Mark Chapter Four
Parable of About the Sower and the Seeds
[Text parallels Matthew 13:1-9 and Luke 8:4-8]
4:1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Another large crowd has gathered around Jesus. So to accommodate everyone they employed the same configuration they used previously (see Mark 3:9), Jesus got into a boat and addressed the crowd from the boat. He then called out to get everyone’s attention by loudly saying, ‘Listen!’ He then teaches them the parable commonly known as the “Parable of the Sower.” It is interesting that even though the name implies that the story is about the sower, most just teach about the seeds. We need to remember that there are two major ‘players’ in this parable, the sower and the seeds. Let’s talk about the sower for a moment. Who is he? Is he a professional sower? When we look at the locations where he sowed, we would have to say no. A professional would not cast seed on pathways, rocky ground, nor would they sow among thorns. So, if he is not a professional who is he? He is likely a normal person, a Christian that has been called by Jesus to go and tell the gospel message to others. Some of their efforts will not produce anything, but that should not be discouraging as there will be other efforts that will have amazing results. The message about the sower is clear, don’t give up!
Jesus talks about the seeds falling on different locations. Not to instruct believers on where to and where not to sow, as all Christians are to go to all nations (all people, everywhere, see Matthew 28:18-20). But to be aware of opposition as well as the rewards. He will explain in verses 13-20 below.
Why Teach in Parables
[Text parallels Matthew 13:10-16 and Luke 8:9-10]
4:10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
Jesus’ use of parables is often misunderstood, here He explains that unless one has turned and repented of their sin and received forgiveness (in other words, accepted Jesus as their Savior), the meaning of parables will elude them. Without the Holy Spirit to help discern, unbelievers will see but not perceive, and hear but not understand.[1] Jesus tells the disciples that they have been given the secret (Greek ‘mystērion’,[2] something that is hidden) of the kingdom of God, namely the understanding and discernment regarding the kingdom of God.
Parable About the Sower and Seeds Explained
[Text parallels Matthew 13:17-23 and Luke 8:11-15]
4:13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Jesus just finished telling the disciples that they were given the ability to discern the parables (see verse 11), and yet Jesus perceives that they did not understand the parable about the sower and seeds. So He asks the question, “How then will you understand all the parables?” Perhaps rhetorical, but it may also inform us that even with the Holy Spirit discerning things for us, that the meaning of a message (such as a parable, Bible passage, etc.) due to our minds being clouded by our own worldview, can still be interpreted wrong.
The first thing noted is that the sower is sowing the Word, God’s Word, which includes the gospel message. Those seeds sown on the path, represent the people that have been offered the Word but are influenced by Satan, which includes his sway in the world (political correctness, science replacing the Bible, self-absorption, liberal thinking, etc.) effectively taking away the Word from them (often through the use of ridicule, intellectual barriers, etc.) On rocky ground refers to people willingly and joyfully accepting, but as soon as their faith is tested by some form of persecution or problem, they immediately abandon Jesus. Those seeds sown among thorns represent people that become distracted by things of value, status, and power, combined with their strong desire to obtain them, which ultimately chokes out their devotion and interest in Jesus.
The seeds sown on good soil refer to the people who hear and accept the Word of God and begin to bear fruit (people accepting Jesus). Some seeds bear a crop of believers thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some even a hundredfold![3]
Lamp Under a Basket and Being a Good Student
[Text parallels Luke 8:16-18]
4:21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
In this parable Jesus asks the rhetorical question, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” He explains that nothing will remain concealed when brought into the light, no secrets will remain, all will be revealed. Everything will be out in the open, exposed for all to see. Jesus wants everyone to understand, as He once again uses the phrase, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”[4]
It is interesting to note the Greek word translated here as ‘secret’ is ‘apokryphon’,[5] meaning hidden away or concealed. It is the root word for the term ‘apocrypha’, a term used in theology to refer to writings that present themselves as being “sacred writings,” but the author is unknown and the origin in questioned.[6]
4:24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Since this parable employs similar wording to that used by Jesus in the “Parable of the Talents” (see Matthew 25:14-30), many believe the subject is the same, it is not. Jesus is telling His disciples (and to believers today) to “pay attention” to what they hear, as they need to understand, not just listen (or read). The subject here is comprehension, the more they paid attention to Him and grow in His Word and knowledge, the more understanding they will be given in return. To those that chose to ignore Jesus and His teaching, that whatever understanding they do possess, will be taken away.
Considerations
From the lights of Creation (Sun light, moon light, and star light, see Genesis 1:3-4, 14-18) to the light illuminating our paths (see Psalm 119:105) the connection of light to the presence of God is a reoccurring theme in the Bible (see also Isaiah 58:8; Matthew 4:16; 5:14; 17:2; John 5:35; 8:12; 12:35-36; Acts 13:47; Romans 2:19; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Timothy 6:16; James 1:17; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5, etc.)
Many things can be hidden in the dark, including ungodly behaviors and other potentially embarrassing actions. It is often said that everyone has secrets they don’t want to share or desire for others to find out about. Sadly, this is apparently true, even among Christians. In this parable Jesus makes it clear that all secrets will be revealed. Luke also records Jesus saying, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luke 12:2-3) Paul also noted that all sin will be revealed, “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” (1 Timothy 5:24-25)
Nothing is said about a timeline when these things will be revealed, it is likely that they will be revealed during the time of judgment. The only solution is to stay in the light, in the presence of God, as much as possible.
It would be an understatement to say that there is a significant number of books and other publications about the Bible (theology, commentaries, etc.). It is doubtful that any one library would be able to store all of them! Why are there so many? The quick and simplest answer is that not everyone can agree on interpretations. Every theologian, pastor, commentator, teacher, rabbi, priest, preacher, denomination, church, ministry, parachurch organization, etc., seemingly have different opinions and ways to interpret Scripture.
In this brief parable, Jesus is telling His disciples (and us readers) to ‘pay attention’ to Him and His Word. He tells us the more diligent our study of the Word becomes, the more He will make it clear and provide our comprehension. Sadly, having little to no consensus as to how to interpret various theologies, prophecies, and other key Biblical concepts has not only separated Christians from each other, it has also been used as an excuse for non-believers to turn away from accepting Jesus. Often saying something like, “If they can’t decide between themselves what is true, how can I know?”
Jesus wants all Christians to spend time studying His Word, not just read a few verses or pages, but to take the time daily and examine and apply what they learn in their life. The more one has, more will be given.
Parable of the Seed Growing
4:26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
This parable is the first of two story narratives that are only found in the book of Mark (see Mark 8:22-26 for the other narrative). In this parable two elements regarding the kingdom of God are explained by Jesus. Just like when seeds are scattered on the ground and then begin to sprout and grow, the sower really does not know how that process works since the earth does the work. After planting, the first indication of growth is the blade, followed by the ear, and then the full grain in the ear. When the grain is ripe, the sickle is used to harvest what was sowed.
The first lesson in this parable is that Christians are called to only sow the seed, the rest is between God and the person. However, it is always wise to be ready to do more in case God wants you to further mentor or teach the person, or as Paul calls it, ‘watering’: “For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)
The second part points out that there is a process that takes time before any harvesting can begin. Some may be immediately willing to accept Jesus while others need more attention. Patience and love are the primary ingredients of a diligent believer.
Parable of the Mustard Seed
[Text parallels Matthew 13:31-35 and Luke 13:18-19]
4:30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
This is perhaps one of the more confusing and misunderstood parables. There are two popular interpretations. The first being that out of a small seed the kingdom of God will grow into a large tree that becomes a safe haven for those that need rest in its shade. The second requires an understanding of farming, especially regarding mustard seeds and what they grow into. Knowing that mustard grows into a bush and not into a plant with large branches,[7] aids us in understanding that something is wrong with this story. Jesus is warning that the kingdom of God on earth, the church, will grow into something that it was not intended to be. Many connect the "birds of the air" to represent evil[8] that will enter the church and eventually corrupt the teachings of the church.[9] Corruption within the church is very real, as warned by several of the epistle writers (see 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Galatians 1:6-10; 2:2-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 3-4).
4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Mark notes that Jesus continued to only use parables to teach. Some were able to comprehend, while others could not.[10] When He was alone with His disciples, He explained the parables to them.
Jesus Rebukes the Wind and Calms a Storm
[Text parallels Matthew 8:18, 23-27 and Luke 8:22-25]
4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
That evening Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to head over to the other side of the lake. They were joined by other boats, presumably followers, nothing more is mentioned. Soon a great windstorm developed and water began to pour into the boat as the waves breached the sides. While the boat was being filled with water, Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the rear of the boat. Many of the disciples were experienced fishermen and apparently they deemed the storm to be a serious threat to their survival, so they wake up Jesus. They ask an odd question for someone who was asleep, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Jesus gets up and first rebukes the wind as if it were a person doing something wrong. Perhaps the rebuke is a hint to the origin of the storm, being something unnatural such as a storm set into motion by Satan. Jesus then turns to the sea and says, “”Peace! Be still!” and the storm stopped, all is calm. He then asks the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” None of the gospel accounts record their reply to Jesus. This display of authority astonished them, perhaps they did not have a reply as Mark records here that they were filled with great fear. It is interesting to note that they apparently still did not know who Jesus was, as they said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Who did they think He was? After seeing several miracles, it was this storm-calling event that opened their eyes to see that Jesus was indeed God.
Considerations
Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?
These two questions provide an interesting framework that, to some degree, applies to all believers. For the sake of this discussion we will call them opposites, when faith goes up, fear goes down and vise versa. In this day and age it would not be hard to imagine a “Faith-O-Meter,” something believers can read to see how much faith they have in God in any given circumstance. Obviously, there is no such thing, but the issue of having less faith at times, plagues every living Christian. Why? First on that list would have to be due to human weakness, unless you were born with a mental disorder, fear is a very real natural response to dangerous situations that is often accompanied by a physical reaction or manifestation (uncontrollable shaking, etc.) Secondly, fear can be driven by the “unknown factor,” simply not knowing how something will turn out, the results of an action or situation, can be a cause of unnecessary anxiety. Then there is an odd source of apprehension that is unique only to Christians. Since God doesn’t always answer a believer’s prayer the way they would like and knowing that He typically responds in one of two ways (either removes the object of fear or allows the person to experience the problem so they can learn perseverance and become more mature), the Christian then becomes unsure and that ends up being another source of anxiety. What a mess!
A believer’s faith begins with trusting that God will do what He promised He would do. Or more specifically, that when they die, Jesus will intercede on their behalf and claim them as His co-heir (see Romans 8:16-17) and allow them to enter heaven. Christians need to extend and apply that same faith to everything they do. Regardless where they are and what they are doing, their eyes need to be on Jesus. Faith only works if there is trust. While it is true that through adversity and suffering, maturity is produced (see Romans 5:1-5), all believers must understand that God will never leave them and that He desires only the best for them (even though it may not feel that way at the time of suffering). It is important to remember that when your “Faith-O-Meter” begins to read low on faith start praying immediately! What you need is to be in the presence of God, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8a)
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[1] Jesus quotes portions of Isaiah 6:9-10. See also commentary under Matthew 13:10-13.
[2] Strong’s Greek 3466.
[3] See also commentaries under Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:9-10, 11-12, 13, 14, 15.
[4] See Considerations under Matthew 11:18-19 "To Those That Have Ears."
[5] Strong’s Greek 614.
[6] See Considerations under John 18:17-18 regarding Extra-Biblical Writings.
[7] Matthew and Luke identify it as a tree, see Matthew 13:32 and Luke 13:19.
[8] In the Parable of the Sower Jesus used birds to represent Satan (see verses 4 and 15).
[9] See commentary under Matthew 13:31-32.
[10] See commentary under Matthew 13:10-13.