Mark 4:8-20

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 4:3-9

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

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 4:10-12

4:10-12 When Jesus was alone, his own circle of people, together with the Twelve, asked him about the parables. He said to them, "To you there is given the knowledge of the Kingdom of God which only the initiated can know. To those who are outside, everything is expounded by means of parables, so that they may indeed see and yet not perceive the meaning of things, and may indeed hear and not understand, lest at any time they should turn and be forgiven." This has always been one of the... 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 4:8

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

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