THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER CONT.
MARK 4:1-20
MARK LESSON 5B
7. The MYSTERY of the kingdom, vs. 11-12; Matthew 13:13-15, “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
8. We learn that parables were USED TO REVEAL TRUTH to some, and at the same time CONCEAL TRUTH from others, Isaiah 6:9-10, “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”
II. THE EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE, vs. 13-20.
A. The Wayside Hearers, vs. 13-15.
1. The SEED is the WORD of God, v. 14. The Word must be received in meekness if the soul is to be saved, James 1:21, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
2. The WAYSIDE hearers are the WAYWARD HEARTS of men, v. 15.
3. The FOWLS of v. 4 represent SATAN, v. 15; Luke 8:5, “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.” When a farmer plants his corn, the crows and other birds are there to gobble up the seed that is exposed.
4. Satan TAKES AWAY THE WORD of God from their hearts, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Note: People hear the God’s message, but they leave church and go out into the world. Out there the devil will use sports, movies, TV, and the many other things of the world to rob their hearts of the saving gospel. —E. L. Bynum
B. The Stony Ground Hearers, vs. 16-17.
1. The STONY GROUND hearers have SIN HARDENED HEARTS, v. 16; Ezekiel 33:31-32, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”
2. They HEAR the word BUT only in a SHALLOW and SUPERFICIAL WAY, v. 16; Mark 6:20, “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”
Note: Most modern day evangelism is geared to reach this kind of hearer. The use of entertainment, shallow contemporary music, audiovisuals, no preaching on sins, and no demand for repentance, will produce the stony ground hearers. —ELB
3. With NO REAL ROOTS, they cannot long endure, v. 17; John 8:31, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF ye CONTINUE in my word, then are ye MY DISCIPLES INDEED;”
4. They CANNOT STAND AFFLICTION and PERSECUTION, v. 17; Matthew 11:6, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
5. These FAIR WEATHER HEARERS cannot stand the PRESSURE, v. 17; 1 Thessalonians 3:4, “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. 5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.”
Note: v. 6, “But when the SUN [of affliction] was up, it was SCORCHED; and because it had no root, it WITHERED AWAY.” The least little thing will offend them. They stumble easily and are prone to let anything lead them to sin.
C. The THORNY GROUND Hearers, vs. 18-19.
1. They are HINDERED by the THORNS that REPRESENT THE SINFUL POWER of the world, v. 18; Genesis 3:17-19, “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Note: These folks “are of worldly dispositions; who are immoderately careful and anxious about the things of this life, and are bent upon acquiring earthly riches, and gratifying their carnal and sensual appetites.” —John Gill’s Expositor.
2. They are hindered by the CARES OF THIS WORLD, v. 19a; Luke 21:34, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Surfeiting = excess or overindulgence in eating or drinking.
3. They are hindered by the DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, v. 19b; 1 Timothy 6:9-10, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
a. Riches have wings, Proverbs 23:5, “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”
b. They are a “sore evil,” Ecclesiastes 5:13, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.”
4. They are HINDERED by the LUST of OTHER THINGS, v. 19c. Luke 8:14, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are CHOKED with cares and riches and PLEASURES of this life, and bring NO fruit to PERFECTION.”
5. They are HINDERED by the WORD BEING CHOKED and not BEARING FRUIT, v. 19d; John 15:2, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he TAKETH AWAY: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”