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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 4:13 mean?

Explanation

In Mark 4:13, Jesus addresses His disciples after telling the Parable of the Sower.

The disciples did not understand the parable and asked Jesus to explain it to them.

Jesus expresses surprise at their lack of understanding, essentially saying that if they cannot comprehend this particular parable, how will they understand the others.

This verse underscores the importance of spiritual insight and the need to understand Jesus' teachings at a deeper level beyond the literal story.

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Historical Context

Mark 4:13 is part of the Gospel of Mark, which is widely believed to be the earliest written account of the life of Jesus, dating to around 60-70 AD.

It was a time when Christian doctrine was still being formulated, and much of Jesus's teaching was through parables.

These were stories with moral and spiritual lessons that could relate to the experiences of those living in an agrarian society, including the original Jewish audience and the early Christian community.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse serves as a call for discernment and understanding of Jesus' teachings.

From a Christian perspective, the ability to grasp the meaning of parables is seen as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It also highlights the division between those who believe and understand and those who do not.

Some theological interpretations consider the parables as a tool for both revelation and concealment, revealing truths to those who are open-hearted and concealing them from those who are hard-hearted.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Mark 4:13 challenges believers to delve deeper into their faith and seek a better understanding of spiritual teachings.

It encourages Christians to not just read their sacred texts at face value, but to engage with them, question, and seek what might not be immediately obvious.

This practice of thoughtful reflection can be applied in everyday life, motivating continuous growth and learning.

Cross-References

Matthew 13:11 – "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."
Matthew 13:13 – "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand."
Luke 8:10 – "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "know" is "οἴδατε" (oidate), which is the second-person plural perfect active indicative form of "οἶδα" (oida), meaning to know, understand, or perceive.

This implies a strong expectation that the disciples should have already grasped the parable's meaning.

"Parable" translates from "παραβολή" (parabolē), denoting a comparison or a story laid alongside a truth for the purpose of teaching.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this verse with other ancient religious texts, many traditions use parables or similar didactic stories.

For instance, Buddhism uses Jataka tales to impart moral and spiritual lessons.

In the Jewish tradition, rabbinic parables or mashal were used to help clarify the scriptures.

This demonstrates a universal method of teaching profound truths through simple stories that are accessible to the listener or reader's experience.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, understanding parables can be likened to grasping complex concepts through analogies.

Science often uses analogies to make sense of phenomena that cannot be directly observed or easily understood.

Just as parables relay spiritual truths through everyday experiences, scientific analogies use familiar concepts to explain abstract or challenging ideas.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and commentators have offered insights on Mark 4:13.

Some highlight Jesus' role as a teacher who used parables to effectively communicate to a diverse audience. Others suggest that Jesus used the parables to reveal truths only to those ready to receive them.

Commentators like John Calvin noted the disciples' privileged position to receive direct explanations from Jesus, which was not afforded to the general public.

Modern commentaries emphasize the need for the openness of the heart and an active pursuit of understanding to grasp the full meaning of Jesus' teachings.

Mark 4

Mark 4

What does Mark 4:13 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 4:13 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?