the act of removal and rejection.
  • the vineyard (τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος - tou ampelōnos): Represents Israel, as seen in various Old Testament passages (e.g., Isa 5:1-7; Psa 80:8-16). To be cast out of the vineyard is symbolic of being rejected by Israel's leadership and system. While Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem (symbolically "outside the vineyard"), it also suggests the tenants' attempt to deny the son any claim or sacred connection to the vineyard, a desperate act of usurpers.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out: This sequence of actions - seizure, murder, and expulsion - demonstrates the tenants' escalating depravity, their determined malice, and the thoroughness of their rebellion against the landowner's son. Each action signifies a specific phase in Jesus' passion: His arrest, His condemnation/crucifixion, and His suffering outside the holy city as one deemed a criminal and curse. The cumulative effect underscores their complete rejection and dishonor of the rightful heir.
• cast him out of the vineyard: The specific location of the son's death and disposal is significant. It implies a public spectacle of dishonor, placing him beyond the boundary of sacredness and belonging. It foreshadows Jesus' crucifixion on Golgotha, outside the gates of Jerusalem, symbolizing not only His public execution but also His ritual "uncleanliness" as He bore the sins of the world and became a curse for us, "outside the camp" (Heb 13:12; Gal 3:13). It also highlights the tenants' misguided belief that by removing him physically, they could remove his claim to the inheritance.

Mark 12 8 Bonus section

• The Tenants' Illogical Reasoning: The tenants believed that by killing the son, the vineyard would become theirs as an inheritance. This shows profound spiritual blindness and a warped understanding of both divine and earthly property rights. Their logic of self-gain by removing the heir directly contrasts with God's ultimate plan, where the heir's death leads to the "vineyard" being transferred to "others" (Mk 12:9), meaning a new people who will bear fruit (Gentiles and faithful remnant of Israel).
• Prophetic Foretelling of Judicial Outcome: The act of casting out the body before or immediately after killing it could also reflect a practice for executed criminals or to conceal the crime from the vineyard owner, attempting to discard evidence and deny the victim's rightful place. Spiritually, it underscores the attempt by the Jewish leaders to remove Jesus from their sight and authority entirely.
• Echoes of Old Testament Covenant Failure: The entire parable, especially this verse, implicitly references Israel's historical unfaithfulness to God, their "landlord." Despite God's repeated sending of prophets (servants) and finally His Son, they continued in rebellion, refusing to give God the "fruit" due to Him and violently rejecting His messengers.

Mark 12 8 Commentary

Mark 12:8 serves as the poignant climax of Jesus' Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers. It allegorically details the profound spiritual blindness and hardened rebellion of Israel's religious leaders, depicting their rejection of God's Son through violent action. The sequential verbs—"took him, and killed him, and cast him out"—are chillingly precise in their prophecy of Jesus' Passion: His arrest, His crucifixion, and His suffering outside the holy city of Jerusalem. The "vineyard" represents God's people, Israel, entrusted to the care of these leaders, and the "casting out" signifies not just a physical location but a rejection of His divine claim and a complete disregard for His sanctity. This verse reveals the human act of ultimate rebellion against God's loving provision, yet paradoxically sets the stage for God's redemptive plan through the rejected Son's death and subsequent triumph.