Mark 4:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters | Metropolitan Tabernacle

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Mark 4:1

Comments

A conspicuously vast crowd has assembled so that Christ is forced to enter into a ship – no doubt one of those fishing boats just mentioned – and with the ship sitting not far away in the sea and the whole multitude on the shore, he preaches to them from the vessel. Among them are all types of hearer: some who are earnest and sincere, some who are ignorant, and some who are cynical and hostile.He taught them by parables. Parables are not very common in the Gospel of Mark. He records only 9. Matthew has 20 parables, and Luke has 27 but Mark focuses on the work of Christ rather than his parables. Mark’s Gospel is an evangelistic tract and matters are selected and arranged so as to impress upon the heart the need of Christ and his message of salvation. Matthew records several others which were given on this occasion, and Mark and Luke include some not found in Matthew’s account. What was a parable? It was a picture drawn from the ordinary events of life which explained the nature of the kingdom of heaven and how it is entered. But why did the Lord use so many parables? Why did he employ them? Obviously because they provide such interesting and engaging communication, but there were other reasons too, and in fact we are told one of them later in this passage. Christ will explain that parables can be obscure to those who are under a kind of judicial blindness, and they are not going to be permitted to see or understand the message of salvation found in them.

Application

But the parables were wonderful means of communication to the people of Christ’s day, and so they are for preachers today, not only because of their interest but because they soften the cutting edge of the gospel. I do not of necessity have to preach in blunt terms: ‘You are an evil sinner, and you are under God’s judgment, and you are going to hell for ever.’ When people hear such language their sensitivities are jarred, and they are enraged, and they may turn from the message. But although Christ did warn of hell often, and he was uncompromising in what he said about the dangers of unbelief, especially to the Pharisees, he also used parables to awaken an interest in a gentler manner. Instead of saying, ‘You … you … you’, through the parable the preacher is able to say, ‘him … him … him, and look and see what their needs were and see how God dealt with him.’ When the hearer has fully engaged with the parable, the preacher can turn it round and say, ‘That is you, and you have understood it through this picture. The parables are wonderful for the preacher, because all will listen and all will hear and understand and relate. Then by the power of the Holy Spirit the application may come to the heart.

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Mark 4:1 Commentary and Bible Study