The Parable of the Sower
In this section Mark collects a number of...
In this section Mark collects a number of Jesus’ teaching parables.
1Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
2And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
The collection begins with the longest parable and...
The collection begins with the longest parable and its interpretation (4:13–20), focusing on various types of soil as an analogy for various conditions of the human heart.
3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)
10As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
Jesus’ real followers were permitted to understand the...
- Jesus’ real followers were permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God—namely, that the Kingdom of God had come (1:14–15) and that Christ, the Son of God, was in their midst (1:1). For outsiders, it all seemed like riddles.
- Jesus’ reply to the disciples’ question suggests that the parables were intended to prevent outsiders from understanding them, so that they would be unable to repent and be forgiven. The quotation from Isa 6:9–10 (Greek version) suggests that it was an intentional judgment on the hearers. Jesus’ teaching in parables, and the resultant unbelief of outsiders, fulfilled what the Scriptures had predicted. The sensitive nature of Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God (a theme that would have made Roman authorities very uneasy) made teaching in parables useful in defusing this issue.
11He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, 12so that,
‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,and ever hearing but never understanding;otherwise they might turnand be forgiven.’”†The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)
13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The interpretation of the parable of the four...
The interpretation of the parable of the four soils is allegorical. The farmer represents a preacher of God’s word (4:14). The four types of soil that receive the seed represent different responses to the preaching of the word. The point of this parable and its interpretation is that hearers should be good soil and heed God’s word (4:9). Only those who produce fruit and endure to the end will be saved (13:13; 8:35; Rev 2:10–11).
14The farmer sows the word. 15Some are like the seeds† along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”
The Lesson of the Lamp
These sayings are connected with the exhortation to...
These sayings are connected with the exhortation to hear (4:9, 23–24) and with the distinction between insiders and outsiders (4:11–12, 24–25). They illustrate what citizens of the Kingdom will do.
21Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?
One day the lamp (i.e., Jesus; cp. John...
One day the lamp (i.e., Jesus; cp. John 8:12) will shine his light on everything that is hidden, on every thought and secret action (Mark 13:26; 14:62; see Phil 2:10–11). The time to listen is before this occurs (Mark 4:9).
22For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.
23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you. 25For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Seed Growing Secretly
This parable focuses on the seed and its...
- This parable focuses on the seed and its inevitable growth.
- Just as the earth produces the crops on its own, the consummation of God’s Kingdom does not depend on human action.
- The leaf blade, the heads of wheat, and the ripened grain describe normal stages in a seed’s growth.
Mark now gives additional seed parables (cp. 4:3–20)....
Mark now gives additional seed parables (cp. 4:3–20). Their common theme is the secret of the Kingdom of God (4:11). The parables of the seed growing secretly (4:26–29) and of the mustard seed (4:30–32) describe different stages of the seed-growth process. The Kingdom of God is hidden (4:21), but growth is certain (4:26–29) and the result will be glorious (4:32).
26Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. 28All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. 29And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”†
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)
Jesus contrasts a very small beginning with a...
Jesus contrasts a very small beginning with a large result. The mustard seed is proverbially small (see Matt 17:20).
30Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. 32But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”
Mark’s summary of this section indicates that 4:3–32...
- Mark’s summary of this section indicates that 4:3–32 is a collection of parables, not a chronological description of Jesus’ teaching on a specific day.
- Jesus’ private explanation of the parables to the disciples shows that they were not outsiders, even though they sometimes lacked understanding (cp. 4:13).
33With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. 34He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
Jesus Calms the Storm
(Psalms 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)
This passage focuses on the greatness of Jesus...
- This passage focuses on the greatness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus’ authority over natural forces demonstrated his divinity.
- the other side: The eastern side of the Sea of Galilee was the region of the Gerasenes (5:1).
- The fact that other boats followed shows Jesus’ fame.
The three miracle stories in this section are...
The three miracle stories in this section are connected by a shared location (the Sea of Galilee), the presence of the disciples, the use of a boat, and a common theme, Who is this man? (4:41).
35When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
37Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. 38But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”
The disciples still lacked faith in Jesus (4:41),...
The disciples still lacked faith in Jesus (4:41), despite their numerous opportunities to experience his power and authority (1:21–34, 40–45; 2:1–12; 3:1–5).
39Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
40“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
41Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”