translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: MRK

label: NET study note

text: Though parables can contain a variety of figures of speech (cf. 2:19-22; 3:23-25; 4:3-9, 26-32; 7:15-17; 13:28 ), many times they are simply stories that attempt to teach spiritual truth (which is unknown to the hearers) by using a comparison with something known to the hearers. In general, parables usually advance a single idea, though there may be many parts and characters in a single parable and subordinate ideas may expand the main idea further. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.


text: A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots ( Isa 55:10-11 ). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God (cf. 4:11 ).


text: The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.


text: Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.


text: That is, crowded out the good plants.


text: A quotation from Isa 6:9-10 . Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.


text: Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.


text: The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.


text: That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.


text: The lamp is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry.


text: What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.


text: Because the harvest has come. This parable is found only in Mark (cf. Matt 13:24-30 ) and presents a complete picture of the coming of God’s kingdom: (1) sowing; (2) growth; (3) harvest. Some understand the parable as a reference to evangelism. While this is certainly involved, it does not seem to be the central idea. In contrast to the parable of the sower which emphasizes the quality of the different soils, this parable emphasizes the power of the seed to cause growth (with the clear implication that the mysterious growth of the kingdom is accomplished by God), apart from human understanding and observation.


text: Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.


text: The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.


text: Who has authority over the seas and winds is discussed in the OT: Ps 104:3; 135:7; 107:23-30 . When Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea he was making a statement about who he was.


text: Jesus’ authority over creation raised a question for the disciples about who he was exactly ( Who then is this? ). This verse shows that the disciples followed Jesus even though they did not know all about him yet.


text: This section in Mark ( 4:35-5:43 ) contains four miracles: (1) the calming of the storm; (2) the exorcism of the demon-possessed man; (3) the giving of life to Jairus’ daughter; (4) the healing of the woman hemorrhaging for twelve years. All these miracles demonstrate Jesus’ right to proclaim the kingdom message and his sovereign authority over forces, directly or indirectly, hostile to the kingdom. The last three may have been brought together to show that Jesus had power over all defilement, since contact with graves, blood, or a corpse was regarded under Jewish law as causing a state of ritual uncleanness.