Markchapter 4

A.The Sower, the Soils, and the Secret of the Kingdomvv. 1-20

1 Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore. 2 And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.” 9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10 As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable. 11 He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, 12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’” 13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”

B.No Lamp Is Put Under a Basketvv. 21-25

21 Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you. 25 For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

C.The Seed Growing Secretly and the Mustard Seedvv. 26-34

26 Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. 28 All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. 29 And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30 Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. 32 But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.” 33 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. 34 He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

D.Peace, Be Still: the Storm Obeysvv. 35-41

35 When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. 37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” 39 Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. 40 “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” 41 Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Parable of the sower, with the private interpretation.

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Parable of the sower, with the private interpretation. Lamp under a bushel. The seed growing secretly. Mark's unique parable. Mustard seed. Stilling of the storm: 'what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?' Mark's hinge between teaching and demonstrating kingdom authority.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Mark — Mark overview

A. 1–20 The Sower, the Soils, and the Secret of the Kingdom
B. 21–25 No Lamp Is Put Under a Basket
C. 26–34 The Seed Growing Secretly and the Mustard Seed
D. 35–41 Peace, Be Still: the Storm Obeys

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Luke 812 verses
- Luke 8:4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told them this parable:
- Luke 8:6Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture.
- Luke 8:10He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
- Luke 8:12The seeds along the path are those who hear, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
- Luke 8:13The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall away.
- Luke 8:14The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
- Read Luke 8: 6 more there →
Matthew 1310 verses
- Matthew 13:4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
- Matthew 13:10Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
- Matthew 13:12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
- Matthew 13:14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
- Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
- Matthew 13:24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
- Read Matthew 13: 4 more there →
Mark 49 verses
- Mark 4:1Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
- Mark 4:9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- Mark 4:10As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
- Mark 4:11He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
- Mark 4:15Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
- Mark 4:20Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”
- Read Mark 4: 3 more there →
Matthew 113 verses
- Matthew 11:6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
- Matthew 11:15He who has ears, let him hear.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- Read Matthew 11 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Matthew 83 verses
- Matthew 8:18When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the sea.
- Matthew 8:23When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
- Matthew 8:26“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
- Read Matthew 8 →
1 Corinthians 32 verses
- 1 Corinthians 3:1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 3:6I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
- Read 1 Corinthians 3 →
Mark 32 verses
- Mark 3:9Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.
- Mark 3:23So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
- Read Mark 3 →
James 12 verses
- James 1:11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
- James 1:16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
- Read James 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.