Mar 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen...
Mar 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
Alternative: And he sent to the vine dressers in due time a slave in order from the vine dressers that he may receive the profit of the vineyard.
Wordplay: In the Greek, the middle of this sentence mirrors the two phrases "sending to the vine dresser" and "from the vine-dressers receiving" reflecting the idea of sending and receiving as mirror concepts. The verb forms, however, are different. The sending being certain (indicative mood) and the receiving just being a possibility (subjunctive mood).
Hidden meaning: "Fruit" is Christ symbol for being productive, the result of our actions. People cannot see our motivations or hearts, so they judge us on the basis of the fruits of our efforts. The word used, karpos, also means making a provide or getting a reward, but Christ doesn't only use if to reflect positive rewards. People can product rotten things as well.
In Christ's words, receiving the fruit of our efforts always requires time. He uses the word, kairos, which means in "due time," more than once with the idea of receiving that fruit. And receiving fruit is never a certainty but a possibility.
Thematically and Linguistically Related Verse(s): Mat 21:34 is the parallel verse from Matthew. Mat 25:14 describes the kingdom of heaven like a man traveling to a far country as well. Mat 7:16-18 defines good and bad fruit. Mat 4:29 also visits the idea of sending people for the fruit, but in a different context. Mar 10:30 also brings together the idea of receiving something in due time, using the same vocabulary.
Vocabulary:
"At the season" is from kairos, which means "due measure," "proportion," "fitness," "exact time," "season," "opportunity," "time," "critical times," "advantage," and "profit." It is the concept of time as a moment as opposed to a measurement. The ideas of good times or bad times as a part from seconds, minutes, and hours.
"He sent" is from apostellô (apostello), which means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch." It is our source of the word "apostle."
"Husbandmen" is from geôrgos (ge?rgos), which means "husbandman," "vine dresser," "gardener," and "peasant."
"Servant" is from doulos (doulos), which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave."
"That" is from hina (hina), which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when," "that," "in order that," "when," and "because."
"He might receive" is from lambanô (lambano) which means "to take," "to receive," "to apprehend with the senses," and "to seize." It is also specifically used to mean seized with emotion.
"Fruit" is from karpos (karpos), which means "fruit," "the fruits of the earth," "seed," "offspring," "returns for profit," and "reward."
"Vineyard" is from ampelôn, (ampelon) which means simply "vineyard."
