Mark 4:24 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Mark 4:24

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There are vital principles here for us, and we must not forget that the subject is still sowing the seed, witnessing for Christ, preaching the message of salvation. The first point is: take heed what you hear. These words could be applied to the unbeliever also, but here they are spoken to the disciples. They too must take care how they hear. The message that the disciples are to preach is one that they first hear. It is not their message; it is a revealed message, a received message, but they must take care how they hear it, for to the extent that they value what they hear, they will want to preach the wonderful truths they discover to others. Effectiveness as a worked in the kingdom of heaven depends on this.‘With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.’ The Lord used this illustration in more than one way. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:2) it illustrates passing judgment; in Luke 6:38 it is an illustration of giving. But here the preceding words, ‘Take heed what ye hear’, point to a different use of the illustration. Some understand it as an illustration of how we hear, that is, how we hear what God is saying to us. In what sense can the hearer be said to measure out anything (which is the meaning of the archaic word ‘mete’)? In the sense that he listens carefully or fails to do so; he sets a high value on what he hears, or he fails to do so. The degree of respect we give to God will determine the benefit we get from his word. What we give is what we get. Matthew Poole links this back to the Parable of the Sower: the first three categories of hearer did not take sufficient heed to what they heard. ‘Take heed what ye hear’, says Mark, and Luke has ‘Take heed how ye hear’, which explains the sense of Mark. When you hear the gospel, be careful about what you are hearing. Matthew Henry says, ‘If the disciples deliver that to the church, which they have received of the Lord, they shall be led more into the secret of the Lord … If we do not use, we lose, what we have.’ Another view of these words is that Christ is talking about hearing in a way that is ready to criticise others. If you understand these words – that everything must now be out in the open – Christ is now crucified; he is risen from the dead; the Spirit is come – then you may even become critical of others who don't act on a message of such great value. ‘I don't think much of that person who never witnesses, who never represents Christ. I don't think much of that church; it doesn't do anything to make Christ known.’ If you say that, then now you are in a vulnerable position, because ‘with what measure ye mete’, the very judgment you apply to others, shows how much you understand this point, and you will be judged on the same basis. What about you?

Application

While salvation is entirely free, unearned – there is nothing we can do to contribute to it; it is entirely by grace through faith – yet once we are Christians, subsequent blessing from the Lord is conditional. It is then different. Salvation is free, but ongoing assurance and blessedness is conditional. Conditional upon what? On our obedience to the Lord, and, in this context, on our readiness to make him known, because we value so highly the message of the gospel.

But more generally, if you hear this message casually, without humility, without valuing God’s word as supremely precious, then you will receive nothing from it. How you hear, determines what you receive. If you have no respect for this message, and you are not humbled by it, you are not concerned that it should affect your life, then you will not receive more light from God. What you receive depends on how you hear.

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Mark 4:24 Commentary and Bible Study