Mark wrote how Jesus asked His disciples, “Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables?”, and He continued, “The sower sows the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness”, and in chapter four and verse seventeen of his book, Mark shares how Jesus told His disciples people who are like the stony ground, “have no root in themselves” and “are offended” where we read:
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward,
when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
The verse reads, “And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time:” Mark began with the words, “and have no root” or “and have no sprouts, shoots, offspring or progeny” “in themselves” which means “within the people who are like rocky soil”, “and so endure” or “and last, stick it out and bear it” “but for a time” which means “for a season, while or temporarily”. Mark shared how Jesus said the people to whom “God's word” is presented and received “gladly” do not have any depth to them, so they only last for a short period.
The verse continues, “afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark added the words, “afterward” or “after that or next”, “when affliction” which means “at the time and moment oppression, tribulation, trial, distress and straits” “or persecution” or “maltreatment, ill-treatment, mistreatment or abuse ” “arises” which means “appears, comes into existence, is performed and comes to pass” “for the word's sake” or “because and on account of God's speech, utterance, decree and mandate”, “immediately” or “straightway and forthwith” “they are offended” which means “the people who are like the rocky soil are stumbled, impeded, enticed to sin and caused to fall away”. Mark shared how Jesus said after the people who are like the “rocky soil” “gladly” receive God's word, “tribulations and trials” come into their lives and they are impeded and enticed to sin right away.
When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see Jesus' explanation for people who are like “rocky soil”, and because they do not allow the “word of God” to take “deep root” within themselves, they are “immediately” stumbled whenever “tribulations” and “trials” come into their lives. They become disenchanted with “God's word” when things do not go their way, and because they have no real understanding of God's ways in their lives, they leave it. God desires people to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when the “word of God” is presented the best response is to yield completely and thoroughly with every means possible and to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. (See 2 Peter 3:18)
Next time Mark shares how Jesus talks about, “they which are sown among thorns”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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