THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant!"

                        The beginning of the new world order 

Jesus teaches in parables                                                                           Mark chapter 4vv1-34

"And He began again to teach by the seaside..."           What is the principle work of the servant of God?    According to Mark it is teaching, he records least of all the gospel writers the details of Jesus teaching, but states His teaching more than any(no less than 32 times).   What He taught was the word of God;   chapter 4v14, 4v15, 4v16, 4v17, 4v18, 4v19, 4v20, 4v32.   what Jesus is building is the kingdom of God (v 11;  v26) and how he is preaching it is through the word of God.   This is in contrast to Satan who built his kingdom in opposing the word of God.   In the narrative of Genesis chapter 3, based on the now infamous phrase "hath God said?" he cast doubt on the word of God, then he distorted the word of God, then he denied the word of God, all of which has led to the dread state of the present world.   Jesus will build His kingdom based on adherence to the will of God, not only the principles of it but the practises of it.   In the last verse of Mark chapter 3 he said as much "whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother and my sister and my mother."   Jesus defined the kingdom like this "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Why did Jesus speak to them in parables?   Until now, He has spoken plainly but now very clearly He speaks in parables; this is made clear in chapter 4v2 , chapter 4v10, chapter 4v13 and chapter 4v33-34.   It has often been thought that the use of parables in Jesus teaching was to make clearer the teaching of God's word, but the opposite is the case.   A parable is designed to hide the truth of God's word from those whose hearts are not ready to receive it.   This is made clear by the reference to Isaiah's prophecy chapter 6 where in Mark chapter 4v12 he translates that passage thus  "that seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest at anytime they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven."   This seems harsh were it not for the fact that in Mark chapter 3 there are leaders who wish to accuse Him, who conspire against Him. taking counsel to kill Him and who attributed His mighty miracles to the power of Satan.   The whole point of Mark chapter 4 is that against that background the word of God is not for public debate or to satisfy human curiosity but is given only for those who will hear and respond and act at the call of God.   At large the nation has rejected plain language and now Jesus speaks in language they will not understand, instead building His kingdom in the hearts of people who will respond to Him.   The reality is that the judicial hardening of Israel, stated by Paul in Romans 11v25, has already begun here.   This chapter is about the proper response to the word of God on the part of all who hear it.   The scribes have committed the unforgivable sin, others should fear and consider what their response to the word of God is

Mark arranges his material around four distinct parables, illustrating how the new order of things will develop.   Jesus had indicated the "new wine" and the "new clothing" in chapter3vv21-22.

• The parable of the soils                 responses to the preaching of the word...4vv1-20
• The parable of the lamp                responsibility of the preachers of the word....4vv21-25
• The parable of the seed                 results of proper preaching of the word....4vv26-29
• The parable of the mustard seed  results of perverted preaching of the word....4vv30-34

The parable of the soils       Jesus teaches that there are four different kinds of soil on which the seed of the word of God will fall.   He uses the figure of the natural world to describe the different states of the human heart.   All human beings will fall into one of these categories.   Perhaps a major reason for this parable was to teach His disciples that, although multitudes were following them, even thronging them wherever they went, there was no guarantee they were all real, a lesson for all who, today in the service of God measure success in numbers.   The Lord who created all men "knows what is in man"(John 2v25), and so He knows what drives people, He knows them from within, and the reality is that not everyone will respond.   He illustrates the condition of the heart in the sight of God.

1. The wayside......symbolic of the hardened heart.      This is the well trampled pathway on the fringe of the field where there is no possibility of penetration, and therefore of growth.   There are such people whose hearts are hardened to God.   Those who say "we've heard it all before" or "we never discuss religion", the constant trampling of the world suppressing the truth of God;   Matthew gives a graphic description of this sorry state in chapter 13v15......."a heart waxed gross"....."ears dull of hearing"....."eyes closed".....   Paul adds to this in Romans chapter2v4-5, when he says "...despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee unto repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God..."    The seed lies on the surface and the fowls of the air remove it.   Rejection of God means collusion with Satan(Mark 4v15).
2. The stony ground.....symbolic of the shallow heart.      No depth of soil, a surface of soil, but rock underneath;   growth upward, but no growth downward; mushroom growth, no root says Matthew, lacking moisture says Luke.   Some penetration but no reality and therefore no endurance.   For a while rejoicing in the Divine word, but when troubles come, says Mark "for the word's sake", they are stumbled.....a show of reality but eventually withered.
3. The thorny ground.....symbolic of the divided heart      Notice the different prepositions used which help us in the understanding.   It was "by the wayside"(para-alongside);   it was"on stony ground"(epi-on top of);   now it is "among thorns"(eis-towards).   None of these prepositions suggest penetration, which is necessary for growth and development.   In this ground there is too much competition;   God wants all of us, not part of us and unless He has all of us there will be no fruit.   He defines the thorns(symbol of the curse) as "the cares of this world, or the deceitfulness of riches, or the lusts of other things".   these three could be summarised as the anxieties of the world(a lack of trust in God's provision);   the ambition of the world(dissatisfaction with God's provision);    the affections of the world(desires for self pleasing).   The result of any or all of these will be to choke the word so that it becomes unfruitful.
4. The good ground.....symbolic of the receptive heart       The preposition here is "in good ground"(en-in or into, denoting penetration).   In this instance the seed takes root, and produces fruit.   Now, later we shall see it takes time, it does not all happen at once; however the result is fruit for God.   This fruit is described in various passages, culminating in the nine-fold fruit bunch of Galatians chapter 5vv22-23.   This will take place in varying degrees in different people as depicted in the 30/60/100 scenario.

The message to the apostles, and to all of us is clear;   don't expect everyone who hears the word to respond in the same way;   only those who produce fruit are real;   even they will produce fruit in different degrees