Mark 4:14

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 4:13-20

4:13-20 "Don't you understand this parable?" he said to them. "How then will you understand all the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. The kind of people represented by the case in which the seed fell by the side of the road, are those in whose case the word is sown, and whenever they hear it, immediately Satan comes, and snatches away the word that was sown into them. Just so, the kind of people represented by the case in which the seed was sown on the rocky ground, are those,... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:1-20

Spiritual sowing. It is a picturesque and memorable sight. Multitudes of people, of all classes and from every part of the land, have assembled on the western shore of the Galilean lake, where Jesus is daily occupied in teaching and in healing. To protect himself from the pressure of the crowd, and the better to command his audience, Jesus steps into a boat, and pushes off a few yards from the beach. There, with the fair landscape before him, corn-fields covering the slopes, the birds of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:1-20

The process of truth in the soul. " Word" in the parable stands for truth in general. It is the Greek logos , which contains everything relating to ideas and the reception of them. I. THE RELATION OF TRUTH TO THE SOUL . It is mysterious, because in it the secret of life lies. We know certain things about the seed; we know certain things about the soil; we know that their contact is necessary that germination and growth may take place. Sight, experience, teach us... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:1-20

Parallel passages: Matthew 13:1-23 ; Luke 8:4-18 .— Parabolic teaching. I. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER . 1 . Benefit of acquaintance with Scripture topography. To the right comprehension of Scripture acquaintance with Scripture topography is indispensable. This is easily obtainable at the present day from several books of travels now accessible to all. Much may be gained in this way even by those who have not had any opportunity of visiting Bible lands. 2 . ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:1-25

The duty of faithfully hearing the Word. H e who taught by every act of his life, and who had already given many most important lessons with his lips, now, after the interruptions just recorded, "began to teach" more formally. It was "by the seaside," the multitude standing "by the sea on the land," and he "entered into a boat, and sat in the sea." "He taught them many things in parables." The first of these and one of the chief of the parables and the chiefest of all on the subject of "... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:4-15

The Word stolen from the heart. Young preachers, in the strength of their convictions and the ardor of their benevolence, are often inspired with enthusiastic expectations concerning the results of the preaching of the gospel. It seems to them that the Word has only to be addressed to men's minds in order to meet with an eager, grateful, and immediate acceptance. As their experience enlarges, and as they learn in how many cases reason and conscience are silenced by the clamor of passion... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:5-17

The Word starved in the heart. The Christian preacher sometimes reason to exclaim, "Who hath believed our report?" But sometimes he has occasion to lament over those who apparently have believed but whose goodness proves, as time passes, "as the morning cloud and as the early dew, which goeth away." Our Lord warns us that we shall meet with such cases, which first excite hope and expectation, and then cloud the soul of the Christian labourer with disappointment and sorrow. Such are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 4:7-19

The Word choked in the heart. Thorns make a good hedge but a bad crop. The soil here described was in itself rich, good soil. But it could not grow both thorns and wheat, and, when occupied by the one, failed to yield the other. I. WHAT ARE THE THORNS THAT OVERGROW THE SOIL ? Thorns, thistles, brambles, briers, are signs of neglect. They are the emblems of the primeval curse, for the garden was by our first parents exchanged for the thorny wilderness. In our parable the... read more

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