Episode notes, devotionals, and Bible study writing — 41 posts and counting.
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Mark 4:10–12 — Why Parables?

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Before we look at the text itself, let me explain what we’re doing here. In this section of Mark’s Gospel, we come to what feels like a bundle of sayings and parables — the lamp, the measure, the growing seed, and the mustard seed. It’s a longer stretch of teaching than usual, so I want to lay the whole passage in front of us first. Then we’ll step back and ask: is this just a collection of random sayings, or is there a deeper pattern here? In the next posts, we’ll slow down and take each saying one at a time.

Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”(Mark 4:21–23 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. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”(Mark 4:24–25 NKJV)

And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the fu

Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and sho

“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’” Mark 4:35–41

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, beca

“Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My little d

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:25–34 NKJV)

Do Not Be Afraid, Only Believe | Mark 5:35–43 | Studies in the Gospel of Mark (Ep. 14) The house was chaos. Mourners filled the air with wailing. Neighbors pressed in. Death had taken Jairus’ daughter. But when Jesus walked in, everything changed. In this episode, we continue the

Anchor Text (NKJV)

Mark pauses his fast-moving Gospel to tell a dark story — a royal banquet that ends in the death of a prophet. In Herod’s palace, power and pride collide with truth, and the result is a feast of death. Yet beneath the corruption of this world’s kingdom, God’s Kingdom is quietly advancing — calling every conscience to awaken, every disciple to choose which table they will sit at, and every heart to follow the voice of truth, whatever the cost. Order in which I need the blog stuff.

Welcome to The Berean Post, where we take Bible study seriously — just like the Bereans Paul commended in Acts 17:11. In today’s study, we’re looking at Mark 6:30–44, the miraculous feeding of the five thousand — a moment that reveals Jesus as the true Shepherd who both teaches a

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He wa

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. When they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled hands, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hand