Mark 4:16
in Mark 4Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
KJV
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
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This verse in Mark 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseTake care that rocky ground does not receive the seed and send forth the fruit of good work without the roots of perseverance. For many are pleased by what they hear and propose beginnings of good work; but as soon as they begin to be wearied by adversities, they abandon what they have begun. Rocky ground therefore lacked moisture, which did not bring what had sprouted to the fruit of perseverance.
This site's exposition
at once receive it with joy
on Mark 4:16-17
On rocky ground the hearers at once receive it with joy, but they themselves have no root. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away, as fast as the joy came.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
Here three classes of people are indicated in whom the word is lost: some are inattentive, these are signified by the phrase "by the road"; others are fainthearted, these are understood by the phrase "on rocky ground"; the third are lovers of pleasure, signified by …
(ubi Sup.) There are some who both experience its usefulness and feel a desire for it, but some of them the calamities of this world frighten, and others its prosperity allures, so that they do not attain to that which they approve. Of the first of whom He says, And these are they who fell on stony ground; of the latter, And these are they which are sown among thorns. But riches are called thorns, because they tear the soul with the piercing of its own thoughts, and after bringing it to sin, they, as one may say, make it bleed by inflicting a wound. Again He says, And the toil of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches; for the man who is deceived by an empty desire of riches must soon be afflicted by the toils of continual cares. He adds, And the lusts of other things; because, whosoever despises the commandments of God, and wanders away lustfully seeking other things, is unable to attain to the joy of beatitude. And concupiscences of this sort choke the word, because they do not allow a good desire to enter into the heart, and, as it were, stifle the entrance of vital breath. There are, however, excepted from these different classes of men, the Gentiles who do not even have grace to hear the words of life.
Or, the stony persons are those who adhering a little to the rock, that is, to Christ, up to a short time, receive the word, and afterwards, falling back, cast it away.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The great truth here taught is that hearts superficially impressed are apt to receive the truth with readiness, and even with joy (Lu 8:13); but the heat of tribulation or persecution because of the word, or the trials which their new profession brings upon them quickly dries up their relish for the truth, and withers all the hasty promise of fruit which they showed.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses contain the parable of the sower. Of all the parables spoken by our Lord, none is probably so well-known as this. There is none which is so easily understood by all, from the gracious familiarity of the figures which it contains. There is none which is of such universal and perpetual application. So long as there is a Church of Christ and a congregation of Christians, so long there will be employment for this parable. The language of the parable requires no explanation. To use the words of an ancient writer, "it needs application, not exposition."
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses contain the parable of the sower. Of all the parables spoken by our Lord, none is probably so well-known as this. There is none which is so easily understood by all, from the gracious familiarity of the figures which it contains. There is none which is of such universal and perpetual application. So long as there is a Church of Christ and a congregation of Christians, so long there will be employment for this parable. The language of the parable requires no explanation. To use the words of an ancient writer, "it needs application, not exposition." Let us now see what it teaches. We are taught, in the first place, that there are some hearers of the Gospel, whose hearts are like the wayside in a field . These are they who hear sermons, but pay no attention to them. They go to a place of worship, for form or fashion, or to appear respectable before men. But they take no interest whatever in the preaching. It seems to them a mere matter of words and names, and unintelligible talk. It is neither money, nor food, nor drink, nor clothes, nor company; and as they sit under the sound of it, they are taken up with thinking of other things. It matters nothing whether it is Law or Gospel. It produces no more effect on them than water on a stone. And at the end they go away, knowing no more than when they came in. There are myriads of professing Christians in this state of soul. There is hardly a church or chapel, where scores of them are not to be found. Sunday after Sunday they allow the devil to catch away the good seed that is sown on the surface of their hearts. Week after week they live on, without faith, or fear, or knowledge, or grace — feeling nothing, caring nothing, taking no more interest in religion, than if Christ had never died on the cross at all. And in this state they often die and are buried, and are lost forever in hell.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὗτοί | houtoi | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| εἰσιν | eisin | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πετρώδη | petrode | rocky places | G4075 → | |
| σπειρόμενοι, | speiromenoi | sown, | G4687 → | 52 times |
| οἳ | hoi | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὅταν | hotan | when | G3752 → | 123 times |
| ἀκούσωσιν | akousosin | they may hear | G191 → | 425 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον, | logon | word, | G3056 → | 329 times |
| εὐθὺς | euthus | immediately | G2112 → | 87 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| χαρᾶς | charas | joy | G5479 → | |
| λαμβάνουσιν | lambanousin | receive | G2983 → | 257 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | it | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὗτοίthese
houtoiG3778 →1381 times
εἰσινare
eisinG1510 →2333 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πετρώδηrocky places
petrodeG4075 →
σπειρόμενοι,sown,
speiromenoiG4687 →52 times
οἳwho
hoiG3739 →1405 times
ὅτανwhen
hotanG3752 →123 times
ἀκούσωσινthey may hear
akousosinG191 →425 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγον,word,
logonG3056 →329 times
εὐθὺςimmediately
euthusG2112 →87 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
χαρᾶςjoy
charasG5479 →
λαμβάνουσινreceive
lambanousinG2983 →257 times
αὐτὸνit
autonG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
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…
it leads to
- John 5:35
John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hosea 6:4
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
- Proverbs 12:12
The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.
- 2 Peter 2:22
Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
- John 5:35
Through
John 5:35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:19
We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day…
- Matthew 11:11
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
- John 1:7–8
He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
- 2 Peter 1:19
Through
Mark 6:20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:26
But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
- Matthew 21:26
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 15; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.