Violent tenants parable worth a second look

We have a lot to learn from Jesus. However, we must be willing to use all the tools that we have to get to clear understanding.

A special tool is the parable of the violent tenants. The story is found in Mark 12:1-12. To understand the parable the first step is to cut off verses 10, 11, and 12.

Most scholars agree that these last three verses are additions by the author of the Mark gospel. They are additions made by the Mark author some 40-plus years after it was first told to peasant tenants in Galilee.

Forms of the same story are found in both Matthew and Luke, but Mark is considered closer to the original version. Looking at the differences is a fascinating study, but limits of space assign that discussion to another day in a different setting.

The basic story has survived in all three gospels. The history of interpretation of the story is a tragedy of great importance. It is an example of turning a story on its head and giving it meanings that were never intended by Jesus, the people’s rabbi from Nazareth.

In a thoughtful reading, the parable codifies the fundamental social and economic setting of the story. The parable reveals the relationship between peasant tenants, retainers and owners.

By manipulation and by economic terrorism, the farm land in Galilee had been hijacked and was now owned/controlled by wealthy absentee owners who lived in larger cities. Owners hired retainers from the peasant population to oversee the farm operations and to deliver products and money to the owner from the farm operation.

Retainers were not respected by owners and were hated by peasant tenants. Peasant tenants were paid minimal wages (non-livable wages). Peasant tenants lived in constant poverty.

Jesus was a part of the peasant population. His position in the community was that of a handyman. This was considered a step below a peasant tenant.

Until a Bible reader understands this social/economic structure, the teachings of Jesus will continue to be misread and misunderstood.

The Mark writer, in ignorance, added his own commentary (verses 10, 11, and 12) that makes God out to be a vengeful God who turns his wrath on peasants for killing his son. This has been the interpretation accepted by most Christians for the past 20 centuries.

Excellent Bible scholars of the past 40-50 years have stopped this sham by putting the Jesus teaching material into historical context. Sadly, the typical pulpit minister refuses to share new and vital information with their congregations.

The parable of the protesting tenants is about the spiral of violence. Once violence begins, more violence becomes necessary. Levels of violence increase until there are mass killings by arrogant owners of wealth and power.

In the story as told by Jesus, peasants began this spiral of violence by beating up a hated retainer and sending him away empty-handed. Then they beat the next retainer in the head and publicly shamed him. The economically abused peasants killed the next retainers, who were sent by the owner. The spiral continued.

The owner sent a family member to extract wealth from the peasants, thinking that a family member would be respected more than a hated retainer. The peasants killed him also, thinking that they could take back the land they felt rightly belonged to them.

The owner decided to respond with superior force. He killed the rebellious peasant tenants and hired a new batch of half-starved peasants to farm the land.

Jesus told the story to raise the awareness of the tenants. Parables such as this were discussion starters. The temptation of the peasant/tenants was to respond to their situation with violence.

Galilee was the seedbed for the developing zealot movement. Zealots encouraged and promoted violent response. Jesus advocated a different kind of response.

The story of the violent tenants was a warning about the folly of becoming engaged in violent revolt. As presented in the story, violence was initially successful. But as the spiral of violence continued, those who rebelled lost their own lives at the hands of the rich and the powerful.

After the death of Jesus, the zealot movement grew stronger. Zealot participants carried large weapons/knives and fostered violence. Their successes increased until they were violently crushed by Roman military action about 35-40 years after the death of Jesus.

The author of Mark, and church leaders over the centuries, have done the followers of Jesus a terrible disservice. They left us with a God who is vengeful and who responds with retribution, rather than a compassionate God who promotes equity and justice.

The parable does not give a definitive answer to the plight of the peasant/tenant. It did encourage discussions among the peasants.

Christians of every generation should participate in these discussions about economics, social structures and justice. The issues raised are ownership, the evil of inheritance, and the folly of violence to achieve justice.

In the laws of Moses, God is the owner of all things. People are stewards. Permanent inheritance of wealth is forbidden. Love of neighbors is a law second only to the love of God. Violence and killing is forbidden by the greatest of Old Testament prophets.

Do you know of a Christian church in your own area where these subjects are being discussed and in which ministers are addressing the issues found in the parable of the violent tenants?

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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