And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
The foregoing chapter began with Christ's entering into the synagogue (Mar 4:1); this chapter begins with Christ's teaching again by the sea side. Thus he changed his method, that if possible all might be reached and wrought upon. To gratify the nice and more genteel sort of people that had seats, chief seats, in the synagogue, and did not care for hearing a sermon any...
Commenting on Mark 4:1-20
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground,.... Such sort of hearers of the word are signified by the stony ground, on which the seed were sown, who are constant hearers of the word, and have some understanding of it, and some sort of affection for it, and yet their hearts are not truly broken by it; they are not brought to...
Verse 13. Know ye not this parable? This which is so plain and obvious. How then will ye know all parables? Those which are more difficult and obscure. As they were themselves to be teachers, it was important that they should be acquainted with the whole system of religion --of much more importance for them at that time, than for the mass of the people.