Thirty, Sixty or Even One-Hundred Times…

Mark 4:1-20
Key Verse 20

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it,
and produce a crop -- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

1. Read verses 1-9.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:1-9  Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.  2  He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:  3  "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.  4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  5  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  6  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  7  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  8  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."  9  Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Please describe how Jesus taught the crowd (1-2).

ANSWER:

Mar 4:1-2  Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.  2  He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:

Previously, Jesus had taught the people in the synagogue (3:1) and then in the house (3:20; Mat 13:1), but now he began to teach them by the water's edge.  So many people gathered around him and crammed him that he got into a boat and began to teach them using the boat as an impromptu podium (3:9). A cool breeze blew from the lake and the sky was a cobalt blue and the white clouds floated above peacefully and a lark flew over singing. Far away, a farmer was scattering seeds of wheat in a field.

Why did Jesus teach the crowd by parables (11b)?

ANSWER:

Mar 4:11b  But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

This was the best way to attractively convey the message of the kingdom of God to those whom God was drawing and yet, at the same time, avoid direct conflict with his enemies, the religious leaders, who fiercely opposed him.

A “parable” is a short allegorical story from daily life, teaching moral and religious truth.  It has a superficial, story-line meaning as well as a deeper spiritual meaning.  Jesus was the master of teaching deep spiritual truths using parables. 

Anybody can understand his parables but, no matter how well educated a person is, nobody can understand the deep truths they contain without faith.

Briefly describe the parable (3-8).

ANSWER:

Mar 4:3-8  "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.  4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  5  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  6  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  7  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  8  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."

A farmer had plowed his field (probably) to cultivate the soil and then scattered the seeds on the field.

Some of the seeds fell along the path where the ground was hard and unplowed. So the birds came and ate them immediately.

Some of the seeds fell on the rocky soil in the field. The rock was covered with a thin layer of soil. When the seeds sprouted, they sprang up quickly, but, due to the rock beneath, they could not take deep root. Consequently, they were scorched when the sun came up and they withered.

Some fell on soil infested with thorny weeds. They sprouted and took deep root in the soil but the thorny weeds soon completely outgrew them and overpowered them. They were choked and could not produce grain. 

Lastly, some of the seeds fell on good soil which was well prepared. The soil had been softened by the plow, the rocks and pebbles had been removed, the thorns and weeds had been removed, and the seeds had been properly covered over by the farmer with a thin layer of soil.  The seeds sprouted and formed stalks which grew taller day by day and then formed heads. They produced a crop, 30 times, 60 times or even 100 times what was sown.

How did Jesus start and end his parable? (3a, 9)?

ANSWER:

Mar 4:3  "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.

Mar 4:9  Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

He started the parable with the command “Listen” (3a) and ended it with the words, “He that has ears to hear, let him hear” (9).

Careful listening is the first step to accepting the word.

Jesus called for everyone in his audience to listen (3a) but only those with ears were enabled to listen (9). 

Because the parable was challenging to understand, he even calls for those with “ears to hear” to apply themselves to listening and understanding the parable and positively responding to it (Pro 2:1-6).

2. Read verses 10-12.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:10-12  When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.  11  He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables  12  so that, "`they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

Why did the Twelve and the others ask Jesus about the parables? 

ANSWER:

They had spiritual desire to learn the deep meaning of the parable.

There were “others around him”, not including the Twelve, who wanted to know the meaning of the parables. Perhaps these were the seventy-two other disciples (Luk 10:1). 

What is the secret of the kingdom of God?

ANSWER:

Mar 4:11  He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

The secret of the kingdom of God concerns salvation: How the kingdom of sin and Satan in man is demolished and how the blessed kingdom of heaven is established in men’s hearts and how it grows. It is the secret that Jesus Christ is the king of the kingdom, the one by whose blood men can become citizens of his kingdom with heaven in their hearts. This truth is hidden to the outsiders.

To whom was it given? (11a)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:11  He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

To those who were earnestly seeking God and had been elected by God.

Why did Jesus teach the outsiders only by parables? (11b-12)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:11-12  He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables  12  so that, "`they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

Mat 13:13-15  This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "`You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

He did this to present the precious secret of the kingdom of God in a most fascinating, attractive, memorable, and compact package for those with spiritual desire and yet hide that truth from those who were not prepared for God and who even strongly opposed God. He did not want this precious pearl to be thrown to pigs who would only trample upon it with their dirty feet (Mat 7:6).

Jesus had taught the truths of the kingdom plainly to the people on previous occasions (such as the Sermon on the Mount, Mat 5-7). But rather than accepting his message, they had “closed their eyes” to it (Mat 13:15). They had thus showed themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46). 

3. Read verses 13-15.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:13-15  Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?  14  The farmer sows the word.  15  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

What does the seed the farmer sowed represent? (14)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:14  The farmer sows the word.

Mat 13:19a  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it...

The word of God (14). More precisely, it is the word of God concerning the kingdom of God (11; Mat 13:19). In other words, it is the message about salvation or simply the gospel message.

Who are the people like seed along the path? (15)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:15  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Mat 13:19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

They are the ones whose heart is hardened just like the ground along a path that is packed down and hardened by foot traffic. They are unbelieving, apathetic or hostile toward the kingdom message and don’t have any room for the word.  They are not interested in the word of God at all, so when the word of God is given to them, they scoff at it. 

The devil comes and snatches up the seed. He is responsible for dark, proud, sinful thoughts and desires arising in these people as soon as they hear the gospel message.

Why did they become an easy prey for Satan?

ANSWER:

Their interest resides in other things beside God, i.e., sports, video games, girls/boys or pleasures of the world, so their concern is focused on this visible world, where Satan is the king and they become easy prey by him.

4. Read verses 16-17.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:16-17  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  17  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Who represents the rocky places? (16-17)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:16-17  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  17  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

They are people who: (1) hear the word; (2) receive it with joy; (3) but quickly fall away.

How do they respond to the word? (16)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:16  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.

They make an immediate emotional decision to accept the word without depth of commitment. They don't seriously consider all the costs involved and of the worthiness of embracing those costs in order to perseveringly hold on to that which they have embraced.

By their immediate joyful response to the gospel message it would seem as though they have sincerely received Jesus, even more sincerely than those with the good soil. 

However, what happens when trouble or persecution comes? (17)  

ANSWER:

Mar 4:17  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Trouble and persecution are symbolized in the parable by sunlight which is essential for the life and growth of the seeds but, ironically, the sun kills them.

The sunlight of trouble and persecution should have the opposite effect: Trouble and persecution should stimulate our spiritual growth, causing us to deepen our relationship and commitment to Christ so that we draw strength from him (Ro 5:3-4; Heb 12:11; Zec 13:9). 

Their relationship with God is not founded upon an embrace of the cross (Mat 16:24) but only on emotion. Consequently, trouble and persecution cause their enthusiasm to dissipate and dry up and they fall away.

People with rocky soil embrace of the gift of Christ with a fair-weather phileo love which lacks capacity and commitment to embrace hardship.  Such love is really a me-oriented love conditioned on the good feeling and benefits one receives from the object of affection. It is conditioned primarily on receiving whereas agapeo love is founded on giving (we give because he first gave, 1Jn 4:19). Agapeo love gives unconditional love toward objects that are not pleasurable (Ro 5:8).

The person with rocky soil remains unaware of the depths of his wickedness and deservedness of punishment (Mat 18:24-26) and of the magnitude of costly agapeo love poured out for him on the cross. That person needs to receive the transformative knowledge of Christ's love on the cross for a sinner that he may respond with agapeo love that embraces the cross and take root in that love (Eph 3:17).

We can measure the degree to which we have come to take root in this love by the constancy of our pursuit of Christ despite hardship; if our performance goes up and down this indicates a problem. 

People marry and divorce so quickly because the foundation of their relationship is emotion rather than the persevering, committed, sacrificial agapeo love of God in Christ for sinners (1Co 13:7-8b; 1Jn 3:16). 

 

5. Read verses 18-19.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:18-19  Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  19  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Who represents the thorny places? (18) 

ANSWER:

Mar 4:18-19  Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  19  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

They are unfruitful because they receive the word and grace of God, but still have many worries of the world or crave secretly for the glory and pleasure of the world.

Why are they unfruitful? (19)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:19  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Luk 8:14  The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

Worldly desires and worries grow within them and choke them spiritually, making them unfruitful. 

Thorns tend to be much hardier and more aggressive as they grow than most cultivated plants; they overwhelm the plants, shutting out the light and entangling their own roots in the plant’s roots, robbing them of nourishment from the soil.

Worldly desires and stresses eat up the best of one’s energy and time and concentration, leaving a person unable to give proper attention to God’s words.

Yes, we Christians live in this world and face the same difficulties as the non-Christians do and we need to work to earn money to sustain our life. However, basically, we have to live by faith and have a right value system. We need to live in this world as pilgrims, not wanting to stay in this glittering world forever.

Jesus does not say what the fate is of the choked plants. However, the unfruitful are in eternal danger (Luk 13:9; Mat 7:19; 3:10; Jn 15:6; Heb 6:8).

6. Read verse 20.

ANSWER:

Mar 4:20  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop -- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

Who represents the seed sown on good soil? (20a)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:20  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop -- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

This represents the one who accepts the word of God deeply, repents sincerely and lives according to the word daily. 

This represents the one who produces a crop. What does the “crop” represent? 

Repentance (Mat 3:8)

Righteousness (Php 1:11; Eph 5:9)

Inner Christ likeness (Gal 5:22-23)

Good work (Col 1:10)

Multiplication (Gen 1:28)

He is very fruitful. A normal harvest would be 5 to 10 times but the harvest from this person would be a minimum 30 times what was sown, or 60 times or even 100 times, because God blesses his/her decision of faith.

What distinguishes this person from the previous three? (20b)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:20  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop -- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

Mat 13:23  But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Luk 8:15  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

The distinguishing point could be that this is a person whose heart has been prepared by the farmer to savingly receive the word. This person already had a “noble and good heart” at the time at which he received the seed (Luk 8:15; Mat 11:25; Eze 36:26-27) because the soil of his heart had been softened by God and the weeds had been rooted out by his grace and mercy. Therefore, this person not only hears the word but accepts it in his heart and repents and makes a decision of faith to perseveringly hold the word. That may involve leaving an unbelieving environment (Gen 12:1) or quitting sinful activities like watching porno films or video games.

The distinguishing point could be the person’s understanding of the word (Mat 13:23). This person grasps the meaning of the word – the hidden truth about the kingdom. Because this person knows the great value of the kingdom message (Mat 13:44; 16:17) and of his great need of it, he retains it and perseveres with it to produce a crop. The others don’t truly grasp the meaning. Consequently, they don’t see the necessity to diligently repent and obey the gospel.

How can we be fruitful? (20)

ANSWER:

Mar 4:20  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop -- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.

By hearing the word and accepting it. We can be fruitful when the transformative knowledge of Jesus Christ revealed through the word by the Spirit sinks down and takes root in our soul – when we take in deeply and personally the knowledge of him who loved us, whose blood has conquered sin and redeemed us (Isa 55:10-11; Jas 1:17-18; Ro 12:2b). When that knowledge comes with power, bringing forth within us love to him and capturing our appreciation and affection and devotion, then we WILL be fruitful.

Writing and sharing Bible testimonies with an aim to know Christ is one way for us to deeply receive his truth and make a firm decision to retain it and perseveringly obey it both inwardly and outwardly.

The end result is guaranteed for those who truly receive the word in power. Fruit will come forth as we perseveringly retain the word, daily drawing nourishment from his word to obey it (Jn 15:7,4-5,10; 6:55; 63).

The End.

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 “Local tradition locates this discourse at a distinctive cove or inlet called the “Cove of the Parables.” The land surrounding the cove slopes down like a natural horseshoe-shaped amphitheater, providing environmental acoustics for Jesus’ voice to carry over one hundred meters from the boat to a crowd of hundreds gathered on the shore. Israeli scientists have tested the acoustics in modern times and found them realistic for Jesus’ parables to have been heard.” (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 473)

 At that time it was customary for teachers to sit down when teaching (Mk 13:3; Mat 23:2; 5:1; Act 16:13). “Archaeological evidence confirms that in the front of the SYNAGOGUES there was a stone seat where the authoritative SCRIBE (teacher of the law) sat and taught.” (J. D. Douglas, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Topic: Moses' Seat)

 “Parables are the most striking feature in the teaching of Jesus. Although he did not invent this form of teaching (parables are found both in the OT and in the writings of the rabbis), he used it in a way and to a degree unmatched before his time or since” (Kenneth L. Barker, Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 2, Pg 152)

 “Fields were apparently plowed both before the seed was sown and then again after, plowing across the original furrows to cover the seeds with soil. The desired depth of plowing under wheat seed was usually one to three inches, though it could be less where the topsoil was shallow.” (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 475) “Often the sower walks along, scattering his seed, and then one of his family, or a servant if he has one, follows directly with the plough.” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19)

 “The farmer usually carries his seed to his field in a large sack on the back of his donkey, and then the leather bag which he carries under his arm is replenished with seed from the sack. As a rule, the seed is scattered broadcast on the ground, and then it is covered over by the ploughing. ” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19) “Seed was sown “broadcast” style by scattering it in all directions while walking up and down the field.”  (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 475) “The sower may keep his supply of seed in a pocket made by pulling up his outer garment through his girdle to a sufficient extent for it to sag down outside his girdle in the form of a loose pouch. He may, on the other hand, carry it in a jar or basket as the sowers are pictured as doing on the Egyptian monuments.” (James Orr, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Subject: Agriculture) It is to note that farmers sowed their seed in “October or the first part of November” “after the early rains have softened the earth” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19).

 “Palestine had few roads in the modern sense of the word until the Romans built their roads, and these only connected the most important places. Because traveling was either on foot, or by means of donkeys, or camels, a simple footpath was usually all that was necessary. These paths were given over to public use by ancient custom. If a farmer had such a path running across his land, he would plough the earth to the edge of the narrow path, but would leave it for the use of travelers. The Synoptic Gospels tell of Jesus and His disciples traveling in this manner through a grainfield (Matt. 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). Hedges or fences were seldom erected along such a footpath. When the farmer scattered his seed, some was quite apt to fall on this "way," and not being covered by the plough soon enough, the birds would discover it and eat it.”  (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19)

 “In the East, large flocks of birds often follow the farmer as he sows his seed in order to snatch up, if they can, what he has scattered. Some of the grain is therefore lost before the plough can succeed in covering it up. That which chances to fall on the path would readily be devoured by them (Mark 4:4).” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19) “It was common for seeds to be scattered accidentally on the hard paths that surrounded the fields. Birds would swoop down and eat those seeds.” (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 475) The real problem was not just the hardness of the ground but that this seed did not fall in the right place where it would be immediately covered with soil: “As soon as the seed is scattered it is plowed in before the ever-present crows and ravens can gather it up.” (James Orr, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Subject: Agriculture)

 These plants sprang up quicker than the ones on good soil because: (1) shallow soil can be quickly and easily soaked which encourages rapid germination (2) sprouting seeds can only grow upward; they have no room for growth downward, underneath the soil. “Palestine is a limestone country (comp. on Mt 7:24 ), and one will find places where a broad, flat, limestone rock lies just beneath the surface, with a thin layer of earth upon it.” (John Albert Broadus, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Pg 285) “Conditions for farming in many areas of Israel were not favorable. In many places the terrain was uneven and rocky, with only thin layers of soil covering the rock. Seed that landed on this shallow soil would begin to germinate more quickly than seed sown in deep soil, but it couldn't put down deep roots and had to collect what little moisture lay in that parched thin layer of earth. [Oded Borowski, “Agriculture,” ABD 1:97—98; idem, Agriculture in Ancient Israel (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1987).] The sprouting seed would soon wither and die in the hot sun (13:6 cf. James 1:11).” (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 475)

 “In Palestine and Syria, there are many thornbushes present that are apt to grow adjoining the grainfields, and some of them will spring up in the midst of the grain.” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19).

 “But the implication of the yield amount has been variously understood. Some see this as implying an extraordinary, superabundant, perhaps even miraculous, crop, suggesting that typical Palestinian harvests yielded only about five to ten times the quantity sown. [Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus, 149—51; Rousseau and Arav, ‘AgricuIture, Cereals,” Jesus and His World, 8— I 2; Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (1999), 377—78.] Others understand the yield of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold to signify a very good harvest, typical of a harvest blessed by God but not supernatural. The latter view is supported by reports such as Isaac’s harvest: “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him” (Gen. 26:12). Thus, seed sown hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him” (Gen. 26:12). Thus, seed sown on good soil yielded to the maximum what it was created to produce, with varying amounts that reflected individual potential.” (Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew: from biblical text-- to contemporary life, Pg 475) “The native farmers of Bible lands often have poor returns on the seed they sow, because their methods are primitive. But there are instances of good crops in modern times. Rev. George Mackie, who was a missionary to Syria, has said: "The soil is in many places exceedingly fertile, and the return corresponds to the standard cited in the parable." When Isaac farmed in the rich Negeb section of Southern Canaan, Scripture says: "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold" (Gen. 26:12).” (James Freeman, Manners & Customs of the Bible, Chapter 19).

 See the above footnote reference, Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus