Mark 12:35-37: And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth Him Lord; and whence is He then his son?” And the common people heard Him gladly.
Mark 12 contrasts the Jewish rulers, who thought they were right, with the “common people,” who often were right. While the Jewish rulers were largely hypocritical (Mark 12:38-40), many of the common people had a genuine interest in Jesus.
John 7 shows a similar contrast. The Jewish rulers at that time had been seeking to punish Jesus since He healed a man on the sabbath day. When Jesus revealed Himself at the feast of tabernacles, the Jewish rulers questioned their officers “Why have ye not brought Him?” (John 7:45). The officers responded, “Never man spake like this man” (verse 46). The Pharisees then asked, “Are ye also deceived?” (verse 47).
Notice what they went on to ask in verse 48: Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?
This was the Jewish leaders’ standard of right and wrong. If the Pharisees agreed that Jesus was a fraud (which they really didn’t – John 3:1-2), then they had no doubt that He was a fraud.
Their perception of the common people who believed Jesus to be the Messiah is in verse 49: But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
The contrast between these two broad groups is a theme throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Jewish leaders thought that they already had things figured out, while many of the common people opened their hearts to the truth. The Jewish leaders saw these common people as beneath them, but God saw differently.
A similar tendency can exist today. We must become as fools in order to be wise (1 Cor. 3:18). This is a way of saying that we must let go of our worldly wisdom as needed in order to humbly accept the true wisdom that is from above.
Those who are rich, “wise,” popular, or prestigious in this world often have the most difficulty doing this. These people may still accept the simple truth, but it can be more difficult. Sometimes, it is the “common people” who receive the Word most easily.
Whether we are considered common people from a worldly perspective or not, we must have the humble mindset that leads us to accept Jesus’ teachings. We must trust and obey God.
This is what the common people of Mark 12 did. May we be like them and accept the truth.
– Michael Hickox