Mark 4:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

NIV: He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

NASB: and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

CSB: He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.

NLT: In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

KJV: But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

NKJV: But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

The Greek verb tense of this verse suggests the disciples regularly asked Jesus for clarification after He taught crowds with parables. This means they are the good soil (Mark 4:8) who choose to hear and understand Jesus' message (Mark 4:9, 23), and who have been chosen to continue Jesus' work (Mark 3:13–15).

A parable is somewhat like a movie trailer, or an advertisement. It reveals a little about the purpose, use, or characters of what's being presented, but it isn't the movie or product itself. Parables are designed to woo people and invite them into a deeper relationship with the teacher and the subject matter. Parables don't hit listeners over the head with theology, but reveal which of the listeners want to know more. It is these—the seekers who want greater understanding—who will be left by Christ to explain the gospel after His resurrection and ascension. Then the teaching will become clearer. The parables are a vetting process for future teachers.

In Matthew's account, Jesus quotes Psalm 78:2. He says, "This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 'I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world'" (Matthew 13:35). Parables take God's hidden truth and summarize it with an easier-to-describe situation; this draws the interest of whoever wants to know that truth. Those who follow a search for truth, and dig into the deeper meaning, are those Jesus calls His disciples and His family (Mark 3:31–35).

Mark 4:30–34 is a lesson from Jesus about the power of His message. Jesus is preparing His disciples to preach the gospel. He's talked about the different types of students they'll encounter (Mark 4:1–20, 24–25), the need for teaching (Mark 4:21–23), and the fact that they can't make anyone listen (Mark 4:24–29). Like the growth of the tiny mustard seed, the gospel will cause a great movement that will change lives across the world. Mark finishes the section with a reminder of how and why Jesus uses parables to teach (Mark 4:33–34). This account is also found in Matthew 13:31–32, 34–35 and Luke 13:18–19.

Jesus speaks in parables to the assembled crowd, giving them an opportunity to decide how much spiritual truth they want to absorb. The disciples, wanting to learn more, ask Jesus to explain the meaning of the parables He has taught. As Jesus explains these ideas, He demonstrates that a person's spiritual knowledge is based on their willingness to pursue truth. After describing Jesus' teaching in some detail, the Gospel of Mark describes how Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Mark 3 explores the different ways people react to Jesus' teaching and miracles. They either follow Him, use Him, hide Him, or destroy Him. In Mark 4, Jesus explains why people react the way they do. He uses parables to explain who is serious about learning from Him. The softer a person's heart is, the more truth God will reveal. Soon, the twelve will also spread Jesus' message, although they will not be responsible for the spiritual growth of those who believe. The following chapter returns to depicting Jesus' miracles, including two of His most famous.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.