Jesus went again and taught by the sea. A large crowd gathered around him so he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea. The entire crowd was beside the sea on the land.
He taught them a lot using stories, and said to them in his teaching, “Listen up! Look, the farmer went to sow. While he was sowing the seeds, some fell on the road. The birds came and ate it. Some seed fell between rocks where there wasn’t much soil. The plant immediately grew up because there wasn’t much soil depth. But when the sun rose, the plant burned. Because it didn’t have enough root, it dried up. Some seed fell between thornbush. The thornbush grew and crowded the plant so it did not fruit. Some seed fell on good soil and made fruit, growing and growing, and fruiting thirty, sixty and a hundred times.” Jesus said, “Whoever has ears for listening, listen!”
When alone, those around Jesus and the twelve disciples asked him what the stories meant.
He replied, “You’ve been given the secret of God’s kingdom, but to everyone outside it is all in stories. Seeing but not understanding, listening but not understanding, unless they change and they be forgiven.”
Jesus said to them, “Don’t understand this story? How will you understand all the stories? The spreader spreads the good news. These are those beside the path where the word is planted; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes the word that was planted in them. These are like those planted in the rocks; whoever hears the word immediately takes it happily but they have no roots in them; they are temporary. When stress or harassment happens because of the word, they immediately fall. Other people are planted around the thornbushes; these are people who hear the word, but worldly matters and the lie of riches and the desire for other stuff comes and ruins the word and the word is unfruitful. Others are planted in good soil, who hear the word, accept it and are fruitful; thirty, sixty and a hundred-fold.
Jesus said to them, “A lamp isn’t used by putting it under a basket or bed. Isn’t it used by putting it on a lampstand? Because nothing is hidden except so it can be revealed. It has not been hidden except it will come to be seen. If anyone has ears to listen, listen up.”
Jesus said, “Listen carefully. You will be measured in the same way you measured and have it added to you. Whoever has will get more. Whoever does not have, what they have will be taken from them.
Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man who throws seed on the ground. He sleeps and wakes, night and day, and the seeds sprout and grow, but he doesn’t know how. The soil automatically grows the plant, firstly the grass, then the head, then the complete crop. But when the crop has fruited, he immediately sends the sickle because it is harvest time.”
Jesus said, “How do you compare God’s kingdom, or what story can you use to explain it? Like a mustard seed that when planted in the ground is smallest out of all the seeds in the ground, but grows and becomes the biggest garden plant and has big branches where wild birds can rest in its shade.”
He used many of these stories, speaking the gospel through them so they could hear it. Jesus did not speak to them without a story, but he explained everything to his disciples in private.
That evening, he said, “Let’s go to the other side.”
They left the crowd and went with him into the boat. Other boats were with him. A big, windy storm arrived and waves washed over the boat, causing it to fill. Jesus was in the back of the boat asleep on a pillow. The disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, aren’t you worried about dying?”
Jesus woke up, told off the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet! Silent!”
The wind stopped and there was great calm.
He said to the disciples, “Why be worried? Don’t you have belief?”
The disciples were very afraid and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and sea obey him.”
Mark Chapter 4 Summary
Jesus teaches by the sea, using stories to share about and explain God’s kingdom. He tells the story of the ‘sower’, describing how different types of soil reflect how the differences of how people receive God’s word. Some seeds fall on rocky ground or around thornbushes, representing those who hear but don’t fully accept God’s message. Other seeds fall on good soil, representing those who listen, understand, and bear fruit. Jesus also speaks of God’s kingdom as a growing seed and a tiny mustard seed that becomes a massive tree. Privately, he explains these stories to his disciples. Later, a storm hits them at sea, and Jesus calms it, showing his power over nature, leaving his disciples in amazement and fear.
Mark Chapter 4 Bible Study Questions and Answers
- What does the story of the sower teach us about how we should receive God’s word?
Answer: The story teaches that our acceptance of God’s word is like different types of soil. We must aim to be the good soil, open and ready to receive, learning God’s word so it may grow and bear fruit in our lives. - How does Jesus’s calming of the storm relate to our personal faith and trust in Him during life’s troubles?
Answer: Jesus’s calming of the storm reminds us that He has control over all things, even the most chaotic situations. It encourages us to trust in Him, even when we feel overwhelmed, knowing that He can bring peace and order. - What might the mustard seed represent in our spiritual growth and the growth of the church?
Answer: The mustard seed represents the humble beginnings of faith or the church that can grow into something large and powerful. It demonstrates how something small and seemingly insignificant can become mighty through faith and learning. - How can the concept of the lamp under a basket be applied to our lives as Christians?
Answer: The lamp under a basket teaches that the truth and love we’ve received are meant to be shared, not hidden. We are called to let our light shine before others, shining the way to God. - Why did Jesus teach in stories, and how does this method of teaching apply to our understanding of spiritual truths?
Answer: Jesus used parables to make complex spiritual truths more understandable. The stories encourage us to seek deeper understanding and to apply these lessons to our own lives, drawing us closer to God’s wisdom.
Mark Chapter 4 Explained
The chapter demonstrates Jesus’s teaching method and divine nature. His use of stories (or ‘parables’) offers insights into spiritual life. These stories, while simple, contain depth and truth about God’s kingdom and our place within it.
The story of the sower emphasises the different ways people respond to God’s word. It serves as a lesson to be receptive and mindful of God’s teachings, highlighting the importance of genuine commitment to spiritual growth.
The images of the growing seed and the mustard seed stress the potential for growth within God’s kingdom. These stories encourage patience, care, and trust in God’s timing, showing that small beginnings can lead to amazing outcomes.
Jesus’s calming of the storm offers a powerful demonstration of His divine control over nature. It shows His power, compassion, and the necessity of faith. The disciples’ amazement and fear remind us that recognising Jesus’s true nature can be both incredible and challenging.
The chapter also discusses the responsibility of those who follow Jesus. The image of the lamp serves as a call to action, urging believers not to hide their faith but to shine brightly, guiding others to God’s love and truth.
In private, Jesus explains the meanings of the parables to His disciples. This highlights the intimate relationship He offers, inviting us to seek understanding and wisdom through a personal connection with Him.
Throughout this chapter, Jesus not only teaches about God’s kingdom but actively shows His role within it. His words and actions blend to give us a strong understanding of faith, growth, and divine love, encouraging us to aim for a deeper, fruitful relationship with Him.
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Continue exploring Mark 4
If you’d like to read Mark 4 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try Mark 4 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try Mark 4 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try Mark 4 in the Contemporary English Version.
If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
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For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version
If you’d like to explore Mark in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: Mark
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of Mark (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
Not My Life 