MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:1 Mark provides several examples of Jesus teaching in parables. To the hard-hearted, parables are a warning; to those who are open-hearted, they illustrate principles of the messianic rule of God. A parable consists of a story and its corresponding intended message. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var im... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:3 A SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW. Farmers in Bible times sowed their seed without first plowing the ground. Thus the seed fell on various kinds of ground. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:8 THIRTYFOLD AND SIXTYFOLD AND A HUNDREDFOLD. A tenfold return would have been considered a good crop. However, see Genesis 26:12. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:9 Having EARS TO HEAR involves giving up one’s pride and submitting to God. See Isaiah 43:8. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:11 THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD means the nature of God’s rule over individuals and over the community of his people (see note on Matt. 13:10–11). Those who do not (yet) participate in the messianic community are OUTSIDE. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:12 By quoting Isaiah 6:9, Jesus is warning that some of those who hear his parables will HEAR BUT NOT UNDERSTAND, just like the ancient Israelites. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:13 HOW THEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND? Jesus hints that even the disciples may suffer from hard hearts (see Mark 8:17). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:21 The proclamation of the kingdom of God is like bringing an oil LAMP into a room (see Matthew 5:15). It reveals HIDDEN things such as hard hearts. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:23 EARS TO HEAR. See note on v. 9. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:24 If a hearer accepts Jesus’ message of the kingdom, then God will give an increased MEASURE of understanding and blessing. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:26 The people of Jesus’ day expected God’s kingdom to come suddenly, but Jesus tells them it will begin in a small way (FIRST THE BLADE, THEN THE EAR) and then will grow slowly but steadily amid adversity. It will reach its full growth and glory only at the second coming of Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:29 SICKLE and HARVEST are symbolic language for the last judgment (see Joel 3:13). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:30 A third PARABLE teaches that the KINGDOM of God begins in a small and unnoticed way, which is not what the people expected (see note on vv. 26–29). A MUSTARD SEED (see note on Matt. 13:31–32) could produce a bush as large as 3 by 12 feet (0.9 by 3.7 m). The nesting of BIRDS in... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:34 HE DID NOT SPEAK TO THEM WITHOUT A PARABLE means that Jesus regularly included parables in his teaching. It does not mean he spoke only in parables. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:36 On Galilean BOATS, see note on Matt. 4:21. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:37 The Sea of Galilee is 696 feet (212 m) below sea level, resulting in sudden storms (WINDSTORM; see Mark 6:48). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:38 ASLEEP ON THE CUSHION is an eyewitness detail included only in Mark’s account of this incident. He was probably told about it by Peter (see Introduction: Author, Date, and Recipients). Jesus’ sleeping indicates lack of fear and also great fatigue—a reminder that he was fully h... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:39 PEACE! BE STILL! Jesus displays his divine power over nature (compare Psalms 107:25; Amos 4:13). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MARK—NOTE ON MARK 4:40 AFRAID. The cure for fear is FAITH in Jesus. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]