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Mark 4:35-41
JESUS AUTHORITY OVER NATURE - Feb 14, 2022 -
Mark 4:1-20
SEED SOWN ON GOOD SOIL - Feb 12, 2022 -
Mark 4:1-12
JESUS TAUGHT IN PARABLES - Jan 01, 2000 -
Mark 4:13-20
THE PARABLE EXPLAINED - Jan 01, 2000 -
Mark 4:21-25
A LAMP ON A STAND - Jan 01, 2000 -
Mark 4:26-34
PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM - Jan 01, 2000 -
Mark 4:35-41
JESUS CALMS THE STORM - Jan 01, 2000
PARABLES OF GOD'S KINGDOM
Passage:
Mark 4:21-34
Key verse: 33
NIV
A Lamp on a Stand
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?(A) 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.(B) 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”(C)
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.(D) 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”(E)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(F) A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”(G)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(H)
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(I) or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(J) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(K) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Cross references
- Mark 4:21 : S Mt 5:15
- Mark 4:22 : Jer 16:17; Mt 10:26; Lk 8:17; 12:2
- Mark 4:23 : ver 9; S Mt 11:15
- Mark 4:24 : S Mt 7:2
- Mark 4:25 : S Mt 25:29
- Mark 4:26 : S Mt 13:24
- Mark 4:29 : Rev 14:15
- Mark 4:30 : 4:30-32pp — Mt 13:31, 32; Lk 13:18, 19
- Mark 4:30 : S Mt 13:24
- Mark 4:33 : Jn 16:12
- Mark 4:34 : S Jn 16:25
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
A Lamp Under a Basket
21 (A)And he said to them, (B)“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 (C)For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 (D)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: (E)with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 (F)For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The Parable of the Seed Growing
26 And he said, (G)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; (H)he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once (I)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 (J)And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like (K)a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 (L)With many such parables he spoke (M)the word to them, (N)as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them (O)without a parable, but (P)privately to his own disciples he (Q)explained everything.
Read full chapterCross references
- Mark 4:21 : For ver. 21-25, see Luke 8:16-18
- Mark 4:21 : Matt. 5:15; Luke 11:33
- Mark 4:22 : Matt. 10:26; Luke 12:2; [1 Tim. 5:25]
- Mark 4:23 : ver. 9
- Mark 4:24 : Matt. 7:2; Luke 6:38
- Mark 4:25 : See Matt. 13:12
- Mark 4:26 : [Matt. 13:24-30]
- Mark 4:27 : [Eccles. 11:5, 6]
- Mark 4:29 : Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15
- Mark 4:30 : For ver. 30-32, see Matt. 13:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19
- Mark 4:31 : Matt. 17:20; Luke 17:6
- Mark 4:33 : Matt. 13:34
- Mark 4:33 : See ver. 14
- Mark 4:33 : John 16:12; 1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12
- Mark 4:34 : [John 16:25]
- Mark 4:34 : ver. 10; [ch. 13:3]
- Mark 4:34 : [2 Pet. 1:20]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
The gospel Jesus brings is like a lamp. As we place a lamp on a lampstand to light the room, we make it known when we receive the gospel. Then the gospel will bring out the truth to open the spiritual eyes of those who hear it. Those who refuse to see truth may lose this grace (25).
When a farmer scatters seeds on the ground, he expects them to grow and ripen for harvest one day. The farmer does not make them germinate and have life. It is God who makes the seeds spring up and grow (28). We also bring the gospel and scatter its seeds, trusting that God will make the words grow and bear fruit in the hearts of those who receive the gospel.
The Kingdom of God may not sound glamorous at first. Jesus compared it to a mustard seed that was the smallest seed known to them. As the mustard seed grows into a big plant that provides shelter for birds, the word of God will grow in those who accept it and lead them to know the truth (John 8:31-32).
Prayer: Thank you for teaching us about the Kingdom of God. Help us to have ears to hear and hearts to understand.
One Word: We receive the secrets of God's kingdom.
