Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(Mark 4:1) And He began again to teach by the seaside; and there was gathered to Him a great multitude, so that He entered onto a ship, and sat in the sea, and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
At the end of the last chapter Jesus had been teaching in Peter's house in Capernaum. He then removed to the shore of the Sea of Galilee, but as a great multitude thronged Him, He moved onto a ship where He could preach from the sea to the multitude of people who sat on the shore.
(2) And He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His doctrine, (3) "Hearken, behold, there went out a sower to sow."
From His boat in the sea, Jesus taught the people many things by parables. In His teaching of His doctrine, He began to tell them a parable about a sower of seeds who went out to sow. He began with an exhortation to really listen.
(4) "And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it up."
As the man was sowing seed, some of it fell by the wayside, and therefore was not planted, and the birds came quickly to devour it. As already studied in Matthew, we know Jesus spoke about the sowing of the word of God. Sometimes the word is spoken but makes no impression on its recipient; it is not planted in his soul and it does not take root, but the prince of the air (Ephesians 2:2) and his demons come and gobble it up so there is nothing lasting in the recipient.
(5) "And some fell on stony ground where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. (6) But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away."
Some of the sower's seed fell on stony ground that did not have much dirt, so it sprang up immediately. This is the word that falls on willing ears, but is only superficial. There might have been a hasty profession of the word, but because there was no depth to it, no powerful heart experience in it, nothing rooted in the soul, that profession of the word quickly died.
(7) "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit."
Some of the seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up among the sprouting seeds and choked them so that they did not yield any fruit. This represents the word that is readily received and planted within the recipient, but other desires and lusts of the world grow with it, and they eventually choke the seed of the word and it never produces fruit.
(8) "And other fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Finally, some seed fell on good ground where it was well-rooted, and it sprang up and yielded fruit some thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times more than the seed that was planted. That is the seed of the word that is planted into the heart and takes root and grows strong within the soul and yields much fruit and usefulness in God's kingdom. It touches many more souls than the original one seed did.
(9) And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
As Jesus had initially exhorted the listeners on the shore to really listen to His parable, He now said to them that the ones who had the ears to really hear and understand what He was saying, to do just that. There were surely all types of listeners as He had just described, and He exhorted the recipients with good ground and a willing heart to truly understand.
(10) And when He was alone, they who were around Him with the twelve, asked Him about the parable.
The multitude appears to have left Jesus, but as Mark did not always tell things in chronological order, we can't be certain exactly when He was asked to explain the parable. He was not entirely alone, as He still had His twelve disciples and others who followed Him closely, as well. It was they who asked Jesus about the parable of the sower.
(11) And He said to them, "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to them who are outside, all things are done in parables."
Jesus said to His disciples, the twelve plus the other followers asking the question, that it was given to them to understand the mystery of the kingdom of God. However, to those outside their circle, those who had not the heart or willingness to understand, but perhaps had only come to amuse themselves by seeing the person of such fame and witnessing His miracles, He taught all things in parables which would be pleasant to hear, but would require spiritual understanding to completely comprehend the meaning.
(12) "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."
Jesus then paraphrased a quote from Isaiah 6:9-10. He taught in parables so that those who did not have the spiritual desire to understand, would see and hear what He did and said, but would not understand. It's not that God did not want some people to be converted and their sins forgiven, but if they were unwilling to really see and hear and understand, then the mysteries of the kingdom of God were clothed in parables so that they could not easily understand. However, to the willing heart that wants to understand, understanding will be given; we need only ask as these disciples asked. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it shall be given him" (James 1:5).
(13) And He said to them, "Do you not know this parable? And how then will you know all parables?"
In His questions to them, Jesus made His disciples understand their need to be attentive to the word and to the basics of His doctrine, lest they be unable to understand anything that followed. After all, it was given to them to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but they had a responsibility to be really attentive and understand. "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required..." (Luke 12:48). Pity the poor souls to whom it had not been given! The disciples did ask, and they did receive an answer from Jesus. He went on to explain the parable:
(14) "The sower sows the word."
Jesus explained that the sower was actually sowing the word of God.
(15) "And these are they by the wayside where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts."
Jesus explained that the word that fell on those by the wayside never got a chance to grow within the hearts of the recipients; it was immediately snatched away by Satan, and therefore made no lasting impression on the recipients.
(16) "And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness, (17) And have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."
Likewise the word does not last in the hearts of the ones signified by the stony ground. They do receive the word with gladness, but because it is not rooted within their hearts, they are only able to endure for a short time. As soon as affliction or persecution comes because of the word, they readily relinquish their profession of it rather than suffer.
(18) "And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word, (19) And the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
The word that is sown among thorns is the word sown in the hearts of those who also receive the word gladly, but when the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and other worldly lusts grow within their hearts, those things choke out the word and it is therefore not fruitful.
(20) "And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
And finally, the seed that is sown in good ground is the word being sown among people who hear it, receive it completely, nurture it within their hearts, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold. One person with the word planted in a good heart can reach a hundred other souls, even more.
(21) And He said to them, "Is a candle brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?"
Jesus further explained with another analogy. Just as a candle is not brought out to be hidden under a basket or a bed, so the word is not given to be hidden in the heart and not shown to the world. It is to be set on a candlestick as a light unto the world. Furthermore, Jesus did not use parables only to have their meaning hidden, but to throw light on the truth. Likewise, the disciples were not to keep the truth of them hidden, but were to impart the light to others.
(22) "For there is nothing hidden which shall not be manifested, neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come into the open."
Jesus said there was no secret mystery hidden in His parables or in the word that would not eventually be revealed. He had come to fulfill and to proclaim the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that were then manifested in salvation in Him. Everything that had seemed hidden and not able to be understood up to that point, was then or soon to be revealed. Indeed, at this present time, we have the benefit of knowing the truth of Jesus, and are now able to see how Jesus is proclaimed throughout the Old Testament. Those mysteries of the Old Testament have come to light.
(23) "If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus exhorted those who could hear those important words He had spoken to them, to fully understand the meaning of His words.
(24) And He said to them, "Take heed what you hear; with the same measure you use, it shall be measured to you, and to you who hear, more will be given."
Jesus told His disciples to consider well what they heard and tend to it diligently, seeking to understand it. With the same measure that they used to understand what was given them, they would be given even more understanding.
(25) "For he who has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, from him shall be taken even that which he has."
For the person who had Gospel light and understanding, and of course, made proper use of it, even more would be given to him. However, to the person who had no real understanding of the word of truth, that person would lose even what he had been given. Isn't that the way it is? We've all seen so-called Christians who stumble and back-slide and even fall away. It seems all they used to have is no longer within them.
(26) And He said, "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, (27) And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow up, he knows not how."
Jesus went back to the subject of the seed grown on good ground and likened it to the kingdom of God. The sower representing a minister or disciple of God casts seed, the word of God, on the good ground of a willing heart. He sleeps and rises day after day going about his daily routine. In time that seed sprouts and grows up, and he can't really say how that happened. He only planted the seed, and he may tend to it day after day, just as a minister or disciple might continue to tend to the teaching of the word of God, but he can't see into the heart of the recipient to know exactly how it grows.
(28) "For the earth brings forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."
The earth brings forth fruit by itself without any help from man pulling it up and out of the ground. It comes up as a tender stalk and then begins to form the fruit that grows into full mature fruit; man certainly has no part in the shaping of that.
(29) "But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle because the harvest has come."
When the fullness of the fruit is brought forth, man then can see it and goes to work bringing that harvest in. So it is with the word of God and the kingdom of God. It grows mysteriously within hearts, but once the fruit of a mature faith comes forth, it is immediately recognized and harvested for God.
(30) And He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it?"
Jesus introduced another parable, this time asking to what the kingdom of God should be likened or compared, rather than beginning his usual way of, "The kingdom of God is like..."
(31) "Like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is smaller than all the seeds that are in the earth."
Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that starts out smaller than all the other seeds in the earth. So the word of God working within the heart of man starts out so very tiny, just a word...
(32) "But when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs and shoots out great branches so that the birds of the air may lodge under its shadow."
The mustard seed and the small planted word of God grows and grows and becomes greater than everything else. What other word sown into the heart has greater reaching branches throughout the earth? The tiny mustard seed of faith sown into the heart of one, then many, grows throughout the entire world so that the people of the world may find rest and salvation for their weary souls.
(33) And with many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
Jesus spoke to His disciples in many such parables as the ones presented here, pairing the level of His teaching with their ability to understand.
(34) But without a parable He did not speak to them; and when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples.
I believe the sense is that Jesus spoke only in parables about the kingdom of God, but when they were alone, He went further in explaining the details of the kingdom of God to His disciples.
(35) And the same day, when the evening was come, He said to them, "Let us pass over to the other side."
Later that day, in the evening, Jesus suggested to His disciples that they take the ship He was aboard while teaching the people, and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
(36) And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships.
Once again, we see a little confusion on the order of things. Was Jesus alone with His disciples and then the multitude came back? Or perhaps more likely the explanation of the parable while they were alone happened after they sent the multitude away, and possibly while they were in the ship going to the other side of the sea. Mark inserted it where he did to explain the parable Jesus had just told. Regardless, the disciples now sent away the multitude of people, and took Jesus away in the ship. Apparently, there were other little ships with Jesus's ship. Either they were already also seeking to travel to the other side, or perhaps some of the multitude jumped in ships to follow Jesus. The important point is that there were witnesses to what happened next.
(37) And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full.
While they were in the midst of the sea traveling to the other side, a great storm arose, and the winds beat the little ship with waves until it was full of water.
(38) And He was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow; and they awoke Him and said to Him, "Master, do you not care that we perish?"
Jesus was in the back of the boat sleeping, which was probably the reason He wanted to move to the other side of the sea, to get some rest. The disciples woke Him up, and their tone seemed to be one of complaining, wondering how He could sleep and seemingly not care that they were in danger.
(39) And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and told the sea to be still, and those elements obeyed Him, and there was a great calm.
(40) And He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
Jesus asked His disciples why they had been so fearful. How could they, after witnessing His great power and miracles, ever doubt that they would survive this incident?
(41) And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
It seems the disciples really feared then! It was an awestruck reverential type of fear, realizing that even the wind and the sea obeyed Him. Jesus could be no mere man! It was another step toward truly recognizing who Jesus really was. What a beautiful picture of Jesus in our lives now! We are certainly storm-tossed in this life, but we must always remember that He is with us always. Though He may seem to be sleeping when the storm rages, nothing takes Him by surprise! We are safe in Him and we trust in Him. We pray in a faithful spirit, anxious for nothing, but trusting His guidance at the helm of the ship of life. It was Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, who pointed out that "the hinder part of the ship" where Jesus slept, was the stern, the back of the boat, where the helm was located.
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