Mark 4

21-23 Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? The lamp here is Christ, or His word (John 8:12). Christ’s coming was at first to some extent concealed. He forbade demons to say who He was (Mark 3:11-12). He spoke in parables, which not everyone could understand. But in the end, Christ will be fully disclosed, fully manifest (see Matthew 10:2627). Not everyone accepts Christ now, but one day all will acknowledge Him as Lord (see Philippians 2:9-11). On that day His light will be set on its stand.

24-25 Consider carefully what you hear. Consider and believe. With the measure you use—that is, according to the faith you exercise—it will be measured to you. As much as you believe, that much will you receive—new life, joy, power—and even more, eternal life in heaven.

Whoever has—that is, whoever has faith—will be given more (verse 25). He will be given more understanding (Matthew 13:12), more joy and power, more faith, more life. But whoever does not have faith, even that which he has will be taken away. He is like the soil of the path where the seed was sown but couldn’t sprout, and the devil snatched the seed away.

If we do not use our gift of faith and the other gifts God has given us, we shall lose them (Matthew 25:24-30). If we do not exercise our legs, we will soon be unable to walk. As it is with our bodies, so it is with our spiritual lives. Therefore, let us use our ears (verse 23) and consider carefully what we hear!

26-29 In this parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a harvest. A man, that is, Jesus, scatters seed. Then the seed sprouts and grows by itself—by God’s power. No man can say, “I produced the harvest.” Man’s part is to sow, to water, and to reap. God gives the growth (see 1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

(Matthew 13:31-32; Luke 13:18-19)

30-32 The kingdom of God in the beginning was like a tiny mustard seed. When Jesus started preaching, only a few heard and believed. Most people rejected Him. They mocked Him and killed Him. His disciples fled. But look what happened. By the power of the Holy Spirit, from that tiny seed a mighty church has grown up, and it has spread to every country in the world. Such is the kingdom of God.

33-34 In this way, Jesus taught the people in parables, as much as they could understand (verse 33). People can’t understand spiritual things all at once. They need first to hear a simple illustration or parable. Then, as they open their hearts, they slowly begin to understand more (see Matthew 13:34-35 and comment).

Christ, however, explained everything to His twelve disciples and other followers. They had opened their hearts and were ready to learn more. Jesus’ most important work was to train these disciples to become teachers, to become fishers of men (Mark 1:17).

(Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25)

35-36 Jesus had taught the crowds all day from the boat. He was certainly tired. So His disciples took Him, just as he was—that is, still in the boat—across the Sea of Galilee to the other side.

37-38 In the middle of the sea a furious squall came up. Such wind often occurs on the Sea of Galilee. The boat was tossed to and fro, and waves poured into it. The boat began to sink. Though some of the disciples were experienced fishermen, they were afraid.

But Jesus was asleep. The disciples were a little upset with Him. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” they asked, waking Him up.

39 Jesus, the Son of God, had complete control over all the power of nature. Mark has described, so far, His power over sickness and over demons. Now we see His complete authority over the forces of nature. At His word the wind stopped.

40-41 Then Jesus rebuked His disciples because of their lack of faith: “Do you still have no faith?” And they asked among themselves, “Who is this?” Even the disciples did not have a full understanding of who Jesus was. They were learning step by step.

In Matthew’s description of this event, Jesus rebukes His disciples first and then calms the storm. Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts are true. Jesus rebuked His disciples both before and after calming the storm. We must remember as we compare the four Gospels that each writer did not always write a complete account of these events. When we study the four Gospels together, we can obtain a fuller description of what happened.