Mark 4:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:20

Those are they that were sown upon the good ground . The good ground represents the heart which receives the Word of God with joy and desire, and true devotion of spirit, and which steadfastly retains it, whether in prosperity or in adversity; and so yields fruit, "sows thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold." St. Jerome remarks that, as of the bad ground there were three different kinds—the way, side, the rocky, and the thorny ground; so of the good ground there is a threefold gradation... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Mark 4:14-20

See the notes at Matthew 13:18-23. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Mark 4:13-20

Mark 4:13-20. Know ye not this parable Which is, as it were, the foundation of all those that I shall speak hereafter; and is so easy to be understood? See notes on Matthew 13:19-23. The desires of other things choke the word A deep and important truth! The desire of any thing, otherwise than as it leads to happiness in God, directly tends to barrenness of soul. Entering in Where they were not before. Let him therefore who has received and retained the word, see that no other desire... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Mark 4:1-29

PARABLES54. The sower (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-29; Luke 8:1-18)To visit all the towns of Galilee was a huge task. Jesus and his disciples were helped in this work by a group of women who went with them to look after their daily needs (Luke 8:1-3). Crowds of people came to see Jesus wherever he went, and were often a hindrance to the progress of the gospel. It seems that one reason Jesus began to teach extensively in parables was to separate those who were genuinely interested from those who... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Mark 4:20

And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.The good ground ... is not merely ground of sufficient quality and depth to produce a harvest, but it is likewise unencumbered ground. In the fast-moving current era, perhaps the encumbrances are the greatest deterrent to fruit-bearing.Thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold ... Why the various yields from ground uniformly "good"? As in the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Mark 4:20

20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred—A heart soft and tender, stirred to its depths on the great things of eternity, and jealously guarded from worldly engrossments, such only is the "honest and good heart" ( :-), which "keeps," that is, "retains" the seed of the word, and bears fruit just in proportion as it is such a heart. Such "bring forth fruit with patience" (... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Mark 4:1-34

2. Jesus’ teaching in parables 4:1-34This is the first of three extended teaching sessions that Mark recorded (cf. Mark 7:1-23; Mark 13:3-37). Jesus’ three parables in this section describe the character of the messianic kingdom.Parables are illustrations that teach truth by comparisons (Gr. parabole, lit. "something thrown alongside," similitudes). Some are long stories, but others are short similes, metaphors, analogies, or proverbial sayings (cf. Mark 2:19-22; Mark 3:24-25; Mark 3:27). The... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Mark 4:10-29

Jesus’ explanations to His disciples 4:10-29This section of Mark’s account records Jesus’ words to His disciples that the multitudes did not hear. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Mark 4:13-20

The explanation of the parable of the soils 4:13-20 (cf. Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15) read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Mark 4:14-20

Jesus did not give His disciples several hermeneutical principles by which they could understand the parables. He gave them a sample interpretation as a pattern that they could apply in understanding other parables.The seed represents the word or message of God that the sower proclaims. People make a negative or a positive response when they hear this message. They may make a negative response for any one of three reasons. Regardless of the reason, a negative response proves unproductive in... read more

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