Mark 4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:5

And some fell on stony ground ,.... The word was preached to some persons who had hearts of stone, and which remained so: where it had not much earth ; and so could be received only in a notional and superficial way, but could take no place, so as to produce any good effect: and immediately it sprung up ; a sudden and hasty profession of the word was made, without a powerful experience of it: because it had no depth of earth ; if it had, it would have been longer in coming up;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:6

But when the sun was up, it was scorched ,.... When persecution arose because of the word, and that became very hot and vehement, it tried and pierced through this thin speculative knowledge of the word, which could not stand before it, and bear the heat of it: and because it had no root, it withered away ; the word had only a place in the head, and not in the heart; wherefore the profession of it was soon dropped, and came to nothing. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:7

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:8

And other fell on good ground ,.... The word was preached to some whose hearts were disposed by the Spirit and grace of God to receive it; and their understandings were enlightened by it; and they had a savoury and comfortable experience of the truths of it, it coming with power to them; it was a good word to them, and through the grace of God they became good by it; a good work of grace was wrought upon their souls, and they were filled with all goodness and righteousness: and did yield... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:9

And he said unto them ,.... To the multitude of hearers that were on the sea shore attending to the word preached, and among whom, doubtless, there were all those sorts of hearers mentioned in this parable: he that hath ears to hear, let him hear : observe, and take notice of what has been said, as being of the greatest moment and importance: for a larger explanation and illustration of this parable, see the notes on Matthew 13:3 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:10

And when he was alone ,.... After the multitude was dismissed, and he either remained in the ship, or left it, and retired to some private place, it may be to Simon's house in Capernaum. The Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "when they were alone"; meaning as follows, they that were about him with the twelve ; that is, such disciples of his, who, besides the twelve, constantly attended him; perhaps those who now were, or hereafter were the seventy disciples. The Vulgate Latin... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:11

And he said unto them ,.... His disciples; unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God ; or the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, the secrets of the Gospel dispensation, the mysterious doctrines of grace; See Gill on Matthew 13:11 , but unto them that are without ; "to strangers", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, who were not the disciples of Christ, nor admitted to any intimacy with him; who came only to amuse themselves with the sight of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:12

That seeing they may see ,.... Which the end and reason of his speaking to them in parables. The passage referred to is in Isaiah 6:9 . See Gill on Matthew 13:14 . See Gill on Matthew 13:15 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:13

And he saith unto them, know ye not this parable ?.... So easy to be understood, taken from things common, and which fall under every one's observation: and how then will you know all parables ? if not this single one, and which is so plain, how will ye be able to understand the numerous parables hereafter to be related, and which will be much more difficult? read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:14

The sower soweth the word. Though our Lord thought fit to give the above gentle rebuke to his disciples for their dulness; yet he condescends to favour them with an interpretation of the above parable, which here begins: by this it appears, that the seed in the parable, before delivered, and which fell on different sorts of ground, is the word of God, which was preached to hearers of different dispositions: the word is the word of life and truth; the word of peace and reconciliation; the... read more

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