Mark 4:1-34
This page is devoted to the Book of Mark chapter 4, verses 1-34 and includes summaries to show how valuable using a study bible can be.
Mark 4:1-34
"Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:"
- Jesus often told stories using parables. He picked recognizable scenes to explain spiritual truths. These parables compelled people to think but hid the truth from those to stubborn to understand. Most parables had one point so we must be careful no to go beyond what Jesus's parable was about.
"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed." As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
- when Jesus lived, farmers planted seed by throwing large handfuls onto the ground. This was not an exact process and some seed would fall in places not good for growing.
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
- Jesus wasn't asking his listeners to listen half-heartedly and he's not telling us to listen that way either. He wants us to listen deeply with our mind and heart so we gain spiritual understanding. To truly hear the words of Jesus is to believe them with your heart, soul, body, and mind so you can use them immediately in your daily life. You can use them to make decisions, impact your attitudes, and base your life on them in every aspect of your life (personally, professionally, in your family, in money matters, in prayer, praise, success, failure, tragedy, and joy). To hear Jesus is to be born anew with Jesus as your true Lord and in right relationship with God Almighty. What are Jesus's words saying to you?
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed 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. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
- This parable should encourage those who teach and preach the Word of God. The truth is, some people just don't understand God's truth because they are not ready for it. God reveals the truth to people who will take action and make God visible in their daily lives. Be patient with people who don't immediately understand. Pray that the Holy spirit will open their hearts and minds to receive the truth...and take action. Take comfort in knowing that your job is only to bring the God to them in your words and actions. Change is in God's hands and it's God's role to judge...not yours.
- The 4 places where the seed falls represent the 4 ways people respond to God. It may apply to 4 different kinds of people. It may be the different times in our lives or how they are different areas of our lives and our willingness or resistance to apply God's message to them. Are you open to God when it comes to one area of your life, loving your neighbor, for example, but resistant to God when it comes to your marriage or your money? Jesus wants us to be good soil in all areas of our lives and at all times, not just when it's convenient.
- The same things worried people when Jesus was alive as they do now. Chasing the materialistic desires and selfish wants marginalize and drown God out. Protect yourself by keeping God the most important part of your life.
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
- Jesus wants us to shine God's light through us. He doesn't want the light to stay hidden like it might if you put it under a bed. Today, Christians are reluctant to be identified as Christians. Such a person is like a lamp under a bowl and what good is a lamp under a bowl? Does you life symbolize light everyone can see clearly or are there one or more "bowls" hiding your light like complacency, embarrassment, fear...or something else? What do you need to do to let God's light shine through you?
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
- God's truth is revealed to us but we may not be able to understand it or use it right now. As we continue to worship God, pray, read the bible, grow our faith, serve, and live a right relationship with Him, we will sharpen our skills of understanding God.
- Jesus wants us to listen carefully. To understand Jesus's message means we MUST respond. We must take action. If you listen casually, out of some kind of obligation, or for some other insincere reason, you will miss the point.
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
- We are responsible for spreading the Word of God but God is responsible for growing it in the hearts of people. You may believe your witness, testimony, or love for someone is weak but the Word and Love of God are powerful growth agents. Keep you eyes open and always be ready to share and serve so that God has the opportunity to Grow in those you touch.
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them,
as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
- God's good news (his new covenant) started with Jesus. Jesus called 12 men to be his apostles. In a world already with millions of people in it, this small group was like a mustard seed. Today, it is a worldwide community of believers. You are not alone. God has faithful followers all over the world. Find a community of bible based believers you can join so you can, like the apostles, achieve great things all for the glory of God.
- Jesus didn't speak in parables to confuse people. He did it to challenge those who were sincerely seeking God. also, had Jesus spoken plainly from the beginning, His ministry could have been negatively affected by those who wanted him silenced.
