Month: October 2021

4³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

5They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. ² And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. ³ He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; ⁴ for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. ⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; ⁷ and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸ For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; ¹² and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. 

¹⁴ The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. ¹⁶ Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. ¹⁷ Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. ¹⁸ As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. ¹⁹ But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.”
²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What does Mark describe next? What happens to the disciples? How do they react to the situation? How does Jesus respond? What does he say to the disciples [see Notes]? What does this tell us about Jesus? About the disciples?

2. What happens when Jesus gets to the other shore? Who meets him at the shore? Where does he come from? How does the man behave? Why does he act like this?

3. What does the man say to Jesus? Why do you think he said these things? How does Jesus respond? How does the spirit answer Jesus question?

4. What does the spirit propose to Jesus? Why would it suggest this? How does Jesus answer the proposal? What happens next?

5. How do the people react to all these developments? How might you have reacted if you had been there? What do the people ask of Jesus?

6. What does the now-cured man want to do? What does Jesus say to this? Why do you think Jesus gave him this direction? What is the result?

Get Personal

What storms have come up in your life recently? How did you respond to the situation? How did you ask God for help with the problem? How did God help you to relax and trust him for the outcome?

(cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)

4:35-41. Calming the storm — Luke includes this incident although he does not refer to any crowd or other boats, [Luke 8:22-25]. Luke says the disciples shouted Master, Master, we are perishing instead of the question about Jesus not caring about drowning. Also, Luke says Jesus asked only, Where is your faith? He also reports the disciples were afraid as well as amazed.
Matthew’s version of this incident actually comes earlier in Jesus’ ministry and another healing at Capernaum. It is similar to Mark and Luke, but Matthew says the disciples told Jesus We are perishing, and that Jesus rebuked the disciples with why are you afraid, you of little faith?, before he calms the storm, [Mt 8:23-27]. Matthew also says the disciples were amazed at Jesus’ power over natural forces.
4:41. Filled with great awe — the disciples may have been impressed but they missed the point that only God can start and stop storms: He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed, [Psalm 107:29]. Jesus has now demonstrated his authority over illness, “demons,” and nature.
5:1. The demon-possessed Man — Luke’s version of this incident is very similar to Mark’s, including the spirit’s challenge to Jesus, the name legion, the

spirits going into the pigs, the response of the people, and Jesus’ instructions to the cured man, [Luke 8:26-39].
Matthew puts this encounter in Gadara, actually a different town in the same region. Also, Matthew reports that two demon-possessed men confront Jesus, [Mt 8:28-34]. Matthew includes the pigs and the people begging Jesus to leave, but omits most of the detail that is in Mark.
5:11-12. Pigs — Mosaic law forbid eating pork, so Jews would see nothing wrong with evil spirits choosing pigs as their new host.
5:4-5. Shackles, chains, stones — both abnormal strength and self-wounding are often associated with someone who is “possessed.”
5:9. Legion — evidently many demons possessed this man (which explains the use of “we”).
5:12. Swine — pigs were “unclean” according to Mosaic Law [Lev 11:7]. The demons did not want Jesus to send them someplace where they had no hosts; but note that they knew they had to obey Jesus.
5:17. Beg Jesus to leave — Jesus had just caused a severe economic loss and done something the people did not understand.
5:19. Go home — Jesus directs the now-healed man to tell others about this miracle.

4Again he began to teach beside the sea. 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. ² He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ³ “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
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. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
⁸ Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
⁹ And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

¹⁰ When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; ¹² in order that
‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, 
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’” 

¹³ And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. ¹⁶ And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 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. ²⁰ And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” 

²¹ He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. ²³ Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” ²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. ²⁵ For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” 

²⁶ He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. ²⁸ The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” 

³⁰ He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; ³² yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” 

³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
³⁴ he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. How does Jesus explain his use of parables? How do you think the disciples felt about his reason? How do you respond to this?

2. How does Jesus explain the parable’s meaning? Who is the farmer? What is the seed? What different situations do the “soils” represent? How do Luke and Matthew differ in Jesus’s explanation of the parable’s meaning?

3. What does Jesus ask about a lamp? Where do we normally put a lamp or a light? What meaning does he give this story? 

2. What does Jesus tell the people to do? Why is this important? What happens to those who don’t follow his suggestion?

3. How does Jesus use seed to explain his Kingdom? What kind of seed does Jesus talk about next? Why does he use this seed? What is the result of planting this type of seed? 

4. What differences are there in the parables according to Luke and Matthew [see Notes]? Why do you think the writers included some parables but not others?

Get Personal

How are you with truly “seeing” and “hearing”? How does God help you keep your eyes and ears fully open to his message for you?

(Cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)

4:1. Matthew and Luke both include the parable of the sower. Matthew also puts Jesus in a boat and refers to many stories, [13:1-9]; but Luke says only that Jesus told this story to a great crowd and people from town after town came to him, [8:4].
Matthew’s version of the parable is almost identical to Mark’s. Luke differs in a couple of the details, such as lack of moisture for the seed on rock, and a hundred-fold increase in the crop on fertile soil, [8:6-9].
4:9. Ears to hear — the full meaning of the parable is available only to those who listen spiritually. Jesus used this admonition several times [check Matt 11:15, 13:9, 13:43, Luke 8:8 and 14:35].
4:10. The meaning of the parables — all three Gospels relate the disciples’ question about what the parables mean, and Jesus’s answer about the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven; and using parables to hide this information from “others,” but Luke omits Jesus’s statement, To those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 
4:12. Jesus refers to Isaiah 6:9-10; but all three Gospels differ fr each other and from Isaiah, [check Matt 13:10, Luke 8:14-15, and Isaiah 6:9-10. Deuteronomy and Jeremiah also talk about eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear.10].
4:13. Jesus’ explanation — In Matthew Jesus does not criticize the disciples, but says, “blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it,” [Matt 13:17].Luke records Jesus simply explaining the parable. There are some minor differences in the details of the explanation. 
4:21-25. The Lamp — Luke’s version is slightly different than Mark’s: No one after

lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light, [Lk 8:16-17]. Luke does not include Jesus’ statement about “the measure,” but the last statement is identical to Mark’s [and similar to Matt 13:11-12]. Matthew does not include the parable of the lamp.
4:26-29. The growing seed — neither Matthew nor Luke include this brief parable.
4:30-34. The mustard seed — Matthew includes this illustration in words very similar to Mark, [Mt 13:31-32], but without Jesus’ introductory question and without Mark’s comment about “many such stories and illustrations.” Luke does not include parable of the mustard seed.
NOTE: Matthew includes several parables that neither Mark nor Luke mention.
The wheat and weeds — a farmer does not pull the weeds because he doesn’t want to hurt the good seed; but he will separate the weeds and plants at harvest and burn the weeds. Jesus explains this parable to the disciples, [Mt 13:24-30, 13:36-43].
The yeast — a small amount of yeast will permeate throughout the dough, [Mt 13:33]. Matthew also refers to the prophecy in Psalm 78:2 where God said I will speak to you in parables. I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world, [Mt 13:34-35].
The hidden treasure — a man discovers a treasure hidden in a field and sells everything he owns to buy the field and get the treasure, [Mt 13:44].
The pearl merchant — a pearl merchant will sell everything he has to buy a pearl of great value, [Mt 13:45].
The fishing net — the net catches all sorts of fish when cast, but on shore the good fish go into crates and the bad fish are thrown away. Jesus explains that this is the way it will be at the end of the world, [Mt 13:47-52].

3Then he went home; ²⁰ and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” ²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” ²³ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. ²⁷ But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. 

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”– ³⁰ for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

The true kindred of Jesus

³¹ Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” ³³ And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

4The parable of the sower

Again he began to teach beside the sea. 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. ² He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ³ “Listen! A sower went out to sow.
⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
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. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
⁸ Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
⁹ And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Where is Jesus now? Who is involved in this incident? What is the charge against Jesus? How does he respond to this charge? What metaphor does he use to explain how things really are? Do you think the crowd understood? Did the Pharisees? How do Matthew and Luke describe this exchange?

2. Who comes to see Jesus next? How does Jesus learn about this situation? How does he respond? How do you think the people reacted to Jesus’ statement? How do you think his family felt?

3. Where does Jesus go next? What is he doing here? What is the story about? Where does the seed fall? What happens to the seed in each of the places where it fell? What is different in Matthew and Luke’s versions of the parable? Are any of the differences significant? Why are they important to you?

Get Personal

What kind of “soil” were you when you first heard the Gospel of God’s love in Jesus Christ? What type are you today? How has God helped you deal with the “thorns” of life? How is your sowing going?

(cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)

3:20-30. Jesus and Beelzebul — Matthew specifies the healing of a demoniac who was mute, and the Pharisees’ claim about the “Prince of Demons,” but does not include Jesus’ response to them, [9:32-34].
Luke also includes the fact that the man was mute, but he expands considerably on Jesus’ response to the Pharisees: But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. [11:17-23].
Luke omits Jesus’ comment about “blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, but does include: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” [11:24-26].

3:31-35. Jesus’ true family — Matthew’s version of this is very similar to Mark’s. He says Jesus pointed to his disciples as my mother and my brothers; and refers to the will of my Father in heaven, [12:46-50].
Luke’s version is different: While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” [11:27-28].
4:1. Matthew and Luke both include the parable of the sower. Matthew also puts Jesus in a boat and refers to many stories, [13:1-9]; but Luke says only that Jesus told this story to a great crowd and people from town after town came to him, [8:4].
Matthew’s version of the parable is almost identical to Mark’s. Luke differs in a couple of the details, such as lack of moisture for the seed on rock, and a hundredfold increase in the crop on fertile soil, [8:6-9].
4:9. Ears to hear — the full meaning of the parable is available only to those who listen spiritually. Jesus used this admonition several times [check Matt 11:15, 13:9, 13:43, Luke 8:8 and 14:35].

NOTE: Both Matthew and Luke place the Beatitudes after Jesus calls his Apostles. Matthew tells of Jesus delivering them in the Sermon on the Mount, [Matt 5:1-7:29]. In Luke’s version, which is considerably shorter, Jesus simply tells the disciples, [Luke 6:20-49]. Both include the Beatitudes, love for our enemies, not condemning others, the tree and its fruit, and building on a strong foundation. Matthew also includes Jesus’ teachings about salt and light, the Law, anger, adultery, divorce, vows, revenge, giving to the needy, prayer and fasting, money and possessions, effective prayer, the Golden Rule, the narrow gate, and true disciples.