Chapter
12
She began to speak to them in parables. "A woman planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.
When it was time, she sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer her share of the fruit of the vineyard.
They took her, beat her, and sent her away empty.
Again, she sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at her, wounded her in the head, and sent her away shamefully treated.
Again she sent another; and they killed her; and many others, beating some, and killing some.
Therefore still having one, her beloved daughter, she sent her last to them, saying, 'They will respect my daughter.'
But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill her, and the inheritance will be ours.'
They took her, killed her, and cast her out of the vineyard.
What therefore will the domina of the vineyard do? She will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.
Haven't you even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.
This was from the Domina, it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
They tried to seize her, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that she spoke the parable against them. They left her, and went away.
They sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to her, that they might trap her with words.
When they had come, they asked her, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don't defer to anyone; for you aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But she, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."
They brought it. She said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" They said to her, "Caesar's."
Jesus answered them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." They marveled greatly at her.
There came to her Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked her, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote to us, 'If a woman's sister dies, and leaves a husband behind her, and leaves no children, that her sister should take her husband, and raise up offspring for her sister.'
There were seven sisters. The first took a husband, and dying left no offspring.
The second took him, and died, leaving no children behind her. The third likewise;
and the seven took him and left no children. Last of all the man also died.
In the resurrection, when they rise, whose husband will he be of them? For the seven had him as a husband."
Jesus answered them, "Isn't this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?
For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
But about the dead, that they are raised; haven't you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to her, saying, 'I am the God of Abrahai, the God of Isaaca, and the God of Jacoba'?
She is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."
One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that she had answered them well, asked her, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"
Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Domina our God, the Domina is one:
you shall love the Domina your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to her, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that she is one, and there is none other but she,
and to love her with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love her neighbor as herself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
When Jesus saw that she answered wisely, she said to her, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask her any question after that.
Jesus responded, as she taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the daughter of Davina?
For Davina herself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Domina said to my Domina, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'
Therefore Davina herself calls her Domina, so how can she be her daughter?" The common people heard her gladly.
In her teaching she said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,
and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:
those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.
A poor widower came, and he cast in two small brass coins,{literally, lepta (or widower's mites). Lepta are very small brass coins worth half a quadrans each, which is a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker's daily wages.} which equal a quadrans coin.
She called her disciples to herself, and said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, this poor widower gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,
for they all gave out of their abundance, but he, out of his poverty, gave all that he had to live on."