The Disciples Ask Jesus about the Parable - Mark 4:10

Mark wrote how Jesus began to teach people who were on the seashore, “many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow. 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. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 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. And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear”, and in chapter four and verse ten of his book, Mark shares how Jesus told how, “the twelve asked of him the parable” where we read:

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

The verse reads, “And when he was alone, ...” Mark began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “he was alone” which means “Jesus was apart and by Himself”. Mark referred to a time after He taught the people when Jesus was by Himself.

The verse goes on to say, “... they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.” Mark continued with the words “they that were about him” which means “the people who were surrounding Jesus” “with the twelve” or “alongside the twelve disciples” “asked of him” which means “questioned and inquired of Jesus” “the parable” or “the earthly story that has a heavenly meaning concerning the sower who sowed”. Mark shared how Jesus' disciples desired to know the meaning of the “parable” of the “sower and the seed”.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus left His teaching time with the people on the shore and was afterward alone. At that time, Jesus' disciples came to Him and wanted Him to explain the “parable of the sower and the seed”. Jesus taught in a manner that not everyone would understand what He was teaching, however, for those who were His disciples, He wanted them to know the meanings. God desires people to receive His “gospel” through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him, He has many things to teach them as they seek Him with all their hearts.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus said to His disciples, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God”, 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".