Mark 4:1-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 4:1-20

The foregoing chapter began with Christ's entering into the synagogue (Mark 4:1); this chapter begins with Christ's teaching again by the sea side. Thus he changed his method, that if possible all might be reached and wrought upon. To gratify the nice and more genteel sort of people that had seats, chief seats, in the synagogue, and did not care for hearing a sermon any where else, he did not preach always by the sea side, but, having liberty, went often into the synagogue, and taught there;... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 4:1-2

4:1-2 Jesus began again to teach by the lakeside. A very great crowd collected to hear him, so great that he had to go on board a boat and sit in it on the lake. The whole crowd was on the land facing the lake. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he began to say to them, "Listen! Look! The sower went out to sow." In this section we see Jesus making a new departure. He was no longer teaching in the synagogue; he was teaching by the lakeside. He had made the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 4:3-9

4:3-9 "Listen! Look! The sower went out to sow. As he was sowing, some seed fell along the roadside; and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell upon rocky ground where it did not have much earth; and it sprang up immediately, because it had no depth of earth, but, when the sun rose, it was scorched, and it was withered away, because it had no root. Some fell among thorns; and the thorns crowded in on it until they choked the life out of it, and it did not yield any fruit. And some fen on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:1

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:2

And he taught them many things by parables ,.... As he sat in the ship, and they stood on shore; and said unto them in his doctrine ; as he was teaching them, and delivering unto them the doctrine he had received from his Father: though the Jews say F3 Bereshit Rabba, sect 98. fol. 85. 3. , that "the Israelites will have no need לתלמודו של מלך משיח , "of the doctrine of the king Messiah, in the time to come"; because it is said, "unto him shall the Gentiles seek", and not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 4:3

Hearken, behold, there went out a sower to sow. By whom is meant Jesus Christ, who came forth from God as a teacher, and went out into the land of Judea to preach the Gospel, which is sowing spiritual things among men; and this may be also applicable to any faithful minister of the word. read more

John Gill

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

And it came to pass, as he sowed ,.... Whilst he was preaching the, Gospel, casting about the precious seed of the word, he was laden with: some fell by the way side ; the common beaten path: the word was dispensed among some men comparable to it, on whom it lighted, but made no impression; there it lay, though not long, and was not inwardly received, and took no root, and consequently was of no effect: and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up ; the devils, who have their... read more

John Gill

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

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