Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 4
Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary
Mark 4
Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary
Mark 4
"And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land." — Mark 4:1 (ASV)
Jesus was teaching by the Lake of Galilee. The presence of the large crowd shows his popularity as a teacher. In fact, the crowd was so large that he found it convenient to use a small boat (cf. 3:9) pushed out from the shore as his lectern (actually he sat while teaching). What is contained in 4:1–34 is only part of Jesus’ teaching in parables (v.2).
"And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching," — Mark 4:2 (ASV)
Jesus was teaching by the Lake of Galilee. The presence of the large crowd shows his popularity as a teacher. In fact, the crowd was so large that he found it convenient to use a small boat (cf. 3:9) pushed out from the shore as his lectern (actually he sat while teaching). What is contained in 4:1–34 is only part of Jesus’ teaching in parables (v.2).
"Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:" — Mark 4:3 (ASV)
The parable of the sower begins and ends with a call for careful attention, suggesting that its meaning may not be self-evident. Alert minds are needed to comprehend its truth. The background of the parable is rural life in Palestine. Seed was sown in broadcast fashion (v.3). The sower deliberately sowed it on the path (v.4), in rocky places (v.5), and among the thorns (v.7) because sowing preceded plowing. However, if plowing was delayed for any time at all, the consequences Jesus mentioned inevitably resulted.
The great emphasis in the parable is on the act of sowing the seed (i.e., the kingdom of God breaking into the world through Jesus) rather than on the soils into which it is sown (i.e., the response to Jesus’ preaching). Although difficulties face God’s kingdom, it grows and ultimately produces an abundant harvest.
"and it came to pass, as he sowed, some [seed] fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it." — Mark 4:4 (ASV)
The parable of the sower begins and ends with a call for careful attention, suggesting that its meaning may not be self-evident. Alert minds are needed to comprehend its truth. The background of the parable is rural life in Palestine. Seed was sown in broadcast fashion (v.3). The sower deliberately sowed it on the path (v.4), in rocky places (v.5), and among the thorns (v.7) because sowing preceded plowing. However, if plowing was delayed for any time at all, the consequences Jesus mentioned inevitably resulted.
The great emphasis in the parable is on the act of sowing the seed (i.e., the kingdom of God breaking into the world through Jesus) rather than on the soils into which it is sown (i.e., the response to Jesus’ preaching). Although difficulties face God’s kingdom, it grows and ultimately produces an abundant harvest.
"And other fell on the rocky [ground], where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:" — Mark 4:5 (ASV)
The parable of the sower begins and ends with a call for careful attention, suggesting that its meaning may not be self-evident. Alert minds are needed to comprehend its truth. The background of the parable is rural life in Palestine. Seed was sown in broadcast fashion (v.3). The sower deliberately sowed it on the path (v.4), in rocky places (v.5), and among the thorns (v.7) because sowing preceded plowing. However, if plowing was delayed for any time at all, the consequences Jesus mentioned inevitably resulted.
The great emphasis in the parable is on the act of sowing the seed (i.e., the kingdom of God breaking into the world through Jesus) rather than on the soils into which it is sown (i.e., the response to Jesus’ preaching). Although difficulties face God’s kingdom, it grows and ultimately produces an abundant harvest.
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