INTRODUCTION
Jesus has just had a few fiery exchanges with the Pharisees and Scribes. The time for His sacrifice is coming, but the time is not yet fully ripe. So, He once more performs a strategic withdrawal, this time rhetorically. The accusers are hoping to use something He says to justify cutting Him down. Thus, He opts for the wisdom of dark sayings.
THE TEXT
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. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine […]
Mark 4:1
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
Jesus’ teaching, so far, moves from clarity to obscurity, from straightforward to parable. His doctrine was astonishing (Mk. 1:22), and His teaching on forgiveness caused a scandal (Mk. 2:8-10); so He began to wrap mystery around His teaching (Mk. 2:17, 20-22, 25-26, 3:23). The increasing threats demanded the keen wit of wisdom. From a boat, Jesus holds court and explains the constitution of the Kingdom He is founding, or to be more theologically consistent, re-founding (vv1-2). This Kingdom is like a farmer casting seed; some of it lands on the path, some in shallow soil, some amongst thorny weeds, and some in fertile soil and those seeds bring about a hundredfold harvest (vv3-8). Jesus’ story demands hearing from those with ears (v9).
The twelve, later in private, ask Jesus to explain the riddle (v10). He first explains why He is teaching in riddles: prophets rebuke with parables (vv11-12). Jesus then graciously explains the riddle to his inner circle (v13). The seed is the Word, and the four types of soil map onto four types of hearers of the seed-word cast by the Sower (vv14-20). Having explained this hidden meaning to the disciples, they are charged with the task to hold onto it steadfastly for the time will soon come for them to declare this openly (vv21-25).
Two more parables are given to the multitudes; both about seeds. The first depicts Jesus’ kingdom as a seed that a farmer plants, and while the farmer goes about his daily work and nightly rest the seed mysteriously does the same resting in the earth before rising ready for harvest (vv26-29). The second is that the kingdom is like the tiny mustard seed which grows into an expansively branching shrub which the birds may nest (vv30-32). Jesus spoke these parables to the general public, because these truths were explosive and the harvest had not yet quite come; but disciples received the inner meaning (vv33-34).
The last episode in this chapter Jesus sets sail into the stormy Galilee waters (vv35-37). He is asleep and the disciples are awake with the terror of the storm and flooding boat (an inversion of the later Gethsemane scene). They awaken Jesus and accuse Him of not caring that they are on the verge of perishing (v38); He responds by rebuking the wind and waves and then their faithlessness (vv39-40). At this the disciples are left in fearful awe, and perhaps it really began to dawn on them that Jesus was Lord of heaven and earth, land and sea, angels and demons, time and eternity, seed and soil (v41).
THE KING’S RIDDLES
Mark has depicted Jesus as a Davidic heir, roving through Israel casting out the unclean spirits. But now in the parables of Jesus we see Him depicted as a new Solomon. Solomon said, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter (Pro 25:2).” In this chapter Jesus is the storyteller and the sea-farer. “[Solomon] spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. […] And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom (1Ki 4:32, 9:26).” Solomon’s reign was marked by proverbial wisdom manifested in imperial authority over land and sea. Remember, Jesus tells this parable of the sower from the prow of boat, upon a sea which He will soon tame.
Jesus opens His parable with a summons: “Listen up!” The parable is itself a comment on the listening skills of Israel. Some paid no heed to the Word of the Kingdom which John and Jesus and now Jesus’ disciples were proclaiming. Others were keenly interested, but were in danger of withering away when persecution and difficulty emerged. A third group were overgrown with the cares of this life, and the word was choked out. The last group received the Word, and brought forth a harvest.
Most of the time preachers focus on the soil-types. But Jesus draws our attention to Himself. He is the sower, broadcasting the Word. Are you listening? Have you caught the clues? Will you receive Him, all that He is, as King? This is why Jesus rebukes His disciples for their inability to understand one of His more readily accessible parables.
Through the Prophet’s, Yahweh had promised to sow in Israel once more. These seed parables are hints that the Word is in their midst, the Word is being sown. Will they hear it? The seed is growing into a harvest of Gentile salvation, which Jesus hints at by citing Joel: “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great […] (Joel 3:13-17).”
THE CALM SEA
The sea is often depicted in the prophetic tradition as the dwelling place of evil beasts, and it is usually closely associated with the Gentile nations. The Spirit of God hovered over the waters at creation (and at Jesus’ baptism, Mk. 1:10). Yahweh sundered the Red Sea for Israel’s deliverance. Yahweh ruled over the seas, stilling and subduing them: “Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. […] Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them (Ps 65:7 & 89:9).”
This whole chapter is foreshadowing what Jesus’ greatest work would be. He would be a seed cast into the ground, he would “sleep” in the tomb, and yet He would arise. He would bring peace to the Gentile sea. He would bring about a harvest of Gentile saints. His Word and the wisdom of it would come to govern the land and the sea. Christ’s sacrificial death would not only come first, but would be the means of bringing this all about.
Zechariah makes it plain that Yahweh the Sower would also be Yahweh the stiller of the raging sea: “And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD (Zec 10:9-12).” Zechariah’s prophecy, however, will soon go on to describe that Messiah would be pierced by His own people (Zec. 12:10).
WHAT MAN IS THIS?
The disciples’ question “Who is this?” is the second time this sort of question has arisen. After his first encounter with driving out an unclean spirit the amazed crowds asked: What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him (Mk. 1:27). But Mark has told us who this man from Nazareth is: Jesus the Son of God.
Mark’s narrative takes our face in hand and turns our face to the face of Jesus. When you look at Jesus, you are looking at God. Here is your Salvation. Here is your Healer. Here is your King. Here is the Captain of the seas. Here is the Master of the deep waters. Here is the Keeper of true wisdom, the teller and revealer of riddles. Do you have ears to hear the riddles of the Sower and Sea-Captain? Have you wrestled with His words, to receive their blessing?