If our Lord be asleep, he is asleep near the helm – he has only to put his hand out and steer the vessel at once. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Jesus could say they had no faith because they did not believe His word. How … Again he began to teach beside the sea. It is not easy to discern or understands calls that are more subtle. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless … “There may be both a sleeping Christ and a sleeping church, but neither Christ nor his church can perish. They were annoyed that Jesus didn’t help them. Evidently their question concerned why Jesus was using parables to teach as well as what they meant. In Mark chapter 4, the evangelist spins a series of parables and narratives about seeds, planting, harvesting, and seafaring. Jesus … i. Rebuked… “Peace, be still!” The same terminology was used when Jesus rebuked and silenced demons. Then how will you understand all the parables? Mark 4:1-25: Tilling the Heart. But this is the kind of trust God wants to build in us. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. He could worry about the disciples He chose. c. Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him! Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Taking the seed to be the Word of God, as in Mark 4:14, we can interpret the growth of the plants as the working of God’s Word in individual hearts. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. It can only be the LORD, Jehovah, who only has this power and authority. He could worry about the future, because He knew what His destiny was. Luke 5:12-16 Reflection – Become the Leper. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. He tells his disciples the parable of the sower and the seed. They saw Jesus for who He is: truly man and truly God. Jesus did not say, “Let’s do the best we can and maybe we’ll all drown.” He promised a safe arrival, and the disciples could have chosen to trust in that promise, but they didn’t. “The Lord’s sleep was not only the sleep of weariness: it was also the rest of faith, for there is a rest of faith as well as a watch of faith.” (Cole). Their faith appeared weak, and their prayers strong. A small boat in a big storm is a scary place, and the initial fear itself isn’t wrong. Today he describes God’s kingdom in a unique way. ii. I hope that this blog will enhance your own spiritual discipline as you read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God's Holy Word. Reflection on Mark 4:35-41 Where do you find peace in the storm? Peace eludes the disciples as they battle the waves and waters that are threatening to swamp the boat. Why are you so fearful? iv. Some thoughts on today's scripture. 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Mark 4:26-34 Today Jesus is once again talking about the kingdom of God. Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. 14 The sower sows the word. What is Jesus (or the reading) saying to you? In this sense they had no faith. c. And a great windstorm arose: The Sea of Galilee is well known for its sudden, violent storms. In fact, these difficulties are among the signs of true belief in our journey, but even more important is our trail of fruit because of our beliefs. “He that hath ears to hear, let him … We witnessed various responses to Christ's message in chapter 3: 1. Jesus’ role as teacher is important in this Gospel. "And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”, 13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Several of the disciples were experienced fishermen on this very lake, and they were frightened and feared perishing in this storm. When Jesus calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee, He did not only rescue Himself and the disciples, but all the others in the little boats. This was a spiritual battle as much as a weather crisis. Reflection on Mark 4:21-25 ~ When we know with certainty that Jesus is calling us, we say, “Yes Lord, your servant is listening.” Other times we are surprised when we suddenly realize we did not notice repeatedly being called. Not as you might see Him in the lives of others. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. He could worry about His family who thought He was crazy. - And again he began to teach by the seaside. The disciples were afraid, but at the same time there were several experienced fishermen among them. 3. When our wicked hearts are like the troubled sea which cannot rest, when our passions are unruly, let us think we hear the law of Christ, saying, Be silent, be dumb. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. The fact that the crop grows without the farmer’s intervention means that God can accomplish His purposes even when we are absent or unaware of what He’s doing. And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. Christ in stories, parables and metaphors is asking us to believe and understand the Word, not to just recite it. But at the cry of His disciples He instantly awoke. THE CONTEXT. Of all people, Jesus’ own disciples should have had faith. It takes great faith to trust the sleeping Jesus, to know that He cares and works for us even when it does not seem like it. This is the fourth post in a series of discussion guides on Mark’s Gospel that can be used by disciple makers with new disciples. And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. Chapter 4 opens with a series of parables (the sower, the lamp and the bushel basket, the growing seed, and the mustard seed). He could have been clearer. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Bible > Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible > Mark 4 Mark 4 Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Mark 1:4-11 EXEGESIS: MARK 1:4-6. Mark 4:1. “After all I have done in you and for you, how is it that you have no faith?”. ” (Mark 4:38) When we think Jesus doesn’t care about us, it shows we have no faith, because we don’t believe the truth about Jesus. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. To understand a proverb and the interpretation— The proverb is the literal sense, the interpretation is the spiritual resting in the lit… You can also change some of your preferences. b. What one word, phrase, or idea stands out to you? “There are many Christians today who seem to think the boat is going down! Let’s read Mark 4:11-12, ... now God would give them over to judgment by preaching to them a message they couldn’t understand. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. ii. Genesis 1 is a grand symphony of a text: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Psalm. “Jesus addressed the raging storm as a ‘force’ threatening him and his disciples. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. In this chapter, we have, I. Chapter 4 . e. And they awoke Him: The wind didn’t wake Him, the arguing of the disciples didn’t wake Him, and water splashing over the boat didn’t wake Him. 2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! 18 And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. They each heard Jesus say, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” (Mark 4:35). They worked hard at bailing out the water, at rowing in a certain rhythm, at piloting the boat in a certain direction. As Jesus taught, a great crowd gathered, and Jesus stepped back into a boat on the sea, so that he may better be heard and seen. How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”. Seed Grows of Itself. It's just a method of scripture reflection. 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism (Greek: baptisma – a dipping, plunging, or immersion) of repentance (Greek: metanoias – a change of mind or direction) for forgiveness of sins. f. Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? You rule the raging of the sea; when waves rise, You still them. © Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . First Reading. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in … The force of the sea was muzzled as Jesus subdued it with his sovereign word of authority.” (Lane). Reflection: Mark 4:26-34 Third Week in Ordinary Time – Mark 4:26-34 Today Jesus continues to talk about the Kingdom of God. A storm scene … i. i. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit--This case is that of ground not thoroughly cleaned of the thistles, &c.; which, rising above the good seed, "choke" or "smother" it, excluding light and air, and drawing away the moisture and richness of the soil. He is asleep, but he only sleeps until we cry more loudly to him. 26He said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to … He became weary and sometimes caught a bit of sleep wherever He could. Commentary on Psalm 29. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Once the discourse on the parables was finished (Mk 4: 1-34), Jesus said, “Let us cross over to the other side!” They take Him on the boat just as He is in the boat in which He had made the discourse on the parables. Thank you for meditating on this Gospel reading and considering this reflection on Mark 4:1-20. Jesus is like the mother who sleeps through all kinds of racket, but at the slightest noise from her little baby, she instantly awakes. Default. But this is the kind of trust God wants to build in us. Lectio Divina: Mark 4:26-34 "Lectio divina is an authentic source of Christian spirituality recommended by our Rule. To do so is not easy because the deeper our belief in the Trinity of God, the more difficult tribulations, distractions and temptations become. A sower went out to sow. • Mark 4:35-36: The starting point: “Let us cross over to the other side”. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Tell us about a time you disagreed with a friend about a movie you'd just seen together. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Jesus could say they had no faith because they forgot the big picture. a. The image He uses in today’s Gospel is the image of seeds and how they grow. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. Commentary on Genesis 1:1-5. Jesus didn’t say, “Wow, what a storm!” Instead, He asked, “Why is it that you have no faith?” The storm could not disturb Jesus, but the unbelief of His disciples disturbed Him. Wednesday, March 7, 2012. A parable signifies not only a simile or comparison, and sometimes a proverb, but any kind of instructive speech, wherein spiritual things are explained and illustrated by natural, Proverbs 1:6. They feared exceedingly: The total calm of the sea should have filled them with peace, but instead, they were just as afraid when He calmed the storm as when they were in the midst of it. Can you envision Jesus stepping onto a boat, sitting, and gently teaching? Isn't it amazing how people have such varied reactions to a single event, whether it's a sporting event or a political speech? Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He slept in a rocking boat. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, … 7. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Both of these parables are paralleled in Matthew and Luke, but this chapter also has a … 5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went … We therefore practice it every day, so that we may develop a deep and genuine love for it, and so that we may grow in the surpassing knowledge of Christ. We know the story well. It was not their fear of the storm that made Jesus say they had no faith. Could the story of Jesus possibly end with Him drowning in a boat accident on the Sea of Galilee? Reflection for Thursday, January 31; Saint John Bosco, Priest; Mark 4:21-25 Gospel: Mark 4:21-25. Then he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? It had been a heavy day with much work. “It was not a request to Him to do anything; but a protest against His apparent indifference.” (Morgan). These cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them have! Gnt Mark 4:1 he began to teach as well as what they meant windstorm arose the... 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