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Mark >
Exposition >
III. The Servant's later Galilean ministry 3:7--6:6a >
B. The increasing rejection of Jesus and its result 3:20-4:34 >
2. Jesus' teaching in parables 4:1-34 >
The setting 4:1-2 (cf. Matt. 13:1-3a ; Luke 8:4 )
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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. Matt. 12:22-13:53; Luke 8:4-25). "Again"looks back to 3:7 and perhaps to 2:13. The boat (Gr. ploion) in which Jesus sat was a vessel larger than a rowboat (cf. 3:7), perhaps a fishing boat.
Matthew recorded Jesus giving two groups of parables on this occasion: four to the multitudes (Matt. 13:3b-35), and four to the disciples (Matt. 13:36-52). Mark recorded only Jesus' parables to the multitudes. Both evangelists recorded Jesus' explanations to His disciples, though what they recorded Him saying is not identical.
