Owner

"They perceived he told the parable against them," Mark 12:12.

What parable? The one where the successful corporation owner had hired a capable manager and a sharp financial officer to run the company. When it came time to collect the profits, these hired help turned against the owner, beat up his messengers, and even killed his own son. Stupidly, they thought they'd get to keep it all. How absurd not to know the owner would come and destroy them for this? OK. So. What's Jesus really talking about? About the outcome of the temple and its managers who failed to keep it a house of prayer for all nations. Yeah. The chief priests got it that he was talking about them. That their day of withering away was tomorrow.

We meet a brother or sister today humbly honoring a holy God whose will will not be thwarted by the likes of us. And we, from out of every tribe on earth, respect Jesus deeply who redeemed us as God's holy temple of prayer.