Markos 4:17

17 Yet they do not have a shoresh (root) in themselves but are transitory; then when ES TZARAH comes or redifah (persecution) on account of the dvar, ofen ort they fall away, they become shmad. [YIRMEYAH 30:7; Mattityahu 24:21-22]

Markos 4:17 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:17

And have no root in themselves
The word has no root in their hearts, only in their natural affections: nor is the root of grace in them; there is no heart work, only speculative notions, and flashy affections:

and so endure but for a time:
they continue hearers and professors of the Gospel but for a small season; like the Jews, who rejoiced in the ministry of John the Baptist for a while, and then left him:

afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's
sake, immediately they are offended.
As soon as any small degree of trouble comes upon them, and especially when there is a hot persecution of the professors of religion, because of the Gospel they have embraced; such hearers are stumbled at these things, and cannot bear the loss of any thing, or endure any thing severe for the sake of the word they have professed a pleasure in; and therefore, rather than suffer, they relinquish at once their profession of it.

Markos 4:17 In-Context

15 And these are the ones beside the road where the dvar Hashem is sown. And when they hear it, ofen ort Hasatan comes and takes the dvar that has been sown in them.

16 And these are the ones sown upon the rocky places: when they hear the dvar, ofen ort with simcha they receive it.

17 Yet they do not have a shoresh (root) in themselves but are transitory; then when ES TZARAH comes or redifah (persecution) on account of the dvar, ofen ort they fall away, they become shmad. [YIRMEYAH 30:7; Mattityahu 24:21-22]

18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. These are the ones having heard the dvar,

19 and the worries of the Olam Hazeh and the seduction of ashires (riches) and the desires for other things come in and choke the dvar Hashem and it does not bear pri.