Bible Parable
The Parable of the Sower
According to The Catholic Study Bible, the parables told in the Gospel of Mark by Jesus are meant to remind us that our faith in Jesus should be cherished because it is a gift. Just as Jesus is a mystery, the parables are a “mysterious revelation of the Kingdom of God” (Mark’s Gospel). By having faith in Jesus, his followers can understand his word and realize that God comes into our lives in unexpected ways. Mark believes that God’s divine plan guides all human life “While honoring human freedom, Mark wants to affirm that God 's providence guides all of human life, even in the darkest moments such as the rejection of Jesus” (Mark’s Gospel). The message in Mark’s Gospel is one of hope, and he reveals that God’s kingdom will be like a mustard plant and thrive. Jesus speaks to a great multitude of people who gather at the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus often utilizes parables, or a simple story used to illustrate a spiritual lesson, to make lessons relevant and understandable to all of his followers. In the Parable of the Sower, a sower scatters seeds first among rocky ground and then on thorns, and the seeds yield no fruit. However, when planted in rich soil the seeds produced “some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred” (King James Bible, Mark.4.8). Jesus refers to the seed as the word of God. He warns that Satin has the ability to take the word before it can be planted. Those planted in the rocky soil sprout quickly but cannot withstand large quantities of time because they have no roots. When the seed is thrown amongst the thorns, “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word…” (New American Bible, Mark.4.19). The temptations of the world can consume the word of God. Jesus also explains that like a mustard seed when the word of God reaches good soil it will be prosperous and fruitful. This parable displays that people must be like the good soil and truly
According to The Catholic Study Bible, the parables told in the Gospel of Mark by Jesus are meant to remind us that our faith in Jesus should be cherished because it is a gift. Just as Jesus is a mystery, the parables are a “mysterious revelation of the Kingdom of God” (Mark’s Gospel). By having faith in Jesus, his followers can understand his word and realize that God comes into our lives in unexpected ways. Mark believes that God’s divine plan guides all human life “While honoring human freedom, Mark wants to affirm that God 's providence guides all of human life, even in the darkest moments such as the rejection of Jesus” (Mark’s Gospel). The message in Mark’s Gospel is one of hope, and he reveals that God’s kingdom will be like a mustard plant and thrive. Jesus speaks to a great multitude of people who gather at the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus often utilizes parables, or a simple story used to illustrate a spiritual lesson, to make lessons relevant and understandable to all of his followers. In the Parable of the Sower, a sower scatters seeds first among rocky ground and then on thorns, and the seeds yield no fruit. However, when planted in rich soil the seeds produced “some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred” (King James Bible, Mark.4.8). Jesus refers to the seed as the word of God. He warns that Satin has the ability to take the word before it can be planted. Those planted in the rocky soil sprout quickly but cannot withstand large quantities of time because they have no roots. When the seed is thrown amongst the thorns, “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word…” (New American Bible, Mark.4.19). The temptations of the world can consume the word of God. Jesus also explains that like a mustard seed when the word of God reaches good soil it will be prosperous and fruitful. This parable displays that people must be like the good soil and truly
Cited: "Mark 4." New American Bible. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://old.usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark4.htm>. "Mark Chapter 4." King James Bible. King James Bible Online, n.d. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-Chapter-4/>. Mark 's Gospel: Reading the Book. The Catholic Study Bible. Oxford Biblical Studies Online, n.d. Web. 19 May 2013. <http://www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com/article/book/obso-9780195282801/obso-9780195282801-div1-123?_hi=1>. Witherup, Ronald. The Challenges of Biblical Translation. The Catholic Study Bible. Oxford Biblical Studies Online, n.d. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com/article/book/obso-9780195282801/obso-9780195282801-chapter-7>.