Bible Commentaries
Mark 4

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

1 The parable of the sower,

14 and the meaning thereof.

21 We must communicate the light of our knowledge to others.

26 The parable of the seed growing secretly.

30 and of the mustard seed.

35 Christ stilleth the tempest on the sea.

Verse 3

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

There went out a sower to sow, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 13:3-23.

Verses 21-23

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, &c. — Because passages similar to this and one that immediately follow, are found in the sermon on the mount, some interpreters have thought that St. Mark scatters portions of what might have been related to him of that Divine discourse, promiscuously in his gospel. But this is both an uncritical and a mischievous conclusion. The passages in question have something of a proverbial, character, and were therefore applicable to quite distinct occasions; and accordingly we here find this allusion to the candle, or family lamp, applied to his exposition of the important parable of the sower. It contains the reason why, though he spoke in parables for a time, he explained their meaning to the inquiring disciples, that it was not for themselves, but for others, and that he was thus qualifying them to be the public instructers of mankind. He had lighted their candle or lamp by this exposition of the parable; and now they were to put the lamp upon its stand, that it might give light to all. In other words, Christ teaches his apostles that when they became public instructers, they were not, like the Jewish rabbins, or the Gentile philosophers, to have a secret and an open doctrine, but that they were to “declare the whole counsel of God;” and lest any in future should attempt to justify a reservation of peculiar truths from the people at large, and the restriction of them to the initiated, from our Lord’s own example, who had left parables spoken to the multitude, and had confined the interpretation to a few disciples only, which arose out of circumstances of an obviously peculiar character, he himself adds, with direct reference to his own practice, and to show that his conduct in this respect was temporary only, For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. Whatever Christ hid for the time under parable or type, or enigmatical allusion, or his own mysterious conduct on some occasions, was all with reference to that full and open “manifestation of the truth” which succeeded his ascension; which manifestation was the great office of his apostles and first disciples. To them he therefore turns in the next verses, and enjoins the most diligent and careful hearing upon them, that they might so understand as to teach. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Verse 24

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Take heed what ye hear. — Here βλεπω signifies to consider, to pay attention to; for our Lord is not cautioning them against hearing false doctrine, but is exhorting them to attend seriously to the true. The words might therefore have been rendered, Carefully consider what ye hear.

With what measure ye mete. — This proverbial expression occurs in the sermon on the mount, in the form of a caution against censorious judging. Here it is used in quite a different application, and offers the most persuasive motive to the serious hearing of the word. According to the measure of attention you pay to the instructions of heavenly wisdom shall be your improvement in it; give your ear to God, and he will pour knowledge into it; give your heart to the truth, and the truth shall enlighten and sanctify it; accordingly it is added, Unto you that hear, attentively and obediently, more shall be given. The connection of these words with our Lord’s discourse, is now apparent; he enjoins it upon the apostles diligently to LEARN, because they were appointed to TEACH; and to acquaint themselves with the whole doctrine of his religion because no part of it was to be reserved to any privileged few; but its light was to diffuse itself upon all, like the beams of the family lamp, or the sun “which goeth from one part of the heaven to the other.” The same lesson is taught to modern ministers, and indeed to all Christians whatever. They are all diligently to hear, consider, and LEARN the words of Christ, in order that they may be qualified to make them known to the whole world of ignorant and vicious men.

Verse 25

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

For he that hath. — See the notes on Matthew 13:10-14.

Verses 26-29

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

So is the kingdom of God, &c. — This beautiful parable is recorded only by St. Mark; and its connection with what precedes may easily be traced. Christ had represented himself in the preceding parable as the sower of the word, and had solemnly enjoined such a profitable hearing of it upon his disciples as that they should “keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” But they in turn were to be sowers of the word of God, and under their designation as the future teachers of the world, he had addressed to them the cautions which have just been noticed. Our Lord now considers them as going forth to sow, and the leading object of the parable was to encourage them in their great work, and to fortify them against impatience and despondency. The metaphors are taken from husbandry. A man casts seed into the ground; then sleeps, and rises night and day, that is, he pursues the other duties of life, labours by day, and sleeps by night, to refresh himself for the labours of the day following; but never thinks that he can make the seed grow by skill of his own, or that his presence with it, unfolding, and nourishing its parts, is necessary to its germination. He leaves it to the laws impressed upon nature by its Author, and to his blessing which gives those laws all their energy; and the seed springs and grows up he knoweth not how; nor does he wait to know how these mysteries may be solved before he casts in his seed, nor quarrel with the result, but he thankfully receives it, although he cannot trace the process. The effect as far as visible agency is concerned, is produced by the energy of the earth, under the influence of the rain and sun: the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, αυτοματη , “spontaneously,” without needing the agency of man to produce the effect, after the ground is once prepared and the seed deposited.

Then the wonderful process goes on independent of man: all is NATURE; that is, all is GOD. — The blade, the ear, the full corn in the ear, succeed each other; and when the fruit is brought forth, — literally, delivers itself up, or yields itself to the reaper — he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Here then we have represented the part which man takes in the production of the moral harvest. He prepares the ground, sows the seed, and finally reaps it; but the result depends upon a higher, and invisible, and inscrutable power. This opens the seed, strikes its root, supplies it with nourishment, unfolds the germ into the blade, the ear, the full, the multiplied and mature grain in the ear, and then yields or delivers over, παραδιδωμι , the perfected harvest into the hand of man to be laid up for his sustenance. The fine moral conclusions, from this beautiful parable could not escape the apostles, and therefore no explanation is added. They were taught that the success of the Gospel in the hearts of men is as certainly produced by Divine influence as the fertility of seeds in the earth by the influence of the invisible power of God working in the elements; and that they were therefore to sow the seed of truth, as the husbandman his grain, in PRAYER and in ENTIRE TRUST upon the power and goodness of God to make it fruitful.

This appears to be the great leading lesson of the parable; and nothing could tend so powerfully to excite the Christian husbandman to labour, as to be thus warranted to depend upon the exerted influence of God to give effect to his labours. It was his to sow, and to leave the seed to the secret, invisible, but constant blessing and influence of God, always putting forth its energy in the heart which receives him, and carrying on the work of grace, like the process of vegetation, to consummation. To this there may be subordinate lessons; but they are not so clear, and the fancy of men must not be suffered to intrude itself into these sacred portions of God’s word without authority. This one grand truth is surely enough to meditate upon: that God works in the heart of man as certainly as in the elements of nature; and that, as he delights to pour out his goodness in rewarding the labour of the husbandman with abundant harvests, and cheers his hope by the gradual growth of the seed he has sown in faith; so he rejoices over man to convert the barren waste of his withered nature into spiritual fertility, to bless the springing of the seed of every holy principle, and pure and kind affection, and will complete this wondrous work of his power and love, by delivering us up, mature and fit for heaven into the hands of the appointed reapers. With firm FAITH therefore in these promises, — for the parable has the force of a promise, — let the ministers of Christ sow their seed, and wait for the increase.

Verses 30-32

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

A grain of mustard seed. — See the notes on Matthew 13:31-32. This parable, like the foregoing, was designed to encourage the labours of the apostles, and all ministers to the end of time. Each parable, too, is applicable both to the effect of Divine grace in the hearts of individuals, and in the world at large.

Verse 36

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

They took him even as he was in the ship. — That is, instantly, without any preparation. See the notes on Matthew 8:24-27.