And he was saying to them,
"A lamp is not brought tobe put under a basket,
is it, or under a bed? Is it not
brought to be put on the lampstand?
For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed;
nor has anything been secret, but that it would
come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
And he was saying to them,
"Take care what you listen to. By your standard
of measure it will be measured to you;
and more will be given you besides.
For whoever has, to him more shall be given;
and whoever does not have, even what he has
shall be taken away from him."
Mark 4.21-25
* Question: Two separate parables or are they connected?
* Jesus is speaking of hidden things being revealed.
-Perhaps, the parables and their truths being more fully understood* Jesus is urging: "Take care what you listen to."
* Seems to connect with Mark 4.13-20--each of the four soils has "heard" the word (vv. 15, 16, 18, 20).
* Whereas Mark 4.13-20 the focus is on the results--these kinds of soils and conditions produce this result. The focus in Mark 4.24-25 is a challenge to the hearers of the word to respond rightly.
-With the soils there is almost a passivity--these conditions produce these effects.
-The charge to "Take care what you listen to" focuses on the person's active response that will determine what kind of soil they will be.* v. 24: "more"
-Correspond to v. 20 "bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold"* v. 24 "By your standard of measure it will be measured to you..."
-How do you measure or consider the word of the Kingdom that Jesus brings? Is it the word of life from the Son of God? If so, and you respond to it as such you will experience the measured more in your life.* v. 25 "... and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."
-cf. Mark 4.15 "... and when they hear immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them."* Challenge: Will you accept the word of Jesus as that which is worth enduring affliction for (v. 17) and worth forsaking all other things for (v. 19)? If so, then you will bear fruit in abundance and even more will be given to you.
