Mark 4

Mark 4:15

Those which are answerable to the ground which is by the way on which men tread, are they which, when the word is sown, hear it, and Satan— receive the seed on stony—

Mark 4:17

The word in them hath not found any mould or soil wherein to take root; and that is the reason that whatever their resolutions are, they endure— the various objects of men’s carnal appetites, being entertained and admitted by them, stifle the commands of Christ, as weeds do good corn, by overgrowing it,

Mark 4:21

The gospel of Christ wheresoever it is received, as it ought, is diffusive of itself, is as a candle lighted and brought into a room, on purpose to shine forth to others in communicating the light we have, (see Matt. v. 15,) and in actions of the light, Christian performances.

Or, out of their heart, for the King’s MS. reads, ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν

scandalized, σκανδαλίζονται. desires which are about other things, αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι. is it not that it may be put, οὐχ ἵνα ἐπιτεθῇ.

Mark 4:22

For the doctrine which is taught you by me, in or out of parables, must be both practised and published by you, and therefore (for no other reason) it is revealed to you, and that by way of parables, which are the obscuring of it, that having acquired the understanding of them you may set the more value on them for your own practice, and be more industrious to communicate them to others: see Matt. x. 26.

Mark 4:23

And therefore let there be a weight laid on these and all other my words, and be sure you lay them up to do accordingly.

Mark 4:24

And he further said unto them, Mark diligently (and practise accordingly) what you hear: as you deal with God, so will he deal with you; and to those of you that heed and make use of what is said to you, more knowledge shall be revealed.

Mark 4:25

For he that makes use of that grace and knowledge which he hath, (see note [b] on Matt. xiii.) he shall improve extremely; the very using his talent well, the exercising of Christian virtues, and the teaching them to others, is a sure way of improving it, and besides, God’s blessing and grace to him is a great though insensible addition also; and, on the contrary, that which is not used decreases and moulders away, and it is just with God to withdraw it.

Mark 4:26

To which purpose he used another parable: The state of Christianity is as if a man should till and sow his ground,

Mark 4:27

And having done so, never do more toward the growing of the corn, but go to bed at night and rise in the morning, and yet without any contribution of his, it comes up and grows insensibly, he knows not how.

Mark 4:28

For the earth itself by its own strength, (and the continual warmth and influences of heaven, and the dews and showers that God is pleased to afford it,) without any further labour or daily assistance of the husbandman, completes the whole work, sends out a spear of grass, as it were, first, then a blade, &c.

Mark 4:29

And when it is perfectly ripe, he reaps it in the time of harvest; so, when Christ hath made known our duty to us, he expects, without more ado, that we should set to the performance of it, make good resolutions, bring forth good fruit, and when we have finished

Mark 4:30

The same also is the meaning of that other parable.

Mark 4:31

The state of Christianity is like to the sowing of mustard seed: there the word and grace of Christ is sown in the heart, as a little grain of mustard seed in a garden; it is small and unconsiderable at the sowing, as the mustard seed is the least of all seeds.

Mark 4:32

But being sowed, as the mustard seed comes up, and within a while grows into a tree, (Luke xiii. 19,) and hath branches big enough for birds (to build nests in and roost, Luke xiii. 19, or) to be defended from sun or weather in them, so doth that in the honest heart bring forth most abundantly, by the grace and blessing of God upon the use of his talents of grace. in such a manner as was most intelligible, and withal most profitable for them. on a certain time, Matt. viii. 23, in the ship— alone, without the multitude in the ship. tempest of wind and rain together, and the waves—