Friday, August 9, 2019

Mark Meditations: Mark 4.1-20

Mark 4.1-20

* Jesus speaks in parables for a purpose.
-Parables both hide and reveal
-Disciples need Jesus to interprete the parable
* Jesus teaches the crowd from a boat.
-Was this for amphlification?
-Was this for crowd control--if the crowds are mobbing him he cannot teach?
* Jesus teaches about and assumes the reality of Satan and his opposition to the word.

* Enemies of the Word:
 1. Satan
 2.  Persecution
 3.  Lustful/worldly desires
* Think of how Paul's epistles continually address these kinds of realities:
1.  Satan: Eph. 6.10-18; 2 Cor. 2.11; 11.3, 11-15
2.  Persecution: 2 Cor. 1.8-11; 4.7-12; 6.4-10; Phil. 1.29-30
3.  Worldly desires: 2 Cor. 12.20; Gal. 5.16-21; Eph. 4.17-24