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Mark 4

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

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.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

The sower soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

What does Mark 4:1 mean?

Explanation

Mark 4:1 describes a scene where Jesus, a central figure in Christianity, teaches a large crowd by the seaside.

The gathering is so vast that Jesus opts to sit in a boat offshore to address the multitudes that line the shore.

The literal interpretation of this verse is straightforward: it portrays Jesus as a teacher who drew large audiences due to the appeal of his message and the curiosity about his teachings.

On a deeper level, the verse illustrates the necessity Jesus found to accommodate the growing number of followers.

His use of the boat as a platform signifies his innovative approach to sharing His message effectively.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, it was common for teachers and rabbis to gather their disciples and share their teachings in open places.

The Sea of Galilee, where this event likely occurred, was a central location in Jesus' ministry.

The region around the sea was densely populated in the first century with many villages and towns, which would explain the large crowd that had come to hear Jesus speak.

The use of a boat could have been both a practical measure to handle the crowd and a way to utilize the natural acoustics of the water to project his voice.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse is often used to illustrate Jesus' role as a teacher and the word of God being spread to an ever-growing number of people.

From a Christian perspective, it signifies the beginning of Jesus' public ministry and the spread of his teachings.

Some denominations might also see this as symbolic of the church's mission to go out into the world to share the gospel, suggesting that Christians need to find ways to reach a wider audience with their message, just as Jesus did.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can encourage individuals to be innovative and flexible in how they share their beliefs or communicate important messages.

It can also serve as an inspiration for community leaders to seek effective ways to engage with their communities.

In personal life, it may guide individuals to be more accommodating and adaptive in how they interact with larger groups, emphasizing the importance of clear communication.

Cross-References

Luke 5:3 - "And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship."

Matthew 13:2 - "And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore."
Mark 3:9 - "And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him."

Language Study

The key words in this verse in the original Greek text include:

"teach" (διδάσκειν, didaskein): means to instruct or impart knowledge, typically of a formal or authoritative nature.
"multitude" (ὄχλος, ochlos): refers to a large group or crowd of people.
"ship" (πλοῖον, ploion): a boat or vessel, which in this context is used as a platform from which Jesus teaches.
"sat" (καθίζω, kathizō): to sit down, indicating a position of teaching.

These words are commonly associated with teaching activities in the biblical context and collectively paint a picture of an authoritative figure imparting knowledge to a large assembly.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many other ancient cultures and religions, teachers and philosophers gathered followers and imparted wisdom in public spaces.

For example, in ancient Greek culture, philosophers like Socrates would often engage with the people in the markets and public areas of Athens.

In other religious traditions, such as Judaism, it was common for rabbis to teach in synagogues and other public places.

The method of using a natural setting for public discourse is widespread and not unique to Christian tradition.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific point of view, this verse offers insight into human behavior and crowd dynamics. Large gatherings and the means by which leaders address them are studied in fields such as sociology and psychology.

Additionally, the acoustics of using a body of water to amplify sound is a phenomenon understood by physics. The natural amplification provided by the water could be seen as an early recognition of these acoustic principles.

commentaries

Different biblical scholars and commentators offer varied insights into Mark 4:1:

William Barclay notes the practical wisdom of Jesus' choice to speak from the boat, preventing the crowd from pressing too closely and allowing his voice to carry.
John Calvin highlights the eagerness of the people to hear Jesus and the readiness of Jesus to teach them as fundamental elements of this verse.
Matthew Henry interprets this passage as a representation of Jesus' desire to make himself accessible to all, creating an inclusive environment for his teachings.

These perspectives contribute to a multifaceted understanding of the verse, including the practical, theological, and relational aspects of Jesus' teaching method.

Mark 4

Mark 4

What does Mark 4:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 4:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?