Mark 4:13

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, KNOW YE NOT THIS PARABLE? AND HOW THEN WILL YE KNOW ALL PARABLES? Probably this was said not so much in the spirit of rebuke, as to call their attention to the exposition of it which He was about to give, and so train them to the right apprehension of His future parables. As in the parables which we have endeavoured to explain in Matthew 13:1, we shall take this parable and the Lord's own exposition of the different parts of it together. THE SOWER, THE SEED, AND THE SOIL In . we read: "Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow." What means this? It is explained in the following verses:...

1-20 This parable contained instruction so important, that all capable of hearing were bound to attend to it. There are many things we are concerned to know; and if we understand not the plain truths of the gospel, how shall we learn those more difficult! It will help us to value the privileges we enjoy as disciples of Christ, if we seriously consider the deplorable state of all who have not such privileges. In the great field of the church, the word of God is dispensed to all. Of the many that hear the word of the gospel, but few receive it, so as to bring forth fruit. Many are much affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit. The word does not leave abiding impressions upon the minds of men, because their hearts are not duly disposed to receive it. The devil is very busy about careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above gr...

Verse Mark 4:13. _KNOW YE NOT THIS PARABLE?_] The scope and design of which is so very obvious. _HOW THEN WILL YE KNOW ALL PARABLES?_] Of which mode of teaching ye should be perfect masters, in order that ye may be able successfully to teach others. This verse is not found in any of the other evangelists....

See the notes at Matthew 13:10. On Mark 4:12, see the notes at John 12:39. WHEN HE WAS ALONE - That is, separate from the multitude. When he withdrew from the multitude a few followed him for the purpose of more instruction. Mark 4:13 KNOW YE NOT THIS PARABLE? - This which is so plain and obvious. HOW THEN WILL YE KNOW ALL PARABLES? - Those which are more difficult and obscure. As they were themselves to be “teachers,” it was important that they should be acquainted with the whole system o

EXPOSITION MARK 4:1 AND AGAIN HE BEGAN TO TEACH BY THE SEASIDE. This return to the seaside is mentioned by St. Mark only. From this time our Lord's teaching began to be more public. The room and the little courtyard no longer sufficed for the multitudes that came to him. The Authorized Version says that "a great multitude was gathered unto him." The Greek adjective, according to the most approved reading, is πλεῖστος the superlative of πολὺς,_ _and should be rendered "a very great" multitude. They bad probably been waiting for him in the neighborhood of Capernaum. HE ENTERED INTO A BOAT—probably the boat mentioned at Mark 3:9—AND SAT IN THE SEA, _i.e. _in the boat afloat on the water, so

AND HE SAITH UNTO THEM, KNOW YE NOT THIS PARABLE?.... So easy to be understood, taken from things common, and which fall under every one's observation: AND HOW THEN WILL YOU KNOW ALL PARABLES? if not this single one, and which is so plain, how will ye be able to understand the numerous parables hereafter to be related, and which will be much more difficult?...

Mark 4:1. _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._ You can easily picture that scene, the Master sitting down in the vessel, with a little breathing space of water between himself and the crowd, and then the multitude on the rising bank, standing one above another, and all gazing upon the Teacher who sat down and taught them. It ought to reconcile any of you who have to stand in the crowd here when you remember that the hearers all stood in those days, and only the preacher sat down. Mark 4:2. _And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:_ He d

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Teaching by the Seaside. The Parable of the Sower. (Mark 4:1. Matthew 13:1; Luke 8:4 .)_ 2. The Word to shine forth in testimony. (Mark 4:21 .Luke 8:16 .) 3. The Parable of the Growth of the Seed and the Harvest. (Mark 4:26 .) 4. The Parable of the Mustard Seed. (Mark 4:30 .Matthew 13

TEACHING BY PARABLES. This section illustrates the method of teaching which the evangelist regards as characteristic of this period of the ministry. In it he combines some general observations about the use of parables, with what was originally a brief account of teaching delivered on one day. A comparison of Mark 4:1 and Mark 4:35 represents Jesus as entering a boat in which He stays all day and in which He crosses at night to the other side. Yet in Mark 4:10 He is supposed to effect an escape from the people, whom He is again addressing in Mark 4:26, as if no interruption had occurred. The original narrative must then have consisted of a group of parables. Into this

TEACHING IN PARABLES (Mark 4:1-2)...