Chapter Four THE OPPOSITION TO THE SERVANT CONTINUED (2:13-8:26) The Parable of the Sower, the Seed and the Soil (4:1-20)

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1 Chapter Four THE OPPOSITION TO THE SERVANT CONTINUED (2:13-8:26) The Parable of the Sower, the Seed and the Soil (4:1-20) 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. 4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 4:11 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 things are done in parables: 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables? 4:14 The sower soweth the word. 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word s sake, immediately they are offended. 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. The Parable of the Seed, Sower and Soil appears in three of the gospels: Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-9, and Luke 8:4-15. Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 53

2 A close study of each of these three passages will reveal that there are minor differences in the texts. As seen in the previous chapter, the religious leaders began to oppose the Messiah, and after Jesus spoke the Parable of the Sower, we see in the companion passage of Matthew 13:10-13 that the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke unto them in parables (v.10). Jesus then answered (vs.11-13), Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Matthew 13:35 then notes another reason why Jesus spoke in parables, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. This is from Psalm 78:1-3 written by Asaph, who, according to II Chronicles 29:30, was a seer in the days of King David. As you read Asaph s writings in Psalms 50 and 73-83, you will see that many are prophetical in nature, and in light of this, note how Asaph wrote in Psalm 78:1-3 what is written about Jesus in Matthew 13:35, Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. Notice also the differences from Matthew 13:10-13 in Mark 4:11-12, 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 things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Remember, these religious leaders just committed the unpardonable sin of equating the ministry of Jesus to the Devil! Remember also what the prophet Isaiah was commissioned to do in Isaiah 6:9-10, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but under-stand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Because Mark 4:11 denotes this parable for the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13:11, we may apply the principles from the parable doctrinally to any age or dispensation, rather than just a Jewish, Messianic kingdom. The kingdom of heaven phrase appears only in the Gospel of Matthew and most assuredly is to be differentiated from the kingdom of God that appears in the other Gospels. This is one of the few kingdom of heaven parables that has common application with those for the kingdom of God (see previous notes with regards to differences in the two kingdoms). There is no doubt that the Parable of the Seed, Sower and Soil is one of the best known in all the Bible, and it is the first of 12 Kingdom Parables that doctrinally deal with a Jewish Church and the fulfillment of O.T. kingdom promises to Israel (see the other parables in Matthew 13:24-30; 31-32; 33; 44; 45-46; 47-50; 52; 15:1-15; 21:28-32; 33-45; 24:32). Acts 1:6 notes that even the Apostles sought for this earthly kingdom after the Resurrection when they asked Jesus before His Ascension to Heaven, Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? This was an intelligent question, for Matthew 11:12 says, And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Israel has been persecuted ever since! 54 The Study of the Gospel of Mark

3 At one point, Israel possessed the Kingdom promised throughout the Old Testament under the regency of Solomon, David s son. Unfortunately, this was short-lived, for after the death of Solomon, the Kingdom was divided because of Solomon s great sins of idolatry that are noted in I Kings 11:1-13. As a result, about 400 years later the Northern Kingdom made up of 10 tribes of Israel went into captivity by the Assyrians in 702 BC because of the national sins of idolatry, and about 116 years later in 586 BC the Southern kingdom of two tribes went into captivity by the Babylonians for the same reasons. After that time Israel was then dominated by the four Gentile powers prophesied to come in Daniel Chapter Two. After rejecting and crucifying their Messiah, Jerusalem was once again destroyed in 70 AD and the Jews were scattered throughout the world that is, until 1948 when they once again gained political and military control of the land of Israel, but without their King or Temple (see notes for Mark 13 for further information on this). Let s look at the three aspects to this Parable of the Sower, Seed and Soil and how it may apply to us today. 1. The Sower, Behold, there went out a sower to sow (4:3) Jesus Himself names this parable in Matthew 13:18, Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. Some authorities object to this emphasis, for they believe the real meat of the passage is the reactions or responses of the various soils mentioned. However, we would object on the grounds that this is the Sower s parable, and doctrinally, the Sower is the Lord God Almighty! Scarcely anything at all is revealed in this parable about the Sower beyond the simple fact that He sows the seed. You ll note in Matthew 13:37 that Jesus explains who the Sower is, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man. We may assume the same to be true in our text of Mark 4:3. God likens Himself to a sower in Jeremiah 31:27, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. As shown earlier, Christ likens Himself to a sower in Matthew 13:37, and we know that the Holy Spirit of God is a sower in the sense that it is He who inspires others to sow the seed or the Word of God, as Luke 8:11 tells us, The seed is the word of God. Here we must make a practical application. It is the duty of every Christian to be a sower of the Word of God. Relatively speaking, there are few things that we do which hold an eternal weight or value. Of those few, certainly one of the foremost and most important functions of the believer is to distribute the Word of God. As seen in Romans 10:17, a man can only come to the saving faith of Christ through the precious Word, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We were saved to serve and sow! In comparison with the size of the field, which Matthew 13:38 equates to the world, it is sure that the sowers and harvesters are few (Matthew 9:37; Luke 10:2) true, biblical Christianity is a very small minority in this world. Considering its meager size, and then realizing how few Christians genuinely witness and carry a burden for the lost, we must hang our heads in shame, recognizing there are many who could justly acclaim from Psalm 142:4, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. In contrast, note Psalm126:6, He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 55

4 How can we sow? - Personal prayer and witnessing, i.e., personal conversation, tract and gospel literature distribution, street preaching, supporting or sending those who will sow where we cannot, etc. The question is, are you sowing? 2. The Seed, The sower soweth the word (4:14) Luke 8:11 says, The seed is the word of God. That isn t too difficult to understand. The seed is so vital! Without the seed, there is no need for a sower; there is no fruit that can be expected. Here are some reasons why the word of God is compared to a seed. a. Seed springs not out of the ground naturally; before it can grow and bring forth fruit, it must be sown. So mankind can bring forth no spiritual or sacred fruit unto God before he sits under the Word or has the seed of grace infused into his heart. By nature, man cannot produce spiritual fruit. Matthew 7:18 says that neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, and since Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, a pure, holy spiritual seed must be planted to yield a spiritual fruit. b. Seed, let it be of wheat, barley, herbs or flowers, must be the choicest of each sort respectively. The Word of God is likened to incorruptible seed in 1 Peter 1:23. It is the very best and most eternally enduring of all seeds. First John 3:9 teaches that when God sees the soul of a Christian, He sees a pure soul, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. c. Until seed is sown, there will be no increase; the ground must receive it: so the heart of man must take it in. Sinners by faith must receive the precious Word of Christ or there will be no spiritual birth or increase. Jesus Christ is of no spiritual profit, nor His word efficacious and effectual unto a sinner, until it is by faith received. d. Seed sown oft lies a considerable time in the ground before it germinates and takes root. Even so, the Word of God sometimes does not presently appear. Patience is required on the part of one who sows. The harvest never is taken the same day the seed is sown. e. Clods of earth being not yet broken oft times obstruct and hinder the springing up of seed. Likewise, through the power of Satan s temptations, or the inward filth and corruption of the heart, the seed of the Word is for a time obstructed. f. Seed must be sown at the proper time. It is of necessity that the sower be sensitive to the time and circumstances. By the way, winter comes into many a man s life where the ground is frozen and cannot receive the tender Word that is sown. Seeds need water and sunlight to grow, both of which are provided by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 says we aren t saved by works of righteousness, but rather, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, and this cleansing only comes after He has guided you into all truth (John 16:13). 56 The Study of the Gospel of Mark

5 In winning souls, I Corinthians 3:6 says that there are those who have planted and watered, but only God can give the increase. g. Seed must be sown bountifully. Not all seed will bring forth fruit. There is a calculated loss. Much more seed must be sown so that the needed or expected harvest may be reaped. In God s world economy, II Corinthians 9:6 says, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. h. It is observed that the earlier seed is sown in the season, the better it is rooted. A more bountiful crop may be expected if the sower sows early enough in the season to get a head start. So it is with men. The older men get, the more repulsed they are by the seed the Word of God. Generally, it is the young who have no problem receiving the precious Words of life because they have less pride and experiences of life to deal with that often block the reception of the seed into fertile ground. 3. Soils, way side stony ground thorns good ground (4:4-9) The soils represent the different kind of people that hear the Word of God. There are four reactions or receptions of the Word in the passage. Knowing the completeness of the Word of God, it would probably be true that these soils represent the four general reactions to the preaching of the Word of God, some accepting and some rejecting, with reasons given concerning why. a. The Wayside Hearer (4), some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. The wayside hearer has a closed mind. He made his decision a long time ago that all religion is a bunch of bunk or a crutch for people who are weak and in need of something to lean upon. It is implied in Mark 4:13 that there is direct Satanic and demonic activity involved, for the text says, when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. In light of that, we know from Ephesians 6:10ff that all Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Thus, the wayside hearer is a man destitute of any spiritual perception. The truth is often trodden down by the wheels of business and pleasure. He s too busy; he has too many important things to do. He has no time for such tripe. As noted in Luke 8:12, this man is LOST, Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. b. The Stony Ground Hearer (5-6), some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 57

6 If these four classes of people are to represent the total cross-section of humanity, this stony ground hearer must be a man who thinks he s saved or appears outwardly to be saved. He may know all the Christian jargon he needs to pass off as one of the boys, but he, too, is LOST! Now this would fit nicely in the scheme of things, but it is hard to believe that a person who has his heart right with God and is familiar with the Word of God could go through a lifetime thinking that he is saved when he is lost. However, many believe the stony ground hearer to be saved based on Mark 4:16-17, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word s sake, immediately they are offended. He just can t take the heat of affliction and persecution because he is not discipled or grounded in the Word of God, and consequently, he never takes root. Luke 8:13 says it this way, They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. c. The Thorny Ground Hearer (7), some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. This third hearer is a man who hears and evidently receives, but he is unfruitful, indicating that he may have at one time bore fruit. Further, Mark 4:19 says that the Word was in him, but it was choked out and becometh unfruitful. Luke 8:14 says that this hearer brings no fruit to perfection. Listed in Luke 8:14 are the three things that keep this man from being a fruitful Christian, cares and riches and pleasures of this life. Mark 4:19 expounds upon them as cares of this world deceitfulness of riches lusts of other things. d. The Good Ground Hearer (8), And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. The fourth hearer is described as ground that has been well prepared for planting. Matthew 13:23 says, he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit This hearer understands the Word of God and bears fruit, with both Matthew and Mark showing amounts of fruitfulness as hundredfold sixty thirty. Luke 8:15 says those on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Note also that Luke says this hearer keeps the Word and brings forth fruit with patience, which is also noted in Hebrews 10:36, For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Remember, I Corinthiains 3:6 notes that it is God who is the One who gives the increase, depending on how much water (Word of God) and sunshine (Holy Spirit) have prevailed! 58 The Study of the Gospel of Mark

7 In which of these four categories would you place yourself? Are you fooling yourself into thinking you can bear spiritual fruit without a biblical foundation? Have you given up (in prayer, in word, or in deed) on loved ones who have not as yet trusted in Christ? Have you faithfully, patiently, and bountifully sowed seed in the fertile ground of your young children (those who could receive it best), or have you farmed that sacred responsibility out to relative strangers (school, church, etc.)? Have you prayed that God would break up the hard ground of the skeptics, so that they would be ready to receive the seed? Is the frequency of your thoughts of riches, worries and earthly cares usually in indirect proportion to the frequency of your meditation on God s Word? If so, what occupies your mind most of the time? Those seeds that fall on good ground and produce fruit will have competition weeds. Following the Parable of the Sower noted in Matthew 13:18-23, Jesus then tells another parable in Matthew 13:24-32 with regards to tares (weeds) sown among the good seeds by the sower s enemy. The Sower (God) allows both seeds to grow, but at the harvest, He gathers and burns the tares separately. Jesus explains this parable in Matthew 13:37-43, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. The Devil has his own harvest, but don t let his weeds have victory in your life. Instead, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). If any man have ears to hear, let him hear (4:21-41) 4:21 And he 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? 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 59

8 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it? 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. 4:35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? More than likely, the first 20 verses of Mark Chapter Four are just the beginning of the lesson Jesus desires to teach, for all of what is said in the chapter happens on the same day (v.35). You will note from vs.1-41 that the whole chapter is tied together: v.1 And he began again to teach v.2 And he taught them vs.9, 11, 13, 21, 24, 26, 30 And he said v.35 And the same day he saith v.40 And he said Looking at Mark Chapter Four, it seems that the Lord is not only presenting the academic, doctrinal truths of the Scriptures, but He is moving us to understand that these truths are to have a practical, everyday application to our lives. The Bible is a very, very practical Book! It is to be read, believed and lived! Intellectual acknowledgment of the truth only stops far short of the Bible s intended purpose. True belief should bring about change, and in light of this, note what the Apostle Peter wrote: 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 60 The Study of the Gospel of Mark

9 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. God has given us everything we need in the Scriptures to make a positive difference in our lives, but if we aren t partakers (II Peter 1:4), we remain blind, and cannot see afar off (II Peter 4:9), much like those who don t have ears to hear in Mark 4:9 and 4:23. Having ears to hear is one of the keys in this spiritual process, just as Jesus said after He told the Parable of the Sower and Seed. However, there are many who don t want to hear. For some reason, they are convicted and/or repulsed by the Word of God. They are deceived into believing that ignorance of the truth will excuse them from the responsibility of living it, but the Apostle James tells us twice, faith without works is dead (James 2:20,26). Others take a more direct route and defy godly, moral principles for pleasure and gain. The Bible teaches us how to live, and in so doing, glorify God. The process begins with conversion and forgiveness of sins, as noted in Mark 4:12, and the Apostle Paul notes that it comes from hearing the Word of God, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We have already seen who the hearers are in Mark 4:1-20 with the wayside stony ground thorns good ground. Now we will look at the responsibility of those who hath ears to hear from Mark 4: Acquired truth depends upon the availability of the Hearer (4:21-25), Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? The Word of God was not given to be hidden. Luke 8:16 says it is to be put on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. In John 1:1-9, Jesus is the Word and the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. a. The Word of God can be discovered by those that approach it with ears to hear, For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested (v.22). b. By obeying what you hear, you open the door to more truth, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given (v.24). c. By disobeying what you hear, you close the door and eventually lose the truth you have acquired, For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath (v.25). 2. The work of the kingdom of God will assuredly be done in the life of the receptive Hearer (4:26-29), So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 61

10 a. Because God is the Sower, the kingdom of God grows without us being totally aware, for Luke 17:20 tells us that kingdom of God cometh not with observation. According to Romans 14:17, it is filled with things that can t be seen as an object, righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. b. The process of spiritual germination and growth is a mystery. It is like someone who cast seed into the ground (v.26) and after many days, the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not now (v.27). c. Spiritual growth is a process, as the plant grows first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn (v.28) and takes place in the interaction between the earth (Man) and the seed (Word of God). d. The sowing of v.26 produces the sure harvest of v.29, when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. No sower will go unrewarded unless the seed is planted only in the wayside (Mark 4:4, 15). 3. The most insignificant of seeds produces the most noteworthy of harvests in the life of the receptive Hearer (4:30-34), Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed a. This little seed becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches (31-32) and the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it (32). Matthew 13:32 also tells us that the mustard seed becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches. Some equate the use of the words fowls or birds to mean Satan s demonic kingdom, like the unclean predatory birds listed in Leviticus 11: Thus, as the Church grows like a mustard tree, the Satanic birds make their perches looking for prey. This Satanic bird typology is seen also in Isaiah 34:8-15 to describe inhabitants in the land of Idumea after the day of the Lord s vengeance when it is turned into pitch brimstone for ever That s like Hell on Earth! However, the fowls may have no such significance at all. b. In Mark 4:33-34, we are told that those with ears to hear were given many such parables as they were able to hear it, and when they were alone with Jesus, he expounded all things to his disciples. He will do the same with you as you receive, study and meditate upon His Word! 4. The test and practical application of the receptive Hearer (4:35-41), And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow In this portion of Mark Chapter Four, we see that Jesus moves from the classroom to the laboratory as He and His disciples left the multitude and passed over unto the other side (35), which means the other side of the sea noted in Mark 4:1. In Matthew 4:3, it is called the sea coast in Capernaum, and both texts refer to the sea of Galilee. 62 The Study of the Gospel of Mark

11 Thus, they leave the area and travel by ship (v.36) when suddenly there arose a great storm of wind (v.37) as Jesus lay asleep on a pillow (v.38), until the disciples awakened Him out of fear and He arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (v.39). Jesus then in turn rebuked His disciples for being fearful and having no faith (v.40) because He just finished teaching them that He was there to help them! Applying this to life, we can see that the ship is your life and the storm is the adversity that comes your way, and even though you may think Jesus is asleep (v.38) without care, as the disciples thought in v.39, He will still bring the same peace and calm to your life as you obey Him. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The test of the true Hearer comes when we are confronted by the storms of life and question, Does the Master really care? We see in v that after the Savior arose, and rebuked the wind, He then questioned His disciples, How is it that ye have no faith? The moral of the story is that the wind and the sea have ears to hear (vs.9, 23), for they obeyed the command of the Savior. With this in mind, why is it that man is of such little faith and slow to truly hear with his heart, as seen in the question asked by the disciples in v.41, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? The texts noted below show that we all struggle in our walk with the Lord. James 1:21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Hebrews 4:1-2 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Chapter Four The Gospel of Mark 63

12 Hebrews 5:11-14 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unnskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Proverbs 8:33-36 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.for whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. 64 The Study of the Gospel of Mark