Advanced Commentary
Texts -- Mark 4:1-28 (NET)
Pericope
NET
- Mar 4:1-9 -- The Parable of the Sower
- Mar 4:10-20 -- The Purpose of Parables
- Mar 4:21-25 -- The Parable of the Lamp
- Mar 4:26-29 -- The Parable of the Growing Seed
Bible Dictionary
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JESUS CHRIST, 4C1
[isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4C1 - C. THE GALILEAN MINISTRY AND VISITS TO THE FEASTS 1. The Scene: Galilee was divided into upper Galilee and lower Galilee. It has already been remarked that upper Galilee was inhabited by a mixed populatio...
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Jesus, The Christ
[nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...
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Sermon
[nave] SERMON Of Jesus, "on the mount,'' Matt. 5:6, 7; by the sea, Matt. 13:1-52; Mark 4:2-33. on the plain Luke 6:17 See: Preaching; Ministers.
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MARK, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO, 1
[isbe] MARK, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO, 1 - || I. OUR SECOND GOSPEL II. CONTENTS AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 1. Scope 2. Material Peculiar to Mark 3. Quotations 4. A Book of Mighty Works 5. The Worker Is Also a Teacher 6. A Book of G...
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Word of God
[nave] WORD OF GOD Called Book, Psa. 40:7; Rev. 22:19; Book of the Lord, Isa. 34:16; Book of the Law, Neh. 8:3; Gal. 3:10; Good Word of God, Heb. 6:5; Holy Scriptures, Rom. 1:2; 2 Tim. 3:15; Law of the Lord, Psa. 1:2; Isa. 30:9; Or...
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Sower
[nave] SOWER Parable of the, Matt. 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:5-8. Sowing, Eccl. 11:4; Isa. 28:25. Figurative Psa. 126:5; Prov. 11:18; Isa. 32:20; Hos. 8:7; 10:12; Gal. 6:7, 8.
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Minister
[nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...
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Apostasy
[nave] APOSTASY Described, Deut. 13:13; Heb. 3:12. Caused by persecution, Matt. 24:9, 10; Luke 8:13; by worldliness, 2 Tim. 4:10. Guilt and punishment of, Zeph. 1:4-6; Heb. 10:25-31, 39; 2 Pet. 2:17, 20-22. Cautions against, Heb...
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PARABLE
[ebd] (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7;...
[isbe] PARABLE - par'-a-b'-l: 1. Name 2. Historical Data 3. Christ's Use of Parables. 4. Purpose of Christ in Using Parables 5. Interpretation of the Parables 6. Doctrinal Value of the Parables 1. Name: Etymologically the word "par...
[smith] (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by anoth...
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Perseverance
[nave] PERSEVERANCE. 1 Chr. 16:11; Job 17:9; Psa. 37:24, 28; Psa. 73:24; Psa. 138:8; Prov. 4:18; Jer. 32:40; Hos. 12:6; Matt. 24:13 Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13. Mark 4:3-8; Luke 10:42; Luke 22:31, 32; John 6:37, 39, 40; John 8:31, 32;...
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Backsliders
[nave] BACKSLIDERS. Lev. 26:14-42; Deut. 4:9; Deut. 8:11-14; Deut. 28:58, 59, 63 vs. 15-68;; 1 Kin. 9:6-9; Deut. 29:18 vs. 18-28.; Deut. 32:15-30; Josh. 24:27 vs. 20-27.; 2 Chr. 15:2-4; Ezra 8:22; Job 34:26, 27; Psa. 44:20, 21; Ps...
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Instability
[nave] INSTABILITY. Gen. 49:3, 4; Ex. 8:15 v. 32.; Ex. 9:34 Ex. 10:8-11, 16-20; 14:5. Ex. 32:8-10 Ex. 19:8; 24:3, 7. Judg. 2:17; 1 Kin. 18:21; Psa. 106:12, 13; Prov. 24:21, 22; Prov. 27:8; Jer. 2:36; Hos. 6:4, 5; Matt. 6:24; Matt....
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Character
[nave] CHARACTER. of Saints Attentive to Christ's voice, John 10:3, 4; blameless and harmless, Phil. 2:15; bold, Prov. 28:1; contrite, Isa. 57:15; 66:2; devout, Acts 8:2; 22:12; faithful, Rev. 17:14; fearing God, Mal. 3:16; Acts ...
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Regeneration
[nave] REGENERATION (Under this topic are collected those scriptures that relate to the change of affections, commonly denominated "conversion,'' "a new creature,'' "a new birth,'' etc.) Deut. 30:6 Deut. 29:4. 1 Kin. 8:58; Psa. 36:...
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KINGDOM OF GOD (OF HEAVEN), THE
[isbe] KINGDOM OF GOD (OF HEAVEN), THE - (he basileia ton ouranon; he basileia tou theou): I. MEANING AND ORIGIN OF THE TERM 1. Place in the Gospels 2. "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God" 3. Relation to the Old Testament (Dani...
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JESUS CHRIST, 3
[isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 3 - PART II. THE PROBLEMS OF THE LIFE OF JESUS I. The Miracles. 1. The "Modern" Attitude: Everyone is aware that the presence of miracle in the Gospels is a chief ground of the rejection of its history by the r...
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Blindness
[nave] BLINDNESS Disqualified for priestly office, Lev. 21:18. Of animals, disqualified for a sacrifice, Lev. 22:22; Deut. 15:21; Mal. 1:8. Miraculously inflicted upon the Sodomites, Gen. 19:11; Syrians, 2 Kin. 6:18-23; Saul of T...
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Kingdom
[nave] KINGDOM Likened to one who sowed good seed, Matt. 13:24-30, 38-43; Mark 4:26-29; to a grain of mustard seed, Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:30, 31; Luke 13:18, 19; to leaven, Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:21; to a treasure, Matt. 13:44; to ...
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Lust
[ebd] sinful longing; the inward sin which leads to the falling away from God (Rom. 1:21). "Lust, the origin of sin, has its place in the heart, not of necessity, but because it is the centre of all moral forces and impulses and o...
[isbe] LUST - (5 Hebrew and 5 Greek words are so rendered, namely: (1) nephesh, (2) sheriruth, (3) ta'awah, (4) chamadh, (5) 'awah; (1) epithumia, (2) hedone, (3) epipotheo, (4) orexis, (5) pathos): The word both as verb and as sub...
[nave] LUST Evil desire. Gen. 3:6; Ex. 20:17; Job 31:9-12; Psa. 81:12; Prov. 6:24, 25; Matt. 5:28; Mark 4:19; John 8:44; 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Cor. 10:6, 7; Eph. 4:22; 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Tim. 2:22; 2 Tim. 4:3, 4; Tit. 2:12; Jas. 1:14, 15; Jas....
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Church
[nave] CHURCH, the collective body of believers. Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics Called in the O.T., The Congregation, Ex. 12:3, 6, 19, 47; 16:1, 2, 9, 10, 22; Lev. 4:13, 15; 10:17; 24:14. Called in the N.T., Church, Matt. 16:18; ...
Arts
Hymns
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Questions
- I understand your question about John 8:30-31, but it seems to me that we are left with a certain amount of doubt here. We know from James 2:19 that there is a kind of intellectual belief that is not saving faith. We know fr...
- The word "mystery," found in Mark 4:11,12 as in certain other places in Scripture, is not used in the classical sense of religious secrets or things incomprehensible, but of things of purely divine revelation-- matters foresh...
- In the passage in Mark 4:11,12 Jesus meant apparently that he made the difference between his teaching of disciples and of the ordinary people because of the spiritual insight of the former. It was of no use to give the latte...
- This expression (Luke 8:18) occurs in a number of New Testament passages, Matt. 13:12, Mark 4:25, etc. Its meaning is most evident in Matt. 25:29, and Luke 19:26, in connection with the parable of the talents, or pounds. Chri...
- There are several factors involved: (1) The Basic Human Factor: the Bible is the revelation of an infinite God, but man is not only very finite, but sinful and very prone to error. This is true even for the believer who i...
Sermon Illustrations
Resources/Books
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
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The Lord proceeded to give Isaiah specific instructions about what He wanted him to do and what the prophet could expect regarding his ministry (vv. 9-10), his historic-political situation (vv. 11-12), and his nation's surviv...
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"The section begins (1-6) and ends (23-29) with double illustrations drawn from nature and agriculture. Between lies a meditation in eight broadly equal parts on how Jerusalem's leaders refused the word of invitation and inhe...
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This pericope repeats and refocuses the invitation just extended (vv. 1-3). The offer continues to be to come to God, but the focus shifts from receiving satisfaction to resting in faith and from salvation's freeness to its t...
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These verses provide the answer to God's question in 3:1. This is the repentance that was necessary for Yahweh to return to His "wife."4:1a The Lord clarified that for His people to return to a blessed condition they must ret...
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It was common when Jesus lived for forerunners to precede important individuals to prepare the way for their arrival. For example, when a king would visit a town in his realm his emissaries would go before him to announce his...
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13:10 The disciples wanted to know why Jesus was teaching in parables. This was not the clearest form of communication. Evidently the disciples asked this question when Jesus had finished giving the parables to the crowd (cf....
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Jesus interpreted His first parable to help His disciples understand it and the others that followed (cf. Mark 4:13).13:18 Since former prophets and righteous people wanted to know this revelation and since the unbelieving co...
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Notice first some linguistic characteristics. Mark used a relatively limited vocabulary when he wrote this Gospel. For example, he used only about 80 words that occur nowhere else in the Greek New Testament compared with Luke...
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I. Introduction 1:1-13A. The title of the book 1:1B. Jesus' preparation for ministry 1:2-131. The ministry of John the Baptist 1:2-82. The baptism of Jesus 1:9-113. The temptation of Jesus 1:12-13II. The Servant's early Galil...
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Mark omitted Jesus' year of early Judean ministry (John 1:15-4:42), as did the other Synoptic evangelists. He began his account of Jesus' ministry of service in Galilee, northern Israel (1:14-6:6a). Because of increasing oppo...
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2:1-2 These two verses are an introduction to what follows. Mark frequently used summaries such as this one (cf. 1:14-15, 39; 2:13; 3:7-12, 23; 4:1, 33-34; 8:21-26, 31; 9:31; 10:1; 12:1). They are a mark of his literary style...
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The call of Levi as one of Jesus' disciples was the setting for the second instance of opposition from the religious leaders that Mark recorded in this section.2:13 "Again"(Gr. palin) identifies this incident as a different o...
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There are some structural similarities between 1:14-3:6 and 3:7-6:6a. The beginnings and endings of these two sections are similar. The first section describes Jesus' ministry in Galilee before the religious leaders determine...
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This pericope introduces Jesus' continuing ministry in Galilee following the religious leaders' decision to kill Him (cf. 1:14-15; 2:13). It provides much more detail than the parallel account in Matthew.3:7-8 The sea to whic...
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Jesus' selection of 12 disciples constituted an important advance in His ministry. These men would be the primary beneficiaries of His training for leadership to carry out His mission. The plot to take His life made the train...
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As Jesus' ministry expanded, so did rejection of Him as God's anointed servant. Mark documented the increasing rejection that Jesus experienced (3:20-35) and then showed that Jesus taught the multitudes in parables as a resul...
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Jesus apparently taught these parables shortly after the incident Mark just finished recording (3:20-35; cf. Matt. 13:1). This was a very busy day in Jesus' ministry that evidently included all the events in 3:19-4:41 (cf. Ma...
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Jesus introduced and concluded this parable with instructions that His hearers should give it careful consideration (vv. 3, 9, cf. v. 23). Mark's account of this parable is almost identical to Matthew's. It is the only parabl...
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4:10 Mark alone noted that those who asked Jesus to explain the parables included the Twelve plus other disciples (v. 10). Evidently their question concerned why Jesus was using parables to teach as well as what they meant. H...
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4:13 Jesus believed that the disciples should have understood the parable of the soils. It is, after all, one of the easier ones to understand."The blindness of men is so universal that even the disciples are not exempt from ...
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Jesus' statements in this pericope appear throughout the other Gospels. Verse 21 occurs in Matthew 5:15 and in Luke 11:33. Verse 22 is in Matthew 10:26 and in Luke 12:2. Verse 24 appears in Matthew 7:2 and in Luke 6:38. Verse...
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Since this parable supplements the parable of the soils, it appears that Jesus addressed it to the multitudes (cf. vv. 1-9). Mark is the only evangelist who recorded this part of the discourse. Each parable to the multitudes ...
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There are four miracles in this section. Jesus authenticated His words (vv. 1-34) with His works (4:35-5:43). He demonstrated power over nature, demon possession, illness, and death....
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Many unique features of Mark's narrative indicate that it came from an eyewitness account, probably Peter. These include mention of "that day"(v. 35), "as He [Jesus] was"and the other boats (v. 36), the stern and the cushion ...
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The increasing hostility of Israel's religious leaders and the rejection of the multitudes (3:7-6:6a) led Jesus to concentrate on training His disciples increasingly. This section of Mark's Gospel shows how Jesus did that. Wh...
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Jesus continued His response to the critics by focusing on the particular practice that they had objected to (v. 5). The question of what constituted defilement was very important. The Jews had wandered far from God's will in...
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The Olivet Discourse is the longest section of Jesus' teaching that Mark recorded (cf. 4:1-34; 7:1-23). Mark used this discourse as a bridge between Jesus' controversies with Israel's leaders (11:27-12:44) and the account of ...
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13:1 This discourse evidently followed Jesus' departure from the temple on Wednesday with His disciples. The stones that caught the disciple's eye were probably those above the floor of the temple courtyard. Herod the Great h...
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Evidently Jesus made this prediction in the upper room before the institution of the Lord's Supper. Mark probably inserted it here in his narrative because of its logical connection with Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane.14:27-28 W...
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Adams, J. McKee. Biblical Backgrounds. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1965.Alexander, Joseph Addison. The Gospel According to Mark. 1881. Reprint ed. London: Banner of Truth, 1960.Alexander, William M. Demonic Possession in the N...
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Luke's account of Jesus' parables by the sea is the shortest of the three, and Matthew's is the longest. Luke limited himself to recording only two parables, namely the parable of the soils and the parable of the lamp. He the...
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As in the other Synoptics, Jesus gave the first parable to the crowds and then interpreted it for His disciples.8:4 Luke omitted reference to the setting for this teaching. It was the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Instead he s...
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Jesus continued speaking to His disciples.8:16 This was a favorite saying of Jesus' (cf. Matt. 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33). In view of the context here the lamp refers to a person who has the light of God's Word within him o...
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Jesus used His condemnation of the Pharisees' hypocrisy as an occasion to warn His disciples against being hypocritical. The context of this teaching in Matthew's Gospel is Jesus' instruction of the Twelve before He sent them...
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28:23 Luke's concern in this pericope was to emphasize what Paul preached to these men and their reaction to it. The term "kingdom of God"probably means the same thing here as it usually does in the Gospels, namely Messiah's ...
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In this pericope Paul reminded Timothy of the apostasy that Jesus Christ had foretold to equip him to identify and to deal with it.143"The change that occurs at 4:1 following the hymn of victory, then, is not unexpected. Oppo...
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"The author steadily develops his argument that Jesus is supremely great. He is greater than the angels, the author of a great salvation, and great enough to become man to accomplish it. Now the author turns his attention to ...
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James next introduced an objection to his thesis that faith is dead without works. He put it in the mouth of a hypothetical objector. This literary device of objection and response was a common one that Paul also used (Rom. 9...
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An invitation preceded the promise, as in all the letters to follow (cf. 1:3). Jesus was the only person to issue this invitation in Scripture. The Gospels also record Him doing so seven times (Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9...
Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)
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Mark 1-9
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And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. 11. 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 th...
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"And Jesus 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? '--Mark 4:21.THE furniture of a very humble Eastern home is brought before us in this saying. In the...