Mark 4:1-2 1And again he began to teach beside the lake. And a large crowd gathered to him, such that he got into a boat to sit in it on the lake, and the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. 2And he was teaching them many things in parables, and he was saying to them in his teaching:
The Gospel of Mark makes a significant shift beginning in chapter 4 from Jesus the healer to Jesus the teacher. We now get a glimpse into what Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God. This chapter comes at a strategic location in the Gospel. The identity of Jesus as the Son of God has been demonstrated. The readers are now invited to respond in faith to what Mark has written about Jesus. This chapter records a series of parables that Jesus began to teach and that call people to respond to his teaching with obedience.
Chapter 4 continues to recount how many people were following Jesus. In this occasion, there were so many people that Jesus got into a boat so he could teach them all. The motivation of so many people must have been mixed. Some were simply curious, while others were seeking help. Jesus begins to lay out the cost and conditions of following him. The strategy of teaching in a boat would work well for acoustics since sound can travel well across water. More people could hear him that way than if he was in the middle of them.
One of the favorite ways Jesus taught was through parables. He was an outstanding teacher able to capture the attention of his audience. The disciples were able to remember vast portions of his teaching. People came to Jesus because 1) they were convinced Jesus spoke with the authority of God, 2) he spoke with clarity, simplicity, and relevancy, and 3) he had a dynamic personality. They came to Jesus for what he taught, how he taught it, and who he was. He spoke with simplicity and authority. He has been called the greatest teacher of all times. Yet, not everyone accepted his teachings. This chapter shows that the reasons Jesus used parables were 1) to reveal and illustrate his message to his followers, 2) to conceal his message to those on the outside who would not accept the message of the kingdom, and 3) to disarm his opponents who, by the time a conclusion is given, must face the decision of accepting or rejecting the teacher and his teachings.
A parable is a short comparison (simile or metaphor), usually in story form, that communicates a spiritual truth. Jesus’ parables were true to life and provide a window into how people lived in the first century. Often, the application of the parable is assumed, which teases the listener (or reader) into deeper thought and contemplation. A key to the interpretation of many of Jesus’ parables can be found in looking at the main characters and what happens to them. There is often a problem that is resolved (a miniature narrative with a plot). When interpreting parables, it is important to study background issues like who are the characters, what was the culture and ways of living mentioned or assumed, and where does the parable fit into Jesus’ life and ministry (literary and historical context).
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