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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 4:6 mean?

Explanation

Mark 4:6 speaks to the parable of the sower and focuses specifically on the seeds that fell on rocky places.

The verse describes what happens to those seeds: when the sun comes up, the plants are scorched, and because they lack a deep root system, they wither away.

This passage is symbolic, illustrating the fate of those who receive the word of God with initial excitement but fail to allow the message to take root within themselves, leading to a lack of endurance when difficulties arise.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written around AD 66-70, possibly in Rome, and was addressed primarily to a Roman and Gentile Christian audience.

Agricultural references, like the sowing of seeds, would have been very relatable to the predominantly agrarian society living in the Roman Empire during this period.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, different traditions interpret this verse in relation to perseverance of faith.

In Protestantism, there's often focus on the "assurance of salvation," suggesting that the seeds lacking root may symbolize those who were never truly saved.

Within Catholicism, emphasis might be placed on the necessity of ongoing faith formation and sacramental life to deepen one's roots in the faith.

Other Christian viewpoints may see this as a call to continual growth and self-examination to ensure that faith remains vibrant.

Practical Applications

In the modern context, this verse serves as a challenge for individuals to examine the depth of their convictions.

It encourages personal reflection on one's commitment and resilience in the face of life's challenges.

It also calls believers to nurture their faith through regular practice, such as prayer, study, and fellowship, to ensure that it is deeply rooted and able to withstand adversity.

Cross-References

Matthew 13:5-6: "Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away."
Luke 8:6: "And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture."
Jeremiah 17:8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

Language Study

The key words from the original Greek text of this verse are:

"Sun" (Greek: "helios") which is often used to represent times of testing or persecution.
"Scorched" (Greek: "kaumatizo"), meaning burned, indicating destruction or damage.
"Root" (Greek: "rhiza"), signifying the source of nourishment and stability, points to the foundation or depth of an individual's faith.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This parable can be compared to similar themes found in other religious and cultural contexts where agricultural metaphors are used to symbolize spiritual growth or moral lessons, such as in the Hindu Bhagavad Gita or Buddhist teachings that often use natural imagery to convey the importance of spiritual grounding and stability.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific aspect of plant growth and the importance of deep root systems for water and nutrient absorption serves as a real-world parallel to the spiritual message of the parable.

The verse underlines how, without a sufficient root system (spiritual grounding), plants (believers) cannot thrive, especially when facing harsh conditions (trials and tribulations).

commentaries

Commentators like Matthew Henry point out that the stony-ground hearers are those who receive the word with joy, but their enthusiasm is short-lived due to the lack of a firm foundation.

John Calvin interprets the scorching of the sun as various tribulations that believers might face.

Modern commentators might focus on the psychological dimensions of this parable, exploring why certain individuals may struggle to develop lasting commitment and stability in their faith.

Mark 4

Mark 4

What does Mark 4:6 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 4:6 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?