Mark 4
4
Parable of the Sower
1Once again Jesus went to teach the people at the shore of Lake Galilee # 4:1 Commonly known as the Sea of Galilee. It is interesting that Jesus left the house (Mark 3:20) to go to the sea. The “house” suggests the “house of Israel,” and the “sea” speaks of the non-Jewish peoples (i.e., the “sea of humanity”). and a massive crowd surrounded him. The crowd was so huge that he had to get into a boat and teach the people from there. 2He taught them many things by using parables # 4:2 The Aramaic and Greek use a word for “parable” that means “a metaphor,” “allegory,” “simile,” “illustration,” “comparison,” “figure of speech,” “riddle,” or “enigmatic saying that is meant to stimulate intense thought.” Throughout Hebrew history, wise men, prophets, and teachers used parables and allegories as a preferred method of teaching spiritual truths. Poets would write their riddles and musicians would sing their proverbs with verbal imagery. Jesus always taught the people by using allegory and parables (Matt. 13:34; Mark 4:34). As a true prophet, one of Jesus’ preferred methods of teaching was allegory. To deny the validity of allegorical teaching is to ignore the teaching methods of Jesus, the living Word. to illustrate spiritual truths, saying:
3“Consider this: A sower went out to sow. 4As he sowed some fell along the beaten path and soon the birds came and ate it. 5Some fell onto gravel with no topsoil and quickly sprouted since the soil had no depth. 6But when the days grew hot, the sprouts were scorched and withered because they had insufficient roots. 7Some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8But some fell onto good, rich soil that kept producing a good harvest. Some yielded thirty, some sixty—and some a hundredfold! 9If you understand this, then you need to respond.” # 4:9 Or “The one with ears to hear should use them.” We usually apply portions of this parable to unbelievers, but Jesus instructs us to apply it to ourselves. The four kinds of soils speak of four kinds of hearts: hard hearts, hollow hearts, half hearts, and whole hearts. With the first soil we see the activity of Satan, the second, that of the flesh, and the third, that of the world. Bearing fruit is never a problem with what is sown but with the soil it falls upon.
The Purpose of Parables
10Afterward, Jesus’ disciples and those close to him remained behind to ask Jesus about his parables. 11He said to them, “The privilege of intimately knowing the mystery of God’s kingdom realm has been granted to you, but not to the others, # 4:11 Or “to the outsiders.” The Aramaic is “backward ones.” Jesus spoke allegorically so that those who didn’t care to understand couldn’t understand. Yet he knew that the hungry ones would seek out the hidden meaning of the parables and understand the secrets of God’s kingdom realm. It is still that way today. See Prov. 25:2. where everything is revealed in parables.
12“For even when they see what I do, they will not understand, and when they hear what I say, they will learn nothing, otherwise they would repent and be forgiven.” # 4:12 See Isa. 6:9–10.
13Then he said to them, “If you don’t understand this parable, how will you understand any parable? 14Let me explain: The farmer sows the message of the kingdom. 15What falls on the beaten path represents those who hear the message, but immediately Satan appears and snatches it from their hearts. 16And what is sown on gravel represents those who hear the message and receive it joyfully, 17but because their hearts fail to sink a deep root, they don’t endure for long. For when trouble or persecution comes on account of the message, they immediately wilt and fall away. 18And what is sown among thorns represents those who hear the message, 19but they allow the cares of this life and the seduction of wealth and the desires for other things to crowd out and choke the message so that it produces nothing.
20“But what is sown on good soil represents those who open their hearts to receive the message and their lives bear good fruit—some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold!”
Parable of the Lamp
21He also gave them this parable: “No one lights a lamp # 4:21 The Jewish people considered the Torah, God’s Word, to be a lamp that gives light to see and understand. Israel was meant to be a light that gives illumination to the nations. Jesus also calls his followers those who “light up the world.” See Matt. 5:14. only to place it under a basket or under the bed. It is meant to be placed on a lampstand. 22For there is nothing that is hidden that won’t be disclosed, and there is no secret that won’t be brought out into the light! 23If you understand what I’m saying, you need to respond!” # 4:23 Or “The one with ears to hear should use them.” The Aramaic is “If one brings a hearing ear for himself, he will hear.”
24Then he said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to your longing to understand, # 4:24 Or “By the measure with which you measure, it will be measured to you.” Some interpret this to refer to our relationships; i.e., “The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated.” However the context is clearly about having an open heart to receive and live in truth, and not to hide it or have a closed heart to understand. much more will be added to you. 25For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!” # 4:25 This verse contains a complicated ellipsis, which is a literary function of omitting certain information to invite discovery. The ellipsis of the text has been supplied by making explicit what is implicit in the context. The verse reads literally “More will be given to the person who has (something), but a person who doesn’t have (something), even what (something) they do have will be taken from him.” This translation fills the ellipsis with the theme of the context—having an open heart to receive the truth of God. The parables of the sower and of the lamp are similar in that they speak of the heart that receives truth. The Word is a “seed” that grows within us and a “lamp” that glows within us.
Parable of the Growing Seed
26Jesus also told them this parable: “God’s kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. 27He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how. 28All by itself it sprouts, and the soil produces a crop; first the green stem, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head. 29Then, when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts the sickle to the grain, because harvest time has come.” # 4:29 This parable is only found in Mark’s Gospel. It teaches us that the reality of God’s kingdom realm is like seed sown into the world that will grow through stages of maturity until the harvest.
Parable of the Tiny Mustard Seed
30And he told them this parable: “How can I describe God’s kingdom realm? Let me illustrate it with this parable. 31It is like the mustard seed, the tiniest of all the seeds, 32yet when it springs up and grows, it becomes the largest plant in the garden, with so many large spreading branches, even birds can nest in its shade.” # 4:32 Like the preceding parable, this is an allegorical way of describing the growth of God’s kingdom realm. It may appear in the beginning as small and insignificant, yet it will grow until it becomes the greatest kingdom of all. Both of these parables teach us that God’s kingdom is growing on the earth and not diminishing. See Ezek. 17:22–24.
Jesus Always Taught Using Parables
33Jesus used many parables such as these as he taught the people, and they learned according to their ability to understand. 34He never spoke to them without using parables, but would wait until he was alone with his disciples to explain to them their meanings. # 4:34 Jesus still delights to mystify those who follow him, but he waits until we are alone with him, and then he reveals the wonders of his grace and truth to our hearts.
Jesus Stills a Storm
35That same day, after it grew dark, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they took him with them. Other boats sailed with them. 37Suddenly, as they were crossing the lake, a ferocious storm arose, with violent winds and waves that were crashing into the boat until it was nearly swamped. # 4:37 This gale of wind and ferocious tempest was demonic in nature, as Jesus was about to confront a powerful principality on the other side of the lake. (See Mark 5:1–20.) Jesus would not have rebuked the storm if it was from God. The devil knew that if Jesus crossed to the other side, he would cast out the demon horde that had long terrorized the entire region. 38But Jesus was calmly sleeping in the stern, resting on a cushion. 39So they shook him awake, saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!” Fully awake, he rebuked the storm and shouted to the sea, “Hush! Be still!” # 4:39 In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, it is “Peace. Submit to the will of God!” All at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm.
40Then he turned to his disciples and said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Haven’t you learned to trust yet?” 41But they were overwhelmed with fear and awe and said to one another, “Who is this man who has such authority that even the wind and waves obey him?”
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Mark 4: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationMarkos 4
4
1And again Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach began to say shiurim (Torah talks) beside the lake. And a huge multitude gathered together to him so that he got into a sirah (boat) on the lake and sat down. The whole multitude was by the lake on the shore.
2And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach was giving them torah with many meshalim (parables) and in the shiurim he said, he was saying to them:
3Listen. Hinei! The Sower went out to sow [seeds].
4And it came about that when he went to sow, that some [seeds] fell beside the road. And the birds came and devoured it.
5And other [seeds] fell upon the rocky places where it did not have much soil, and ofen ort (immediately) it sprang up because it did not have depth of soil.
6And when the shemesh rose, it was scorched and, because it did not have a shoresh (root), it withered.
7And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them, and it did not yield pri.
8And other seed fell into the adamah tovah (good ground) and it was giving pri (fruit), rising up and growing, thirty, sixty, and one hundredfold.
9And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
10And when he was alone, the Shneym Asar were asking him for a hezber (explanation) of the meshalim (parables).
11And he was saying to them, To you the raz (secret) of the Malchut Hashem has been given. But to the outsiders, everything remains in meshalim,
12In order that YIRU they may see and not have daas, VSHIMU they may hear and not have binah, lest they should turn and they should receive refuah and selicha. (Isa 6:9-10, TARGUM HASHIVIM).
13And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Do you not have daas of the meaning of this mashal? Then how will you have binah of all the meshalim?
14The one sowing sows the dvar Hashem.
15And 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.
16And these are the ones sown upon the rocky places: when they hear the dvar, ofen ort with simcha they receive it.
17Yet 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.#4:17 Jer 30:7; Mt 24:21-22
18And others are the ones sown among thorns. These are the ones having heard the dvar,
19and 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.
20And these are the ones sown upon adamah tovah: they hear the dvar Hashem and are mekabel (receive) the dvar Hashem and bear pri, thirty, sixty and one hundredfold.
21And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to them, Surely a menorah is not brought out in order that it may be put under a measuring bucket or under the couch? Rather, is it not brought out that it may be placed on the shulchan?
22For there is not [anything] nistar except that it may be made nikar nor has it become concealed but that it may come into [the] open.#4:22 Jer 16:17
23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
24And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to them, Pay attention! By what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
25For whoever has, it will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
26And he was saying, Thus is the Malchut Hashem: like a man who casts seed upon the soil,
27And goes to sleep blailah (at night) and arises byom (at day), and the seed sprouts up and grows in such a way that he does not have daas of how it does so.
28On its own, the soil bears pri: first the blade, then a head of grain, then full wheat in the head.
29But when the crop is ripe, ofen ort (immediately) he puts forth the MAGGAL, KI VASHAL KATZIR (sickle, for the harvest is ripe).#4:29 Yoel 3:13
30And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying, To what should we compare the Malchut Hashem or by what mashal (parable) may we present it?
31The Malchut Hashem is like a mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the soil, is smaller [than] all the seeds on the earth:
32But when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater [than] all the plants of the garden and puts forth large branches, so that the OPH HASHOMAYIM can nest under its shade.
33And with many such meshalim, Rebbe, Melech Hamoshiach was speaking to them the dvar Hashem as they were able to hear.
34But apart from meshalim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was not speaking to them. Only privately, in a yechidus, was Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach explaining everything to his own talmidim.
35And on that day, when erev had come, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Let us go over to the other side of the lake.
36And leaving the multitude, they took Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, just as he was, in the sirah (boat), and other sirot (boats) were with him.
37And there arose a fierce gale of wind and the waves were beating against the sirah (boat), so that it was already filling up.
38And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was in the stern on the cushion sleeping, and they woke him up, and they say to him, Rebbe, does it not matter to you that we are perishing?
39And having been awakened, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach rebuked the wind, and he spoke to the lake, Sha! Be still! And there was a great calm.
40And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Why do you have morech lev (cowardliness)? Do you still not have emunah?
41And they were afraid with a terrible pachad (terror), and they were saying to one another, Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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