My original plan had been to include the two short parables that come after this, but I changed my mind, since this so clearly refers to yesterday's reading, and it could get easily get buried in the imagery of the next parables. Let's take a look:
Mark 4:21-25 (New International Version, ©2010)
A Lamp on a Stand
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
Okay. So, yesterday, we read about the farmer who sowed the word of God. The disciples ask Jesus why he always speaks in parables, and Jesus says:Mark 4:21-25 (New International Version, ©2010)
A Lamp on a Stand
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”“The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,Huh? Doesn't Jesus want people to turn and be forgiven?
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
Jesus is quoting the book of Isaiah here, from the chapter 6:9-10, where Isaiah agrees to go to the people on the Lord's behalf. God is sending Isaiah, but is telling him right up front that the people won't understand or accept his message--otherwise, they would turn from their sins and be healed. This, I think, is what was actually happening in Jesus' time. God had enough of sending the prophets, and came himself, but the people still refused to accept the message or perceive what was going on.
Then Jesus explains the parable of the sower to his disciples (scattering the word on all different sorts of soils) and gets on to today's reading about the lamp. Verse 22 is a juxtaposition to the Isaiah quote: "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed; whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open."
So Jesus is laying it all out there. He's scattering the seed on good soil and bad alike. He has put the lamp up on the stand, and people have no more excuse for living in darkness. He urges his disciples to listen carefully to what he says, because "with whatever measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from them."
What does that mean? What's being measured out "according to the measure we use," what's being given or taken away?
If we look at the context, we find that it's the word of God. God is trying to speak to all of us, to impart truth, wisdom, and instruction. Some will receive it like the good soil, and it will produce good things in their life. The word will reproduce in their lives--they'll be given even more.
Some won't accept the word of God when it comes to them--they'll ignore God's truth, wisdom, and instruction. The seed lying on the hard, shallow ground will be whisked away by birds or wither when the heat is on.
Some will accept God's word, but only on a shallow, surface level. They'll look great for a while, but when the heat is on they'll wither, and won't produce a good crop. Some accept it, but allow everything else in their life to take precedence, choking out the harvest God wants to produce in them. They don't produce much either. Their measuring cup is filled with other things--they will only make room for so much of God's truth, wisdom, and instruction in their lives.
Application: Jesus has laid it all out there. Are you going to whole-heartedly embrace His truth, allow His wisdom and instruction to produce a crop in your life? Or are you going to be one of those people who hears what God is saying, but becomes so good at blocking it out, so skilled at ignoring the conviction the Holy Spirit, that you eventually don't even hear the truth anymore? Maybe it is drowned out by the stories and explanations and excuses you're making?
He who has ears, let him hear.
Don't brush God off. Don't ignore God's wisdom and instruction. It will only diminish your soul. And who wants a withered, stunted, or languishing soul?
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that this came up today. Last night I was "vegging out" in front of the TV and heard a pastor talk about this exact passage. What struck me, about this passage and about what the pastor said, was that Jesus said to
1. "consider carefully what you hear": I need to think (really meditate on it) about what I hear and be careful how I use it.
2. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”: It seems that if I choose to listen, as God asks (and commands) us to, then He will speak to me even more. If I choose not to listen, He won't continue to speak to me; or at least not as often. Or, perhaps not in the same way, or in the way He intended me to hear from Him.
Think about Joseph. God gave him two dreams...He really did speak to Joseph through these dreams. The dreams were true and what God spoke through the dreams became truth in Joseph and his family's life. But, Joseph didn't handle this communication well.
It got him thrown into a pit, carried off, sent to prison; until the baker and cup-bearer wanted help with *interpreting* their dreams.
God elevated Joseph by interpreting other's dreams. (most specifically the Pharoah's dream) But, I don't see anywhere that God spoke to Joseph through dreams, ever again.
It's almost as though Joseph corrupted what God had given to him i.e. hearing God speak to him through dreams, because of his naivety. (was Joseph a rocky soil person- kind of like verses 16 and 17? However, God was faithful to Joseph and apparently he didn't fall away, God just grew him up?) So now, God uses a similar way of speaking to/through Joseph- by the interpretation of dreams. Joseph may not have "heard" God speak through his own dreams any longer, but God still used Joseph in the interprtation on dreams.
Was this a less elevated position? Could Joseph have done more for the Kingdom by hearing from God through the dreams God gave to him? God still redeemed the situation and used Joseph to fulfill His purposes. I have to think on this some more.
I always looked upon Joseph with such admiration for his interpretation of dreams. I'm not saying that I don't admire how God chose to use Joseph, I just wonder if he could have or would have had more impact being a dreamer of dreams. This is sobering to me.
Do I listen and obey? Do I listen and think about, ask God how to best use what I have heard? Am I prideful and want people to know what God spoke to me...nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah? Am I really "considering carefully" as God asks us to do in this passage?
I don't want Him to stop speaking to me.
“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
I want to hear from God...and hear from Him even more!
I think that though we may not want to admit it half-hearted Christianity is rampant... alive and well. We hide the good that God gives us to share, and hide it with our shameful selfishness as well. We end up not expressing much of value either way. God, call us into the light, to be known, loved, and to shine.
ReplyDeletePart 1:
ReplyDeleteMany times I read these parables as if they are individual stories, however Mark 4:11 it is given unto them to know THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Mark seems to be suggesting they ought to be read as a unit as a whole.
What exactly is going on in Mark 4? Well, I read in Mark 3 of the various groups of people that came to hear the message or perhaps more to gather just to see what was going on and perhaps see a healing or two take place. Imagine, after seeing and hearing all that take place, and your heart does not allow the seed (Word of God) to take root and become a part of your life. Mark 3 showed us there were people who believed and those who did not.
Now we come to Mark 4 and Jesus begins to speak in parables and when asked why He quotes Isaiah. Just as in Isaiah’s time the nation was warned of the coming judgment, so was it in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry by saying the “time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God is at hand.” He was telling them that everything the prophets had spoken about (Daniel in particular) was on schedule. Those that believed understood that there was going to be a judgment coming and they were going to need to endure some intense trials and temptations. That first parable, the sower and the seed, is so much more than just a little story about the hearts of men; it is actually a warning to the nation that throughout the trial of their faith and afflictions they will suffer they need to endure to the end in order to enter into the kingdom.
Those that believed the gospel of the kingdom (i.e. the time is fulfilled and the kingdom is at hand) understood that the next thing on the timetable would be what we call the tribulation. This time is going to be a time of darkness. God gave Israel a great light and they are to shine (Isaiah 42 and 60) and not to hide. According to prophecy, it is through the nation of Israel (Believing remnant) that the rest of the nations will be blessed. God told them that if they keep the commandments, they would be blessed above all nations. It is when they reject the message they are likened to being hid under a bed or a bushel. (See Matthew 4:12-17 and see how when Jesus began His earthly ministry, the people were in darkness and He brought forth the light)
Part 2:
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ then goes on to give a warning:
Mark 4:24-25 KJV And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. (25) For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
Mete – what does that mean? Thayer defines it as:
1) to measure, to measure out or off
1a) any space or distance with a measurer’s reed or rule
1b) metaphorically to judge according to any rule or standard, to estimate
2) to measure out, mete out to, i.e. to give by measure
Hebrews – Revelation states during this time of tribulation there will be much deception and there will be those who have joined them that are not true believers. Keeping with the context, I believe that this warning for them to judge what is being taught with the word of God.
Mark 13:22 KJV For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Revelation 2:9 KJV I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which SAY THEY ARE JEWS, AND ARE NOT, but are the synagogue of Satan.
I believe that the believing remnant is going to need to judge everything with the standard of God’s written word that has been preserved for them without error and then act accordingly to what they have heard God speak to them. As they do then they will become fruitful, some bearing more fruit than others do. Perhaps the fruit represents the reward they will receive according to how much trial, tribulation, affliction and persecution they endure.
I believe that this warning, being used in connection with the candlestick is the believing remnant is to be a light in the darkness and expose the false teachings of those who are teaching contrary to God’s Word. The first parable reveals that fruit yield will be in various degrees, so it will be with their understanding as to God’s word. The more they understand and act upon what they know then they will be maturing to the point where they can receive more of God’s truth.
Mark 4:33 KJV And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, AS THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR IT.
Application – as I read and understand God’s word to me and act accordingly, then I will be able to understand more of the wonderful truths of God’s word. Just as the apostle Paul was not able to give the Corinthians the meat of God’s word because they did not have a full understanding of the basics, so it is with myself. I need to make sure I have the proper foundation before I can build upon it to form the house of doctrine that I need to be the person God would have me to be.
I need to take heed of what I hear and judge it by the standard of God’s word and see it what is being said is in accordance to what God had said He was doing, is doing and what He will do in the future. In other words, keep it in its proper context. In doing so, I will experience growth and be able to come to maturity and in time bear fruit in my life. In addition, having fruit, I will be a light to those who are in darkness.
I read this this morning in my Bible and was stuck on it. Thinking I somewhat had the jist of it but I wanted to read more. I was disappointed when I read various online commentaries about "being the light to the world with Jesus' light in us, etc etc" because I knew thats not what Jesus was getting at here....it wasn't in context!
ReplyDeleteBut finally I read your entry! And I am thankful that you took the time to look in context of what Jesus was talking about. It was refreshing to read something I knew registered with the real passage and real message Jesus was trying to get across.
Thank you!!