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.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
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.
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:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
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.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
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:
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.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
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.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
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.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
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.
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.
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?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
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.
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.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark Chapter 4 of the King James Version (KJV) Holy Bible is a richly allegorical chapter that contains several parables of Jesus Christ. These parables, primarily focusing on the kingdom of God and the nature of spiritual growth, are profound teachings that utilize everyday experiences and phenomena to convey spiritual truths. In this chapter, Jesus uses the parables of the sower, the lamp under a bushel, the growing seed, and the mustard seed to impart wisdom to his disciples and the multitudes.
Jesus begins with the parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20), a story that uses the metaphor of a farmer sowing seeds to illustrate the different responses to the Word of God. The seed, representing the Word of God, falls on four types of ground - the wayside, the stony ground, the thorny ground, and the good ground. The different types of ground represent the varying responses of people to the Word. The wayside symbolizes those who hear the Word but do not understand it, and Satan takes away the Word from their hearts. The stony ground signifies those who receive the Word with joy but lack depth, falling away when tribulation or persecution arises. The thorny ground stands for those who hear the Word, but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the Word, causing it to become unfruitful. The good ground, however, represents those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
Next, Jesus presents the parable of the lamp under a bushel (Mark 4:21-25). This parable emphasizes the need for believers to shine their light - the truth they have received - and not hide it. Jesus implores his listeners to understand that the truth is not meant to be hidden but to be made manifest. The lamp, symbolizing the truth, is placed on a lampstand to illuminate the house. Moreover, Jesus warns that those who have will receive more, but those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away. This serves as a reminder that spiritual growth requires active participation and diligence in understanding and applying the Word of God.
The parable of the growing seed (Mark 4:26-29) underscores the inherent power of the Word of God and the mysterious nature of spiritual growth. The seed, once sown, grows and matures, seemingly of its own accord. The farmer does not understand how the earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, and finally the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, he puts in the sickle because the harvest has come. This parable highlights that spiritual growth is a process, often unseen and incomprehensible, but inevitably leading to the harvest when the conditions are right.
Finally, Jesus shares the parable of the mustard seed (Mark 4:30-34), which depicts the kingdom of God as starting from small beginnings and growing into something vast and expansive. The mustard seed, though the smallest of all seeds on earth, grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants, producing large branches so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade. This parable conveys the message that the kingdom of God, though it may start small in the hearts of men, expands and grows to provide refuge and shelter for many.
The chapter concludes with the account of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41). This event is not a parable but a demonstration of Jesus' authority over nature. The disciples, caught in a violent storm, are filled with fear despite Jesus' presence in the boat. Jesus rebukes the wind and says to the sea, "Peace, be still," and the wind ceases, and there is a great calm. He then questions the disciples about their fear and lack of faith. This event underscores the power and authority of Jesus, and the need for faith in him, even in the midst of life's storms.
The overarching theme of Mark Chapter 4 is the kingdom of God and the nature of spiritual growth. Each parable and event provides a unique perspective on these themes. The parable of the sower emphasizes the importance of the condition of one's heart in receiving and bearing fruit from the Word of God. The parable of the lamp under a bushel stresses the need to let the truth shine forth. The parable of the growing seed highlights the inherent power of the Word and the mysterious, yet certain, process of spiritual growth. The parable of the mustard seed illustrates the expansive and inclusive nature of the kingdom of God. Lastly, the calming of the storm demonstrates Jesus' authority and the need for faith in him.
Furthermore, these parables and events provide insight into Jesus' teaching method. He often used parables - stories from everyday life - to convey spiritual truths. This method made his teachings accessible to all, regardless of their background or education level. However, the true depth of his parables could only be understood by those willing to seek further, reflecting Jesus' statement, "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" (Mark 4:11). Thus, the parables served both as a means of revealing and concealing the truth.
In conclusion, Mark Chapter 4 offers profound teachings on the kingdom of God and spiritual growth. It invites readers to examine their response to the Word of God, to shine forth the truth they have received, to trust in the inherent power of the Word, to anticipate the expansive growth of God's kingdom, and to have faith in Jesus' authority, even in the midst of life's storms. Ultimately, this chapter calls readers to actively participate in the kingdom of God, starting with the condition of their hearts and culminating in the bearing of abundant fruit.
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