Daily Lesson for Tuesday 23rd of July 2024

A surface reading of these verses gives the impression that Jesus taught in parables to keep outsiders in the dark. But such a perspective does not fit with Jesus’ actions elsewhere in Mark. In Mark 3:5-6, Jesus is grieved by the hard hearts of the religious leaders. In Mark 3:22-30, Jesus takes the arguments of the scribes seriously and explains in detail why they are mistaken.

Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com

In Mark 12:1-12, the religious leaders understand that Jesus’ parable of the tenants is about them. It is actually a warning of where their plot against Him is heading and the terrible consequences to follow. If He had no concern for them, He would not warn them. Consequently, Jesus’ words here in Mark 4:1-41 need a closer look in order to recognize what His point is. Jesus is paraphrasing Isaiah 6:9-10.

Isaiah sees a vision of God in the temple and is overwhelmed by God’s glory and his own uncleanness. God cleanses him and commissions him with a shocking message. Just like Mark, it sounds out of step with the rest of Isaiah where there is much comfort for God’s people.

In Isaiah 6:1-13 the message is meant to shock the people awake so they will turn from their evil ways. In Mark the key for understanding Jesus’ words is found in Mark 3:35. To understand Jesus’ words and teachings, one must do the will of God (Mark 3:35). This brings that person into the family of Jesus. Those who have already decided that Jesus is possessed by the devil will not listen.

The point of Jesus’ quotation from Isaiah 6:1-13 is not that God is keeping people out but that their own preconceived ideas and hardness of heart prevent them from accepting the saving truth.

This truth is the overarching concept of the parable of the sower. Each one chooses what type of soil to be. All decide for themselves whether or not they will surrender to Jesus. In the end, we each choose.

(1)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-04-the-reason-for-the-parables/

Key Thought: Mark 4 has five parables – the sower, the lamp, the measure, the growing seed, and the mustard seed. The majority is around the parable of the sower.
July 27, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Mark 4:1-9, 13-21.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What are the different soils like, and what happens to the seed that falls on them?
3. Personal Application: Think of your own experiences. Are there any of the path, rocky soil, or weedy ground creeping into your own experience or has before? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How did Jesus interpret the parable of the soil? What did each of the soils represent? How does it apply to our witnessing today?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Mark 4:10-12

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why did Jesus teach in parables?
3. Personal Application: How can we reprove or rebuke sin and still not show a lack of love and respect? How can we love the sinner and hate the sin? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Jesus taught in parables so that the people not seeking for truth or grace for salvation wouldn’t understand them and thus have a way to be saved. His disciples didn’t even understand some of them. He had to explain them to His disciples..” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Mark 4:21-25.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is Jesus’ emphasis in the parable of the lamp?
3. Personal Application: How can your church be more like a lamp lifted higher in the local community? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What is Jesus trying to say in regards to the measuring basket? How does that relate to the people He was talking to? How does it relate to us?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Mark 4:26-32.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the primary focus of the parable?
3. Personal Application: How can we help the church grow to reach the whole world? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/4-parables-teaching-plan/

Daily Lesson for Monday 22nd of July 2024

Jesus was done with the parable and gave no immediate explanation. According to the text (Mark 4:1), Jesus spoke it before “a great multitude.” Only later, with a smaller group (Mark 4:10), did He explain what the parable meant.

Jesus interprets the parable by identifying the items external to the story that a number of the details in the story stand for. The interpretation indicates that the story is a loose allegory with references to the real world, not necessarily a reference for every single detail.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Jesus identifies the seed as “the word.” This would refer to the Word of God, particularly as preached by Jesus. James 1:21 states, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (ESV).

The different soils are different types of listeners. In Jesus’ interpretation, everyone hears the Word; that is, all the types of soil have seed sown on them. But the reception is different. Path soil is hard, and the birds snatch away the seed. Jesus links this to Satan’s taking away the truth. Rocky soil has little depth. Jesus links this to people with shallow commitments; they have not counted the cost of discipleship. Weedy soil chokes the seed sown on it. Jesus explains that this stands for the cares of life and riches that choke out the Word. But the good soil stands for those who hear the Word and receive it so that it grows and produces an abundant crop.

The longest explanations are for the rocky ground and the weedy ground. In describing the rocky-ground hearers, Jesus points to contrasting elements—they receive the Word with joy but are temporary disciples. When persecution comes, they fall away. The weedy-ground hearers are a contrast. They do not fall away because of hard times but because of good times—their focus is on the things of the world instead of the kingdom of God. Their cares and concerns revolve around what the world has to offer.

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-04-jesus-interpretation/