Matthew Poole and continuators on Mark 12:12

12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people, for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them, and they left him, and went their way.

This Parable is related by Matthew, and by Luke also, see the Notes on Matth. 21.33, &c. The twelfth v. telleth us, that the Rulers of the Jewish Church, knew that he had spoken this Parable against them, and they needs must know it, considering what Matthew adds to this Parable (which Mark and Luke have not) that he also told them, Matth. 21.43. Therefore I say unto you, That the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof. By the Man Planting a Vineyard, is to be understood, God who Psal. 80.8, 9. brought a Vine [illegible: 1 letter]ut of Egypt, and cast out the Heathen, and Planted it in the Land of Canaan, and prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep Root, and it filled the Land, the Hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the Boug[illegible: 1 letter]s thereof were like the goodly Cedars; she sent out her Boughs unto the Sea, and her Branches to the River. It was a Noble Vine, a rigi[illegible: 1 letter] Seed, Jer. 2.21. God Planted it in a fruitful Hill, he Fenced it, and gathered the Stones out of it, and Bu[illegible: 2 letters]t a Tower in the midst of it, and also made a Winepress therein, and he l[illegible: 2 letters]ked that it should bring forth Grapes. Isaiah 5.2. The Church of the Jews then was this Vineyard, which God Hedged by his Providence, and gave them all means necessary for the Production of Fruit. The Servants sent to receive the Fruit, so abused by the Husbandmen (as v. 2, 3, 4, 5) were the Prophets. 2 Chron. 36.16. is a Compendious Expo[illegible: 2 letters]tion of these Verses. They m[illegible: 1 letter]cked the Messengers of God, and despised his Words, and misused his Prophets. The Son mentioned as sent at last was Christ, and the latter part of the Parable is Prophetical, foretelling what they should do unto him, and also of the Ruin of the Jewish Nation, and Church, and the passing of the Gospel to the Genti[illegible: 1 letter]es, who should more freely believe in Christ, and imbrace and receive the Gospel, so as they should not obtain their end, but Christ tho rejected by them, should yet be the Head of a far larger and more Glorious Church, according to a Prophesy owned by themselves, as a piece of Holy Writ, Psal. 118.22. see more in the Notes on Matth. 21.33, &c.