Gospel of Mark

NT352 Fall 2016

The Parables, Part One
Mark 4:1-20

Jesus Teaches the Parable of

the Sower 1-9
Taught Again by the Sea v.1
N.B. pattern of Again he taught by the sea
Got into a boat and sat down to teach

Jesus Teaches the Parable of

the Sower 1-9
He Taught in Parables 2-9
Emphasis on the importance of his teaching but now in parables
Parables - para (beside) ballo (throw) common way of teaching
He taught many parables but the sower was the choice of the Holy Spirit here
Begins and ends with exhortation to listen!
Check ourselves - do we have ears to hear?
Sowing by hand not is not a precise execution so the seed falls on all sorts of terrain

Jesus Explains the Parable to

the Disciples 10-20
When he was Alone they Asked v.v.10-12
Interesting to note the wording alone yet with others plus the twelve
Why didnt they ask while crowd around? Perhaps saving face or waited for quiet
Mystery of kingdomtruth previously unknown, now made known by revelation

Jesus Explains the Parable to

the Disciples 10-20
Various soils Explained v.v.13-20
Hard soil - heart that's been open to everything but the word of God
Rocky soil - shallow heart professing Jesus quickly but only in words
Thorny soil the divided heart crowded by a second master
Good soilreceives Word, has depth and roots, responds and grows in Christ

Gospel of Mark
NT352 Fall 2016
The Parables, Part One
Mark 4:1-20

Gospel of Mark
NT352 Fall 2016
The Parables, Part One
Mark 4:21-34

The Lamp 21-25

The Purpose and Identity of the Lamp 21-23
Lamps of this era looked different but had the same purpose
The lamp is often associated with believers but Jesus refers to himself:

1.Jesus is the ultimate lamp that illumines all the light of the world (Jn 8:12)
2.He is the lamp that the world tried to put out (darkness on the cross)
3.Mark uses the definite article in the Greek THE LAMP thus specifying ONE
4.The Greek is The lamp does not come how can a lamp come?
Illumination of what is hidden and revelation of secrets connect to v.12
Nothing hidden but that it will be revealed (by THE LAMP that reveals)

A Hellenistic
terra-cotta lamp
dates to the
Maccabean era
(16763 b.c.). Its
typical Greek
form, with a long
nozzle for the
wick and a broad
opening in the
cover to receive
the oil, indicates
it was probably
imported into
ancient Israel.

Terra-cotta oil
lamps from
Christs era.

The Lamp 21-25

Revelation and Responsibility 24-25
Pay attention = Take heed to what we hear /responsibility
If we apply what we hear, God gives us moreopposite follows

The Kingdom 26-29

Mystery of its Growth
Agriculture is often analogy for Gods work = parable of sower
Kingdom grows independent of mans strength like seed does
The word is compared to seed again = we receive it and sow it
Process of the kingdom is a gradual growth and maturity

The Mustard Seed 30-34

Quantity of its Growth
Mustard seed is extremely tiny how small was the kingdom?
Other disciples at Pentecost were instrumental (Acts 1:15; 2:1)
Mark distinguishes Jesus speaking and explaining v.33-34
The critics problem with the mustard seed as the smallest?

MUSTARD
SEEDS

MUSTARD
PLANTS

Gospel of Mark
NT352 Fall 2016
The Parables, Part One
Mark 4:21-34