Mark · chapter 4 of 16
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Mark 4 gathers Jesus' parables by the Sea of Galilee: the sower and four soils, the lamp, the seed that grows by itself and the mustard seed. At evening a storm threatens the disciples' boat; Jesus wakes, rebukes the wind and the sea, and asks his disciples why they have no faith.
After the controversies and the calling of the twelve, Mark 4 is the first major block of teaching in the Gospel. Jesus speaks in parables, simple stories that reveal the kingdom to those with ears to hear. The chapter ends with a miracle that raises the central question of the Gospel: who is this that even the wind and the sea obey?
Jesus teaches a very large crowd from a boat on the sea and tells the parable of the sower: a sower scatters seed that falls beside the path, where birds eat it; on rocky ground, where it springs up quickly and is scorched by the sun; among thorns, which choke it; and on good soil, where it bears fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold. He ends by saying that whoever has ears to hear should hear.
Alone with him, the twelve and others ask about the parables. Jesus says that the secret of the kingdom has been given to them, while for those outside everything comes in parables. He explains the sower: the seed is the word; the different soils are the responses of the hearers, among which worries, the deceit of riches and other desires choke the word. He adds that a lamp is not put under a basket, that nothing hidden will fail to come to light, and that the measure they use will be measured back to them.
He says the kingdom is like a man who scatters seed and sleeps while it grows without his knowing how, until the harvest comes, and like a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, which grows larger than the garden plants and gives shade to the birds. At evening Jesus tells the disciples to cross to the other side. A fierce storm fills the boat with water while he sleeps on a cushion in the stern. They wake him, he rebukes the wind and tells the sea to be still, and a great calm follows. He asks his disciples why they are afraid and where their faith is, and they, filled with awe, ask who this is that even the wind and the sea obey.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Jesus ends the story of the sower by inviting anyone with ears to hear. Listening to sounds is not enough: the parable calls for attention that lets itself be changed.
The good soil stands for those who hear the word, accept it and bear fruit, though in different measure. Jesus offers a promise to those who persevere: the fruit will come.
The kingdom starts as the smallest of seeds and becomes large enough to give shade to the birds. It encourages those who see little fruit: what is small in God's hands does not stay small.
Jesus rebukes the wind, tells the sea to be still, and calm comes; then he asks the disciples why they are afraid. He shows his authority over creation and tests the faith of those in the boat with him.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: From a boat on the sea, while the people stood on the shore. — Mark 4:1
Answer: The thorns grew up and choked it, and it bore no fruit. — Mark 4:7
Answer: The word. — Mark 4:14
Answer: The cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches and desires for other things. — Mark 4:18-19
Answer: A mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, that grows into the largest of garden plants. — Mark 4:30-32
Answer: He was asleep on a cushion in the stern; when woken he rebuked the wind and told the sea to be still, and there was a great calm. — Mark 4:38-39
The parable of the sower invites us to examine our own soil. In a Sunday school class you can ask what is choking the word in each of our lives today: hurry, anxiety about money, fear of what others will say. Guarding the heart is as important as hearing the sermon.
The storm reminds us that following Jesus does not exempt us from tempests, but it does put us in the boat with him. When fear grows, Jesus' question remains personal: where is your faith? And the mustard seed encourages us to serve faithfully in small things, trusting that the kingdom grows by God's work.
Mark 4 ends with a question the disciples can barely put into words: who is this? In Mark 5 Jesus shows his authority over a man tormented by a legion of demons, over a chronic illness and over death.
Mark 4:10-12 says the secret of the kingdom is given to the disciples while those outside get everything in parables. Jesus echoes Isaiah: parables reveal truth to those who come wanting to understand and leave unanswered those who have already hardened their hearts. Afterward, in private, he explains to his disciples what they do not understand.
Jesus explains them himself: the path is the one who hears but Satan takes the word away; the rocky ground is the one who receives it with joy but has no root and falls away under persecution; the thorns are the one choked by worries and wealth; the good soil is the one who hears, accepts the word and bears fruit.
Several of them were experienced fishermen, yet they feared for their lives. Jesus does not rebuke them for asking for help, but for not trusting that his presence in the boat was enough. The scene shows that faith is not the absence of fear but bringing that fear to Jesus.