Marcos 4
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Marcos 4
Spurgeon applies this warning - This command is also a very clear note of warning. We take heed what we eat, and what we drink; every person who desires to have health does that; and shall we be careless of what we hear? May we not, by hearing error and falsehood, engender disease in our spirit, and bring our soul into sin, and sorrow, and eternal ruin? Time is too short for us to be listening to every babbler; heaven and earth are too important for us to be running any risk concerning our eternal state by giving heed to the speculations of evil men. Nothing Lost "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you."—Mark 4:24 During the summer a clergyman called on a lady who had a very fine collection of roses. She took him out to see them—white roses, red roses, yellow roses, climbing roses, and roses in pots, the gay giant of battles and the modest moss rose—every species he had ever heard of, and a great many he had never heard of, were there in rich profusion. The lady began plucking, right and left. Some bushes with but a single flower she despoiled. The clergyman remonstrated. "You are robbing yourself," dear madam." "Ah," she said, "do you not know that the way to make the rosebush bear is to pluck its flowers freely? I lose nothing by what I give away." This is a universal law. We never lose anything by what we give away. In ancient times, most people didn’t own copies of the Scriptures. However, they learned to listen with attention and remember the Scriptures as they were read or sung in the temple and the synagogue. People were better listeners and learners in those days. Today we have so many editions of the Bible available, including audio recordings and Braille editions, that we should know the Scriptures better than we do. But it isn’t too late to get started reading God’s Word systematically. After all, people take time to read novels and newspapers and to watch television, but they don’t seem to have time for the Bible, the most important book ever published. Jesus warns us to exercise discernment in what we hear and see. Why? What we choose to hear and see reveals what we are. The Scottish preacher George H. Morrison said, “Men hear with all that they have made themselves.” Our appetite determines the menu we seek. If we know Jesus Christ and follow him, we will have an appetite for the truth as it is in Jesus and will daily spend time in the Scriptures. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2). Jesus compared the Word of God to seed (Luke 8:11), and seeds must be planted and watered before they can take root and bear fruit. The people who open their hearts and minds to the poisonous seeds of this world are planting lies where they should be planting God’s truth. “Take heed what you hear!” (Mark 4:24). What we choose to hear and see determines whether we gain or lose. In Scripture, the word hear carries with it the idea of obeying. It isn’t enough just to read or hear the Bible; we must understand it and obey it. If we do, we grow in the knowledge of the Lord as well as in the graces of the Christian life. If we measure out time and energy to study the Word, God will measure out the blessing of the Spirit to us. The more we take in, the more the Lord will add to us every time we feed on God’s truth. To waste time that could be devoted to the Word of God and prayer is to rob ourselves of spiritual riches. Paul told Timothy to exercise himself to godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). Nobody criticizes a person who follows a healthy exercise schedule, and God honors his children when they take time to be holy. What we choose to hear and see determines how much we have to share with others. The measure we give to the Lord in our devotional exercises determines how much we will receive from him. The more we gratefully receive from God, the more he gives us; the more he gives us, the more we can share with others. The teacher, preacher, and Christian witness will always have spiritual treasures in their hearts to pass along to those in need. By exercising diligence and discernment, we reject the wisdom of the world and the lies of the devil and we help to nurture people in God’s Word. If God’s children would only feed on the milk, bread, meat, and honey of the Word, what a difference it would make in their lives and ministries! The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. Christ gives some good advice in this text. We note three lessons given here for our learning and profit. FIRST—THE ALARM "Take heed what you hear." If we are not careful what goes in our ears we can ruin our character. The gossip and slanderer would fill our ears with dirt which will defile our character. The foul mouth will fill our ears with dirt which will likewise defile our character. It does make a different what you hear. Elsewhere in the Scripture we are told go leave the presence of one who is speaking folly. Listen to the liberal news media and politician, and you will become fouled up in your thinking. Be careful what you hear. Sometimes it is not words but music that defiles the ear. The wrong kind of music has ruined more people that almost anything else. You can tell the spirituality of a person and a school by the music they produce. SECOND—THE AXIOM "With what measure ye mete [measure], it shall be measured to you." The context of this axiom tells us that the kind of stuff we listen to affects us in the way we listen to it. We would take this axiom out of its context to give it a more universal application. In this it says, you get what you paid for. If you put forth a great effort you will reap accordingly, but if you put forth a lame effort you will not reap abundantly. Many folk want but are unwilling to pay the money or time or energy that it takes to get what they want. They want to know the Bible but will not study it much, so they are spiritual dunces. They want to advance in their job but do not put forth much effort on the job. The farmer who wants a good crop has to work for it. It does not come automatically simply because he wants a good crop. If you want to achieve in life, you will have to sacrifice and give much time and effort to achieving or you will not make it. Many folk have a champagne taste and a Pepsi-cola budget. They want to purchase a Cadillac at a price of a used Ford. Then they wonder why they do so little. THIRD—THE AWARD "Unto you that hear shall more be given." This is part of the axiom, we apply it to our text. If you hear the truth diligently, your award will be to be knowledgeable in the truth. Those who burn the midnight oil gain the award of learning because they pursued the truth diligently. If you are disinterested in hearing God's Word preached and in reading your Bible, you will not do well in spiritual knowledge. But the diligent in this area will be "given more," they will grow in the knowledge of the Lord. It is those who give themselves to learning who have the award of learning the Word. Spiritual ignorance is for the dilatory, but the spiritual award comes to the diligent. (John Butler - Sermon Starters) Instruction from the Lord to Hearers C. H. Spurgeon. Mark 4:23-24 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.… In these days we have many instructions as to preaching; but our Lord principally gave directions as to hearing. The art of attention is quite as difficult as that of homiletics. The text may be viewed as a note of discrimination. Hear the truth, and the truth only. Be not indifferent as to your spiritual meat, but use discernment, We shall use it as a note of arousing. When you do hear the truth, give it such attention as it deserves. Give good heed to it. I. HEAR IS A PRECEPT: "Take heed what ye hear." Hear with discrimination, shunning false doctrine (John 10:5). Hear with attention; really and earnestly hearing (Matthew 13:23). Hear for yourself, with personal application (1 Samuel 3:9). Hear retentively, endeavouring to remember the truth. Hear desiringly, praying that the Word may be blessed to you. Hear practically, obeying the exhortation which has come to you.Note — this hearing is to be given, not to a favourite set of doctrines, but to the whole of the Word of God (Psalm 119:128). II. HERE IS A PROVERB: "with what measure," etc. In proportion as you give yourself to hearing, you shall gain by hearing. Those who have no interest in the Word find it uninteresting. Those who desire to find fault, find faults enough. Those who seek solid truth, learn it from any faithful ministry. Those who hunger find food. Those who bring faith, receive assurance. Those who come joyfully are made glad.But no man finds blessing by hearing error; nor by careless, forgetful, cavilling hearing of the truth. III. HERE IS A PROMISE: "Unto you that hear," etc. You that hear shall have — More desire to hear. More understanding of what ye hear. More convincement of its truth. More personal possession of the blessings of which you hear. More delight in hearing. More practical benefit from it. God gives more to those who value what they have. The light of Jesus' truth is revealed to us, not hidden. But we may not be able to see or to use all of that truth right now. Only as we put God's teachings into practice will we understand and see more of the truth. The truth is clear, but our ability to understand is imperfect. As we obey, we will sharpen our vision and increase our understanding (see James 1:22-25). (Life Application Study Bible) Carr adds - By the way, we serve a God Who specializes in giving us “more”. ·God doesn’t just pardon, He “abundantly pardons”, Isa. 55:7. ·God doesn’t just give mercy, He “delighteth in mercy”, Micah 7:18. ·God doesn’t just save, He saves “to the uttermost”, Heb. 7:25. ·God doesn’t just save the sinner and forgive his sins; He adopts him into His family. He gives him peace, joy, hope and blessing. He provides absolute assurance and eternal security. ·Our God majors in the “more”. You see we have a Savior Who gives not “of” His riches, but “according to His riches”, Phil. 4:19. When a billionaire gives a dollar out “of” his wealth he has given, but he hasn’t given much. When a billionaire gives “according to his riches” he can do great good. On one occasion, billionaire Bill Gates spent hundreds of millions of dollars to have every child in the African country of Rhodesia immunized against smallpox. That is giving “according to his riches”. God’s giving makes what Bill Gates’ did pale in comparison! God reaches into His vast stores in Heaven and He keeps on giving us “more”. More love, more mercy, more forgiveness, more grace, more hope, more blessings, etc. Mark 4:24 - We Hear What Our Ears are Tuned To - Anthropologist Ethal Alpenfels once told me about a woodsman who was walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City with a friend. All at once the woodsman said, “Why, I hear a cricket.” “Nonsense,” scoffed the city man. “In this uproar? Not a chance.” “ But I do,” said the woodsman, “and I’ll show you.” At that he took a dime out of his pocket and dropped it on the pavement. Instantly, people within 30 feet turned around to see whose coin had dropped. “You see,” said the woodsman, “people hear what their ears are tuned to. Mine happen to be tuned to crickets.” (A. Purnell Bailey, columnist, Capper’s Weekly) Mark 4:24 - THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LISTENING Take heed therefore how ye hear.... Luke 8:18. What we hear is important (Mark 4:24), but it is equally important how we hear. Receiving with meekness the engrafted Word (James 1:21) is a solemn duty. One reason why we do not have many great preachers, is because we do not have many great listeners! It is just as important that Christians prepare to hear the sermon as it is that the preacher prepare to preach it. How few churchgoers ever think of readying ears and heart to hear the Word of God! We must be doers of the Word, of course, as well as hearers, but good hearing prepares for good doing. (Vance Havner) Mark 4:25 “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” NET Mark 4:25 For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." GNT Mark 4:25 ὃς γὰρ ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ· καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. NLT Mark 4:25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them." KJV Mark 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. ESV Mark 4:25 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." NIV Mark 4:25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." ASV Mark 4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. CSB Mark 4:25 For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." NKJ Mark 4:25 "For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." NRS Mark 4:25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." YLT Mark 4:25 for whoever may have, there shall be given to him, and whoever hath not, also that which he hath shall be taken from him.' NAB Mark 4:25 To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." NJB Mark 4:25 anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he has.' GWN Mark 4:25 Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, some people don't understand these mysteries. Even what they understand will be taken away from them." BBE Mark 4:25 He who has, to him will be given: and he who has not, from him will be taken even that which he has. Mt 13:12 25:28,29 Lu 8:18 16:9-12 19:24-26 Joh 15:2 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries HEAR IT AND HERALD IT! Luke 8:18+ “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” For (gar) term of explanation. Whoever has, to him more shall be given - The point is that it was only as His disciples shared the light they had received would they be enabled to receive more spiritual light. Grant Osborne - The warning is quite clear, spelling out the two sides of the principle of reciprocity in Mark 4:24. Those who “have ears to hear” (Mark 4:9, 23, 24a) the parables are the fruitful soil from Mark 4:8, 20 and receive “even more” teaching and understanding (thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold). Those who do not open their hearts to the kingdom truths (like the first three soils in the opening parable) lose even what little understanding and blessing they originally possessed. This would be especially tragic in this Jewish context because those Jews who reject Jesus lose their covenant place in the olive tree (Ro 11:17). (Teach the Text Commentary Series – Mark) Disciples are not made to be reservoirs but conduits! And whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him - Use it or lose it is the idea! Examples include our physical muscles which we must be used else we lose them (atrophy). Or remember that Hebrew or Greek (or any language) you were so proficient with in school, but now it sounds like a "foreign language" to you because you have not used it for years. THOUGHT - Is this not the same principle Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount when He gave a charge coupled with a caution - Matthew 5:13+ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless (cf "whoever does not have"), how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men (cf "taken away from him". (Mt 5:13+) In Colossians Paul issued a command to "Conduct (present imperative a command calling for us to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of (redeeming exagorazo in present tense - see Redeem the Time) the opportunity (kairos). 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Col 4:5-6+) Share the Gospel light frequently in the power of the Spirit. MacArthur on whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him - The parallel statement in Luke 8:18 makes the intent of Jesus’ statement clear: “Whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” False converts (as illustrated by the rocky and weedy soils) may claim to have spiritual life, but in reality they do not possess it. They may profess to know God, but through their works they deny Him (Titus 1:16). On the day of judgment, with no foundation, their house will come crashing down (Matt. 7:26–27; cf. Phil. 3:8). The emptiness of their superficial faith will be exposed (cf. James 2:19), and the Lord will say to them “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23). Jesus’ words also served as a warning to false teachers, those who scatter corrupted seed. Just as there are false disciples, there are also false evangelists. Both will be judged by God. Conversely, genuine believers delight in proclaiming the truth of the gospel to others, knowing that such obedience brings divine blessing both in this world and in heaven Spurgeon's Exposition - When the gospel is not received, when a man refuses it, it becomes a positive loss to him. There is a way by which it so works that, what a man thought he had, disappears. Some have been made worse by the preaching of that Word which ought to have made them better. May it not be so with any one of us! B B Warfield - Observe how pointedly our Lord develops this idea in the later verses of our passage; with what piercing directness He asserts the effect in the last verse of all: For he that hath to him shall be given, and he that hath not from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Here is the underlying philosophy of parabolic teaching; and along with it of all teaching. And is it not so, our own hearts being the judge? Let the parables fall on the ears of one instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven and how beautifully rich in their teaching they are. Points of attachment are discovered at every step and the conceptions that rest half-formed in us are developed in the richest manner. Let them fall on the minds in which no thought of the Kingdom of Heaven was ever lodged; and they are but as rocks in the sky. All teaching as to divine and heavenly things is, in a measure, parabolic; we can reach above the world and ourselves only by symbols. All such teaching comes to us, then, as a test, and the proximate account of its varied reception may be found in the condition of the ears that hear it. Have we ears to hear this music? Or does it beat a vain jangling discord only in our ears? The philosophy of the progress of the Kingdom in the world rests on the one fact—the condition of the hearer. He that has ears to hear, hears; he that has no ears to hear this music, remains unmoved. (Faith and Life) Daniel Akin - Respond to God‟s truth and more truth will follow. Embrace the Kingdom now when it is small and you will share in it when it is worldwide! In radical contrast, the one who rejects the Word, even what he has will be taken away (lost). Love Jesus and the Word and you get more of Jesus and the Word. Refuse Jesus and the Word and you lose the little you may once have had. This is a critical spiritual principle we must give careful and close attention. Our spiritual health, our spiritual eternity is at stake. ILLUSTRATION - The value gained by regular exercise. The results of stopping your exercise! Your muscles will atrophy. Use them or lose them! The superior spiritual parallel is seen in Paul's command to young Timothy - "But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline (present imperative only possible to make this your lifestyle by depending on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, (1) since it holds promise for the present life and (2) also for the life to come." (1 Ti 4:7-8+). Compare the thought of whoever has, to him more shall be given! Given not only in this present passing life, but in the future, forever life! "How we respond to Jesus day by day is of the utmost seriousness. Do not take for granted the relationship you have today. It could all be lost tomorrow." (Daniel Akin) Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. Chris Benfield - As you study the Scriptures, it becomes evident that God’s economy operates much differently than that of man. Jesus declared those who possess wisdom, earnestly desiring it, are promised to receive more; while those who lack wisdom, with no desire to obtain it, will lose what little they have. The truth of Christ is available for all who desire it, but we must seek it. This presents a challenge for every believer to be a good steward of all the Lord has provided. He gives wisdom for our good and His glory. We are expected to use the wisdom we currently possess in order to obtain more. I certainly desire to possess everything the Lord has to offer. I pray we all will be good stewards of that which the Lord has entrusted us. The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. -- Proverbs 18:15 Brian Bell - So, how will people respond to their/our message? As we learned last week from the Parable of the Soils there will be many indifferent or hostile to this message. So Jesus gives them two more Parables to encourage them/us, that the going will be rough at times but there will be an exciting harvest. When the going gets tough, the tough (Spirit filled toughness) will get going! Chris Benfield - I don’t think anyone would deny that we are living in a dark day spiritually. The cure for darkness has always been the introduction of light. Those who walk in darkness are not even aware of the severity of their darkness (ED: AKA "THEY ARE DECEIVED!"). They need the light of Christ to shine in their path, through the life of a believer. We are called to be salt and light.Our light was not given to be hidden away within our areas of comfort, but to shine forth in the darkness. Have you been saved by grace, possessing the light of Christ? If so, is your light shining so other may see? If not, I urge you to seek the Lord to remove whatever’s hiding your light, so you can shine for Him. If you do not possess this light, come to Christ for salvation! Bob
Marcos 4
Spurgeon - Be careful what you hear; hear the truth, and the truth only. It does seem to me as if some people said, “Here is a place of worship; there is sure to be a sermon, let us go in and hear it.” Ah! but all that is preached is not gospel, and it is not all hearing that will be valuable to your souls. Especially at this present time it is incumbent upon Christians to learn how to use the discerning faculty with regard to what is, and what is not, truth. Would you eat all meat indiscriminately without tasting and testing its quality? If so, would you not soon be ill? Does a man take any drug that may happen to be upon the chemist’s shelves? Does he not expect great care to be exercised in the doctor’s dispensary, lest he should be taking poison where he hoped for a salutary medicine? Remember what the apostle John says, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” And when you do know what the truth is, be not ready to listen to that which is contrary to it; or you will rue the day in which you lent your ear to the deceiver. Ulysses was not unwise when he sealed the ears of his sailors while they passed by the rocks of the sirens, for they sang so sweetly that they tempted mariners to run their ships upon the rocks where they would be wrecked. So, dear friends, with sealed ears pass by those who have nothing to communicate that can tend to your spiritual edification, and thus carry out our Saviour’s words, “Take heed what ye hear.” This command is also a very clear note of warning. We take heed what we eat, and what we drink; every person who desires to have health does that; and shall we be careless of what we hear? May we not, by hearing error and falsehood, engender disease in our spirit, and bring our soul into sin, and sorrow, and eternal ruin? Time is too short for us to be listening to every babbler; heaven and earth are too important for us to be running any risk concerning our eternal state by giving heed to the speculations of evil men. Holman NT Commentary - Hear in the Bible also carries the meaning of “act upon.” Jesus was telling us to pay attention to what we hear and beware how we act upon it. Vance Havner - THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LISTENING Take heed therefore how ye hear.... Luke 8:18. What we hear is important (Mark 4:24), but it is equally important how we hear. Receiving with meekness the engrafted Word (James 1:21-22+) is a solemn duty. One reason why we do not have many great preachers, is because we do not have many great listeners! It is just as important that Christians prepare to hear the sermon as it is that the preacher prepare to preach it. How few churchgoers ever think of readying ears and heart to hear the Word of God! We must be doers of the Word, of course, as well as hearers, but good hearing prepares for good doing. Bob
Marcos 4
Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Sowing Seed - Broadcasting it by Hand (Note the man of far right casting a semi-circle of seed - click to enlarge) Here is a link to a simple but well done 3 minute animated video of Jesus' Parable of the Sower/Soils, but does not include Jesus' explanation. It would be great to show to the kids before they are discharged to Sunday School as is the pattern in many churches. The sower went out to sow - The sower is not identified in this parable, but in context is first Jesus, then His first disciples and finally His future disciples (us!) Now if you are in the Jewish crowd, you would say "so far, so good!" In Israel's agrarian society, Jesus' listeners would immediately relate to a parable about a man sowing seed. Everyone was familiar with the picture of the farmer walking along his plot, sowing seed from his bag of seeds. They understood this much and would also understand His descriptions of the productivity or lack of productivity of the seed in the different soils. The audience understood on the surface, but would not be able to understand the deeper or hidden spiritual truths behind the significance of sowing seed and the response of the different soils. Spurgeon - “The sower who went out to sow.” Every true believer should go out with this one design—to scatter the good seed of the kingdom and to try to obtain for it an entrance into the hearts of their hearers. James Edwards has an interesting note that "Farming instructions in the Mishnah decreed that farming should be orderly, methodical, and with special care given not to mix seeds (m. Kil. 2:3ff.). But the sowing in Jesus’ parable is far from orderly and methodical; it is profligate, almost wasteful.... So intent is the farmer on a harvest that he sows in every corner of the field “in hopes that good soil might somewhere be found,” said Justin Martyr in his retelling of the parable over a century later (Dial. Trypho 125.1–2). Even so, rocks, thorns, and adverse elements render three-quarters of the labor lost. Those are discouraging odds. But the parable, ironically, does not end on a discouraging note. “Growing, increasing, and bringing forth,” the good soil yields a breathtaking harvest." (PNTC-Mk) Wessler comments that "Seed was sown in broadcast fashion (SEE PICTURE ABOVE - 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." (EBC-Mk) Lane adds that "The sower is not careless when he scatters the seed on the path or among the thorns or on ground which has no depth of soil. He does so intentionally, for the path on which the villagers have trodden over the stubble and the thorns which lie withered among the fallow ground will be plowed up to receive the seed. The seed that fell upon the rocky ground was scattered intentionally also, for the underlying limestone thinly covered with topsoil does not show above the surface until the plowing exposes it." (NICNT-Mk) The sower...to sow ("the sower" - ho speiron)(4687)(speiro from spao = draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and is the antithesis of reaping or gathering. Speiro is used here in a figurative sense to describe the sowing of the seed of the Word of God, the Gospel ( = "the word of the kingdom" - Mt 13:19+, cp = "the word" - Mk 4:14 15, 16, 18+), "the ideas and precepts that have been implanted like seed in their hearts, ie, received in their hearts (Mk 4:18)." (Thayer). Two uses of speiro in Septuagint metaphorically speak of a sowing evil (Hos 8:7) or sowing righteousness, the point being that like a boomerang, they will return a "harvest" of rotten or righteous fruit. Hos 8:7 For they (CONTEXT = NORTHERN KINGDOM) sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up. Hos 10:12 Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For (EXPLAINS HOW TO "SOW" RIGHTEOUSNESS!) it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. 13 You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors." Note the phrase "Break up your fallow ground!" Hard hearts are not hopeless but can be plowed up! Did the Lord have to plow up some things in your life to get your attention before you got saved? That was certainly true in my case (My Testimony of God's Grace) Let’s pray this for our friends who have hard hearts.And for our own hearts when they go through calloused times. Mark 4:4 as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. NET Mark 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. GNT Mark 4:4 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ σπείρειν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτό. NLT Mark 4:4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. KJV Mark 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. ESV Mark 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. NIV Mark 4:4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ASV Mark 4:4 and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it. CSB Mark 4:4 As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. NKJ Mark 4:4 "And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. NRS Mark 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. YLT Mark 4:4 and it came to pass, in the sowing, some fell by the way, and the fowls of the heaven did come and devour it; NAB Mark 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. NJB Mark 4:4 Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. GWN Mark 4:4 Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. BBE Mark 4:4 And while he was doing it, some was dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took it for food. Mk 4:15 Ge 15:11 Mt 13:4,19 Lu 8:5,12 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mt 13:4+ “and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Luke 8:5+ ““The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Van Gogh's "The Sower" As he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road - He did not sow some seed beside the road on purpose, but some seed simply fell in this place he knew would produce no growth. The seed was all of the same kind. In Van Gogh's picture above, note the road (or path) that went through the unfenced field which was hard packed and was where some seed fell. And the birds came and ate it up - The seed was on the surface and made an easy meal for the birds. Spurgeon - “Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.” The sower could not help that. It was not his fault but the fault of the hard path and of the birds. So when the word of God is denied entrance into people’s hearts, the witness will not be blamed by his or her Master; the fault lies between the hard heart that will not let the seed enter in and Satan who came and took it away. What About Your Heart? By: Eric J. Alexander Mark 4 INTRODUCTION: In this parable that has become, perhaps, too familiar to us, our Lord begins with divine insight to sketch the true character of the hearts into which the good seed of the Word is going to be known. So Jesus paints the picture, first of the hard heart, then of the shallow heart, then of the divided heart, and lastly of the open heart. I. THE HARD HEART “Some seed,” says Jesus, “fell by the wayside.” But the trouble was that the wayside was so exposed to the traffic of the world and the constant comings and goings of the feet of men, that it became over the weeks and months and years as hard as concrete, and no seed ever penetrated. II. THE SHALLOW HEART “Some fell on stony ground”—or ground where there was a thin covering of earth, beneath which was the rock. There are two words in v. 5 and two in v. 6, which sum up the problem. The two words in v. 5 are “no depth,” and the two words in v. 6 are “no root.” If it was, in the first case, a stubborn resistance which was the barrier to the Word, in the second picture it is superficial reception which is the barrier to the Word. If in the first place the seed could not get in, in the second place it could not get down. III. THE DIVIDED HEART Here the seed really does get a deep hold, says Jesus; but the trouble is that it is not an undisputed hold. That means that the Word of God is not able to accomplish the purpose that the Holy Spirit means it to accomplish. The seed got in, and it got down, but it could not get room. Everything was set for a fruitful life, was strangled; and that field was ultimately left a wilderness. Are you a barren child of God, with a soul that is a wilderness; have you, through neglect maybe, seen the Word stifled? IV. THE OPEN HEART Some seed “fell on good ground, and brought forth… ” And it did so because this good ground is everything that the others are not. Here the seed can get in, and it can get down, and it can get room. LOSING THE WORD - As he sowed, some [seed] fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it. Mark 4:4 What a strange sight greeted my gaze as I looked out over the bay. There was old "Pete the pelican" bobbing around on the waves, and perched right on top of his head was a sea gull. Looking more closely I discovered that "Pete" had caught a fish, but its tail was sticking out one side of his huge beak. What a dilemma the old pelican was in! He had gotten his fish, but now to eat it he would have to open his mouth, and sitting right there ready to snatch it as soon as he did so was Mr. Sea Gull. He knew he had "Pete" right where he wanted him. As I saw the wise old sea gull ready to grab the food from the pelican's mouth, I was reminded of Jesus' parable about the sower and the fact that as some seed fell by the wayside, "the fowls of the air came and devoured it." Jesus explained that this was a picture of Satan's tactics in taking the Word from the hearts of those who, although receiving the message of grace, fail to understand and believe it. The seed of the Word falls on many a soil, The fertile, the thorny, the hard; Lest haply it fruitless in thy heart be sown, Blest soul, be thou ever on guard. — H.G.B. Take heed to the Word; remember, a man's spirit needs daily food as well as his body! —Edmund Nelson Sow What? He who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. —Proverbs 11:18 Today's Scripture: Mark 4:1-20 On the clock tower of my alma mater is an Art Deco bas-relief sculpture titled The Sower. The inscription beneath it is from Galatians 6:7, “Whatsoever a man soweth.” Michigan State University remains a leader in agricultural research, but despite many improvements in farming techniques and crop production, this fact remains: Seeds of corn will not produce a crop of beans. Jesus used many farming metaphors to explain the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower (Mark 4), He compared the Word of God to seeds sown in different types of soil. As the parable indicates, the sower sows indiscriminately, knowing that some seed will fall in places where it will not grow. Like Jesus, we are to sow good seed in all places at all times. God is responsible for where it lands and how it grows. The important thing is that we sow. God does not want us to reap destruction, so He wants us to sow what is good and right (Prov. 11:18). The apostle Paul elaborated on the metaphor when he warned believers not to sow seeds of corruption. Instead, we are to sow seeds that will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8). Sow a thought, reap an act; Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny. —Anon. A buried seed brings fruit; a selfless life reaps an eternal harvest. Corn Palace Some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. —Mark 4:4 Today's Scripture: Mark 4:1-20 The walls of the Mitchell Corn Palace exhibit beautiful murals every year. Scenes include birds in flight, Conestoga wagons heading West, Native American teepees, and rural settings. There is one peculiarity about these murals though—they are made out of corn, seeds, and grasses. The outside murals are replaced each year with a new theme, partly because hungry birds eat from them. Jesus told a parable about birds and seeds: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it” (Mark 4:3-4). Other seed fell among rocky soil and thorns, making them unfruitful (vv.5-7). But some fell on good ground and yielded an abundant crop (v.8). Lord, please use Your Word to touch the hearts of those with whom we share it. We know that You are the One who opens the eyes of the spiritually blind. Don’t let Satan’s schemes win out. We plant the seed; God gives the harvest. Mark 4:5 “Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. NET Mark 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. GNT Mark 4:5 καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ πετρῶδες ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς· NLT Mark 4:5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. KJV Mark 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: ESV Mark 4:5 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. NIV Mark 4:5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ASV Mark 4:5 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: CSB Mark 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn't have deep soil. NKJ Mark 4:5 "Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. NRS Mark 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. YLT Mark 4:5 and other fell upon the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang forth, because of not having depth of earth, NAB Mark 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. NJB Mark 4:5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and at once sprang up, because there was no depth of earth; GWN Mark 4:5 Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn't much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn't deep. BBE Mark 4:5 And some went on the stones, where it had not much earth; and it came up straight away, because the earth was not deep: Mk 4:16,17 Eze 11:19 36:26 Ho 10:12 Am 6:12 Mt 13:5,6,20 Lu 8:6,13 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Schematic of Four Soils, Four Results SHALLOW SOIL SUDDEN APPEARANCE Parallel Passages: Mt 13:5+ “Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. Luke 8:6+ “Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Jesus' Interpretation: Mark 4:16-17 “In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil - Other is allo meaning other seed of the same kind. So the seed was not the variable accounting for the amount of fruit produced. The soil was the variable that would determine the productivity of the seed. Rocky ground is not a few rocks scattered with the soil. Imagine a plate or table like expanse of rock which was covered by thin layer of soil, enough soil for the seed to germinate. The footpath in the previous verse obviously had dirt (dust), but was otherwise essentially packed from traffic as hard as rock and provided no bed for seed to germinate. NET adds "The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil." And immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil - The heat of the sun hitting the plate of rock stimulated the seed to quickly germinate and the hot stone would induce the plant to prematurely spring upward. In fact the conditions of shallow soil and rock beneath created a hotbed-like effect, for a modern hotbed includes a bed of earth covered with glass and heated by rotting manure to promote the growth of plants, especially used for forcing or for raising seedlings. Spurgeon - Persons with shallow characters are often quick in receiving religious impressions, but they also lose them just as quickly. Those who are hasty and impulsive are as easily turned the wrong way as the right way. Immediately (2117)(euthus) as adverb to mean immediately, right away, at once, without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening. The use of euthus with the meaning of immediately is a key word in the Gospel of Mark Mark 4:6 “And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. NET Mark 4:6 When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered. GNT Mark 4:6 καὶ ὅτε ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη. NLT Mark 4:6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died. KJV Mark 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ESV Mark 4:6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. NIV Mark 4:6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ASV Mark 4:6 and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. CSB Mark 4:6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn't have a root, it withered. NKJ Mark 4:6 "But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. NRS Mark 4:6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. YLT Mark 4:6 and the sun having risen, it was scorched, and because of not having root it did wither; NAB Mark 4:6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. NJB Mark 4:6 and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. GWN Mark 4:6 When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn't have any roots, so they withered. the sun: Song 1:6 Isa 25:4 Jon 4:8 Jas 1:11 Rev 7:16 no root: Ps 1:3,4 92:13-15 Jer 17:5-8 Eph 3:17 Col 2:7 2Th 2:10 Jude 1:12 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mt 13:6+ “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Luke 8:6+ “Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Shallow Soil & Hot Sun Withers Plant SHALLOW SOIL AND SUN SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE And after the sun had risen, it was scorched - The young plant was scorched by the heat and soon succumbed to the burning heat (and if you have ever been to Israel, you know that the sun can be intense and it is easy for tourists to quickly "wither" and become dangerously dehydrated!) Scorched (2739)(kaumatizo from kauma = heat from kaio = to burn) means actively to harm with heat as in Rev 16:8, 9 and passively to describe withering of plants from sun's extreme heat. Not found in Septuagint. Usage: scorch(1), scorched(3). Mt 13:6; Mk 4:6; Rev. 16:8 = " sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire"; Rev. 16:9 = "Men were scorched with fierce heat; (NOTE THE TWO EFFECTS) and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory." And because it had no root, it withered away - No root meant no channel to allow the plant to take in moisture as explained in Luke's version (Lk 8:6+) Withered (dry) (3583)(xeraino from xeros = dry) means to become dry, to dry up. Used in each account of this parable - Mt 13:6, Lk 8:6. Mark 4:7 “Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. NET Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. GNT Mark 4:7 καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ συνέπνιξαν αὐτό, καὶ καρπὸν οὐκ ἔδωκεν. NLT Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. KJV Mark 4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ESV Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. NIV Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ASV Mark 4:7 And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. CSB Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn't produce a crop. NKJ Mark 4:7 "And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. NRS Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. YLT Mark 4:7 and other fell toward the thorns, and the thorns did come up, and choke it, and fruit it gave not; NAB Mark 4:7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. NJB Mark 4:7 Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. GWN Mark 4:7 Other seeds were planted among thorn bushes. The thorn bushes grew up and choked them, and they didn't produce anything. BBE Mark 4:7 And some went among the thorns, and the thorns came up, and it had no room for growth and gave no fruit. Mk 4:18,19 Ge 3:17,18 Jer 4:3 Mt 13:7,22 Lu 8:7,14 12:15 21:34 1Ti 6:9,10 1Jn 2:15,16 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mt 13:7+ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. Mark 4:7+ Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Luke 8:7+ Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop - Other is allo again emphasizing it is seed of the same kind. The failure to yield a crop was not a seed problem but a soil problem! The thorns infested the ground with their viable roots which would give rise to thorn bushes which would compete with the sprouting seedlings that were beginning to show blades on the surface. The thorns in Israel were not just a few small thistles, but could grow up to 6 feet tall and have a major root system which would literally strangle the roots that might originate from a germinated seed. I have recently had several breakages in plastic pipes in my sprinkler system which were literally caused by tree roots. The verb choked means crowded together and/or pressed upon to the point that the thickly growing thistles and weeds would completely throttle the plant and overwhelm its root system resulting no crop or fruit. And so the second soil is a fruitless plant. Thorns (173)(akantha from ake = a point, edge) describes a thorn, prickle, thornbush. In Genesis God cursed the land because of Adam's sin declaring "Both thorns (Lxx = akantha) and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field." Akantha is later used to describe the "crown of thorns" (Mt 27:29) on the One Who became a curse for us! Jesus wore a "crown of thorns" for believers who will one day cast their own crowns to the King of kings! Choke (4846)see note below on sumpnigo Crop (fruit) (2590)(karpos) literally refers to fruit, produce or offspring which is produced by the inherent energy of a living organism. In the 3 synoptic accounts of the parable of the sower/soils, karpos is used by Jesus in it literal sense 4 times each time translated as crop but- Mt 13:8+, Mk 4:7, 8+ and Lk 8:8+. Karpos is what something produces naturally. But for believers karpos is something God's Spirit does through us supernaturally. Each literal use by Jesus pointed to a figurative meaning of spiritual fruit as indicated by His explanation describing people as unfruitful (akarpos in Mk 4:19+, Mt 13:22+) and as those who bear fruit (karpophoreo in Mk 4:20+, Mt 13:23+). Scripture describes 3 general kinds of spiritual fruit: (1) Spiritual attitudes that characterize a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led believer - Gal 5:22-23+ (2) Righteous actions - Ro 6:22+, Php 4:16, 17+; Heb 13:5+ (3) New converts - Ro 16:5+
Marcos 4
Spurgeon - There were three failures but one success, or perhaps we might more correctly say three successes. Three sorts of ground yielded nothing, but at last the sower came to a piece of soil that had been well prepared and, therefore, was good ground that yielded fruit, though the quantity varied even there—“thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.” ("three successes") And as they grew up and increased - Grew up and increased (only Mark has "grew up and increased") are both in the present tense, picturing a normal steady growth in the plants. THOUGHT - As an aside, this is a good principle to apply to "newly sprouted" believers who too should be steadily growing up and increasing spiritually. aka progressive sanctification. And this is where "mature gardeners" are needed to come alongside and disciple "young plants" in the Truth of Scriptures. Sadly, there is a scarcity of genuine older, mature disciple-making men and women. It seems the church has forgotten the one command in Jesus' Great Commission to "make disciples" (Mt 28:19+) and it has become more like the "Great Omission!" Were you truly discipled when you were born again? Are you discipling younger believers? (see 2 Ti 2:2+). A natural question is how did plants grow and increase? Jesus does not explain that here, but He does allude to it in His description of the "plant" that withers and the person who falls away. (Mk 4:6, 17) Why do they "wither" and fall away? He says they have no root. No root means there can be no growth. So the root is the key to growth. No growth means no fruit and no fruit and no fruit means the person is not a genuine believer. THOUGHT - Psalm 1 describes the "root system" of a fruitful believer and the root is intimately linked with the Word of God, for we read How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. -- Psalm 1:1-3 (see notes on Ps 1:1; Ps 1:2; Ps 1:3) Comment: Notice first that in order to delight in the Word, one needs to dismiss the wooing of the world - don't walk, stand or sit under its evil influence. If you do, you can hardly expect your heart will delight in the Word, but more probably will run from the Word, for it is like a mirror which shows us what kind of man we are! But if we pursuing holiness, we will desire to pursue the Holy Word and thereby we develop our "root system" and supernaturally produce fruit to the glory of God. The person who delights in God’s Word send roots down deep to the river of life. We see a similar pattern in 1 Pe 2:1+ and 1 Pe 2:2+ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for (aorist imperative - See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey this command) the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow (see auxano below) in respect to salvation. Comment: Note Peter's verse 1 parallels Psalm 1:1+. Both deal with encumbering sin! We put off these sins by confession and repentance and thereby our appetite is stimulated so that we long for the pure milk of the Word. An "unholy" appetite never longs for holy food! And as we take in the pure milk, we grow in respect to our salvation (progressive sanctification). I consider the inherent principle found in this passage the most important factor in whether a believer will grow in Christlikeness. The "formula" is simple - No intake, no growth. That happens with real babies and sadly that happens with many believers, who simply "snack" on the Bible, "eating" a few verses here and there, sometimes going days with no spiritual intake. Little wonder that so many in the Church in America are spiritually "anemic," which in turn weakens one's immune system to be able (by the Spirit) to resist and abstain from the attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil! Jesus prayed in John 17:17, "Father, sanctify them in the truth. Thy word is truth." Comment: The "seed" of the Word of God is the means used by the Holy Spirit to progressively set apart God's people, transforming them from glory to glory into the image of Christ (memorize 2 Cor 3:18+) and thereby making them more and more fruitful (see also progressive sanctification). Grew up (came up) (305)(anabaino from ana = upwards, up, as a pref. denotes up, again, back + basis = a foot) means to go up, to ascend, cause to ascend from a lower to a higher place. Anabaino is also used in Mt 13:7 but not of the fruitful plants as here, but of "the thorns (that) came up and choked" the plants. Increased (837)(auxano) means to cause to grow or cause to become greater in extent, size, state, or quality. As in 1 Peter 2:2 above and other passages auxano is used figuratively to describe spiritual growth. For example, in Paul's great prayer (always a good prayer to pray for one another!) we read "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit (karpophoreo in the present tense describes this as a process, in essence an answer to the prayer) in every good work and increasing (auxano in the present tense and the "divine passive" depicting God's Spirit causing the believer's continual growth) in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously (giving thanks) (Col 1:9-11+) They yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold - Yielded and produced are both in the vivid imperfect tense signifying "kept on yielding...kept on producing." Notice that every plant yields some fruit. Jesus will later explain that "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” (Mk 4:20) By way of application every genuine Christian will produce some fruit. Hiebert observes that "the numbers indicate the increase in grain harvested over the amount of grain sown. The yield, arranged by Mark in an order of climax, varied according to the fertility of the soil. The soil of the plain of Gennesaret, on the northwestern shore of the lake, was prodigiously productive. Josephus enthusiastically called it “the ambition of nature” (Wars 3. 10. 8).While much of the sower’s work seemed to be in vain, the picture presented by the parable was not pessimistic, but realistic. The larger part of the field consisted of good soil where the seed sown produced amazing results" (Gospel of Mark-An Expositional Commentary) Some writers like William Lane see this yield of a crop in eschatological terms - "The climax of the parable strongly emphasizes the glorious character of the harvest, the thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold yield, the last of which would be an unusually large harvest. Since this is seen against the background of many obstacles, it is clear that the emphasis does not fall on the enormity of the waste, but on the enormity and splendor of the harvest. The harvest is a common figure for the consummation of the Kingdom of God (cf Joel 3:13+) and in the parable there is a significant reflection on the future, eschatological aspect of the Kingdom: it shall be glorious in character. But in addition to this future aspect there is also significant reflection on the activity prior to harvest, the sowing of the seed and its growth. The action of God must be recognized in these phases as well as in the harvest (ED:cf 1 Cor 3:6). The coming of the Kingdom of God is thus presented in comprehensive terms which call attention both to its present and to its future aspects. A common supposition—shared apparently by John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples and the multitude—was that the Kingdom of God meant harvest, judgment, consummation. What Jesus taught through the veiled means of the parable of the sower was the relationship between the coming of the Kingdom in his own person and proclamation, and the delay of the end, the harvest, the consummation." (NICNT-Mk) Ray Stedman's illustration of good soil - I talked this week with a prominent businessman who was passing through this area. He told me about how he became a Christian. He had been raised with no church background at all, and had four different sets of foster parents before he was eighteen. He had tried various philosophies, seeking some answers to the riddle of life. Among them were transcendental meditation and the Eastern religions. None of this satisfied him. One day a friend invited him to go to church, and he went -- for the first time in his life. The pastor spoke about Christ. Afterward he met the pastor and said to him, "Sir, if I understand you correctly, Christianity is saying that up here is God; down here is man; and in between is Jesus Christ, and that he is the key for man to reach God. Is that right?" The pastor said, "Yes, that's right. In fact, you've accurately described a verse in Scripture which says: 'For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,'" (1 Timothy. 2:5). This man said, "Well, that makes sense to me." The pastor said, "I've got a book here I'd like you to take home and read. And next week, if you come back and have read it, we'll sit down and talk about it together." The man said to the pastor, "Well, I appreciate that. But tell me: If it is true that Jesus really is the way to God, then why do I have to wait till next week? Why can't I come to him now? If it really works, it will work now; if it doesn't work, it never will." The pastor said, "You're exactly right." So they bowed their heads, and the man received Christ, became a Christian immediately. He received the Word, has grown in grace ever since, and has become a strong testimony for Christ. That is the responsive heart which is ready to act. It is true not only at the initial stages of Christianity, but whenever the Word falls on us, that the seed is being sown. And areas of our life are either ready to respond, or, like any of the other kinds of soil, reject the truth. This is the way the kingdom of God, the rule of God, comes into our hearts. The great question, then, is: Examine your heart when the Word is being sown. What is it like? What is it like right now? (Seed Thoughts) Good Soil Read: Mark 4:1-20 Other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased, and produced. —Mark 4:8 John Chrysostom was one of the most captivating preachers of the early Christian church. However, he recognized that even great orators cannot make everyone listen. Chrysostom noted, “My preaching is addressed to all . . . , but it is the duty of each one of my listeners to take what is suited for his affliction. I do not know who are sick, who are healthy. Therefore, I discuss subjects of every sort and suited to every illness.” In Mark 4, the parable of the sower and the soils teaches the importance of how we respond to the Word of God. It tells us that the success or failure of a crop isn’t necessarily in the skill of the farmer or in the power of the seed, but in the quality of the soil. Some listeners are like rich soil, and the message takes root in their heart. Other audiences resemble the church parking lot, and the seed simply bounces off them. Still others are like a weed patch that chokes potential growth. As planted seed in fertile soil Has life and will take root, God’s Word, if nurtured in our hearts, Will grow and bring forth fruit. —Hess In good soil, the seed takes root and will soon bear fruit. Mark 4:9 And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
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Spurgeon comments that the evil one "does not mind their merely hearing. What he is afraid of is their believing, for he knows that in believing lies the secret of their salvation." In fact as Darrell Bock notes "When God seeks to speak to humanity, a cosmic battle breaks out." (Call to Faith and Christology) Immediately (2117)(euthus) as adverb to mean immediately, right away, at once, without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening. The use of euthus with the meaning of immediately is a key word in the Gospel of Mark Matthew 13:19 says the Evil One snatches what has been sown in his heart which is the verb harpazo which means to snatch up or way, taking the Word suddenly, with speed and without warning! Upshot - When one hears the Word of the Gospel, they need to "grab hold" of it quickly, at least giving themselves a chance to ponder its veracity or otherwise it is immediately snatched away! Luke 8:12+ adds a phrase not in Matthew or Mark "They will not believe and be saved - One must personally believe the Gospel in order to be saved. There is no other way (cf Jn 14:6, Acts 4:12). Failure to believe the Gospel will eventually result in eternal damnation. Sadly it is that simple! R C H
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Spurgeon - THE gospel seed, according to the parable, falls upon all kinds of soil. Some of its precious grains drop upon the hard pathway, some upon the rock, some amongst the thorns, and only a portion, perhaps a smaller proportion than one in four, falls upon good ground, in which it finds a congenial abiding-place. The preacher, therefore, will not meet with unmixed success in all directions. He may look for a full recompense from his work as a whole, but he must not fondly suppose that everywhere the good word will become effectual; for in many it will be a savor of death unto death, and not of life unto life. Even when Jesus preached but few received him , and of Paul’s ministry it is recorded that “some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.” It is for the beginner in holy service to go forward with reasonable expectations, lest he should ere long weary of the work and leave it because of his bitter disappointments. Mark, with care, that the sower in the parable is not blamed for having scattered his seed upon soil which proved to be unproductive; not a word of censure is recorded against him on that account; from which it is fair to infer that he did no more and no less than his duty, and that the minister of Christ is to scatter the seed of the Gospel broadcast among all mankind. It is God’s work to direct the saving word into the chosen hearts which he has prepared to receive it, but as for us, we are to preach the gospel to every creature, and going out into the streets and lanes of the city, as many as we find we are to bid to the supper. Many are called but few are chosen; it was never intended that the external call should be as narrow as the election; yet there are some ministers whose preaching consists far more of an analysis of soils than of a sowing of seed....It is mine to sow beside all waters, and his to give the increase. The best shot that was ever made with bow and arrow was taken at a venture, and Ahab the king was pierced between the joints of his harness (1 Ki 22:34 "Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor"); so also, while drawing my bow to preach the gospel to every creature, my faith feels confident that the Lord will direct the arrow and effect his purposes of grace.(The Seed Upon the Stony Ground) These are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places - These (cf Mk 4:5-6+). This is not soil with a few rocks, for most soil has at least a few rocks. the soil was deceptive. It was shallow because a hidden ledge of rock ran just beneath the thin layer of soil, like bedrock (see picture but with more soil than Jesus' example). It is actually a sort of "hot house" so the seed springs up immediately. The problem is it grows up but does not grow down! In other words there is no root system. The results are two-fold, rapid growth and rapid withering. This soil typifies the shallow heart, one that is superficial, emotional, easily interested and impressed, but with no depth of conviction. They have feeling but lack faith! (cf the rich young ruler - Lk 18:18-21+, second son of Mt 21:30). These may shed tears, but once they are dry, they fall away when tested.
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Spurgeon - “Hearers only” will not enter heaven; there must be a doing of the word as well as a hearing of it. These people were good hearers, capital hearers, for they went further than hearing — they received the word; not in the divine power or supernatural efficacy of it, but they nevertheless received it, that is to say, they never cavilled at it, they assented to it as they heard it, and recognized it as God’s truth. Receiving it, it produced an effect upon them. They were, in a measure, impressed by it....In them it excited no questions, doubts, or conflicts. The preacher said, “This the word of God,” and they were content to believe him, though they knew not why. While other minds were asking for the authority of the message, and then, having recognized the authority, were battling hard with a thousand difficulties, these persons saved themselves a world of trouble by never thinking at all. It was their father’s religion and their mother’s religion, therefore they believed it, they swallowed the pill with their eyes shut, caring nothing whether it was God’s truth or Satan’s lie. Anything like spiritual mastication of the doctrine they did not attempt, but they endorsed wholesale whatever they were taught....These hearers had no hard strugglings to get at the Savior, no sense of sin to hold them back, no horrors of conscience to make them afraid, no alarms lest they should not be the Lord’s own people after all, no testings and siftings to see whether they possessed real repentance and acceptable faith. They sprang into religion as a man may leap into a bath, head over heels at once. They said, “Surely this is the right thing, and we will have it;” and after a certain sort they did have it: not with any depth of consideration or weight of judgement, but immediately they received the word. (The Seed Upon the Stony Ground) Immediately receive it with joy - Receive (lambano) it means they take hold of or grasp the Word Luke's version uses the verb dechomai picturing these hearers of the Gospel actually "putting out the welcome mat" so to speak. They are enthusiastic and show great promise. Spurgeon - The immediate effect of receiving the word was to make them very happy; and there are not a few also suppose that to be made very happy is a sure sign of being converted. Believe me, it is a very dubious sign indeed. No doubt, one grand effect of the reception of the gospel into the heart is to bring joy and peace through believing, but there are many kinds of joy, and many sorts of peace, and there is a joy which is not the fruit of grace, but the growth of nature, and a peace which comes from delusion, and not from the Spirit of God. We must take care we do not conclude that we are safe because we are “so happy.” The rich man who went to hell was happy when he fared sumptuously every day; the farmer, who said he would pull down his barns and build greater, was happy when he surveyed his stores. ....These people heard the gospel one day, received it, and felt sure that they were saved; at once they were full of joy and transport, and hastened to make a profession. They did not require time to sit down and see whether they could bear out that profession, or seek grace that they might not run before they were called; but away they went, just as if a spark had been dropped into so much powder. They made a profession, and the next week they were teaching in the Sunday-school. They were so sure they were on the right road, that they were very vexed with other pilgrims who did not travel so rapidly. When they heard of Christians being anxious as to their condition, they said, “What nonsense! What reason was there for it?” If they saw a deep-taught Christian tremblingly examining himself, they sail, “Oh, you must not look at all at yourself; never consider what is going on within.” They had received a one-sided gospel only, and that quite contented them; but as to anything like the work of the Spirit of God in the soul, and the holy jealousy which is one of the best fruits of vital godliness, these they quite dispensed with. They were going to drag the church behind them, and drive the world before them, and very soon they would distance even the ministry which had been the means, as they said, of their conversion. They grew from hyssops on the wall to cedars of Lebanon in about a week. They were THE men, and wisdom would die with them. Grand work to have to deal with these men, is not it? We shall see by-and-by, and shall have to learn that not every stem that puts forth leaves is a fruit-bearing branch.(The Seed Upon the Stony Ground) Spurgeon notes that these hearers "did not recollect that between this and heaven there are temptations to be combatted and to be overcome, trials to be endured, stern trials, too, through which we can only be brought by divine help. Right arms must be cut off, and right eyes must be plucked out; there are costs to be counted, and reckonings to be made, as to whether the future will repay for the labors of the present. Youthful Hopefuls vow that they will have the brave country of Canaan, but they do not recollect the roughness of the road thither. Like Pliable, they set out for the Celestial City’ but they have not reckoned upon the Slough of Despond, and therefore after the first mouthful of mud they are ready to turn back, and let those have the brave country who care for it; as for them, if they can keep whole bones in their body, they will be well content to let the future go as it may. (The Seed Upon the Stony Ground) Excerpt from Pilgrim's Progress regarding Pliable Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk, they drew nigh to a very miry Slough that was in the midst of the plain, and they being heedless, did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the Slough was Despond. Here therefore they wallowed for a time, being grieviously bedaubed with dirt; and Christian, because of the Burden that was on his back, began to sink in the mire. Pliable: Then said Pliable, Ah! neighbor Christian, where are you now? Christian: Truly, said Christian, I do not know. Pliable: At that Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to his fellow, Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of? If we have such ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect between this and our Journey's end? May I get out again with my Life, you shall possess the brave Country alone for me. And with that he gave a desperate strug See Commentary Notes on Pliable
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Spurgeon - The sower in the parable is not blamed because his work was lacking. As the soil was so shallow, the apparent result was quick, and the disappointment was equally quick. I do trust that we will never be satisfied with temporary godliness, with slight impressions soon received and soon lost. Daniel Akin - Eager listeners, who make a quick profession of faith, pray a prayer, lift a hand, say a quick yes without considering all that it means. • Great start but no finish. Lightly come/lightly go. Superficial. Immediately (2117) (euthus) (Mk 4:5, Mk 4:15, 16, 17, Mk 4:29). Fall away (stumbles; takes offense) (4624)(skandalizo from skandalon= a trap = put a snare ; Eng = scandalize) means to put a snare or stumbling block in the way, and so causing to stumble or to take offense. They are in a sense "scandalized" by the Word, where the English word scanalized means struck with disgust or revulsion. Adrian Rogers says of this soil "what you have is a false profession. And it is all emotionalism. Oh, there are these people. You can give an invitation and get people to get emotional and to give their heart to Jesus, but they don’t really mean business with God. There is no root. It is all emotion. Now I’m not against emotion. Praise God for emotion. But, friend, you’re not saved by emotion. Sometimes people think that in order to be saved you have to shout or cry. You may do both, but you don’t have to do either. The Bible doesn’t mention feelings. You’re not saved by feelings. As a matter of fact, as far as I can find, the word feeling is only used twice in the entire New Testament. Over and over again, the Bible speaks of faith, trust, and commitment—of a life that is rooted in Jesus Christ. Now let me tell you something, friend, about these emotional, candy-legged soldiers. They say, “Yes, I’m going for Christ.” They’ll join anything if you give them a badge and a button. But listen. As soon as persecution and affliction comes, they fall away. There are some people who would give up membership in this church before they would give up getting a new car. There are some people, if it gets tough and if it gets tight, they will fall away. They won’t lose their salvation. They never had it. They are about a half-inch deep. Listen. Salvation is the deepest work of God. Your emotions are the shallowest part of your life. God doesn’t do His deepest work in the shallowest part. I’m not against emotions, but you’ve got to be more than just a half-inch deep. Do you mean business with God? (Be Careful How You Hear). Ray
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Spurgeon - Have any of us ever felt “a great calm”? It is much more than ordinary peace of mind—it is to one’s heart as if there were no further possibilities of fear. One’s troubles have so completely gone that such a person can scarcely remember them. There is no one but the Lord himself who can speak so to produce “a great calm.” No water can swallow the ship where lies The Master of ocean and earth and skies. Died down (2869)(kopazo from kopos = labor, fatigue) means to abate, cease, stop. To cease raging, to cease from violence, to grow weary or tired. "Greek epigram = the long hard sailing that I’ve faced will soon abate" (BDAG). Liddell-Scott - to grow weary: Used only 3x - Mt. 14:32 = "the wind stopped"; Mk. 4:39; Mk. 6:51 = "Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished" Septuagint - Ge 8:1; Ge 8:7; Ge 8:8; Ge 8:11; Nu 11:2; Nu 16:48; Nu 16:50; Jos. 14:15; Jdg. 15:7; Jdg. 20:28; Ru 1:18; 2 Sa 13:39; Est. 2:1; Est. 7:10; Ps. 49:8; Ps. 106:30; Jer. 14:21; Ezek. 43:10; Hos. 8:10; Amos 7:5; Jon. 1:11; Jon. 1:12; Gilbrant on uses in the Septuagint - Kopazō, “get tired, grow weary” (see kopos - always carries the extended meaning “cease” in Biblical literature. The Septuagint uses it to mean “cease” (Amos 7:5, etc) or cease doing something like anointing kings, speaking, or going out (Ru 1:18; Hos 8:10, etc.). People cease from sin (Ezek 43:10), and the land ceases from war (Josh 14:15). Plagues cease (Nu 16:48, etc.), fire ceases (Nu 11:2), water ceases (“dries up,” Ge 8:1, etc.), and the sea ceases (“becomes calm,” Jonah 1:11,12). (Ibid) Calm (1055)(galene) is a tranquility, quietness or stillness of the sea, "an unruffled surface on a body of water," (BDAG), or that which is calm and is used often to describe the weather. In NT it is used only to describe sea as calm - Mt 8:26, Mk 4:39, Lk 8:24. In Classic Greek it is used metaphorically to describe the spirit of serenest calm, Aesch.; in calm, Soph. LORD OF ALL CREATION Lord of all creation Of water, earth, and sky The heavens are Your tabernacle Glory to the Lord on High God of wonders, beyond out galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Early in the morning I will celebrate the light And as I stumble through the darkness I will call Your name by night God of wonders, beyond out galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth God of wonders, beyond out galaxy You are holy, holy Precious Lord, reveal Your heart to me Father holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy, holy, holy Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Mark 4:37-39 - In Mark's account of the stilling of the tempest we read, "there arose a great storm of wind" (Mark 4:37). The disciples aroused the Lord from His sleep and we read, "And he arose." (v. 39). We are in the greatest storm of history, but He is master of the storm. When the storm arises, let us arise in His strength and bid the tempest subside. Like the disciples we panic, forgetting Who is in the boat with us! We are hearing aplenty about the storm these days, but little about the Saviour. "There arose a storm. . . and he arose." Peace, Be Still Read: Mark 4:35-41 He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” —Mark 4:39 My friend Elouise has a wonderful way of putting life into clever perspectives. Once when I asked her, “How are you today?” I expected the usual “fine” response. Instead, she said, “I’ve got to wake Him up!” When I asked what she meant, she kiddingly exclaimed, “Don’t you know your Bible?!” Then she explained: “When the disciples faced trouble, they ran to wake up Jesus. I’m going to run to Him too!” What do we do when we are stuck in a troubling situation with nowhere to run? Maybe, like the disciples who were stuck in a life-threatening storm, we run to Jesus (Mark 4:35-41). Sometimes, however, we may try to bail ourselves out of trouble by seeking revenge, slandering the one who has caused our problem, or just cowering fearfully in the corner as we sink into despair. Lord, teach us to run to You in the midst of trouble. Forgive us for trying to bail ourselves out, and lead us to the peace of trusting Your wisdom and ultimate deliverance. Thank You that You will help us! Make Jesus your first option when the storms of life threaten you. In The Storm Read: Mark 4:35-41 [Jesus] said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” —Mark 4:39 A storm was brewing—not just on the horizon but also in a friend’s home. “When I was in Hong Kong,” she shared, “the local meteorological service announced that there was a superstorm approaching. But more than the storm that was looming outside my window, there was a storm brewing at home. While my dad was in the hospital, family members were trying to balance their home and work responsibilities while also traveling to and from the hospital. They were so tired that patience was wearing thin, and the situation at home was tense.” Life can feel like a storm—tossing us around with winds of misfortune, grief, or stress. Where can we turn? When Jesus’ disciples were caught in a great windstorm and wondered if He cared, they still knew where to turn. He demonstrated His power by calming the howling storm (Mark 4:38-39). Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, Or demons or men, or whatever it be No waters can swallow the ship where lies The Master of the ocean, and earth, and skies. —Baker One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think. —Brother Lawrence Growing in the Wind Read: Mark 4:36–41 Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him! Mark 4:41 Imagine a world without wind. Lakes would be calm. Falling leaves wouldn’t blow in the streets. But in still air, who would expect trees to suddenly fall over? That’s what happened in a three-acre glass dome built in the Arizona desert. Trees growing inside a huge windless bubble called Biosphere 2 grew faster than normal until suddenly collapsing under their own weight. Project researchers eventually came up with an explanation. These trees needed wind stress to grow strong. Jesus let His disciples experience gale-force winds to strengthen their faith (Mark 4:36–41). During a night crossing of familiar waters, a sudden storm proved too much even for these seasoned fishermen. Wind and waves were swamping their boat while an exhausted Jesus slept in the stern. In a panic they woke Him. Didn’t it bother their Teacher that they were about to die? What was He thinking? Then they began to find out. Jesus told the wind and waves to be quiet—and asked His friends why they still had no faith in Him. Help us remember anything that frightens us comes with an invitation to find the strength of knowing You. If the wind had not blown, these disciples would never have asked, “Who is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41). Father in heaven, please help us to remember that anything that frightens us comes with an invitation to find the strength of knowing and trusting You. God never sleeps. Christ In The Storm Read: Mark 4:33-41 Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? —Mark 4:40 At the age of 27, Rembrandt painted the seascape Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee based on the story in Mark 4. With its distinctive contrast of light and shadow, Rembrandt’s painting shows a small boat threatened with destruction in a furious storm. As the disciples struggle against the wind and waves, Jesus is undisturbed. The most unusual aspect, however, is the presence in the boat of a 13th disciple whom art experts say resembles Rembrandt himself. Mark’s gospel describes the disciples’ vivid lesson about who Jesus is and what He can do. While they were frantically trying to save a sinking boat, Jesus was asleep. Didn’t He care that they were all about to die? (v.38). After Jesus calmed the storm (v.39), He asked the penetrating question, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (v.40). Then they were even more afraid, exclaiming to each other, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (v.41). Be still, my heart; for faithful is thy Lord, And pure and true and tried His holy Word; Though stormy flood which rageth as the sea, His promises thy stepping-stones shall be. —Anon. God is a safe dwelling place in life’s storms. INSIGHT: Mark 4:35–5:43 records four miracles that answer the question, “Who can this be?” (Mark 4:41). These miracles demonstrated Jesus’ absolute power over nature (Mark 4:35-41), the spiritual world (Mark 5:1-20), physical illnesses (Mark 5:21-34), and death (Mark 5:35-43). Each miracle shows Jesus as the omnipotent sovereign God. Yet in this passage, Mark provides one of the most amazing contrasts. Just before Jesus displayed the awesome powers of His deity, we are given a touching picture of His humanity: Jesus was so tired that even the violent tossing of the waves did not wake Him (Mark 4:38). Calming The Storm Read: Mark 4:35-41 - He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. —Mark 4:39 While Hurricane Katrina headed toward the coast of Mississippi, a retired pastor and his wife left their home and went to a shelter. Their daughter pleaded with them to go to Atlanta where she could take care of them, but the couple couldn’t get any money to make the trip because the banks were closed. After the storm had passed, they returned to their home to get a few belongings, and were able to salvage only a few family photos floating in the water. Then, when the man was taking his father’s photo out of its frame so it could dry, $366 fell out—precisely the amount needed for two plane tickets to Atlanta. They learned they could trust Jesus for what they needed. For the disciples, trusting Jesus in a storm was the curriculum for the day in the dramatic narrative of Mark 4:35-41. Jesus had instructed His disciples to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and then He went to sleep in the boat. When a quick and violent storm blew in, the disciples dripped as much with fear and anxiety as water from the waves. They woke Jesus, saying, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (v.38 niv). Jesus stood up and with three words, “Peace, be still!” He muzzled the storm. We all experience storms—persecutions, financial troubles, illnesses, disappointments, loneliness—and Jesus does not always prevent them. But He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). He will keep us calm in the storm. By Marvin Williams In the storms of life, we can see the character of our God. (Ed: And learn much about our character!) INSIGHT: Mark 4:35–5:43 records four miracles that answer the question asked in 4:41: “Who can this be . . . ?” They demonstrate Jesus’ absolute power over nature (4:35-41), the spiritual world (5:1-20), physical illnesses (5:21-34), and death (5:35-43). Each miracle shows Jesus as the Omnipotent Sovereign God. In Jewish minds the power to control the sea and the waves was exclusive to God (Job 38:8-11; Ps. 65:5-7; Isa. 51:10; Nah. 1:3-5). It’s interesting, however, that in today’s passage Mark provides an amazing contrast. Just before Jesus displayed the awesome powers of His deity by calming the sea, we are given a touching picture of His frail humanity: Jesus was so tired that even the violent tossing of the waves did not wake Him (4:38). We learn the lesson of trust in the school of trial. The Unseen Keel - Luke 8:22-25 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. —Hebrews 6:19+ The president of Gordon College, R. Judson Carlberg, was driving along the ocean near his home in Massachusetts when he saw two stately 17th-century sailing ships. They were replicas that were built for a movie being filmed nearby. “The breeze was stiff,” Carlberg reported, “straining the rigging and the crews. Yet each ship stayed the course and didn’t capsize.” He explained the secret of their stability. “Beneath the waterline each had a deep, heavy keel—a part you don’t see.” The keel was essential for keeping the vessel steady in rough weather. What is it that holds us steady when fierce winds are blowing across life’s sea? What keeps us from capsizing when we are under stress and tension? What enables us to sail on, despite the strain? It’s the stabilizing keel of faith in our sovereign God. It’s our unseen relationship with Christ. As He commanded the wind and the waves on the Sea of Galilee, He also controls the storms and squalls of life that threaten to sink us or drive us off course. Our faith in Christ is an “anchor of the soul” (Heb. 6:19) that can keep us from ultimate shipwreck. We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love. —Owens Faith in Christ will keep us steady in the stormy sea of change. Mark 4:39 Breton fishermen on the coast of France have a brief prayer that humbly acknowledges God's control of nature and life: "God, Your sea is so great and my boat is so small." In recognizing that the sea belongs to God, the fishermen see God as the only source of safety for their boats. In calming the Sea of Galilee, Jesus taught the disciples not only about His power over nature but also about external and internal peace. The lesson about external peace was the easier of the two; He stopped the storm. Dealing with the storm inside the disciples was more difficult; fear had replaced the disciples' faith. Trust and tranquility are twins in the spiritual life. Perfect peace comes from complete trust (lsa 26:3). —D. J. De Haan Better the storm with Christ, than smooth waters waters without Him Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child. Mark 4:40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” NET Mark 4:40 And he said to them, "Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?" GNT Mark 4:40 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Τί δειλοί ἐστε; οὔπω ἔχετε πίστιν; NLT Mark 4:40 Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" KJV Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? ESV Mark 4:40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" NIV Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" ASV Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith? CSB Mark 4:40 Then He said to them, "Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?" NKJ Mark 4:40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" NRS Mark 4:40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" YLT Mark 4:40 and he said to them, 'Why are ye so fearful? how have ye not faith?' NAB Mark 4:40 Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" NJB Mark 4:40 Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?' GWN Mark 4:40 He asked them, "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith yet?" BBE Mark 4:40 And he said to them, Why are you full of fear? have you still no faith? Why are you afraid : Ps 46:1-3 Isa 42:3 43:2 Mt 8:26 14:31 Lu 8:25 Joh 6:19,20 Do you still have no faith: Mt 6:30 16:8 Mark 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Matthew 8:26+ - He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. Luke 8:25+ And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?" REBUKE TO WIND THEN REBUKE TO THE DISCIPLES There is a famous brand that reminds me of the reaction of the 12. It is a brand of tuna fish called "Chicken of the Sea." The "storm" is now in the boat! "It is one thing to be terrified by a storm on the sea. It is another thing to be terrified by God in your boat!" (Akin) As Brian Bell says here we have "The Lord High Admiral of the sea, right next to the Chicken of the sea!" So here we see the greater storm was not on the seas but in the souls of the disciples! Jensen - Because the disciples had no faith for such miracles (4:40), the effect was fear and consternation. What had they not learned yet about Christ? And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? - We don't need to fear the storm with Jesus as our anchor but the 12 had not yet come to fully understand this truth. Compare a similar reaction by Jesus to the disciples in Mark 8:17-21+ ( “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”); Mk 9:19+. Timidity (see deilos) was their frequent response - Mark 5:15, 33; Mk 6:50; Mk 9:32; Mk 10:32; Mk 11:18; Mk 16:8. Their lack of faith made them fearful in the crisis. Akin - The presence of God is far more fearful and frightening than the most destructive forces of nature. One can take your life. The other can claim your soul. ...Interestingly, this is the first of 3 boat scenes in Mark’s gospel. The other 2 are in Mk 6:45- 52 and Mk 8:14-21. Each is associated with a miracle. Each is a challenge to understand and settle the identity of Jesus. Each is adequate for them to draw the conclusion we must draw as well, “You are the Christ, the Son of God. The famous atheist Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was asked what he would say to God if He discovered upon his death that God existed and he was wrong. His response was I will say, “Not enough evidence, God, not enough evidence.” That excuse will not fly. 9 That answer will not save him. The evidence is in and it is overwhelming. The time to settle the issue is now.” (Sermon) Hiebert - the double question, peculiar to Mark, rebuked their feeling and probed the cause. In the first question the term “fearful” renders an adjective basically denoting “cowardly, timid.” It carries an implied rebuke for their timidity in the face of danger confronted. It was unworthy of them in view of what they had seen and heard in association with Him. The second question does not imply that they were devoid of all faith; “not yet” probes the amazing failure that they had not yet apprehended the true significance of the fact that the kingdom was present in the Person and work of Jesus. Their fear implied lack of faith in Him and His power.(Ibid) THOUGHT - Faith must be tested before it can be trusted. It is one thing to learn a new spiritual truth, but quite something else to practice that truth in the everyday experiences of life....The disciples failed this test of faith because they did not lay hold of His word that He was going to the other side. It has well been said that faith is not believing in spite of circumstances; it is obeying in spite of feelings and consequences. The disciples looked around and saw danger, and looked within and saw fear; but they failed to look up by faith and see God. Faith and fear cannot dwell together in the same heart. A woman said to D.L. Moody, “I have found a wonderful promise!” and she quoted Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” “Let me give you a better one,” said Moody; and he quoted Isaiah 12:2, “Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.” (Warren
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Spurgeon - “They were terrified.” They went from one fear to another, but this time it was the fear of awe—a hallowed dread of what might happen to a ship that had such a mysterious person on board. It seemed to them a fearsome thing to be in the presence of One who had such power over the raging elements. Brian Bell adds that "R.C.