Mark 4:4

4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

Mark 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:4

And it came to pass, as he sowed
Whilst he was preaching the, Gospel, casting about the precious seed of the word, he was laden with:

some fell by the way side;
the common beaten path: the word was dispensed among some men comparable to it, on whom it lighted, but made no impression; there it lay, though not long, and was not inwardly received, and took no root, and consequently was of no effect:

and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up;
the devils, who have their abode in the air, especially the prince of the posse of them; and the Syriac version reads it in the singular number, "and the fowl came"; that ravenous bird of prey, Satan, who goes about seeking what he may devour; and for this purpose attends where the word is preached, to hinder its usefulness as much as in him lies.

Mark 4:4 In-Context

2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.