ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Mark 4

Mark 4:1–34 Mark provides several examples of Jesus teaching in parables. To the hard-hearted, parables are a warning; to those who are open-hearted, they illustrate principles of the messianic rule of God. A parable consists of a story and its corresponding intended message.

Mark 4:3–7 a sower went out to sow. Farmers in Bible times sowed their seed without first plowing the ground. Thus the seed fell on various kinds of ground.

Mark 4:8 thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. A tenfold return would have been considered a good crop. However, see Gen. 26:12.

Mark 4:9 Having ears to hear involves giving up one’s pride and submitting to God. See Isa. 43:8.

Mark 4:11 The secret of the kingdom of God means the nature of God’s rule over individuals and over the community of his people (see note on Matt. 13:10–11). Those who do not (yet) participate in the messianic community are outside.

Mark 4:12 By quoting Isa. 6:9–10, Jesus is warning that some of those who hear his parables will hear but not understand, just like the ancient Israelites.

Mark 4:13 How then will you understand? Jesus hints that even the disciples may suffer from hard hearts (see 8:17–18).

Mark 4:21–22 The proclamation of the kingdom of God is like bringing an oil lamp into a room (see Matt. 5:15). It reveals hidden things such as hard hearts.

Mark 4:23 ears to hear. See note on v. 9.

Mark 4:24–25 If a hearer accepts Jesus’ message of the kingdom, then God will give an increased measure of understanding and blessing.

Mark 4:26–29 The people of Jesus’ day expected God’s kingdom to come suddenly, but Jesus tells them it will begin in a small way (first the blade, then the ear) and then will grow slowly but steadily amid adversity. It will reach its full growth and glory only at the second coming of Jesus. See note on vv. 30–32.

Mark 4:29 Sickle and harvest are symbolic language for the last judgment (see Joel 3:13).

Mark 4:30–32 A third parable teaches that the kingdom of God begins in a small and unnoticed way, which is not what the people expected (see note on vv. 26–29). A mustard seed (see note on Matt. 13:31–32) could produce a bush as large as 3 by 12 feet (0.9 by 3.7 m). The nesting of birds in the shadow of the grown bush is a picture of divine blessing (see Ps. 91:1–2).

Mark 4:34 He did not speak to them without a parable means that Jesus regularly included parables in his teaching. It does not mean he spoke only in parables.

Mark 4:36 On Galilean boats, see note on Matt. 4:21.

Mark 4:37 The Sea of Galilee is 696 feet (212 m) below sea level, resulting in sudden storms (windstorm; see 6:48).

Mark 4:38 Asleep on the cushion is an eyewitness detail included only in Mark’s account of this incident. He was probably told about it by Peter (see Introduction: Author, Date, and Recipients). Jesus’ sleeping indicates lack of fear and also great fatigue—a reminder that he was fully human as well as fully divine.

Mark 4:39 Peace! Be still! Jesus displays his divine power over nature (compare Ps. 107:25–30; Amos 4:13).

Mark 4:40 afraid. The cure for fear is faith in Jesus.