Markus 4:6 Kommentar

In this chapter, we have, I. The parable of the seed, and the four sorts of ground (Mar 4:1-9), with the exposition of it (Mar 4:10-20), and the application of it (Mar 4:21-25). II. The parable of the seed growing gradually, but insensibly (Mar 4:26-29). III. The parable of the grain of mustard-seed, and a general account of Christ's parables (Mar 4:30-34). IV. The miracle of Christ's sudden stilling a storm at sea (Mar 4:35-41).

And he began again to teach by the sea side,.... He went out of the house where he was at Capernaum, the same day he had the above discourse with the Scribes and Pharisees, and on which his mother and: brethren came to speak with him; and from thence he went where he had been before, and taught the people; namely, to the sea side, the shore of the sea of Galilee, or Tiberias: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude; which followed him from the house, and from other parts of the city, and perhaps from the adjacent places: so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; in the ship at sea, at some little distance from the shore; the sea of Tiberias being rather a lake, and within land, had no tide, and so was still and quiet: and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land; stood on the land, all along the sea shore; See Gill on Mat 13:1, Mat 13:2.

And some fell among thorns,.... The word was ministered to some who were eat up with the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and other lusts: and the thorns grew up, and choked it; the word did not take place so as to beat down, overcome, and root out these things, nor even to weaken, and keep under, and prevent the influence of them; but these got the ascendant of the word, and prevailed over it, and made it altogether useless and unsuccessful: for whilst it was administered, the minds of these persons were after their riches and worldly things, and gave no heed to the word; and last were prevailed upon, not to attend upon it, but drop the profession of it: and it yielded no fruit; it was not the means of grace; faith did not come by it, nor any other grace; nor did it produce good works in the life and conversation.

And if the young shoots of the wheat wither, that is not because of the heat, for he did not say that it withered because of the heat, but “because it had no roots.” And if that which he has taught us is choked, neither is it the fault of the thorns, but of those who allow them to grow. For you can, if you will, oppose their evil growth, and make fitting use of your resources. For this reason he says not “the world,” but “the care of this world”; not “riches,” but “the deceitfulness of riches.” Let us put blame, not on created things, but on the corrupted will.

Now pay particular attention. There is not one single way of destruction. Rather there are various ways that differ from one another significantly. Some, like the seed along the roadside, are the coarse-minded, indifferent, and careless. Others, those on the rock, are like people who fail from weakness only.

(ubi sup.) It goes on: And some fell on stony ground. He calls stone, the hardness of a wanton mind; He calls ground, the inconstancy of a soul in its obedience; and sun, the heat of a raging persecution. Therefore the depth of earth, which ought to have received the seed of God, is the honesty of a mind trained in heavenly discipline, and regularly brought up in obedience to the Divine words. But the stony places, which have no strength for fixing the root firmly, are those breasts which are delighted only with the sweetness of the word which they hear, and for a time with the heavenly promises, but in a season of temptation fall away, for there is too little of healthful desire in them to conceive the seed of life.

Other seed fell on a rocky soul — I mean those who readily accept the word but then reject it. They are rocky, as having become somewhat like the rock, that is, Christ, inasmuch as they accepted the word; but since they accept the word for a time and then reject it, through this they lose even the likeness.

The parable of the sower, Mar 4:1-9. Its interpretation, Mar 4:10-20. The use we should make of the instructions we receive, Mar 4:21-26. The parable of the progressively growing seed, Mar 4:26-29. Of the mustard seed, Mar 4:30-34. Christ and his disciples are overtaken by a storm, Mar 4:35-38. He rebukes the wind and the sea, and produces fair weather, Mar 4:39-41.

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.