BibleTools
Mark 4:2
Compare all

The Parable of the Sower

1 And aagain He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  
2 Then He taught them many things by parables, aand said to them in His teaching:  
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds1 of the air came and devoured it.  
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.
6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no1 crop.  
8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said1 to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”  

The Purpose of Parables

10 aBut when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  
11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to aknow the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to bthose who are outside, all things come in parables,  
12 so that
a‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”  

The Parable of the Sower Explained

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
<< Mark 4:1   Mark 4:3 >>


Mark 4:2

He taught them (edidasken autouv). Imperfect tense describing it as going on.

In parables (en parabolaiv). As in Mark 3:23, only here more extended parables. See on Mat. 13 for discussion concerning Christ's use of parables. Eight are given there, one (the Lamp both in Mark 4:21 and Luke 8:16 (both Sower and the Lamp in Luke), one alone in Mark 4:26-29 (seed growing of itself) not in Matthew or Luke, ten on this occasion. Only four are mentioned in Mark 4:1-34 (The Sower, the Lamp, the Seed Growing of Itself, the Mustard Seed). But Mark adds (Mark 4:34) "without a parable spake he not unto them," clearly meaning that Jesus spoke many others on this occasion and Matt. after mentioning eight (Matthew 13:34) makes the same statement. Manifestly, therefore, Jesus spoke many parables on this day and all theories of exegesis or dispensations on the basis of the number of these kingdom parables are quite beside the mark. In beginning Jesus said:

Hearken (Akouete). It is significant that even Jesus had to ask people to listen when he spoke. See also verse Mark 4:9.




Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Mark 4:2:

Mark 12:1
Luke 8:4

 

<< Mark 4:1   Mark 4:3 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.

Join 137,059+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Close
E-mail This Page