Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 4:34
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Without a parable spake he not unto them – That is, the things pertaining to his kingdom. On other subjects he spake without parables. On these, such was their prejudice, so many notions had they contrary to the nature of his kingdom, and so liable would plain instructions have been to give offence, that he employed this method to insinuate truth gradually into their minds, and to prepare them fully to understand the nature of his kingdom.
They were alone – His disciples.
He expounded – Explained. Showed them more at length the spiritual meaning of the parables.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. He expounded all things to his disciples.] That they might be capable of instructing others. Outside hearers, those who do not come into close fellowship with the true disciples of Christ, have seldom more than a superficial knowledge of Divine things.
In the fellowship of the saints, where Jesus the teacher is always to be found, every thing is made plain,-for the secret of the Lord is with them who fear him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
34. But without a parable spake henot unto themSee on Mt 13:34.
and when they were alone, heexpounded all things to his disciplesSee on Mr4:22.
Mr4:35-5:20. JESUSCROSSING THE SEAOF GALILEE,MIRACULOUSLY STILLSA TEMPESTHECURES THE DEMONIACOF GADARA. ( =Mat 8:23-34; Luk 8:22-39).
The time of this section is verydefinitely marked by our Evangelist, and by him alone, in the openingwords.
Jesus Stills a Tempest on theSea of Galilee (Mr4:35-41).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But without a parable spake he not unto them,…. For the above reason, as well as for the accomplishment of Scripture;
[See comments on Mt 13:34],
[See comments on Mt 13:35].
And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples: after they returned with him from the sea side, to the house in Capernaum, where he usually was when there; see Mt 13:36. The multitude being dismissed, he unfolded and explained all these parables to his disciples, and led them into a large knowledge of himself, and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; whereby they were furnished for the work he had called them to, and designed them for.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But privately to his disciples he expounded all things (‘ ). To his own () disciples in private, in distinction from the mass of the people Jesus was in the habit (imperfect tense, ) of
disclosing , revealing, all things () in plain language without the parabolic form used before the crowds. This verb occurs in the N.T. only here and in Ac 19:39 where the town-clerk of Ephesus says of the troubles by the mob: “It shall be settled in the regular assembly” ( ). First future passive indicative from . The word means to give additional () loosening (), so to explain, to make plainer, clearer, even to the point of revelation. This last is the idea of the substantive in 2Pe 1:20 where even the Revised Version has it: “No prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation” ( ). Here the use of (comes) with the ablative case () and the explanation given in verse 2Pe 1:21 shows plainly that disclosure or revelation to the prophet is what is meant, not interpretation of what the prophet said. The prophetic impulse and message came from God through the Holy Spirit. In private the further disclosures of Jesus amounted to fresh revelations concerning the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “But without a parable spake He not unto them: (choris de paraboles ouk elalei autois) “Then without or apart from a parable He spoke not to them,” to the masses on the land as He had spoken to them from the boat, Mar 4:1-3.
2) “And when they were alone,” (kat’ idian de) “Then as they were alone,” in privacy, Christ with His apostles and the disciples, the church in private council, Mar 4:10-11.
3) “He expounded all things to His disciples – (tois idiois mathetais epeluen panta) “To His own disciples He explained all things,” clarified all matters regarding the seed thought of every parable. These are those whom He chose, who companied with Him, from the beginning in Galilee, called His disciples, His church, His bride, His house, etc. Joh 15 16, 27,31 28, 29; Mar 13:34-35; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 3:1-6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
SUMMARY 4:345:43
The argument of this section is the same as that of the corresponding section in Matthew. (See Mat. 8:1 to Mat. 9:35.) It proves the divine power of Jesus by showing that he could control by a word the winds and the waves of the sea; could direct and compel the movements of demons; could by his touch remove incurable diseases; and could instantly raise the dead. In other words, it proves the Sufficiency of his power to save to the uttermost all who come to him, by proving that all the dangers to which we are exposed, whether from the forces of the physical world, the malice of evil spirits, the power of disease, or the hand of death, may be averted at his command, and that they will be in behalf of all who put themselves under his protection.
A very marked distinction is observable between Marks treatment of this argument, and that adopted by Matthew. The latter presents an array of ten miracles without much elaboration of any one of them; the former selects four out of the ten, and devotes almost as much space to these as Matthew does to the ten. The one writer depends more on the number of miracles reported, and the other on the character of those selected and on the minuteness with which they are described. Each mode of treatment has its advantages, and the wisdom of God is displayed in giving us both.McGarvey.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(34) He expounded.The word may be noted as being the verb from which is formed the noun interpretation in 2Pe. 1:20, and so takes its place in the coincidences of phraseology which connect that Epistle with this Gospel. (See Introduction.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
XXXII
OUR LORD’S GREAT MINISTRY IN GALILEE
Part VII
STILLING THE TEMPEST, THE TWO GADARENE DEMONIACS, SECOND REJECTION AT NAZARETH, SENDING FORTH THE TWELVE, AND HEROD’S SUSPICION
Harmony -pages 66-75 and Mat 8:18-23 ; Mat 11:1 ; Mat 13:54-58 ; Mat 14:1-12 ; Mar 4:34-5:20 ; Mar 6:1-29 ; Luk 8:22-40 ; Luk 9:1-9 .
When Jesus had finished his discourse on the kingdom, as illustrated in the first great group of parables, he crossed over the Sea of Galilee to avoid the multitudes. While on the bosom of the sea a storm swept down upon them, as indicated by Luke, but our Lord had fallen asleep. So the disciples awoke him with their cry of distress and he, like a God, spoke to the winds and the sea, and they obeyed him. Such is the simple story of this incident, the lesson of which is the strengthening of their faith in his divinity.
Upon their approach to the shore the country of the Gadarenes occurred the thrilling incident of the two Gadarene demoniacs. The story is graphically told here by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and does not need to be repeated in this interpretation, but there are certain points in the story which need to be explained. First, there are some difficulties: (1) The apparent discrepancy of long standing, relating to the place, is cleared up by Dr. Broadus in his note at the bottom of page 67 (see his explanation of this difficulty);
The long famous instance of “discrepancy” as to the place in this narrative has been cleared up in recent years by the decision of textual critics that the correct text in Luke is Gerasenes, as well as in Mark, and by Dr. Thomson’s discovery of a ruin on the lake shore, named Khersa (Gerasa). If this village was included (a very natural supposition) in the district belonging to the city of Gadara, some miles south-eastward, then the locality could be described as either in the country of the Gadarenes, or in the country of the Gerasenes
(2) Matthew mentions two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke mention but one. This is easily explained by saying that the one mentioned by Mark and Luke was probably the prominent and leading one, and that they do not say there was only one. Second) there are some important lessons in this incident for us: (1) We see from this incident that evil spirits, or demons, not only might possess human beings by impact of spirit upon spirit, but they also could and did possess lower animals. (2) We see here also that these evil spirits could not do what they would without permission, and thus we find an illustration of the limitations placed upon the Devil and his agencies. (3) There is here a recognition of the divinity of Jesus by these demoniacs and that he is the dispenser of their torment. (4) There is here also an illustration of the divine power of Jesus Christ over the multitude of demons, and from this incident we may infer that they are never too numerous for him. (5) The man when healed is said to have been in his right mind, indicating the insanity of sin. (6) The new convert was not allowed to go with Jesus, but was made a missionary to his own people) to tell them of the great things the Lord had done for him. (7) The Gadarenes besought him to leave their borders. Matthew Henry says that these people thought more of their hogs than they did of the Lord Jesus Christ. Alas I this tribe is by far too numerous now.
In Section 55 (Mat 10:1-42 ; Mar 6:7-13 ; Luk 9:1-6 ) we have the first commission of the twelve apostles. The immediate occasion is expressed in Mat 9:36 . (See the author’s sermon on “Christ’s Compassion Excited by a Sight of the Multitude.”) These apostles had received the training of the mighty hand of the Master ever since their conversion and call to the ministry, and now he thrusts them out to put into action what they had received from him. The place they were to go, or the limit of their commission, is found in Mat 10:5-6 . This limitation to go to the Jews and not to the Gentiles seems to have been in line with the teaching elsewhere that salvation came first to the Jews and that the time of the Gentiles had not yet come in, but this commission was not absolute, because we find our Lord later commissioning them to go to all the world. What they were to preach is found in Mat 10:7 and what they were to do in Mat 10:8 . The price they were to ask is found in the last clause of Mat 10:8 . How they were to be supported, negatively and positively, together with the principle of their support, is found in Mat 10:9-11 . The principle of ministerial support is found also, very much elaborated, in 1Co 9:4-13 , and is referred to in 1Co 9:14 as an ordinance of our Lord. The manner of making this operative on entering a city is found in Mat 10:11-12 . The rewards of receiving and rejecting them are found in Mat 10:13 , while the method of testimony against the rejectors is expressed in Mat 10:14-15 .
The characteristics of these disciples are given in Mat 10:16 : “Wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” If they should have had the characteristic of the dove alone they would have been silly; if the serpent alone, they would have been tricky. But with both they had prudence and simplicity. In this commission we find also that they were to be subject to certain hazards, recorded in Mat 10:18 . Their defense is also promised in Mat 10:19-20 . The extent of their persecutions is expressed in Mat 10:21-22 . Their perseverance is indicated in the last clause of Mat 10:22 . In Mat 10:23 we have the promise that the Son of man would come to them before they had gone through all the cities of Israel. What does that mean? There are five theories about it, all of which are amply discussed by Broadus (see his Commentary in loco).
The consolations offered these disciples, in view of their prospective persecutions, are as follows (Mat 10:24-31 ): (1) So they treated the Lord, (2) all things hidden shall be made known, (3) the work of their persecutors is limited to the body, but God’s wrath is greater than man’s and touches both soul and body, and (4) the Father’s providential care. The condition of such blessings in persecution, and vice versa, are expressed in Mat 10:32-33 . From this we see that they were to go forth without fear or anxiety and in faith. The great issue which the disciples were to force is found in Mat 10:34-39 . This does not mean that Christ’s work has in it the purpose of stirring up strife, but that the disturbance will arise from the side of the enemy in their opposition to the gospel and its principles, whose purpose means peace. So there will arise family troubles, as some yield to the call of the gospel while others of the same family reject it. Some will always be lacking in the spirit of religious tolerance, which is not the spirit of Christ. In this connection our Lord announces the principle of loyalty to him as essential to discipleship, with an added encouragement, viz., that of finding and losing the life. In Mat 10:40-42 we have the identity of Christ with the Father which shows his divinity and also his identity with his people in his work. Then follows the blessed encouragement of the promise of rewards. When Jesus had thus finished his charge to his disciples, he made a circuit of the villages of Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
From this incident come three important lessons for us: First, we have here the origin and development of a call to the ministry as follows: (1) Christ’s compassion for the perishing and leaderless, (2) prayer to God that he would send forth laborers, and (3) a positive conviction that we should go. Second, there is also suggested here the dangers of the care for fine preaching: (1) If it has its source in anxiety and selfishness it restrains spirituality; (2) it manifests itself in excitement and excess which adulterates spirituality; (3) it leads to weariness or self-seeking and thus destroys spirituality. Third, we have here several encouragements to the preacher: (1) The cause is honorable; (2) the example is illustrious; (3) the success is certain; (4) care is guaranteed; (5) the reward is glorious; (6) the trials become triumphs; (7) the identification with Christ.
The account of the miracles wrought by the disciples of Jesus on this preaching tour impressed Herod Antipas, as well as those wrought by Jesus himself, the impression of which was so great that he thought that John the Baptist was risen from the dead. The account in the Harmony throws light on the impression that was made by the ministry of John. Some were saying that Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets, but Herod’s conscience and superstition caused him to think it was John the Baptist, for he remembered his former relation to John. Then follows here the story of how John had rebuked Herod which angered his wife, Herodias, and eventually led to John’s death at the band of the executioner. Josephus gives testimony relative to this incident. (See chapter X of this “Interpretation.”)
There are some lessons to be learned from this incident. First, we are impressed with the courage and daring of the first Christian martyr, a man who was not afraid to speak his convictions in the face of the demons of the pit. Second, the life must leave its impress, but that impress will be variously interpreted according to the antecedents and temperaments of the interpreters. Third, the influence of a wicked woman, often making the weak and drunken husband a mere tool to an awful wicked end. Fourth, the occasion of sin and crime is often the time of feasting and frivolity. Just such a crime as this has often been approached by means of the dance and strong drink. Fifth, we have here an example of a man who was too weak to follow his conviction of the right because he had promised and had taken an oath. He had more respect for his oath than he had for right. Sixth, there is here also an example of the wickedness of vengeance. It is a tradition that when the daughter brought in the head of John and gave it to Herodias, her mother, she took a bodkin and stuck it through the tongue of John, saying, “You will never say again, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
QUESTIONS
1. Give the time, place, circumstances, and lesson of Jesus stilling the tempest.
2. Tell the story of the two Gadarene demoniacs.
3. What two difficulties here, and how is each explained?
4. What seven important lessons for us in this incident?
5. Give the story of the second rejection of Jesus at Nazareth and its several lessons.
6. What was the immediate occasion of sending forth the twelve apostles on their first mission?
7. What preparation had they received?
8. Where were they to go, or what was the limit of this commission?
9. Why was it limited, and was it absolute?
10. What were they to preach, and what were they to do?
11. What price were they to ask?
12. How were they to be supported, negatively and positively, and how do you harmonize the Synoptics here?
13. What was the principle of their support and where do we find this principle very much elaborated?
14. How is this principle referred to in 1Co 9:14 ?
15. What was the manner of making it operative on entering a city?
16. What rewards attached to receiving and rejecting them?
17. What was the method of testimony against those who rejected?
18. What was to be the characteristics of these disciples?
19. To what hazards were they subject?
20. What was to be their defense?
21. What was to be the extent of their persecution?
22. What was text on the perseverance of the saints, and what was its immediate application to these apostles?
23. Explain “till the Son of man be come.”
24. What were the consolations offered these disciples?
25. What was the condition of such blessings?
26. In what spirit were they to go forth?
27. What great issue must they force? Explain.
28. What principle of discipleship here announced?
29. What proof here of the divinity of Jesus Christ?
30. What promise here of rewards?
31. What did Jesus do immediately after finishing his charge here
32. What lessons here on the origin and development of a call to the ministry?
33. What dangers of the care for fine preaching?
34. What seven encouragements from this incident to the preacher of today?
35. How was Herod and others impressed by the miracles of Jesus and his disciples?
36. What several conjectures of Herod and others?
37. What part was played in this drama by John? by Herod? by Herodias and by Salome, the daughter of Herodias?
38. What testimony of Josephus on this incident?
39. What lessons of this incident?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Ver. 34. He expounded ] He read them the riddles, as it were, or untied the knots, . So, Jdg 7:15 , we read of a dream, and the interpretation, or breaking of it. A metaphor from the breaking of a nut to get the kernel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
34. ] We have three such instances the sower , the tares , Mat 13:36 ff., and the saying concerning defilement , Mat 15:15 ff. To these we may add the two parables in John , ch. Mar 10:1-18 , which however was publicly explained, and ch. Mar 15:1-12 ; and perhaps Luk 16:9 ; Luk 18:6-8 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 4:34 . , etc., without a parable He was not wont to speak to the people, not merely that day, but at any time. , etc., He was in the habit of interpreting all things ( viz. , the parables in private to His own disciples, the Twelve, cf. , 2Pe 1:20 ). This does not necessarily imply that the multitude understood nothing, but only that Jesus, by further talk, made the disciples understand better . Yet on the whole it must be admitted that in his account of Christ’s parabolic teaching Mark seems to vacillate between two opposite views of the function of parables, one that they were used to make spiritual truths plain to popular intelligence, the other that they were riddles, themselves very much needing explanation, and fitted, even intended, to hide truth. This second view might be suggested and fostered by the fact that some of the parables express recondite spiritual truths.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
expounded = kept expounding. Compare Luk 24:27 and 2Pe 1:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
34. ] We have three such instances-the sower, the tares, Mat 13:36 ff., and the saying concerning defilement, Mat 15:15 ff. To these we may add the two parables in John,-ch. Mar 10:1-18, which however was publicly explained,-and ch. Mar 15:1-12;-and perhaps Luk 16:9; Luk 18:6-8.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
when: Mar 4:10, Mar 7:17-23, Mat 13:36-43, Mat 15:15-20, Luk 8:9, Luk 8:10, Luk 24:27, Luk 24:44-46
Reciprocal: 1Ki 10:1 – prove him 2Ch 9:2 – all Psa 78:2 – dark sayings Pro 1:6 – a proverb Isa 8:16 – among Eze 17:2 – General Mat 13:10 – Why Mat 13:34 – General Mat 13:51 – Have Mat 22:1 – General Mar 4:2 – by parables Mar 9:28 – asked Mar 10:32 – And he Mar 12:1 – he began Mar 13:3 – privately Act 20:20 – and have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ALONE WITH CHRIST
And when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples.
Mar 4:34
There is nothing like the direct teaching of Christ. It makes everything so very plain, so individual, so precious. And the ordinance of the pulpit will be to very little good if it do not send you into the privacy of your own room, there to have it all over again from Him to your separate and salient heart.
I. The disciples privilege.Let us take care that we lay its proper and comforting stress on that one full word: When they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. Whenever you come to complicated things which you cannot untie, within you or about youan involved truth, a baffling Providence, an unintelligible condition of your own soultake it to that great Expositor. And this is one great privilege of being a disciple: all things shall be made clear to you. The world has its messages, but He manifests Himself to you as He does not unto the world. Others may have the words of Christ, but you shall have His mind.
II. Alone with Christ.To be alone with Christ there must be
(a) A calm, quiet mind; it must not be pre-occupied; the inner life must not be a crowd of thought; but stillness, with room, free room enough for Christ. I am not alone with a person, if a thousand other presences, as real as his, are there. It must be, to have Christ, a perfectly vacant place.
(b) A realisation that Christ is there with you. Why should you hesitate to accept it? He has said that He will be there; and His being, and therefore His presence, is spiritual, and consequently invisible. Therefore, simply believe it: Christ is here; He takes a personal interest in me; because He takes the interest in me, He is now here to speak to me. I will shut my ears to all other things, that I may hear Him. I will close my eyes and see Him only. Now, my own loving Saviour and I are by ourselves.
(c) Confidential communications. Tell Him confidentially all you have in your mind, and expect Him to tell you confidentially all He has in His mind for you. Whatever be the difficulty, the trouble, the fear, the question, the sin, name it, spread it, and whatever answer comes in returnand it will come, silently but consciouslytake it as whispered to you and intended for you only. For you must meet Christ as your own personal friend, or you will not meet Him at all.
III. With Christ everywhere.You will have been alone with Christ in your room to very small purpose, if you have not learnt there the happy art of so carrying Him with you everywhere, that you can often be as alone with Him in the crowd as you were in your privacy. Practise yourself to get apart from the busy scene about you, and to go down into the sanctuary of your own soul, and try to find and meet Christ only. No one can say how it elevates, and refines, and sanctifies, and sweetens the day. It is the thing which makes it heaven to live, to have learnt the secret how to be alone with the Lord Jesus Christ anywhere.
Rev. James Vaughan.
Illustration
Our Lord justifies the parabolic form of teaching, which often served to veil the truth, on the ground that immediate revelation is not always desirable. Many things are concealed, both in nature and by art, though the concealment is by no means designed to be permanent. What striking illustrations of the principle are furnished in geology! Look at the almost measureless bed of coal, hidden for ages in the bowels of the earth, but designed by Providence to be revealed when necessity should arise. The precise time for the unveiling is not always easy to decide, because mans knowledge is finite, but we rest assured that it will coincide with the need for its use. It is a principle worth bearing in mind when human efforts fail; for it is encouraging to know that such a result may be due simply to the fact that we have tried unconsciously to anticipate the pre-appointed time.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
4
This verse is explained at Mat 13:11.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 4:34. And, not but. The contrast begins with the next clause.
Without a parable spake he not. Our Lord did instruct in other ways, but now that the separation had begun, He taught a certain set of truths in this way alone, since this would carry out the purpose or mercy and judgment indicated in Mar 4:11-12. But this method was also necessary, in view of Jewish prejudice and misunderstanding, to prepare His disciples to extend the truth (Mar 4:21-22).
But privately to his own disciples. The correct reading and the Greek order alike emphasize the isolation of the disciples.
He expounded all things. That they needed this is evident from the Gospel accounts, and we have specimens of these expositions in this chapter and Matthew 13; Mat 15:15. In other cases there are indications of such expositions. More are not given, because the subsequent teaching of the Apostles gives us the fruits of this training, revealing the truth more plainly than was possible then. A caution to those who underrate the Epistles, which embody what is not told us in the Gospels. Still the specimens recorded by the Evangelists are sufficient to guide us in interpretation.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he {l} expounded all things to his disciples.
(l) Literally, “loosed”, as you would say, explained to them the hard riddles.