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The Gospel of Mark Chapter 4:1-25 4.1 - 2. Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching said to them: In the end of the previous chapter we saw how the family of Jesus came to take Him home with them. But He does not go, instead He continues about His Father's business (Luke 3: 49) and withdraws from His family. The Lord never asks of us what He as the Son of Man did not do. In Matthew 10: 37, He said, ’"He who loves or takes more pleasure in father, mother, son or daughter than in Me is not worthy of Me". We do not hear about His family again until we read that His mother was present at His crucifixion (John 19:26). We find Jesus again at the seaside this time sat in the boat teaching the people, not preaching, by means of parables. (Preaching is declaring the good news of salvation and teaching is to instruct in the things of God.)
1. What a Parable is and their purpose 2 & 10 - 12. 4. 10 -12. When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven." The simple explanation of a parable is, that it is an earthly story with an heavenly meaning. It would be more correct however to say that it is taking an everyday activity or common item and using it to explain a spiritual truth. 4.10. When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. After He had told the parable to the masses of people Jesus was alone with His twelve disciples and they asked Him what was the purpose of speaking in parables.
4.11. He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, To those who are His followers and believe on Him the truth about the kingdom of God is clearly made know and they are entrusted with it. But to those who are outside, these spiritual truths are given to them in parables. 4.12. so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven." (This verse is a quotation from Isaiah 6: 9 - 10 where it is spoken of as concerning Israel.) While they may see the natural purpose of the parable they do not consider the spiritual aspect. Although they hear what is said clearly they do not understand the meaning of the words spoken to them because they do not want to. For if they should see and understand then they would no longer have a cover for their wilful rejection of the truth that they should be changed and have their sins forgiven. Such is the hardness of men's hearts. To put it another way "there is none as blind as those who do not want to see and none as deaf as those who do not want to hear."
2. The Parable of the Sower and its meaning 3 & 9 - 14 & 20. 4.3 & 14. "Listen! A sower went out to sow. The sower sows the word. In the first instance the sower is the Lord Jesus Christ but He has passed it on to all His followers (Mark 16: 15) and enables them carry it out (Acts 1: 8). The seed is the Word of God and although we may wonder at times why it is not as effective as we feel it should be, it is not the seed that is at fault as this parable clearly shows. The Word of God is pure (Psalm 12: 6) and sure (Luke 21: 33). God's word is the finest and purest in Psalm 81:16 He says "I will feed you with the finest of the wheat" meaning His Word. Every good gardener knows that if you want your seeds to germinate then the ground has to be prepared properly first and the soil needs to be good for it to produce abundantly. If it does not then don’t blame the seed it is the ground that it is sown in is at fault. 4.4 & 15. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. The sower does not sow his seed sparingly from a packet but from a large basket and he scatters it over the ground, as he does some falls on uncultivated ground. This speaks of those who have a hardened heart. They hear the word but it goes no further than their ears. Like a bird Satan soon comes and snatches it away.
4.5 - 6 & 16 - 17. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered. These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. Some fall on stony ground; this is the emotional hearers. They receive the word straight away with great joy and they seem to flourish for a while. But because they have not taken the word into their hearts when trouble and difficulties come and they are persecuted for the word's sake they fall away and are seen no more. 4.7 & 18 - 19. Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing. Then some fall among the thorns; this is the worldly hearers. They receive the word of God but are so tied up with the world that they never become separated from it. They continue to walk in the ways of the world and to desire and fill themselves with it until the word is crowded out leaving no room for spiritual fruit to grow in them (1 John 2: 15, Rom. 12: 2 ). 4.8 & 20. But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times." But these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred." There is the seed that falls on the good ground, the prepared and receptive heart. This is the person who receives the word in the very depths of their soul where it abides and matures. The person grows in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and the fruit of the spirit abounds in them (Galatians 5: 22 - 23). This parable is generally applied to the sowing of the gospel message and is applied to the unsaved but it is equally applicable to believers and how they respond to the word of God. 4.9. And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!" Jesus demands the attention of His hearers, in verse three He says “listen� and in verse nine He is saying if the Holy Spirit has opened your ears then you are now responsible for how you will receive the word (James 1:22).
3. Responsibility 21 - 25. These final verses concern the responsibility of those who wholehearted receive the word, the Lord Jesus Christ.
4.21. He also said to them, "A lamp isn't brought to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Isn't it to be placed on a lampstand? In the first instance this refers to the Lord Jesus Christ who came as the "Light of the World." He did not come to hide Himself away but to reveal the Father and to be "lifted up," like a lamp on a lampstand that He might draw all men unto Him (John 12: 32). As the "Light" dwells in us we are to come out into the open and make known our belief in Jesus by word, deed and behaviour. 4.22. For nothing is hidden except to be revealed, and nothing concealed except to be brought to light. As light shows up everything so the Lord reveals the Father and all things concerning Him so that we may tell others. 4.23 - 24. If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!" And he said to them, "Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. Again He says as the Holy Spirit has opened up your ears and understanding then pays careful attention to what you have heard. As we obey the word according to the measure of understanding given to us then more will be made known to us. 4.25. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." The more we receive from God the more He will give to us, but if we are not faithful in the little that is given to us then even what we have will be taken away from us. © Derek Williams 2013 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org