Mark 4

Mark 4:1-34 . PARABLE OF THE SOWER--REASON FOR TEACHING IN PARABLES--PARABLES OF THE SEED GROWING WE KNOW NOT HOW, AND OF THE MUSTARD SEED. ( = Matthew 13:1-23 Matthew 13:31 Matthew 13:32 Luke 8:4-18 ).

1. And he began again to teach by the seaside: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude--or, according to another well-supported reading, "a mighty" or "immense multitude."
so that he entered into a ship--rather, "the ship," meaning the one mentioned in Mark 3:9 .
and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land--crowded on the seashore to listen to Him.

2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine--or "teaching."

Parable of the Sower ( mark 4:3-9 mark 4:13-20 ).

mark 4:3 mark 4:14 . THE SOWER, THE SEED, AND THE SOIL.

3. Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow--What means this?

First Case: THE WAYSIDE. ( mark 4:4 mark 4:15 ).

4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside--by the side of the hard path through the field, where the soil was not broken up.
and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up--Not only could the seed not get beneath the surface, but "it was trodden down" ( Luke 8:5 ), and afterwards picked up and devoured by the fowls. What

Second Case: THE STONY or rather, ROCKY GROUND. ( mark 4:5 mark 4:16 ).

5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth--"the rocky ground"; in Matthew ( Matthew 13:5 ), "the rocky places"; in Luke ( Luke 8:6 ), "the rock." The thing intended is, not ground with stones in it which would not prevent the roots striking downward, but ground where a quite thin surface of earth covers a rock. What means this?

Third Case: THE THORNY GROUND. ( mark 4:7 mark 4:18 mark 4:19 ).

7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit--This case is that of ground not thoroughly cleaned of the thistles, &c.; which, rising above the good seed, "choke" or "smother" it, excluding light and air, and drawing away the moisture and richness of the soil. Hence it "becomes unfruitful" ( Matthew 13:22 ); it grows, but its growth is checked, and it never ripens. The evil here is neither a hard nor a shallow soil--there is softness enough, and depth enough; but it is the existence in it of what draws all the moisture and richness of the soil away to itself, and so starves the plant. What now are these "thorns?"

Fourth Case: THE GOOD GROUND. ( mark 4:8 mark 4:20 ).

8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit, &c.--The goodness of this last soil consists in its qualities being precisely the reverse of the other three soils: from its softness and tenderness, receiving and cherishing the seed; from its depth, allowing it to take firm root, and not quickly losing its moisture; and from its cleanness, giving its whole vigor and sap to the plant. In such a soil the seed "brings forth fruit," in all different degrees of profusion, according to the measure in which the soil possesses those qualities.

9. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

After this parable is recorded the Evangelist says:

10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve--probably those who followed Him most closely and were firmest in discipleship, next to the Twelve.
asked of him the parable--The reply would seem to intimate that this parable of the sower was of that fundamental, comprehensive, and introductory character which we have assigned to it

Reason for Teaching in Parables ( mark 4:11 mark 4:12 mark 4:21-25 ).