Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 4:33
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear [it.]
Spake he the word – The word of God. The doctrines of his gospel.
As they were able to hear it – As they could comprehend it. They were like children; and he was obliged to lead them along cautiously and by degrees to a full understanding of the plan of salvation.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mar 4:33-34
But without a parable spake He not unto them.
Christs economy of teaching
Not as He was able to have spoken; He could have expressed Himself at a higher rate than any mortal can; He could have soared to the clouds; He could have knit such knots they could never untie. But He would not. He delighted to speak to His hearers shallow capacities (Joh 16:12). (T. Brooks.)
Christs method of teaching
With matter Divine and manner human, our Lord descended to the level of the humblest of the crowd, lowering Himself to their understandings, and winning His way into their hearts by borrowing His topics from familiar circumstances and the scenes around Him. Be it a boat, a plank, a rope, a beggars rags, an imperial robe, we would seize on anything to save a drowning man; and in His anxiety to save poor sinners, to rouse their fears, their love, their interest, to make them understand and feel the truth, our Lord pressed everything-art and nature, earth and heaven-into His service. Creatures of habit, the servants if not the slaves of form, we invariably select our text from some book of the Sacred Scriptures, He took a wider, freer range; and, instead of keeping to the unvarying routine of text and sermon with formal divisions, it were well, perhaps, that we sometimes ventured to follow His example; for may it not be that to the naturalness of their addresses and their striking out from the beaten paths of texts and sermons, to their plain speaking and home thrusts, to their direct appeals and homespun arguments, our street and lay preachers owe perhaps not a little of their power? Our Lord found many a topic of discourse in the scenes around Him; even the humblest objects shone in His hands, as I have seen a fragment of broken glass or earthenware, as it caught the sunbeam, light up, flashing like a diamond. With the stone of Jacobs Well for a pulpit, and its water for a text, He preached salvation to the Samaritan woman. A little child, which He takes from its mothers side, and holds up blushing in His arms before the astonished audience, is His text for a sermon on humility. A husbandman on a neighbouring height between Him and the sky, who strides with long and measured steps over the field he sows, supplies a text from which he discourses on the gospel and its effects on different classes of hearers. In a woman baking; in two women who sit by some cottage door grinding at the mill; in an old, strong fortalice perched on a rock, whence it looks across the brawling torrent to the ruined and roofless gable of a house swept away by mountain floods-Jesus found texts. From the birds that sung above His head, and the lilies that blossomed at His feet, He discoursed on the care of God-these His text, and Providence His theme. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)
Illustrating
I have generally found that the most intellectual auditors prefer to hear a simple scriptural and spiritual preaching. The late Judge McLean, of the United States Supreme Court once said to me, I was glad to hear you give that solemn personal incident in, your discourse last night Ministers now-a-days are getting above telling a story in a sermon; but I like it. (T. L. Cuyler.)
Likes in a sermon
You have no likes in your sermons, said Robert Hall to a brother minister; Christ taught that the kingdom of heaven was like leaven, etc. You tell us what things are, but never what they are like. Parables are more ancient than arguments. (Lord Bacon.)
And when they were alone.–
Christ alone with His disciples; or, the parable expounded
I. The parables a puzzle. It is very striking that the very means of instruction should have hid the truth, and even from His followers. The parables of Christ were sometimes obscure and confounding to His foes; that is not strange. Where there is no taste or desire for instruction, the clearest and simplest lessons may be vain. It was a judgment, but not an arbitrary and cruel one. It was a punishment which the blinded deserved, and it was one which they inflicted upon themselves. Parables were among the easiest and most interesting methods of instruction. They addressed a variety of powers; and thus were suited to a variety of minds, and a variety of faculties in the same mind. But if the eye was at fault, and could not see, or could not see aright, then the windows had no use; and the means of light conveyed no image, or a false one. There is often, and especially in moral matters, more in the learner than the lessons. Parables would have been no judgment, if there had been no obtuseness and perverseness in the hearers. It is harder to understand how the disciples, who had some insight and sympathy, should have been perplexed. But why did Christ employ a method which had the effect of concealing what, if stated without a parable, they must have seen and appreciated at once? We are here, my brethren, right upon a great and blessed truth. The parable taught minds by taxing them. It made truth plain to the thoughtful; but required sometimes more, sometimes less thought for its comprehension. It was a way of teaching, but by calling out the desire and effort to learn. If a man only heard it, the truth was hidden; if he were bent on getting at its sense, the truth became more plain and powerful by its means. To look at it was to see nothing; to look through it was to behold most beautiful and glorious things. When it fell upon a passive nature, it left no impression; when it fell on one quick and active, and in quest of truth, it realized a blessed end. As soon as the disciples, failing to apprehend Christs sense, came to the prayer, Declare unto us the parable, they had reached the highest end of teaching: they not only were in the way to know, they were exercising the powers of knowledge. All things He does as well as says, in this sense, are parables: they are intended to teach, but they teach in the way of training; they have in them an element of difficulty mercifully fitted to make easy, an element of obscurity mercifully fitted to make clear. He wishes to excite, to awaken the dormant and stimulate the sluggish; to call out our powers; not only to bless us, but to bless us by quickening us; not only to impart knowledge, but make us knowing; not only to enrich us with goodness and happiness, but to enlarge our capacity for both. And a heaven on lighter terms would be a heaven of smaller joy.
II. The different ways in which the parables were treated. Some gaze upon the mystery scornfully or listlessly, others seek with deep anxiety to have it solved. Difficulty offends or disheartens these, but stirs up those to activity and zeal. Truth is often difficult. What is needful to salvation is within the reach of all, for an inaccessible boon cannot be an indispensable blessing. But truth of most sorts, as well as religious, is not unavoidable, and frequently it is hard to get. And if we pass from what is to be known to what is to be done, from the difficulty of apprehension to the difficulty of the performance, the same kind of remark applies, Is there not a warfare to man upon the earth? Is any promise of good in other than the apocalyptic form, To him that overcometh will I give?
III. The private solution of the parables. When the multitude were sent away, Matthew says that the disciples came to Jesus, requesting an explanation of His teaching. This is not the only occasion mentioned (Mat 15:15), and we may be sure there were many. They had the right, and availed themselves of it. And there are now those who have access, so to speak, to the solitude of the Saviour. Many only know Him in the world, and the face of day; in His written word, in His general providence; as the Teacher of crowds, as the Worker of wonders. They might know Him otherwise. Had this multitude cared for His intimacy, they might have had it. We, like the disciples, may be alone, and alone with Jesus. It is not necessary, in order to this, that we should be absent from men. There is a solitude of the flesh, and a solitude of the spirit. Christ is the best revelation of spiritual truth, its strongest evidence, and its only quickening force; and we may say of Him and Christianity, what Cowper says of God and Providence-
He is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.
Perhaps your parable is evil, the evil in the world, in yourselves. Christ has this explanation. And the same remark applies to duties. More faith in Him will lighten the burden and ease the yoke, however hard and heavy. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. He is model, motive, might of all obedience; and the life we live is His life, and we follow Him, and all we do is from His love constraining us. There is a lesson for all. Some are painfully exercised with doubts and difficulties great upon them. They walk in darkness, a darkness that may be felt. Let me entreat such to come to Jesus in the house; to seek the secret Saviour. (A. J. Morris.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 33. With many such parables] , many, is omitted by L, sixteen others; the Syriac, both the Persic, one Arabic, Coptic, Armenian, AEthiopic, and two of the Itala. Mill approves of the omission, and Griesbach leaves it doubtful. It is probably an interpolation: the text reads better without it.
As they were able to hear] , or to understand always suiting his teaching to the capacities of his hearers. I have always found that preacher most useful, who could adapt his phrase to that of the people to whom he preached. Studying different dialects, and forms of speech, among the common people, is a more difficult and a more useful work than the study of dead languages. The one a man should do, and the other he need not leave undone.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From hence we may gather that all the parables by which our Saviour instructed his hearers are not recorded by the evangelists, though many be, and some mentioned by one, some by two of them, which are not recorded by the other.
As they were able to hear it. Christ disdained not to accommodate his style and method of preaching to his hearers capacity, neither will any faithful minister of Christ do it: he preacheth in the best style, language, and method, that preacheth best to the capacity, understanding, and profit of his hearers. Other preachers do indeed but trifle with the greatest work under heaven, and please themselves with their own noises. That he did not speak without a parable unto them, was:
1. That he might speak with the best advantage for their understandings and their memories, and have the greater influence upon their affections; for similitudes have these three advantages.
2. That he might discern who came to hear him with a desire to learn, and be instructed by him, by their coming to him to inquire of his parables.
For although some of his parables were plain, and easy to be understood, yet others of them were dark sayings, because the doctrine taught by them was more mysterious; conscientious hearers would therefore come to have the parables expounded to them; these, were those disciples mentioned Mar 4:34, to whom be was wont to expound the parables in or by which he taught the multitude. For other common hearers, their contenting themselves with a mere hearing a sound of words, which they did not understand, was a sufficient indication that they made no conscience of their duty, but were such to whom it was not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but such upon whom the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah was to be fulfilled, Mar 6:9,10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
33. And with many such parablesspake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear itHadthis been said in the corresponding passage of Matthew, we shouldhave concluded that what that Evangelist recorded was but a specimenof other parables spoken on the same occasion. But Matthew (Mt13:34) says, “All these things spake Jesus unto themultitude in parables”; and as Mark records only some of theparables which Matthew gives, we are warranted to infer that the”many such parables” alluded to here mean no more than thefull complement of them which we find in Matthew.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And with many such parables,…. As those of the tares, of the leaven in three measures of meal, of the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and of the Scribe instructed unto the kingdom of God; which though not related at length here, are by the Evangelist Matthew, in
Mt 13:24 together with others elsewhere:
spake he the word unto them; preached the Gospel to the multitude,
as they were able to hear it: meaning either that he condescended to their weakness, accommodated himself to their capacities, and made use of the plainest similes; and took his comparison from things in nature, the most known and obvious, that what he intended might more easily be understood; or rather, he spoke the word to them in parables, as they were able to hear, without understanding them; and in such a manner, on purpose that they might not understand; for had he more clearly expressed the things relating to himself, as the Messiah, and to the Gospel dispensation, so as that they could have took in his meaning, such were their pride, their wickedness, and the rancour of their minds, that they would have at once rose up, and attempted to have destroyed him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As they were able to hear it ( ). Only in Mark. Imperfect indicative. See Joh 16:12 for , not able to bear. Jesus used parables now largely, but there was a limit even to the use of them to these men. He gave them the mystery of the kingdom in this veiled parabolic form which was the only feasible form at this stage. But even so they did not understand what they heard.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Such. Implying that Mark knew yet more parables that were spoken at that time.
As they were able to hear it. Peculiar to Mark.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And with many such parables,” (kai toiautais parabolais pollais) “And in many (numerous) such parables,” parables of nature, Mat 13:34-35.
2) Spake He the word unto them,” (elalei autois ton logon) “He spoke the Word to them”, to His disciples or His church, Mar 4:10-11. He used parables of nature to illustrate Divine truths, moral and ethical values, and practical things of life, 1Co 14:2.
3) “As they were able to hear it.” (kathos edunanto akouein) “Just as they (alone) were enabled to hear it,” being His spiritual followers, His apostles and the church, Mar 4:10-11; 1Co 2:12-16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
G. LAST WORDS ON PARABLES 4:33-34
TEXT 4:33-34
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it: and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:33-34
198.
How many parables did Jesus use? Ans. The total number of parables is a matter of difference of opinion. Fahling, in his Harmony, lists 56: A. T. Robertson. 52. Trench. 30. (Earle).
199.
What is meant by the expression as they were able to hear?
200.
Is it indeed true that without a parable He spoke not unto them? Explain.
201.
At this time who were His own disciples?
COMMENT
At the conclusion of the record of the parables we have these concluding words of the writer Mark. No outline or analysis is needed here.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMat. 13:34-35.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Mar. 4:33. And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear (it.)
These are mere samples of the parables by which our Lord elucidated or disguised the doctrine of his kingdom to the different classes of his hearers in proportion to their previous knowledge and their present receptivity of such instruction. As they were able to hear, i.e. as some understand it, to hear intelligently or with patience. It may however have the stricter and more simple sense, as they had opportunity and leisure to attend on his instructions.
Mar. 4:34. But without a parable spake he not unto them; and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
This cannot mean that he never taught them in any other form, which would be contradicted by the whole course of the history, but only that whatever he did teach in parables he did not also teach in other forms, but, as the last clause more explicitly asserts, reserved the explanation for a private interview with his disciples. This closes Marks account of our Lords parables, including, as we have now seen, a full report of one with its authors own interpretation (Mar. 4:1-20), an explanation of his purpose in employing this mode of instruction and direction to his followers how to profit by it (Mar. 4:21-25); two additional parables, without a formal explanation (Mar. 4:26-32); and a general statement of his practice in relation to this matter (Mar. 4:33-34.) (J. A. Alexander)
FACT QUESTIONS 4:33-34
230.
Please explain: as they were able to hear.
231.
Please explain: without a parable He spake not unto them.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(33-34) And with many such parables.See Notes on Mat. 13:34-35. St. Marks omission of the reference to Psa. 78:2, and his addition of as they were able to hear it, are, each of them, characteristic. It may be noted that the many such parables of St. Mark imply something like the series which we find in St. Matthew.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Concluding Words (4:33-34).
Mark concludes this section by pointing out that these parables that he has described were just examples of many parable that Jesus gave, and in fact that to the crowds He did not speak without a parable. However, to His own He explained everything.
Analysis.
a
b As they were able to hear it.
b And he did not speak to them without a parable.
a But privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
Note that in ‘a’ He spoke to the crowds in parables, while in the parallel to His disciples He expounded all things. In ‘b’ He spoke as the crowds were able to hear it, and in the parallel this was therefore not in plain speech but in parables.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
‘And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. And he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.’
It is clear from these words that Jesus taught many parables of which we have no record. These were but a selection. And it seems from what Mark says here that they were used by Jesus to stir men’s interest without intending to enlighten them overmuch unless they responded. He wanted to stir their thoughts and He wanted them to think more deeply and then to come to learn more. In accordance with His own parables He was willing to sow the seed and allow God to work secretly on it. But He did not want to teach too plainly to the crowds for He was deeply aware that such teaching could produce a false reaction and response which would then fade away, and could result in the hardening of hearts.
There is a great deal of difference between an illustration which is accompanied by an explanation, and parables as Jesus used them To the crowds Jesus gave no explanations. They could view His parables as generally indicating the success of God’s activities or could select an interpretation that fitted in with their own ideas or could dismiss them without any thought at all. But it was only when hunger was aroused in their hearts that He was ready to speak plainly. To us with our wide background and teaching from childhood their meaning may seem obvious, but they were not so to many in the crowds. And because of our familiarity we have almost lost their impact. So Jesus deliberately went so far and no further. His teaching was deliberately veiled. But He was hoping that as some thought about the significance of His parables they would come to Him, and would ask Him their meaning at a time when their hearts were responsive.
‘As they were able to hear it.’ He knew that the majority in the crowds were steeped in the teaching of the Pharisees and in such a state would reinterpret His own teaching in that light. People, even educated people, have an amazing capacity to interpret what they hear in the light of their own background and ideas. Most are lazy thinkers. Many a preacher today is regularly misrepresented by those who hear him. And Jesus knew this. Thus He gave them only such as would stir their appetites and be easily remembered and could only be misrepresented with difficulty. And He gave them no more. He did not want them saying, ‘His teaching is such and such’, and by their description giving a totally false impression. What He had brought was incredibly new and He did not want it to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Thus until He felt that men were actually ready for it He restricted Himself to parables.
The only ones to whom He actually spoke plainly were the ones who showed their deeper interest and concern for the truth by following Him. To them He revealed the truth in clear words. ‘To His own disciples He privately explained all things’. And sometimes this meant that some left Him (Joh 6:66), but at least it meant that they had been given a full opportunity to understand.
‘To His own disciples.’ In the light of Mar 4:10 this must mean more than the twelve. Sometimes in Mark ‘the twelve’ and ‘the disciples’ may be synonymous, but this blurring of the distinction occurs in all the Gospels. We are in fact probably to see a distinction between ‘the twelve’, ‘the disciples’ (which includes all who follow Him regularly) and ‘the crowd’ of believers (Mar 3:32-35).
‘He did not speak to them without a parable.’ That does not mean that He only told stories, it means that His message was always veiled. Always He spoke enigmatically. He spoke in mysteries in order to stir the heart and awaken the mind
Exegetical note. It should perhaps be pointed out here that to relate Jesus’ words at this stage directly to the church as we think of it is misleading (that is if we think of the church as being something that was over against Israel). Jesus saw Himself as come ‘to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Mat 10:6; Mat 15:24), that is to those of Israel whose hearts were longing for truth and were thus open to it. At this stage it was establishing the Kingly Rule of God over those of His own people who would respond that was primarily His aim, and this is what He has been speaking of in the parables, although He did know from the Old Testament that this must finally result in its being extended to the whole world (e.g. Isa 42:6; Isa 49:6). Gentile converts would always be welcomed, but at this stage it would be on the right basis, a turning to the true ‘Law of Moses’ as revealed in His teaching (e.g. Matthew 5-7), not by their coming as Gentiles as such. He did reach out to the men of Samaria as an exception (John 4), but we must remember that they too followed the Law of Moses. It was only later that He seems to have acknowledged that the intransigence of Israel meant a turning to the Gentiles earlier than He had expected, a change of mind possibly connected with His encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mar 7:24-30) which in Matthew especially is a clear turning point. For from then on He preached more in territory that was more closely connected with the Gentiles. Consider the feeding of the five thousand before that incident (five is the number of the covenant), which was on Jewish territory (Mar 6:34-44), and the feeding of the four thousand after that incident (four is the number of the nations, the four ‘corners’ of the earth), which appears to have been on Gentile territory (Mar 8:1-10), although we must recognise that large numbers of Jews would also have been there. But even there He was taking of the children’s bread and giving it to ‘the dogs’ (Mar 7:27-29).
In the same way in Mat 16:18-19 the ekklesia is the new ‘congregation’ of Israel rather than the church as later revealed, although the one melts into the other. And in fact when the Gentiles are welcomed, it is in order to be engrafted into the olive tree (Rom 11:24-32, so that they may become true sons of Abraham (Gal 3:29) and the new Israel (Gal 6:15-16; Eph 2:11-22). Salvation was thus seen to be for the Israel of God, even if it was a new enlarged Israel. Thus the true church is not to be seen as something over against Israel. In Jesus’ eyes it is rather the true Israel, as He makes clear in Joh 15:1-6.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Conclusion: The Use of Parables ( Mat 13:34-35 ) Mar 4:33-34 explains how Jesus taught the multitudes with parables. Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes so that they would not understand the ways of God and become accountable to live by them. Instead, He revealed the meaning of these parables to those who sought Him, to those who stayed around after the crowds left. So it is today, we must pursue wisdom before God will give it to us.
Mar 4:34 Comments With the exception of the Parable of the Sower, Mark does not record Jesus’ explanations of His parables that Mar 4:34 says He gave His disciples.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The end of the parables:
v. 33. And with many such parables spake He the Word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
v. 34. But without a parable spake He not unto them; and when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. The parables here related by Mark were by no means all that the Lord spoke on that day, whether in the boat or at home. The ones given here are only a few of many. He tried to fit the instruction to the understanding of His hearers, especially that of His disciples, who were strongly in need of teaching. His subject was always the same: He spoke to them the Word, the Gospel of their salvation, He wanted to impress upon them the necessity of entering into the kingdom of God, of accepting the Redeemer, of having faith planted into their hearts. This verse, then, in no way disagrees with v. 12. “Mark says, chapter 4:33, Christ had spoken in parables to the people that they might understand it, everyone according to his ability; how does this agree with what Matthew says, chapter 13:13-14: He spoke through parables that they might not understand? This is to be explained thus, that Mark wishes to say: The parables serve this purpose, that unlearned people comprehend the story though they do not get its meaning, and yet may afterwards be taught and then understand them. For the parables naturally please the simple folk, and they remember them easily, since they are taken from the common things, with which they are familiar. But Matthew wants to say that these parables are of a nature that no one can understand them, no matter how often he hears and comprehends the story, unless the Spirit makes them evident and revivals them. Not that they should be preached for the purpose of not being understood; but that it naturally follows, where the Spirit does not reveal, that no one understands them. And yet Christ has taken these words from Isa 6:9-10, where the high understanding of divine foreknowledge is touched upon, that He conceals and reveals to whom He will and has had in mind from eternity. ” That was the reason why this form of preaching was the usual form employed by Jesus. He was not wont to speak without a parable to the people, neither then, nor at any other time. But He also had the habit of interpreting or explaining everything, parables and all teaching, to His disciples in private. He literally unloosened the difficulties, which might offer the same baffling task as a hard knot. By constant repetition of the most important doctrines and their application He intended to impress the Gospel-truths upon their minds. This method is thoroughly approved and to be recommended in the study of all the words of Christ; it will not remain without blessing.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mar 4:33 f. Comp. Mat 13:34 .
From it follows that Mark knew yet more parables that were spoken at that time.
] As they were able (in virtue of their capacity) to take in the teaching. Not as though they could have apprehended the inner doctrinal contents of the parables (Mar 4:11 ), but they were capable of apprehending the narrative form , the parabolic narrative in itself , in which the teaching was veiled, so that they were thus qualified only in this form ( ) to hear the doctrine. Accordingly, here is neither: to understand , nor equivalent to , Joh 16:12 (Bengel, Kuinoel, and others), but the simple to hear, to perceive .
] at that time . See on Mat 13:34 . Baur indeed (see Markusevang. p. 24 f.) will not allow a limitation to the teaching at that time , but would draw the conclusion that Mark has perhaps not even regarded the Sermon on the Mount, such as Matthew has it, as being historical, and has given the foregoing parables as a substitute for it. But Mark himself certainly has doctrinal utterances of Jesus enough, which are not parabolical.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it .
Ver. 33. As they were able to hear ] Not as he was able to have spoken: a minister must masticate his matter as nurses do their children’s meat, and speak to his hearers’ shallow capacities: or else he shall be a barbarian to them, and they to him. He is the best preacher, saith Luther, that preacheth commonly, trivially.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
33. . .] according to their capacity of receiving : see note on Mat 13:12 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 4:33-34 . Conclusion of the parable collection (Mat 13:34-35 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mar 4:33 . . ., with such parables, many of them, He was speaking to them the word, implying that the three sower; blade, ear and full corn; mustard seed are given as samples of the utterances from the boat, all of one type, about seed representing the word, and expressing Christ’s feelings of disappointment yet of hope regarding His ministry. Many is to be taken cum grano . = as they were able to understand, as in 1Co 14:2 , implying that parables were employed to make truth plain (De Wette).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 4:33-34
33With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
Mar 4:33 “With many such parables He was speaking the word to them” We only have recorded a small part of Jesus’ oral ministry (cf. Joh 21:25). All of us wish we had more of Jesus’ teachings and actions (cf. Joh 20:30), but we need to realize that we have everything we need to know about God, sin, life, death, etc (cf. Joh 20:31). We must act on what we have been given. These two verses are parallel to Mat 13:33-35.
“so far as they were able to hear it” This refers to their spiritual receptivity (cf. Mar 4:9; Mar 4:23). Believers today have the benefit of the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us understand Jesus’ words.
Mar 4:34 This reflects the previous statements of Mar 4:10-13.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
spake = was He speaking.
as they were able to hear. Occurs only in Mark.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
33. . .] according to their capacity of receiving:-see note on Mat 13:12.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 4:33. , according as they were able to hear) They did not admit in their then state to have the truth more openly spoken to them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mar 4:33-34
7. OTHER PARABLES NOT RECORDED
Mar 4:33-34
(Mat 13:34-35)
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;–As they were able to comprehend it. They were weak in spiritual knowledge, and he was obliged to lead them along cautiously, and by degrees to a full understanding of the plan of salvation. Jesus taught according to ability or capacity for receiving instruction–not according to age, but according to advancement–according to ability to receive instruction. The apostles adapted their teaching to the capacities of their hearers.
34 and without a parable spake he not unto them:–Jesus spoke all that which he taught on that occasion in parables, and “without a parable” on that occasion, “spake he not unto them.”
but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things. –When Jesus and the disciples were alone, he explained in detail the parables. He showed them more at length the spiritual meaning of all his parables.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
with: Mat 13:34, Mat 13:35
as: Joh 16:12, 1Co 3:1, 1Co 3:2, Heb 5:11-14
Reciprocal: Gen 33:14 – be able Eze 17:2 – General Mat 13:10 – Why Mat 13:53 – he Mat 22:1 – General Mar 12:1 – he began 2Ti 2:15 – rightly
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
As they were able to hear it. Jesus did not wish to deliver his teaching in greater amounts or depths than they would be able to grasp. (See Joh 16:12.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 4:33. With many such parables. The many such expressions in the Gospels should put an end to the foolish assumption that each Evangelist intended to tell all he knew.
As they were able to hear. Not merely as they had opportunity of listening to His instructions, but according to their capacity of receiving, the ability being a moral as well as mental. A wise Teacher! It is taken for granted that He intuitively knew their capacity, a point in which well-meaning instructors may fail.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 4:33 f. These verses seem to apply to the general practice of Jesus at this period rather than to the events of one day. Mar 4:33 gives the true purpose of parabolic teaching; Mar 4:34 embodies the evangelists later theory, which leads him to regard such a saying as Mar 7:15 as a parable.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Verse 33
As they were able to hear it; according to the capacity of his hearers to understand and profit by his instructions.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Mar 4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Another declaration that Christ was not in the business of trying to convince the doubters and rejecters, indeed He now is in the business of keeping the truth from them. It also indicates that some of the disciples still needed to have the parables explained to them “he expounded all things to his disciples.” This also might indicate that there was a constant separating of the disciples from the others so that the Lord could give them further instruction.
Mat 13:33 ff adds the parable of levening and adds a quote from Psa 78:2. Mat 13:35 mentions this: “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
My, what an education the apostles were getting. They had opportunity to listen to the expounding of the mysteries that were hidden from the beginning. Too bad they did not have recording equipment so that we could have enjoyed it as well.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, {k} as they were able to hear [it].
(k) According to the ability of the hearers.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The summary conclusion 4:33-34 (cf. Matthew 13:34-35)
Some of the other parables Jesus taught included the following that Matthew recorded. He taught the parable of the weeds (Mat 13:24-30; Mat 13:36-43), and the parable of the yeast hidden in the meal (Mat 13:33) to the multitudes. He also taught the parables of the hidden treasure (Mat 13:44), the pearl (Mat 13:45-46), the dragnet (Mat 13:47-50), and the householder (Mat 13:52) to the disciples.
Mark concluded his account of Jesus’ kingdom parables by explaining Jesus’ purpose and approach in teaching this way. These were only a few of the parables Jesus used to correct popular erroneous ideas about the kingdom. The parables were similar to bait for the multitudes. They kept them seeking what Jesus had to offer, which included revelation of Himself as the God-man. When seekers came to follow Jesus as disciples, He explained the true characteristics of His kingdom more clearly to prepare them for it.
The three parables Mark chose to record reveal three important facts about the kingdom. The parable of the soils shows that there will be a variety of responses to the good news about the kingdom. The parable of the seed growing by itself teaches that the good news will bring forth fruit by itself. The parable of the mustard seed reveals that though the word is small it will eventually produce something very large and beneficial.
When we proclaim the gospel today, we are announcing good news about the kingdom. I do not mean that the gospel of the kingdom that John the Baptist, Jesus, and Jesus’ first disciples preached is the same as the gospel of God’s grace that we preach. They focused specifically on the Messiah’s kingdom as imminent. We focus on trusting in the Messiah. Nevertheless, just as their gospel included the importance of trusting in the Messiah so ours includes the importance of preparing for the messianic kingdom. At least it should. The coming messianic kingdom should be an important factor in the thinking, motivation, and proclamation of modern disciples of Jesus (cf. Mat 6:10).