Source: https://layeredbible.com/commentaries/gospel-of-mark/the-gospel-of-mark-chapter-4/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 22:46:25+00:00

Document:
v. 1 – The lake spoken of in this verse is the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus would sit in the boat for two reasons (1) it would keep the crowds from pressing in on him and (2) it would allow him to speak to a larger crowd by using natural acoustics.
v. 2 – A parable is a comparison between two things, the one to explain the other. In the case of Scripture, parables generally use a description of something natural/earthly to explain something spiritual/heavenly.
v. 4 – “Birds” are sometimes used to describe Satan.
v. 8 – A good harvest from a crop would be ten times – so this is a magnificent / supernatural harvest.
v. 9 – Jesus is calling for his audience to make an intentional effort to comprehend what he is saying – not only the story but it’s underlying meaning.
v. 10 – The twelve are the apostles he selected in chapter 3.
vv. 11-12 – At this juncture in time, Christ is maintaining secrecy about the Kingdom, perhaps to prevent people from forcefully making Him the “Messiah” they imagined (an armed, military victor).
Jesus quotes from Isa. 6:9-10.
v. 14 – The farmer is the individual speaking God’s Word. At this juncture it is Jesus, later it will be the disciples and on to the present when it is us.
vv. 21-23 – The light is likely the Kingdom of God. While it is being spoken of in a hidden manner now, it will be brought out into the open to shine its light upon everyone and everything.
The Kingdom of God provides a message of hope, but also a method of judgment. The secrets of the heart will be revealed by the light of God’s revelation, darkest secrets made public.
vv. 24-25 – Jesus is not speaking of material possessions or physical health but of knowledge and understanding.
vv. 26-28 – Seed is small, yet transforms into something large(r) and beautiful. This process occurs invisibly and over time. It is a work of God rather than of man.
v. 29 – Harvest is a frequent image in Scripture for judgment.
v. 31 – The mustard seed is a very small seed, while not literally the smallest seed, it would be the smallest seed the people would be familiar with.
v. 32 – The tree and birds is an image used in Scripture to depict a grand kingdom in which smaller kingdoms are part.
v. 37 – The geography surrounding the Sea of Galilee is such that storms can spring up suddenly and violently.
v. 39 – Jesus demonstrated power over nature and over a body of water. To the Jewish mind large bodies of water were often associated with chaos – the uncontrollable.
vv. 40-41 – The fear of the disciples is turned from nature to Jesus, they are amazed by His power and recognize that He is greater than they had imagined.
 While birds earlier represented Satan, they do not represent Satan or anything evil here.

References: v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v. 

v.