Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:33-34 – Public Parables, Private Teachings

Mark 4:33-34 – Public Parables, Private Teachings

|| Matthew 13:34, 35[1]

MK4:33 Now Jesus taught his message with the use of many parables according to their ability to understand.[2] MK4:34 And without a parable he never spoke, but when they were all alone Jesus would explain everything to his disciples.

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[1] Matthew 13:34, 35: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] According to their ability to understand: Or, NEB: as far as they were able to receive it; WEY: according to their capacity for receiving it; PME: such as their minds could take it. This is not reported in Matthew.

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Preceding

Matthew 13:34-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Manner of Teaching Foretold

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:1-9 – Teaching in Parables

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:10-13 – How Will You Understand?

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:14-20 – Sower Parable Explained

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:21-23 – Light Exposes

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:24, 25 – Hearing and Responsibility

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:26-29 – The Sleeping Farmer

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:30-32 – Kingdom Like a Mustard Seed

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Additional reading

1. Jesus the Storyteller 3 Reflections of/ on Jesus’ ministry
2. Jesus the Storyteller 5 Conclusions
3. Light and Salt – Parables of Influence
4. Only once and with consequences

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Related

1. Speaking in Parables
2. Pondering The Parables
3. Do we understand what Jesus is saying?
4. Sowing seeds for the Kingdom
5. The Power of a Seed
6. Let Go and Let God
7. Telling the Truth Slant
8. 11th Sunday in ordinary time – 2021 – Mark 4:26-34

Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 4:1-9 – Teaching in Parables

CHAPTER FOUR:
PARABLES TO ILLUSTRATE THE KINGDOM

[“Kingdom Mysteries”]
Key word: Kingdom

Mark 4:1-9 – Teaching in Parables

|| Matthew 13:1-9;[1] Luke 8:4-8

MK4:1 Now Jesus began to teach by the seashore and there gathered around him a crowd so large he got into a boat and sat a bit off shore. The whole crowd was on the beach at water’s edge. MK4:2 Then Jesus taught them many things by means of parables, and in his teaching he said to them: MK4:3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow,[2] MK4:4 and it happened as he sowed that some [seed] fell by the side of the road. Now the birds of heaven came and picked them up. MK4:5 Also, some [seed] fell on rocky ground where there was little soil. So, the seed sprouted quickly because it had no depth of soil. MK4:6 But, when the sun rose the sprout was scorched and because it had no root it withered away. MK4:7 Now [other seed] fell among thorns and when the thorns also grew up they choked it producing nothing. MK4:8 Some, though, fell on good soil and it did produce something, sprouting and increasing – some yielding thirty times, some sixty times, and others even one-hundred times!” MK4:9 And Jesus added: “Let the one with ears – hear!”

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[1] Matthew 13:1-9: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Sower went out to sow: The parable illustrates four reactions to the teachings of Jesus – then, and today.

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Preceding

Matthew 13:1-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable: the Soil and the Seed

Mark 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Review Questions on Chapter Three

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Additional reading

1. Jesus the Storyteller 2 Interpreting Jesus’ stories
2. Leading people astray!
3. The Parable of the Sower
4. Seeds, weeds and kingdoms
5. Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation
6. What God should I believe in

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Related articles

1. How Is Your Hearing?
2. Lenten Devotional: March 2
3. Speaking in Parables
4. Parable of the Sower
5. Exploring The Parable of the Sower
6. The Parable of the Sower in Modern Day
7. Aim To Pass The Test
8. Heart-A-Check Meter
9. Which Soil are You?
10. Seeds and Me
11. The Soil – Part 1
12. The Soil – Part 2
13. The Soil – Part 3
14. The Soil – Part 4
15. God’s dirt, word and work [Sermon]
16. Parable of the Torso?
17. The primacy it requires
18. Sculptor and Clay
19. Matthew 13: Jesus, the Greatest Storyteller Speaks in Parables to Bring the Kingdom to Us
20. Don’t give up
21. Kingdom secrets and the unstoppable word in the soil of your soul (Growing deeper with Luke 8:4-15)

By Whose authority did that Nazarene rebbe speak and did he such incredible things

“Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked.

“And who gave you this authority?”” (Mt 21:23 NIV)

In the previous chapters written by Matthew we came to see a Jesus who was in everything like other people around him, except for his goodness and certain miraculous things he could do. He was hungry and needed sleep like any other of us. He also wanted some quietness of some time for himself.

Many were amazed about the strange things that Jesus could do. Many wondered how it was possible that this man could do such special things. Some found it also strange that this man dared to pose certain questions  and speak against the people in charge of the temple, though he was not a priest.
He was making great changes in the affairs of the temple, and the priests claimed the right to know why this was done, contrary to their permission. He was not a priest; he had no civil or ecclesiastical authority as a Jew. It was sufficient authority indeed, that he came as a prophet, and worked miracles. But they professed not to be satisfied with that.

Never did Jesus claim to speak or act in his own name. He told the people around him that the doctrine he preached was not his doctrine, but the one of his heavenly Father, Who is the Only One True God. though at certain times this teacher dared to warn those around him that they had to listen to his words and should act on them because otherwise they would be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. (Matthew 7:26)

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Mt 7:26 NIV)

“But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”” (Lu 6:49 NIV)

Also today we can hear those words from Jesus, by the delivered stories of the gospel-writers. They clearly wrote down the words of Jesus so that people after them also could get to know them. By those writings we also can come to see what wonderful things Jesus not only said but also did.

The question the religious leaders asked was relevant both to the cleansing of the Temple (vv. 12-14;’are you doing’) and to his teaching in the Temple (’ while he was teaching’). The double form of the question is typically Jewish. {cf. Mr 12:14 13:4 Ac 4:7 } The two questions are certainly interrelated but not identical.

The first questions the quality of Jesus’ authority:

is it that of a scribe, or a prophet, or is it something else again?

The second question concerns the source of Jesus’ authority.

The authority to instruct on one’s own account could only be given to a rabbi by the laying on of hands (SB, II, 647-649). The deputation’s question was especially suitable as the starting-point for a lawsuit against him.

Any Jew was allowed to talk publicly about religious questions (as in our social meetings), but if he proposed to be a regular teacher (Rabbi), than he had to be authorized by a rebbe or an other high rabbi or by the Sanhedrin. Lots of people told about this man who was going from one place to an other, always teachings and as such it could be considered that he was making it not only his occupation to teach, but he was also working miracles, cleansing the temple as if a prophet, and apparently justifying his followers in greeting him as the Messiah.

Jesus had no intention to becoming a worldly ruler at that time, getting rid of the Romans, though many thought he was the promised one who would liberate them from those Roman occupiers. By this time Jesus had become very well aware of his task, being a speaker for God, even when that required to put himself aside.

The spiritual leaders of the land did not like this man who was telling so many things and doing so many things which got people away from their teachings and seemed to undermine their position. But many where convinced that he spoke with authority.

“The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” (Mr 1:22 NIV)

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”” (Lu 4:36 NIV)

Because Jesus came to see that many thought it would be from himself that he was saying and doing those things, he told them that he could do nothing without his heavenly Father.

“Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Joh 5:19 NIV)

According to Jesus the problem was that many did not know the God, like we can see also today.  At that time there was probably not one person who had taken Jesus as their god, though today many have done so and do not see how Jesus was the sent one from God, Who is much greater than Jesus. Therefore many of those persons do not see and are blind for the word because they prefer to keep to human doctrines instead of the words of God and the words of Christ.

“Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (Joh 7:16 NIV)

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.” (Joh 8:42 NIV)

“”You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 NIV)

Jesus told everybody it was by him they could come to see and to understand, him being the way to God, (and not to himself) and therefore he was going to suffer.

“But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognise him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”” (Mt 17:12 NIV)

“5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (Joh 14:5-6 NIV)

It is by Jesus we can come to know the truth and find the way to the small gate.

“13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Mt 7:13-14 NIV)

“7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. {Or kept safe } He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (Joh 10:7-9 NIV)

The spiritual leaders of that time where afraid this Nazarene would come to be favoured more by the people and would take their place as a reformer.

Jesus dispatched them with speed, as if he had been loath to have been taken with his task undone.

Jesus was not willing to have a high position prepared by men, nor to be crowned by the multitude, there being only too good reason, him being sent by his heavenly Father. Their ideas of royalty were entirely different from his. Had he allowed himself to be borne on the tide of popular favour to royal honours, His kingdom would have been thereby marked as “of this world,” it would have been stamped as something very different from the kingdom of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” he had come to establish.

Had he been a mere enthusiast, he would have undoubtedly have yielded to such a tidal wave of public excitement; but his unerring wisdom taught him that he must reach the throne by another path than that of popular favour. Rather must it be through popular rejection — through the dark portals of despite and death; and for that, his hour had not then come.

So many years later we should see by Whose authority Jesus said and and all those things. Everything he did and said was done because God allowed him to do that and gave him power to do so. today still a lot of Christians too, like the Pharisees, do not believe Jesus acted as a sent one from God. Many christians have taken Jesus into their god and do not see how he should be their way to God.

Do you think Jesus is God, or do you accept Jesus as the sent one from God, who was authorised by God?

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Preceding

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction

Matthew 9:1-8 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Messiah Forgives Sins and Heals Paralytic

Matthew 9:32-34 – How others look at the blind, speechless and demoniac being healed

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

Matthew 21:1-3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Ahead for a Donkey

Matthew 21:4-5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Your King Is Coming upon a Donkey

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Temple Cleansed

Matthew 21:12-14 – From a den of thieves to a house of prayer

Matthew 21:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Out of the Mouth of Babes

Matthew 21:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: A Cursed Fig Tree a Lesson in Faith

Matthew 21:23-27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Question of Authority

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:10-11 Who Is This? – a Question still posed today #1

Matthew 21:10-11 Who Is This? – a Question still posed today #2

More than just a man with authority of speaking

 

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Additional reading

1. The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #8 Looking for the 2nd Adam
2. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
3. Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #2 War on God’s Plan, Name and title
4. The meek one riding on an ass
5. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
6. The son of man given authority by God
7. Authority given to him To give eternal life
8. Blindness in the Christian world
9. Memorizing wonderfully 52 Acts 7:56: the Son of man standing on the right hand of God
10. Priest, scribes and others with authority

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Related

1. the Authority of Jesus questioned
2. Luke – Chapter 20
3. Words of Life ~ Author(ity)
4. His U
5. A King & a Kingdom
6. Authority of Jesus — It is Questioned

Matthew 16:5-12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Watch Out for the Leaven of False Teaching

Matthew 16:5-12 – Watch Out for the Leaven of False Teaching

|| Mark 8:14-21; Luke 12:1

MT16:5 Now the disciples arrived on the other side of the lake and they forgot to bring loaves of bread with them. MT16:6 So, Jesus told them, “Watch and pay attention regarding the leaven[1] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” MT16:7 The disciples now carried on a dialogue among themselves, “We brought no loaves of bread.” MT16:8 Realizing what they were talking about, Jesus said to them, “Men of very small faith,[2] why are you having this dialogue just because you did not bring loaves of bread? MT16:9 Do you not perceive[3] or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many surplus baskets you gathered? MT16:10 Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many surplus baskets you gathered? MT16:11 Why do you not realize that I was not speaking about loaves of bread? Rather, be alert regarding[4] the ‘leaven’ of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” MT16:12 Then the disciples finally got the point that Jesus was not talking about the leaven of loaves but rather the teaching of[5] the Pharisees and Sadducees.

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[1] Leaven: Compare Mark 8:15 where Jesus includes the party followers of Herod; and, Luke 12:1 where “hypocrisy” is included. See notes on Matthew 13:33.

[2] Men of very small faith: See notes on Matthew 8:26.

[3] Do you not perceive: One gets the feeling that the miracle of feeding the crowds was more of an object lesson for the apostles.

[4] Be alert regarding: Jesus believed in Biblical Truth and made no effort to compromise his teachings with others. He wanted his disciples to pay close attention to what others taught and view as ‘leaven’ (or corrupt doctrines) those teachings or manners which did not line up with his own teachings.

[5] The teaching of: Jesus has mentioned three groups in this context. Regarding the Pharisees (self-righteous conservatives) Josephus records: “And so great is (the Pharisees’) influence with the masses that even when they speak against a king or high priest, they immediately gain credence.” [Jewish Antiquities, XIII, 288 (x, 5)] “They believe that souls have power to survive death and that there are rewards and punishments under the earth for those who have led lives of virtue or vice: eternal imprisonment is the lot of evil souls, while the good souls receive an easy passage to a new life.” (Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 14 [i, 3]) “Every soul, they maintain, is imperishable, but the soul of the good alone passes into another body, while the souls of the wicked suffer eternal punishment.… [The Pharisees] attribute everything to Fate and to God; they hold that to act rightly or otherwise rests, indeed, for the most part with men, but that in each action Fate co-operates.” [The Jewish War, II, 162, 163 (viii, 14)]

            Sadducees (liberal free-thinkers) ‘denied the workings of fate, maintaining that an individual, by his own actions, was solely responsible for what befell him.’ [Jewish Antiquities, XIII, 172, 173 (v, 9)] They ‘rejected the many oral traditions observed by the Pharisees and also Pharisaic belief in the immortality of the soul and in punishments or rewards after death. In their dealings with one another, the Sadducees were somewhat rough. They were said to be disputatious. According to Josephus, their teachings appealed to the wealthy.’ [Jewish Antiquities, XIII, 298 (x, 6); XVIII, 16, 17 (i, 4); The Jewish War, II, 162-166 (viii, 14)]

            Herodians (political) are unknown in secular history but much involved in the politics of Jesus’ homeland. Compare Matthew 12:9-14; Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 20:21-26.

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Preceding

Matthew 12:9-21 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Is It Lawful to Cure on the Sabbath?

Matthew 13:33 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Fermented Whole

Matthew 16 Asking for signs from heaven

Matthew 16 Calvin’s view

Matthew 16 Spurgeon’s view

Matthew 16:1-4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Signs of the Times

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Matthew 11:1 Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities 1 Twelve Sent out to Teach

Chapter Eleven:
Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities

[“Impossible to please”]

Matthew 11:1 – Twelve Sent out to Teach

MT11:1 And it occurred when Jesus finished giving instructions to the twelve disciples, he crossed from there teaching and preaching in their towns.[1]

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[1] Preaching in their towns: Jesus was a teacher who practiced what he preached. He has just spoken at length to his “apostles” and given them precise instructions. Now he does not sit back and let them do the work while he relaxes. But he immediately sets the example (Revelation 14:4).

The drag net – Harold Copping (1863-1932) from “The Copping Bible pictures: scripture pictures” published by Abingdon Press New York and Westminster Press Philadelphia.

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Preceding

Matthew 10:40-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Reception and Reward

Matthew 11– Intro to The Nazarene’s Commentary: Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities

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Related

1. He will teach us all
2. Phillip Medhurst’s Bible in pictures 196 The drag net
3. Devoted To The Apostle Teaching
4. The power to practice love | Sermon for 1 Epiphany