Mark 4

1 Again Yeshua began to teach by the lake, but the crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the crowd remained on shore at the water's edge.

2 He taught them many things in parables. In the course of his teaching, he said to them:

3 "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 As he sowed, some seed fell alongside the path; and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Other seed fell on rocky patches where there was not much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow;

6 but when the sun rose, the young plants were scorched; and since their roots were not deep, they dried up.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked it; so that it yielded no grain.

8 But other seed fell into rich soil and produced grain; it sprouted, and grew, and yielded a crop -- thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was sown."

9 And he concluded, "Whoever has ears to hear with, let him hear!"

10 When Yeshua was alone, the people around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables.

11 He answered them, "To you the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given; but to those outside, everything is in parables,

12 so that they may be always looking but never seeing; always listening but never understanding. Otherwise, they might turn and be forgiven!"

13 Then Yeshua said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How will you be able to understand any parable?

14 The sower sows the message.

15 Those alongside the path where the message is sown are people who no sooner hear it than the Adversary comes and takes away the message sown in them.

16 Likewise, those receiving seed on rocky patches are people who hear the message and joyfully accept it at once; but they have no root in themselves. So they hold out for a while, but as

17 soon as some trouble or persecution arises on account of the message, they immedi ately fall away.

18 Others are those sown among thorns -- they hear the message;

19 but the worries of the world, the deceitful glamor of wealth and all the other kinds of desires push in and choke the message; so that it produces nothing.

20 But those sown on rich soil hear the message, accept it and bear fruit -- thirty, sixty or a hundredfold."

21 He said to them, "A lamp isn't brought in to be put under a bowl or under the bed, is it? Wouldn't you put it on a lampstand?

22 Indeed, nothing is hidden, except to be disclosed; and nothing is covered up, except to come out into the open.

23 Those who have ears to hear with, let them hear!"

24 He also said to them, "Pay attention to what you are hearing! The measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you -- and more besides!

25 For anyone who has something will be given more; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away."

26 And he said, "The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.

27 Nights he sleeps, days he's awake; and meanwhile the seeds sprout and grow -- how, he doesn't know.

28 By itself the soil produces a crop -- first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head.

29 But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it's harvest-time."

30 Yeshua also said, "With what can we compare the Kingdom of God? What illustration should we use to describe it?

31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field;

32 but after it has been planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants, with such big branches that the birds flying about can build nests in its shade."

33 With many parables like these he spoke the message to them, to the extent that they were capable of hearing it.

34 He did not say a thing to them without using a parable; when he was alone with his own talmidim he explained everything to them.

35 That day, when evening had come, Yeshua said to them, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."

36 So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.

37 A furious windstorm arose, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was close to being swamped.

38 But he was in the stern on a cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, "Rabbi, doesn't it matter to you that we're about to be killed?"

39 He awoke, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind subsided, and there was a dead calm.

40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no trust even now?"

41 But they were terrified and asked each other, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the waves obey him?"

Mark 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The parable of the sower. (1-20) Other parables. (21-34) Christ stills the tempest. (35-41)

Verses 1-20 This parable contained instruction so important, that all capable of hearing were bound to attend to it. There are many things we are concerned to know; and if we understand not the plain truths of the gospel, how shall we learn those more difficult! It will help us to value the privileges we enjoy as disciples of Christ, if we seriously consider the deplorable state of all who have not such privileges. In the great field of the church, the word of God is dispensed to all. Of the many that hear the word of the gospel, but few receive it, so as to bring forth fruit. Many are much affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit. The word does not leave abiding impressions upon the minds of men, because their hearts are not duly disposed to receive it. The devil is very busy about careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground. Many continue in a barren, false profession, and go down to hell. Impressions that are not deep, will not last. Many do not mind heart-work, without which religion is nothing. Others are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by abundance of the world. And those who have but little of the world, may yet be ruined by indulging the body. God expects and requires fruit from those who enjoy the gospel, a temper of mind and Christian graces daily exercised, Christian duties duly performed. Let us look to the Lord, that by his new-creating grace our hearts may become good ground, and that the good seed of the word may produce in our lives those good words and works which are through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God the Father.

Verses 21-34 These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the place it ought to have in a soul, and it will show itself in a good conversation. It grows gradually: first the blade; then the ear; after that the full corn in the ear. When it is sprung up, it will go forward. The work of grace in the soul is, at first, but the day of small things; yet it has mighty products even now, while it is in its growth; but what will there be when it is perfected in heaven!

Verses 35-41 Christ was asleep in the storm, to try the faith of his disciples, and to stir them up to pray. Their faith appeared weak, and their prayers strong. When our wicked hearts are like the troubled sea which cannot rest, when our passions are unruly, let us think we hear the law of Christ, saying, Be silent, be dumb. When without are fightings, and within are fears, and the spirits are in a tumult, if he say, "Peace, be still," there is a great calm at once. Why are ye so fearful? Though there may be cause for some fear, yet not for such fear as this. Those may suspect their faith, who can have such a thought as that Jesus careth not though his people perish. How imperfect are the best of saints! Faith and fear take their turns while we are in this world; but ere long, fear will be overcome, and faith will be lost in sight.