Mark 12:7
But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's.
Original Language Analysis
ἐκεῖνοι
those
G1565
ἐκεῖνοι
those
Strong's:
G1565
Word #:
1 of 20
that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
πρὸς
among
G4314
πρὸς
among
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
6 of 20
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
ἑαυτοὺς
themselves
G1438
ἑαυτοὺς
themselves
Strong's:
G1438
Word #:
7 of 20
(him- her-, it-, them-, my-, thy-, our-, your-)self (selves), etc
ὅτι
This
G3754
ὅτι
This
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
8 of 20
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
Οὗτός
G3778
Οὗτός
Strong's:
G3778
Word #:
9 of 20
the he (she or it), i.e., this or that (often with article repeated)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
11 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κληρονόμος·
the heir
G2818
κληρονόμος·
the heir
Strong's:
G2818
Word #:
12 of 20
a sharer by lot, i.e., inheritor (literally or figuratively); by implication, a possessor
αὐτόν
him
G846
αὐτόν
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
15 of 20
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
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
16 of 20
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Historical Context
Under Roman law, if an heir died without successors, tenant farmers might claim abandoned property through adverse possession. The tenants' reasoning reflects actual legal possibilities in first-century Palestine. But the parable's deeper meaning targets the Sanhedrin's plot against Jesus—Caiaphas himself said, 'It is expedient that one man should die for the people' (John 11:50), calculated murder to preserve institutional power.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the tenants' recognition of the heir prove their guilt is willful rejection, not innocent ignorance?
- In what ways do religious systems today murder Jesus afresh to maintain institutional control and human authority?
- What areas of your life resist Christ's rightful ownership because you want the 'inheritance' for yourself?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This is the heir; come, let us kill him—The tenants recognize the κληρονόμος (klēronomos, heir) whose arrival threatens their illicit control. Their logic is perverse: murder the heir to steal the κληρονομία (klēronomia, inheritance). The inheritance shall be our's—they presume the father's absence means impunity, and the son's death will secure their usurped position.
This verse exposes the heart of human rebellion: deliberate, calculated rejection of God's rightful authority to secure autonomous control. The religious leaders knew exactly who Jesus claimed to be—God's Son and heir—yet plotted His death to preserve their power. Their crime wasn't ignorance but willful murder of the One they recognized as rightful Lord. This is sin's ultimate expression: 'We will not have this man to reign over us' (Luke 19:14).