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BOOK 41 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Mark 4

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Mark 4 Overview

Jesus teaches by the sea in parables: the sower, the lamp, the measure, the secretly growing seed, and the mustard seed. He explains the purpose of parables and the sower privately to His disciples. That evening He crosses the sea, sleeps during a violent storm, then rebukes the wind and sea, leaving the disciples afraid and asking what manner of man commands creation.

MarkBook
4Chapter
41Verses
GospelsDivision

Before you read Mark 4

Coming from

Mark 3 established the immediate context: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the sabbath, provoking a plot against Him.

In this chapter

Mark 4 joins teaching about hearing and kingdom growth with a dramatic revelation of Jesus’ authority over creation.

Leads into

Mark 5 continues the account: Jesus delivers a man living among the tombs from a legion of unclean spirits, after which the restored man becomes a witness in Decapolis.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Mark’s unique seed-growing-secretly parable stresses that kingdom growth has a divine process beyond human control even though sowing matters.

The storm scene is not mainly about believers calming their personal problems; it reveals who Jesus is when the sea obeys Him.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Hearing the word demands serious attention

The sower exposes different responses to the same message.

Kingdom growth exceeds human management

Seed grows in ways the farmer cannot produce by his own power.

Small beginnings do not measure final scale

The mustard seed becomes unexpectedly large.

Jesus has authority over forces beyond human control

The wind and sea respond instantly to His command.

Fear can shift from circumstances to awe of Christ

After the storm stops, the disciples fear the One in the boat.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Isaiah 6:9–10

Jesus uses Isaiah to explain parabolic concealment among hardened hearers.

Psalm 107:23–30

The LORD stills storms in the Psalms, deepening the disciples’ question about Jesus.’ identity.

Matthew 13

Matthew preserves a larger kingdom-parable collection with overlapping material.

1 Corinthians 3:6–7

Paul’s planting/watering language likewise recognizes that God gives growth.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not turn every soil into a rigid chart for pronouncing another person’s eternal destiny

The parable teaches responses to the word and fruitfulness; salvation itself is by faith.

Do not make the lamp saying a promise that every hidden matter will become public immediately

The saying concerns revelation and responsible hearing within Jesus’ teaching context.

Do not reduce the storm miracle to a motivational lesson about emotions

Its climax is the disciples’ question about Jesus’ identity.

Read Mark 4 watching for…

The four soils and what prevents fruit.

Repeated commands about hearing.

The distinctive secretly-growing-seed parable.

The small-to-large kingdom pattern.

Jesus sleeping in the storm.

The disciples’ final question.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline3 sections
1-20Jesus gives and explains the parable of the sower21-34Jesus teaches about the lamp, measure, growing seed, and mustard seed35-41Jesus calms a great storm and the disciples marvel at his authority
1

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

2

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

3

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

4

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

5

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

6

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

8

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

9

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

11

And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

12

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

14

The sower soweth the word.

15

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17

And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

18

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

21

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

22

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

23

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

24

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

25

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

26

And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

27

And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28

For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29

But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

30

And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

31

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

32

But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

33

And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

34

But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

35

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36

And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

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Mark 4:24

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