*Mark 4:1-29
Jesus uses the Parable of the Sower to illustrate the varying receptivity of people to God’s message.
- Setting the Scene:
- Jesus begins teaching by the sea, and a large crowd gathers around him.
- He decides to teach from a boat on the water, creating a natural amphitheater effect.
- Parable of the Sower:
- Jesus tells a parable about a sower who went out to sow seeds.
- Some seeds fell along the path and were eaten by birds, some fell on rocky ground and withered, some fell among thorns and were choked, and some fell on good soil and produced a crop.
- He explains that the seeds represent the word of God, and the different types of soil represent people’s hearts and their receptiveness to the message.
- Explanation of the Parable:
- Jesus explains the meaning of the parable to his disciples.
- The seed on the path represents those who hear the word but don’t understand it, and the evil one snatches it away.
- The seed on rocky ground represents those who receive the word with joy but have no root, so they fall away when trouble or persecution arises.
- The seed among thorns represents those who hear the word but are choked by worries, wealth, and desires for other things.
- The seed on good soil represents those who hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop, yielding thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.
- Purpose of Parables:
- Jesus emphasizes the importance of paying attention to what you hear and how you hear.
- He uses the analogy of a lamp to illustrate that nothing is hidden except to be disclosed, and nothing is concealed except to be brought into the open.
- He encourages listeners to consider carefully what they hear, for the measure they use will be the measure they receive.
- Parable of the Growing Seed:
- Jesus tells another parable about a man who scatters seed on the ground and then watches as it sprouts and grows, even though he doesn’t understand how.
- The earth produces the crop by itself—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
- When the crop is ripe, the man harvests it because the time for harvest has come.
4:1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
4:21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.