Mark 4

 Jesus taught the multitude by parables, from a boat by the sea. 

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

A sower sowed seed. Some fell by the wayside and birds devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, sprang up, but was scorched by the sun because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plant. And some fell on good soil, sprang up, and produced thirtyfold, sixty, and some a hundred. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

The disciples asked Him what the parable meant. Jesus said to them, the mystery of the kingdom has been revealed to them who believe, but to those who reject Christ and the gospel it has not been revealed. 

Then Jesus explained the sower: The sower is the One who sows the Word in the hearts of hearers. The first seed fell by the wayside, was received by the hearer, but was snatched away by Satan; the second seed on stony ground, received immediately by the hearer, who could only endure for a time, then stumbled during trial and tribulation; the third seed fell among thorns but because the hearer desired the world instead, and the word became unfruitful; and the fourth seed was sown in good ground, the hearer accepted it, and the Word bore fruit at varying degrees. 

PARABLE OF THE LAMP

A lamp is not to be hidden, but placed on a lampstand. The word is a light and is not to be hidden or kept secret. "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Jesus continued:

Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given...

PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED

 If a man scattered seed on the ground, the seed shall grow and the man does not know how because the earth yields by itself; but when the grain ripens, then is the harvest. 

PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of seeds, but when sown, becomes greater than the herbs, so that birds nest in its shade.

On the same day, Jesus went into the boat with His disciples in the evening to cross over to the other side. While He was asleep in the stern, a great windstorm arose, and the boat was filling with water. The disciples woke Jesus and questioned if He cared that they were perishing. 

Then Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves calmed down immediately. He asked the disciples why they were fearful and if they had no faith. And "they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!' "

COMMENTARY

The sower in the first parable was the Son of Man and the seed was the Word of God. The three ways or places the seeds fell represented unbelievers who heard the gospel and did not believe. What happened to the seeds after the Word had been sown represented the response of these hearers: Satan snatched the Word from the heart; another was turned away by persecutions; and another was more distracted by the world. But the last hearers received the Word and it took root in their hearts and produced fruit at different degrees. 

The unbelievers did not understand the parables. By this time, His enemies rejected Jesus' teachings, and the multitude was disinterested in spiritual truth. They only followed Him around to catch a glimpse of His healings and miracles, much like man today. Therefore, from then on He resorted to simple story illustrations. 

One cannot make man understand spiritual things. He must want to understand them before they become real to him. 

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:13-14)

The parable of the lamp is about our responsibility and action. When the truth is exposed by the light, we are accountable to respond. How we respond to the truth will determine if we will remain lost forever. God demands action, and faith is a form of action. 

McGee used an example for faith. If you have a plane ticket, you must trust that there is a plane that will take you where you want to go (listed on the ticket). You must believe this ticket will enable you to board the plane and deliver you to your destination. You can't sit in the airport and get anywhere. You must have faith to board the plane. 

credit: Bible Gateway