Mark 12:3
And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
Original Language Analysis
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 8
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
λαβόντες
they caught
G2983
λαβόντες
they caught
Strong's:
G2983
Word #:
3 of 8
while g0138 is more violent, to seize or remove))
αὐτὸν
him
G846
αὐτὸν
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
4 of 8
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ἔδειραν
him and beat
G1194
ἔδειραν
him and beat
Strong's:
G1194
Word #:
5 of 8
properly, to flay, i.e., (by implication) to scourge, or (by analogy) to thrash
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
6 of 8
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Cross References
Acts 7:52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:Jeremiah 29:26The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.Nehemiah 9:26Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.1 Thessalonians 2:15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:2 Chronicles 36:16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Historical Context
The Old Testament records persistent persecution of prophets: Jeremiah beaten and imprisoned (Jeremiah 20:2, 37:15), Zechariah stoned in the temple court (2 Chronicles 24:20-21), tradition holds Isaiah was sawn in two under Manasseh. Jesus later declared, 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets' (Matthew 23:37), confirming this historical pattern.
Questions for Reflection
- How does violence against God's messengers reveal the depth of human rebellion against divine authority?
- What does it cost you to hear and obey prophetic truth that exposes your unfaithfulness?
- How do you respond when God's word arrives with demands rather than affirmations?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
They caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty—The escalating violence begins. Rather than rendering fruit, the tenants assault (δέρω, dero, to flay or thrash) the servant and send him away kenos (κενός, empty-handed). This is open rebellion, not mere negligence.
Israel's treatment of God's prophets is condensed into brutal brevity. The servants came seeking fruit; they received violence. This is the pattern of Isaiah imprisoned, Jeremiah thrown into cisterns, prophets sawn asunder (Hebrews 11:37). The beating reveals that rejecting God's word requires brutalizing God's messengers—truth and its bearers cannot be separated.