Mark 4:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.

NIV: Consider carefully what you hear,' he continued. 'With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more.

NASB: 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.

CSB: And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and more will be added to you.

NLT: Then he added, 'Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given — and you will receive even more.

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.

NKJV: Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

It's crucial to take Mark 4:24–25 within the context of the whole chapter. Jesus is speaking about different reactions people have upon hearing His teaching. Mark 4:1–20 describes people who have hardened hearts, shallow personalities, greed, or faith in Jesus and a willingness to listen. Mark 4:21–34 gives further detail about the spread of the gospel.

The "more" that will be added isn't power, influence, or material possessions. It's spiritual wisdom. Jesus is saying that if we approach His teaching as if we were carrying a big basket, our basket will be filled with understanding and enlightenment. Jesus' disciples embody this when they stay to learn when the miracles are over (Mark 3:33–35) and ask for insight into the parables (Mark 4:10).

We have a lot of choice and control over our Christian life. Matthew 7:1–5 explains that how we judge others' actions will influence how they judge ours. Luke 6:37–38 adds that our personal policies on forgiveness and giving will determine how others forgive and give to us. It's the same with spiritual knowledge. Knowledge of the kingdom of God increases and decreases exponentially. If we bring a large vessel to be filled with knowledge, it will be filled to overflowing. If we bring a small one, it will be filled initially, but then lost (Mark 4:25).

Our "measure" consists of our time, attention, and submission to Jesus' words. Personal devotions, regular church attendance, and intentional application of Scripture in our lives are parts of a large measure. The more we ask for, the more the Holy Spirit will work in our lives, above and beyond the details of what we have learned. It is our choice to ask for wisdom (Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 11:9–13) and it is our choice to decide how much wisdom we will ask for (Mark 4:33). God will honor our request (James 1:5).

Mark 4:21–25 is Jesus' explanation of what makes for good learning conditions. Jesus has previously revealed why some people accept His teaching while others don't (Mark 4:1–20). ''Light'' is the truth of Jesus that should be let free to reveal the secret of the gospel. But it will only provide illumination for those who pay attention and come with a deep desire to understand. Next, Jesus will tell the disciples their responsibility in spreading the gospel (Mark 4:26–29) and what reaction they can expect (Mark 4:30–32). Luke also records this story in Luke 8:16–18 while Matthew touches on the themes in Matthew 5:15–16 and 10:26.

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.