Mark 4:1
And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
He began to teach in the early morning by the Sea of Galilee to a great eager multitude pressing down to the water's edge, so He stepped into a fisherman's boat had it pushed out a little and sat in the sea in full sight and hearing that all might see and hear without interruption. From the open boat He spoke words of life and deliverance to the common people with patience and tenderness, using the lake, hills, fields, sowers and reapers in plain sight to impress truth so it would be remembered afterward. What He began there was the parable of the sower, in which Christ the great Husbandman sows the word of God and the truths of grace to bring people back to loyalty to God. It was given to meet disappointment because the people looked for a temporal kingdom to exalt Israel and were stumbled that the learned and wealthy and scribes and Pharisees refused Him while the poor and humble became His disciples. Many were stirred and charmed at the time yet soon lost the impression amid worldly cares, while for others listening there began a holier life of daily carrying out His teaching.
Setting by the Sea
It was early morning by the Sea of Galilee, after spending the entire night in prayer, that Jesus came down to the beach to look for His disciples who were fishing near the shore. As soon as it was known that He was by the seaside, a great, growing and eager multitude flocked to Him. Men, women, and children gathered on the shore to hear Him, including sick people waiting to be healed. Until the whole multitude stood on the land pressing down to the water's edge, they pressed Him closely on all sides and the crowd became so dense He could scarcely move.
Because of the press He stepped into a rude fisherman's boat, had it pulled out a little from shore, and sat in the sea, swayed to and fro by the restless water. It was a plan He frequently adopted to escape the eager throng that crowded to get into His presence. From the rocking boat He remained in full sight and hearing of the people on the beach. There He gave them a better opportunity to see and hear, could speak without interruption, and continued His discourse there even as the day ended.
From there He taught in the open air to the common crowd the words of life, His grand doctrine of deliverance and salvation. He was patient with those laboring under temptation and tender and kind to the sorrowing, the disheartened, and the discouraged. His words brought light to many minds. Though He was the glorious Commander honored of Heaven, it was a scene for angels to contemplate, and He could have no more magnificent scene for His labors.
The lake, the mountains, the spreading fields, and the sunlight flooding the earth furnished subjects by which His lessons could be impressed upon the mind. Fruitful valleys and hillsides clothed in beauty, crops, sowers and reapers side by side in plain sight, barren rocks upon the beach, birds making the air vocal with music, sea-fowls skimming the water, and the water itself lay before them. He took the opportunity to draw lessons from nature and employ the scenery about Him to illustrate His doctrine. So whenever those objects were presented to their eyes afterward, thoughts would revert to the lessons of truth and be daily reminders of the precious instruction received from Him.
Sower Parable Taught
This gathering by the sea introduces the parable of the sower, for the teaching He gave there is seed. Christ is the great Husbandman sowing the truths of grace, and the seed sown is the word of God. The sowing of gospel truth follows the laws of earthly seed-sowing, and is meant to bring people back to loyalty to God. The setting is Jesus seated in a boat with the great multitude gathered on the shore, a large eager company of men, women, and children come to hear Him.
The parable begun there was given to meet disappointment and discontent. The people expected a Messiah who would set up a temporal kingdom to exalt Israel, and the disciples were becoming impatient for earthly authority. His own relatives rejected Him, and His followers were stumbled because the learned and wealthy and the scribes and Pharisees refused Him while the poor, the afflicted, and the humble became His disciples.
The teaching uses illustration to awaken thought. The mystery of the kingdom of God is given to those who desire and ask for fuller explanation, as the twelve and other believers did after the multitude departed. Those who are without remain seeing without perceiving and hearing without understanding.
His speaking there was a striking illustration of the spreading abroad of the gospel that held the earnest attention of the people and carried their minds with Him. Their souls were stirred and many hearts throbbed with new purpose. They were charmed because His doctrine was ennobling in principle yet easily understood, so that the high spiritual attainments He taught seemed very desirable.
For many the impression soon passed away when they mingled again with the world. Sins that had seemed heinous under the holy light of His presence were clasped again, and unfavorable surroundings with worldly cares and temptations caused relapse into indifference. For others listening there began a holier life of daily carrying out the principles of His teaching. The varied ground and the sowers with their seed before them fastened His words in their minds never to be effaced.