CHAPTER 4
PARABLES
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. Mark 4:1
Here we see Jesus was once more surrounded by a great crowd (cf. Mt. 13:1-9; Lk. 8:4-8). In order to escape the press of the crowd he once again resorted to the “floating pulpit” of a boat. In this case he apparently used a larger fishing boat, or one with a sail, according to the Greek description. 1 It is interesting that a picture of this sail-type fishing boat was found some years ago on an ancient mosaic floor at the coastal city of Magdala.
So once again Jesus found himself preaching in an open-air setting. We might wonder today how so many people could really have heard him. Yet, history records that the great evangelist George Whitefield preached to as many as 20,000 English miners at one time in the open-air. His sermons often resulted in hundreds being converted. 2 Of course, in Whitefield’s day there were no means of electronically amplifying his voice.
Jesus may have had some natural principles working in his favor. The water itself carries sound very well. On the northwest side of the lake, there is a picturesque site known as the Bay of Parables. It is handily located between Capernaum and Tabgha (the old fishing hole). This is the traditional spot where it is thought that Jesus’ sermon took place. In recent years Israeli scientists have tested this spot and found that it has remarkable acoustics, insomuch that the human voice out on the water could have effortlessly reached thousands of people on the shore.3
“He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:” (4:2). Jesus opened his mouth and began to teach in parables. It is interesting that only in this chapter and in chapter 13 does Mark depart from his brisk narrative format by including whole blocks of Jesus’ teaching.4 Here we might wonder exactly what a parable is, and why Jesus persisted in teaching this way. Parables were not new to the Jewish people, for their Rabbis used parables before Jesus’ time. We might define a parable as an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning. It was an excellent way of making known concrete, deep, abstract ideas and of encouraging people to think for themselves.5 By speaking this way Jesus was fulfilling a prophecy about himself found in Psalm 78:2-3 where it is said, “I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.”
Parables were vivid pictures and no one before or after ever told parables like Jesus did. They abruptly knocked people off balance and shed new light on old truths. Edwards describes them “like stained glass windows in a cathedral, dull and lifeless from the outside but brilliant and radiant from within.” 6 Jesus may have persisted in using these clever little stories for a number of reasons. Of course, they were the fulfillment of prophecy as we have said. Possibly they were meant to confound all the enemies who were listening in on his sermons. The very language of parables was unsuitable to the court charges the Pharisees and others wished to bring against Jesus. Jesus’ parables were highly interesting and thus easy to remember. 7
Jesus began his parables saying: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up” (4:3-4). This was a picture from everyday Galilean life. Jesus was surrounded by farming country. All around Capernaum, Korazin and Tabgha there were farms with very fertile, black, volcanic soil, excellent for growing grains. Nearby was the extremely rich Plain of Genessaret. Today all this country produces luscious fruit consisting of citrus, mangoes, bananas, dates, avocadoes, and various grain crops.
No doubt, as Jesus was preaching there was a sower working nearby intent on spreading grain upon his little farm. With the Greek word idou, which is often translated “behold” or “look”, Jesus seems to be directing their attention to “look” at the farmer.8 With this, he begins his famous parable of the sower, which may very well be his most famous parable. It is no doubt his most important parable, because later in verse 13 we will see that this story has within it the key to understanding all parables.
This is a very simple picture on the surface. The sower no doubt had a bag of seed around his neck and was using his right hand to scatter the seed on his field. As a young boy on the farm I still remember my dad sowing seed in just this fashion. A little later he found an automated bag-like contraption that had a spreading wheel on the bottom with a hand crank attached to it. This was by far a more effective method of broadcasting seed.
In this parable we observe that some seed fell on the path or wayside. In those days fields were small strips and quite often they had pathways between them or even across them. 9 These pathways grew very hard with the constant trampling of many feet. When the precious seed fell on the hard pathway they were totally exposed, making a quick and easy meal for the eagerly-watching birds. Again as a child on the farm I remember how flocks of birds seemed to gather around us at plowing and sowing times. In the case of this parable the birds quickly ate the seed on the wayside and these seed were thus prevented from sprouting and bearing their fruit. Even without explanation we would all have to agree that the wayside is “a brilliantly simple analysis of men’s hearts.” 10
As the sower continued, “Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root” (4:5-6). There are a lot of rocky places in Israel. Quite often, otherwise fertile soil is literally covered with rocks. My wife, in joking about Israel, likes to paraphrase the Christmas story with these words: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their ROCKS at night” (Lk. 2:8 paraphrased). Someone once quipped that Israel would be rich if she could only figure out a way to export rocks and her numerous political parties. While the abundance of rocks was a problem for ancient Israelite farmers there is a possibility that the author is speaking here more of rock outcroppings with shallow soil on top of them.
In such an inhospitable place the precious seed would no doubt spout quickly due to the heat generated by sun-scorched rocks. Then once the noonday sun bore down upon them they would wilt away. This picture also packed a powerful message for the observant. Thomas Taylor once said “Earthly things must remind us of heavenly. We must translate the book of nature into the book of grace.” 11
“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain” (4:7). Again, Israel has no lack of thorns and thistles. They were so prevalent that in the Hebrew language there are at least14 different words for thorns and thistles. In a walk across the landscape one can see many varieties of these. There is the Syrian Thistle, the Globe Thistle, the abundant Milk Thistle, as well as many others.
In my early years as a farm boy I noted that the thistles and weeds somehow seemed to grow faster and taller than the grain crops. It was often my job to spend the day in the hot sun chopping down these persistent invaders. So we see here that the thorns and thistles outgrew the good seed and choked them out.
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times” (4:8). Not all the seed sown were so unfortunate. Some seed fell on the good soil that was ready to receive them. There is evidence that ancient farmers plowed their fields prior to sowing and it was not even infrequent that they plowed again after sowing in order to protect the seed with a layer of soil. 12 This protected and well-nourished seed came up and produced a bumper crop. Some have thought the 30, 60 and even 100-fold yields were a bit extravagant, but the writer Gustaf Dalman (1855-1941), who did extensive field work in Palestine, has noted that individual grains were able to produce ears with an average of thirty-five kernels. He noted that sixty was not out of the ordinary and that even some produced one-hundred-fold. 13
Also, modern researchers have concluded that wheat heads can bear from 20 to 50 kernels with no problem. 14 We might note that a 100-fold yield is a bit out of the ordinary and would surely be classed as a bumper crop or even as a bit miraculous.
“Then Jesus said, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’” (4:9). Jesus must have used this expression a lot, and interestingly, the Risen Christ still uses it in Revelation (cf. Rev. 2:7, 11, 17 ff.). Texas Professor Bob Utley thinks that the command to “hear” may be associated with the popular Hebrew Shema prayer of Deuteronomy 6:4. He notes that the right kind of hearing must end in action as seen in James 2:14-26. 15
SPEAKING IN HIDDEN LANGUAGE
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. Mark 4:10
The interpretation of the parable of the sower may have come at a later time. We will see in verse 36 that Jesus apparently did not leave the boat after speaking but went on a trip in it across the lake with his disciples.
“He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables….’” (4:11). The secret or mystery (Gk. musterion) of God’s kingdom has been revealed to the disciples so that they can understand and teach others. In 1 Timothy 3:16, we realize that there is a mystery of godliness. On the other hand in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we also realize that there is a mystery of iniquity or secret power of lawlessness. It is important that we gain understanding in both these areas.
When the New Testament speaks of mystery it is not speaking of some deep, esoteric and hidden secret. It has no similarity to the many mystery religions of the Roman Empire or even with certain mystery organizations of the present time. Rather it has to do with some glorious truth that was long concealed but is now clearly revealed. 16 We should clarify that this message is to those who are actually seeking to understand the mystery.
In these verses the “insider” and “outsider” motif that we saw in 3:20-35 once more appears. The disciples who are following closely after Jesus are the “insiders.” The common people (Heb. am-ha’aretz) along with the Gentiles, are the outsiders. However, as we see on several occasions the situation can do a flip-flop and “outsiders” can become “insiders,” as in the case of the Syrophoenician woman and the Gerasene demoniac. “Insiders” can even become “outsiders” as in the case of Judas. 17
Jesus here refers to Isaiah 6:9-10, and at first sight this appears to be a troubling statement made by the Master. He explains why he speaks in parables: “…so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (4:12). We must ask, “Did Jesus speak in parables in order to bring eternal condemnation on the people?” This really does not compare well with the many verses showing the saving love of God, such as 2 Peter. 3:9, which affirms that God is “…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
What can we make of this? What was Isaiah really saying? Edwards points out that the quotation of Isaiah 6:9-10 occurs in the New Testament six times and it occurs in each of these instances in the context of hardness of heart and unbelief. 18 Matthew’s version of this account makes plain that it is the people who have hardened their hearts. 19 He says in 13:15: “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” We should note that Matthew is quoting directly from the Greek Septuagint version (LXX) which was the Bible of the early Christians.
It seems that Jesus spoke in parables partly to protect the people. The early church father Origen (c. 184- c. 253) said of this: “The Lord wanted to prevent the unready from being too speedily converted and only cosmetically healed.” 20 Also, the Master may have been offering the people an opportunity to dig deep in the word and find its truth, but he was at the same time allowing them to turn a blind eye if they wished and just pass it off as an interesting story. The parables were a means of protecting people from the condemnation of rejecting the clearly explained truth of God. 21
THE PARABLE’S INTERPRETATION
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?” Mark 4:13
Although this verse is not found in the other gospels it appears to be very important. Jesus seems to be saying that the Parable of the Sower is somehow a key in understanding all the other parables.
There is something about mysterious and hidden things that appeals to us all. It seems that if truth is hidden slightly it becomes easier to see and more appealing. 22 Just as children play the game Hide and Seek we adults also like to seek things out. Proverbs 25:2 comments on this saying, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” In 1 Peter 2:9, we are declared to be a “royal priesthood” before God. By God’s great grace we serve before him as kings in his kingdom and a part of our job is to search out the things of God. The scripture says of this, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” (Deut. 29:29). We are thus “…entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed” (1 Cor. 4:1).
How do we seek out God’s secrets? Like the disciples of old we must be with Jesus, spend time with him, fellowship with him and follow him closely. We must meditate on God’s holy word day and night. We need to ask him about his mysteries and pray for revelation in our hearts. Then Jesus will explain his word just as he did to his disciples.
THE HARD HEART
The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Mark 4:14-15
Here the parable is explained leaving little guesswork. The Farmer is obviously the Son of Man as we see in the related Parable of the Weeds (Matt. 13:37). The seed is clearly the word of God (Lk. 8:11). The soils are the various conditions of people’s hearts.
We are told that some seed fell on the hard path or wayside. As we noted in verse 4 the birds immediately swooped down and made a quick meal of these seed. Birds in scripture are not always presented in a good light. In many places we read that they fill people’s hearts with foreboding (cf. Gen. 15:11; Jer. 7:33; Ezek. 39:4, 17; Rev. 18:2). 23 Here they are directly connected with Satan, who is known as the prince of the air (Eph. 2:2).
No doubt we remember the sad story of Pharaoh’s baker in Genesis 40:16-22. He had been deposed from his position and was in prison with Joseph. He had a dream which Joseph interpreted. In his dream he was once again carrying upon his head his wonderful baked goods to Pharaoh. However, while he was walking along the birds were having a feast on his delicacies. No doubt, when he presented his marvelously decorated éclairs and cakes to the king everyone was aghast that the baked goods were covered with bird tracks, feathers and perhaps some other items. The baker was soon hanged by Pharaoh.
Birds can be rather pesky. At our study center in Migdal we had a very large grapevine that grew up from the ground and nicely covered our second story porch. This made a great shady retreat where we could sit in comfort and look out over almost the whole Sea of Galilee. We looked forward each year to the ripening of our grapes but in all the years we were there we ate very few of them. The grape arbor seemed to be handily in the flight path of the numerous Bulbuls, some small pesky birds around us. We tried every scarecrow method we could imagine but the Bulbuls went right on eating our grapes. All they left as a thank-you was a lot of clutter and bird droppings on our upper porch.
We can understand in this parable that the pathway was hard. It could not receive the precious seed that were strewn upon it. This is the picture of the hearts of millions today. There is no place for them to receive the word of God. The theologian Helmut Thielicke in his book The Waiting Father, describes such a one saying: “A person who is only a path through which the daily traffic passes, who is no more than a busy street where people go rushing by hour after hour and where there is never a moment of rest, will hardly provide the soil in which the eternal seed can grow. People who are always on the go are the most in danger…the Word of God is demanding. It demands a stretch of time in our day—even though it be a very modest one—in which it is our only companion.” 24
What can be done about the hard heart? The hard heart must be plowed and broken up. This implies a lot of pain and suffering. 25 In Hosea 10:12 we are challenged: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.”
THE SHALLOW LIFE
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Mark 4:16-17
As we said earlier, the rocky places could indicate a ground littered with rocks or perhaps a rocky shelf that is lightly covered with earth. Because of the sun beating down on the rocks the seed sown there would sprout quickly but in time the same hot sun would cause them to wither away. The obvious problem was the lack of a good and deep root system. In the New King James Version this passage reads that “they have no root in themselves.”
This seems to be a picture of many professing Christians today. They have no root in themselves. They have roots in their parents, or perhaps they have roots in their friends, or their pastor. 26 They have no root that they can call their own. They are the kind of folks who are always taking their little cup to get it filled by others. Dear friends, it is going to take a lot more than a cupful of water to get us through what is coming. We need deep roots reaching down to the springs of living water; tapped into the river of life.
One evangelist remarked: “We have learned that it takes about five percent effort to win a man to Christ, and ninety-five percent to keep him in Christ and growing into maturity in the church.” 27 The obvious problems we see here in these verses are affliction and persecution. We are told to expect such things, which will come upon us simply because we are Christians (cf. Mk. 8:34-38; Matt. 5:10-12; Lk. 6:22). In our modern and postmodern theology we have all but eliminated suffering, at least in the western world. How sad that in doing so we have all but eliminated the gospel. Verse 17 makes plain that these folks are scandalized (Gk. skandalon or skandelethron) or fall away from the gospel. 28 What an important message this was to those Roman Christians who were about to experience the awful persecution of Nero. What an important message it is for us today who will most likely soon experience persecution for our faith.
THE CARES OF THIS WORLD
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:18-19
I was sitting on a rock meditating one day on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. I suddenly realized that I had evidence of this parable all around me. I was sitting on a rock beside a road, while there before me were a collection of thistles all near the edge of a wheat field where the heads were happily growing. What a sight to be found sitting in the midst of a living parable! These verses describe seed sown in the middle of thorns and thistles. The good seed are immediately choked out and they produce no fruit. Jeremiah has a solution to this problem. He says simply “…do not sow among thorns” (Jer. 4:3). If we are exercising good stewardship of the land there will be no thorns or thistles. Several church fathers give us some advice in this area. The Great Augustine (354-430) says, “Cast away the stones from your field, and dig out the thorns. Be unwilling to have a ‘hard heart,’ such as makes the Word of God to no effect.” 29 Chrysostom (c. 347- 407) the “golden mouth” preacher declares, “When the Word is choked, it is not merely due to the thorns as such, but to the negligence of those allowing them to spring up.” 30 Evagrius of Pontus (345-399) adds, “Weed out from your soul the undergrowth of sporadic desires, along with the thorns and tares of bad habits.” 31
Mark lists a couple of important items that are classed among the “thorns” in our lives. The deceitfulness of wealth is one. Many people today are seeking riches. I remember one promising preacher in my seminary days whose goal was to become a millionaire. I know that later things did not end well for him. The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” The Apostle Paul says in 1Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
The other item Mark lists as a thorn is the desire for things. In the western world we have a great fascination with things and stuff. The new plastic “stuff” containers seem to fill up more and more aisles at the department stores. Our attics and even our garages are filled with stuff. In addition to our stuff we are filled with anxieties (Gk. merimna) and cares of the world. In this age we are surely finding out how many things we can think about and handle at once; how many things we can accomplish through multi-tasking at one time. We are a complicated and busy mess. Yet, in all our thoughts there is no room for God (Psa. 10:4).
Jesus was a friend of two women, Martha and Mary. When Jesus visited in their home Martha was very busy with all the serving and meal preparation. She grew quite agitated with her sister who was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him. Finally she asked Jesus to rebuke her sister for not helping. “Martha, Martha, ‘the Lord answered,’ you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed— or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Lk. 10:41-42).
THE GOOD SOIL
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop— thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown. Mark 4:20
At last, some seed fell on good, fertile and prepared soil. I remember again from my young days on the farm how we would work the soil with discs and harrows until the old clay clods became as fine as sand. My dad would then declare that we had a good “seed bed.” The soil was finally ready for the sowing.
We see here that there are great differences in production although the soil may be equally prepared. Wiersbe, from his long pastoral experience says, “Not all true believers are equally as productive, but from every genuine Christian’s life, there will be some evidence of spiritual fruit.” 32
One thing seems obvious as we look at the world around us. The whole world is busy, busy, busy trying to produce fruit. It is almost impossible to keep living things from producing. This is the law of life and we need to take it to heart and apply the principle to our spiritual lives. When the Lord of Creation returns he will be looking only for one thing – for fruit. We might ask ourselves how we are doing with that. Is there any fruit in our spiritual garden and on our spiritual tree? Do we have beautiful things like love, joy and peace hanging on our tree? Will the Farmer of our souls be able to say, “…Well done, good and faithful servant!… ” (Mt. 25:21)?
THE LAMP ON A STAND
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?” Mark 4:21
In the previous Parable of the Sower it was obvious that the Farmer or Sower was the Lord himself. Yet there is a sense in which all of the Lord’s servants are sowers as they transmit the word or the seed of God. In this parable Jesus is clearly the lamp while in the same sense his true followers can also become lamps as they transmit the light of God to humanity (Matt. 5:14).
The Greek word erchetai (bring in) found in this verse is interesting. It means “come” and has more reference to a person than an object. Obviously this lamp is not an ordinary one. 33 It speaks directly of Jesus who said, “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12). John the Baptist in introducing Jesus spoke in much the same sense as this verse: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (Jn. 1:9).
Jesus as the lamp of God must not be hidden although there is a sense in which the parables about him are somewhat hidden and mysterious. We must not put the lamp of God under a grain measure or under a bed. The bowl or grain measure mentioned here was a vessel containing around twelve quarts (11.35 liters).34
We are reminded of all the ways the church itself has hidden Jesus. He has been hidden in false and ponderous theology, in cumbersome liturgy and ritual, in neglect of true Bible study, in neglect of witness and in dull or banal preaching. The lamp on a lampstand makes it clear that Jesus is to be seen by all, for truth is designed to be seen.
How sad it is for the church or the person who hides the light of Christ. It has been said that “those who harbor secrets are never happy.” 35 The early church father Tertullian (c. 160- c. 225) once said, “If you hide your lamp beneath a bushel, you will soon notice that you yourself will be in the dark.” 36 How troublesome are today’s statistics that, “…less than a quarter of adults attending church are motivated to evangelize or even to witness.” 37
“For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear” (4:22-23). Although the parables have a hidden nature about them, the Bible is clear that in time all things will be revealed (Matt. 10:26; Lk. 8:17; Lk. 12:2). Dummelow has said, “If the gospel was for a moment treated as a secret, it was so only because this temporary secrecy was essential to its successful proclamation after the ascension.” 38
“‘Consider carefully what you hear,’ he continued. ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured to you— and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them’” (4:24-25). Euthymius, the Palestinian hermit theologian (377- 473), paraphrased this verse to read: “In that measure in which you measure your attention to my teaching, in the same measure will spiritual understanding be measured unto you.” 39
We might think here of the poor woman in Elisha’s day who was about to lose her two sons because of a debt she owed and could not pay (2 Ki. 4:1-7). The prophet advised her to go and borrow many vessels from her neighbors. Then he told her to go into her house, shut the door and begin pouring the small amount of oil she had into the empty jars. The woman poured, and kept pouring until all the vessels were miraculously filled. With that abundance of oil she paid the debt and delivered her sons from slavery. We might wonder what would have happened had the woman only borrowed two or three vessels. She came with a huge measure and God filled it up to the brim.
Then the Lord says a very strange thing. He says that people who have will be given more and those who do not have will lose even the little that they have (cf. Matt. 25:29). This is a strange lesson in economics but nevertheless it is a true one. It works like this, the more we study, the more we are capable of studying; the more we know the more we are capable of knowing. “The more we develop the skill of hand, or eye, or mind, the more we are able to develop it…The more responsibility we take on, the more we are able to bear.” 40 Most of us know that if we want a job done well and quickly, we look for a very busy person to do it. We will likely be disappointed if we choose a person that has nothing to do.
As one ancient Jewish wise man has said: “According to the standards of mortal man, an empty vessel is able to contain [what is put into it], and a full vessel cannot contain it, but according to the standards of the Holy One, blessed be he, a full vessel is able to contain it while an empty one cannot.” 41
There is another rule closely associated with this one and it is the rule of usage. “If you do not use what you have, you lose it. It is true on all levels: If you bind up your arm so that you cannot move it for as little as two weeks, when you remove the binding you find you have temporarily lost the use of your arm.” 42
PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain— first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29
Here we have a great and humbling picture of how the kingdom of God grows. It grows like a tiny seed and the growth is almost imperceptible. The inner workings of this miraculous growth are quite unknown to us. In fact, the exact workings of a seed’s growth are quite unknown to the farmers themselves. It is amazing that the farmer actually has nothing to do with the actual sprouting and growth of the seed. It does not matter whether he is asleep or awake the sprouting and miraculous growth will take place.
It might seem that the soil is able to bring forth the growth by itself. The Greek word used here in verse 28 is automate (all by itself), and it is from this word that we get “automatic.” 43 In the spiritual realm we can conclude, “God is at work- hidden and unobserved in Jesus and the gospel to produce a yield wholly disproportionate to human prospects and merit.” 44 It is an astounding miracle; it is a surprise. It is like God is saying to us: “Patience! Do your work. Sow the seed. Leave the rest to God. The harvest is sure.” 45 It reminds us of Galatians 6:9 which says: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
THE MUSTARD SEED
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32
The theme of almost all of Jesus’ parables is the kingdom of God. The kingdom is presented in many ways and with various unforgettable pictures. Here it is presented as a mustard seed, something exceedingly small, but something that grows to unbelievable heights, even to the point of harboring birds. We would have to think that the mustard seed is a favorite illustration of Jesus since he uses it in several places (cf. Matt. 13:31; 17:20; Lk. 13:19; 17:6).46
Jesus says that the mustard is the smallest of seeds. He is here giving us a lesson on the kingdom and not a lesson in horticulture. If we were to compare seed from all over the world the mustard would not be the least. Marcus tells us that if we were to be exact the orchid seed is the smallest.47 Jesus is dealing in the practical realm with the type seed with which the Galilean farmers were acquainted. In their realm of experience the mustard seed was the smallest seed they ever planted in their gardens. 48
The mustard seed is something that is tiny but something that grows and grows to the size that no one can miss it. In the early spring the Galilee in many places is covered with wild mustard (sinapis aurensis). Many fields are almost solid yellow in color. Some of the plants can grow as high as a man’s head and yes, the birds do come and light in them. In fact, there is no lack of birds because they are quite fond of the little seed produced by the mustard plant.49
So many times through history the church has seemed weak and insignificant and then suddenly a great revival and awakening breaks out and multiplied thousands are swept into the kingdom. Or how often has a very weak Christian become filled with the Spirit to the point of accomplishing great and unimaginable things for God? This is the mustard seed factor at work. Jesus once said that if we could have faith like a tiny grain of mustard seed we could command the mountain to be moved and it would take flight (Matt. 17:20). We do not get the impact of this statement until we realize that Jesus was standing on the Mount of Olives, probably the second most important mountain in the whole world and the very mount from which he would later ascend to heaven. He was obviously referring to it.
“With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything” (4:33-34). We really do not know how many parables the Lord spoke. There were apparently many collections of his parables and sayings circulating around in the early years of Christianity. To the crowds Jesus confined his teaching to parables. People were able to choose for themselves and take away only the teaching they were able to carry.
A STORMY NIGHT AT SEA
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. Mark 4:35-36
We observe here that Jesus was taken just as he was on a journey to the other side of the sea. He remained in the same boat for the sea voyage of about five miles (8 km.) to the eastern shore. 50 It was obviously the same day and we see that the large crowd was left behind on the shore. In this story we observe once more the evidence of an eyewitness account. Mark notes that there were other boats present. Later he notes that the boat was drawing water and that Jesus was asleep on a cushion.51
Today we know a great deal about the kind of boat in which Jesus was traveling. As we mentioned earlier, the picture of such a boat was found on a mosaic floor at Magdala on the western shore. Then in 1986, during a severe drought and a time when the sea was at its lowest point, the well preserved remains of such a fishing boat were found near Kibbutz Ginnosar. The waterlogged remains were carefully preserved and are on display today at the kibbutz. This boat measures 27 feet (8.2 m.) in length and 7 feet, 7 inches (2.3 m.) in width and 4 feet (1.25 m.) in depth. The remains were dated between 100 BC and AD 70, which would have fit well into the time of Jesus. The boat had a sail as was common in fishing boats and was propelled by four oars, two on each side. 52
We know from other sources that the boat could have held about fifteen people. It probably required a crew of five, and that it was likely designed for seine fishing and thus had a deck on its aft part. It is probable that the pillow Jesus later rested on was a sandbag that was used for ballast.53
“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped” (4:37). The Sea of Galilee, with snow covered Mt. Hermon to the north and the warm Mediterranean to the west can be at times a tempestuous body of water. In the hottest part of the summer about the middle of each afternoon there is a strong west wind that arises to the delight of windsurfers who are always waiting in the Tabgha/Capernaum area.
However, the wind we see here was likely the “Sharkia” (Arabic for “shark”). Mendel Nun, the fishing expert we met earlier, states, “Even today this storm, which usually starts in the early evening, is good cause for apprehension among fishermen.” 54 In the cooler months the Sharkia drives down from the east and when the lake is full it can cause considerable damage even to the shoreline areas of Tiberias on the other side of the lake.
“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (4:38). We remind ourselves that many of these on board were experienced fishermen but they were really scared. This must have been quite a storm (cf. Psa. 107:23-30). Today it is customary for insurance people to call violent storms, tornadoes, and such things as “acts of God.” We need to understand that while the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord, nevertheless, Satan is called the prince of this world (Jn. 12:31), and he is allowed to exercise a great deal of power and authority in the earth. Many times the hand of Satan can be seen in certain things that we blame on the Lord.
It is very likely in this case that Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), was trying his best to annihilate Jesus and all his disciples in one fell swoop.55 We might wonder how the disciples could be so terrified with Jesus on board, although he was fast asleep. After all, he had promised that they would make it to the other side. The early church fathers remarked about this. Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) said, “While the ship was quietly bearing Jesus’ humanity, the power of his Godhead was wonderfully carrying the ship itself.” 56 Augustine commented, “Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him.” 57
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm” (4:39). Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea and there was a great calm. Edwards remarks here: “The Greek word for ‘Be still!’ (pephimoso), carries the sense of ‘muzzled.’ It occurs in the second person singular, as though Jesus were addressing a personal being…Such language is more appropriate of demonic forces than of inanimate nature.” 58 Coffman also adds that these were the same words used in Mark 1:25 when Jesus cast out a demon.59
“He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ (4:40). The great storm did not disturb Jesus in the least. He was able to sleep through it all. What seems to have disturbed Jesus was the lack of faith of his own disciples.
“They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” (4:41). We can imagine the disciples staring in disbelief at a completely calm sea, yet a moment before they had been in a terrifying storm and were no doubt still dripping with water. Now they were really alarmed. Guzik comments, “They were just as afraid when he calmed the storm as when they were in the midst of it.” 60 Who was this man on board with them? How could a man command the wind and sea to be quiet and they would promptly obey him?
The Psalmist has said: “O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them” (Psa. 89:8-9)… Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty” (Psalm 93:4).