Mǎkĕfúyīn 4

1 Yēsū yòu zaì hǎi biān jiàoxun rén . yǒu xǔduō rén dào Tānàli jùjí , tā zhǐ dé shang chuán zuò xià . chuán zaì hǎi lǐ , zhòngrén dōu kàojìn hǎi zhàn zaì àn shang .

2 Yēsū jiù yòng bǐyù jiàoxun tāmen xǔduō dàolǐ . zaì jiàoxun zhī jiān , duì tāmen shuō ,

3 Nǐmen tīng a! Yǒu yī ge sǎzhǒng de chū qù sǎzhǒng .

4 Sǎ de shíhou , yǒu luò zaì lùpáng de , fēiniǎo lái chī jìn le .

5 Yǒu luò zaì tǔ qiǎn shítou dì shang de , tǔ jì bù shēn , fā miaó zuì kuaì .

6 Rìtou chūlai yī shaì , yīnwei méiyǒu gēn , jiù kū gān le .

7 Yǒu luò zaì jīngjí lǐ de , jīngjí zhǎng qǐlai , bǎ tā jǐ zhù le , jiù bù jié shí .

8 Yòu yǒu luò zaì hǎo tǔ lǐ de , jiù fāshēng zhǎngdà , jié shí yǒu sān shí beì de , yǒu liù shí beì de , yǒu yī bǎi beì de .

9 Yòu shuō , yǒu ĕr kĕ tīng de , jiù yīngdāng tīng .

10 Wú rén de shíhou , gēnsuí Yēsū de rén , hé shí èr ge méntǔ , wèn tā zhè bǐyù de yìsi .

11 Yēsū duì tāmen shuō , shén guó de àomì , zhǐ jiào nǐmen zhīdào , ruò shì duì waìrén jiǎng , fán shì jiù yòng bǐyù .

12 Jiào tāmen kàn shì kànjian , què bù xiǎodé . tīng shì tīngjian , què bù míngbai . kǒngpà tāmen huízhuǎn guō lái , jiù dé shèmiǎn .

13 Yòu duì tāmen shuō , nǐmen bù míngbai zhè bǐyù ma . zhèyàng zĕn néng míngbai yīqiè de bǐyù ne .

14 Sǎzhǒng zhī rén suǒ sǎ de , jiù shì dào .

15 Nà sǎ zaì lùpáng de , jiù shì rén tīng le dào , Sādàn lìkè lái , bǎ sǎ zaì tā xīnli de dào duó le qù .

16 Nà sǎ zaì shítou dì shang de , jiù shì rén tīng le dào , lìkè huānxǐ lǐngshòu .

17 Dàn tā xīnli méiyǒu gēn , bú guò shì zànshí de , jízhì wèi dào zāo le huànnàn , huò shì shòu le bīpò , lìkè jiù diēdǎo le .

18 Hái yǒu nà sǎ zaì jīngjí lǐ de , jiù shì rén tīng le dào .

19 Hòulái yǒu shìshang de sīlǜ , qiáncái de míhuò , hé bié yàng de sīyù , jìnlái bǎ dào jǐ zhù le , jiù bùnéng jié shí .

20 Nà sǎ zaì hǎo dì shang de , jiù shì rén tīng dào , yòu lǐngshòu , bìngqiĕ jié shí , yǒu sān shí beì de , yǒu liù shí beì de , yǒu yī bǎi beì de .

21 Yēsū yòu duì tāmen shuō , rén ná dēng lái , qǐ shì fàng zaì dǒu dǐ xià , chuáng dǐ xià , bú fàng zaì dēngtái shang ma .

22 Yīnwei yǎncáng de shì , méiyǒu bù xiǎn chūlai de . yǐnmán de shì , méiyǒu bú lù chūlai de .

23 Yǒu ĕr kĕ tīng de , jiù yīngdāng tīng .

24 Yòu shuō nǐmen suǒ tīng de yào liú xīn . nǐmen yòng shénme liángqì liáng gĕi rén , yĕ bì yòng shénme liángqì liáng gĕi nǐmen , bìngqiĕ yào duō gĕi nǐmen .

25 Yīnwei yǒude hái yào gĕi tā . méiyǒu de , lián tā suǒyǒude yĕ yào duó qù .

26 Yòu shuō , shén de guó , rútóng rén bǎ zhǒng sǎ zaì dì shang ,

27 Hēi yè shuìjiào , bái rì qǐlai , zhè zhǒng jiù fā yá jiān zhǎng , nà rén què bù xiǎodé rúhé zhèyàng

28 Dì shēng wǔgǔ , shì chūyú zìrán de . xiān fā miaó , hòu zhǎng suì , zaì hòu suì shang jié chéng bǎo mǎn de zǐlì .

29 Gǔ jì shú le , jiù yòng lián dāo qù gē , yīnwei shōu chéng de shíhou dào le .

30 Yòu shuō , shén de guó , wǒmen kĕ yòng shénme bǐjiào ne . kĕ yòng shénme bǐyù biǎomíng ne .

31 Hǎoxiàng yī lì jiècaì zhǒng , zhǒng zaì dì lǐ de shíhou , suī bǐ dì shang de bǎi zhǒng dū xiǎo ,

32 Dàn zhǒng shang yǐhòu , jiù zhǎng qǐlai , bǐ gèyàng de caì dōu dà , yòu zhǎng chū dà zhī lái . shènzhì tiān shang de fēiniǎo , kĕyǐ sù zaì tāde yīn xià .

33 Yēsū yòng xǔduō zhèyàng de bǐyù , zhào tāmen suǒ néng tīng de , duì tāmen jiǎng dào .

34 Ruò búyòng bǐyù , jiù bú duì tāmen jiǎng . méiyǒu rén de shíhou , jiù bǎ yīqiè de dào jiǎng gĕi méntǔ tīng .

35 Dāng nà tiān wǎnshang , Yēsū duì méntǔ shuō , wǒmen dù dào nàbiān qù bā .

36 Méntǔ líkāi zhòngrén , Yēsū réng zaì chuán shang , tāmen jiù bǎ tā yītóng daì qù . yĕ yǒu biéde chuán hé tā tóngxíng .

37 Hūrán qǐ le bàofēng , bō làng dǎ rù chuán neì , shènzhì chuán yào mǎn le shuǐ .

38 Yēsū zaì chuán wĕi shang , zhĕn zhe zhĕntou shuìjiào . méntǔ jiàoxǐng le tā , shuō , fūzǐ , wǒmen sàngméng , nǐ bú gù ma .

39 Yēsū xǐng le , chìzé fēng , xiàng hǎi shuō , zhù le ba , jìng le ba . fēng jiù zhǐ zhù , dàdà de píngjìng le .

40 Yēsū duì tāmen shuō , wèishénme dǎnqiè . nǐmen méiyǒu xìnxīn ma .

41 Tāmen jiù dàdà de jùpà , bǐcǐ shuō , zhè dàodǐ shì shuí , lián fēng hé hǎi yĕ tīng cóng tā le .

Mǎkĕfúyīn 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.