Jesus Teaching His Disciples by the SeaBible World
4:34Mark 4:34
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
He spoke to the multitudes only in parables, but when alone with His disciples He explained all things more fully and plainly in private. His parables joined spiritual truth to familiar scenes from nature and daily life, often things happening around His hearers, in simple language and plain symbols that even ordinary hearers could understand. Those familiar figures stirred attention and inquiry, drew out questions that brought home the force of the truth, and fixed divine principles in heart and mind so the lesson would be recalled whenever the connected scene was met again. In private He could speak openly to illuminate the mind and fill the soul with hope, because His disciples had been with Him and could understand, while He veiled the plain meaning from hostile hearers who would misuse the truth. His example calls for giving those who need better understanding, especially young workers and apprentices, quiet times apart for fuller explanation of public instruction, by which they are vitalized with divine power and fitted to herald the gospel.
Christ's Parabolic Teaching Method
Jesus spoke to the multitudes only in parables, but when they were alone He expounded all things to His disciples more fully and plainly in private. What He had spoken before the crowd in parable He afterward explained to them in quiet retirement, giving the plain meaning that had been veiled in public teaching.
His parables joined spiritual truth to familiar scenes from nature and daily life, making divine principles clear through comparisons drawn from the natural world. He used familiar figures and objects, often things happening around His listeners at the time, and nature furnished beautiful and clear illustrations for His instruction. He chose simple language and plain symbols and touching words rather than lofty eloquence, so that even ordinary and simple hearers could understand.
Those familiar figures stirred attention and interest and inquiry, helping listeners to attend and understand truths that might otherwise have left little impression. His illustrations prompted questions that brought out the force of the truth, reaching the heart as well as the understanding. They made divine principles memorable, and helped hearers recall the lesson when they later met the connected scene or experience.
When alone with His disciples He did not need to speak in parables because they had been with Him and could understand Him, so He could speak openly and plainly. In that retirement He illuminated the chambers of the mind, dispelled darkness, and filled the soul with hope and gladness by truth that loses nothing by being questioned and critically examined. He hid the plain meaning from Pharisees and Sadducees because they would misuse the truth, which teaches care not to confront people with truths they are not prepared to receive or that have not been fully explained.
Following His Private Example
Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables and then explained them more fully in private to his disciples in a quiet setting apart. His example calls for giving young workers quiet, focused times apart for fuller explanation of public instruction and for study of God's Word. Those special times are to be seasons of study and of seeking the Lord, given with patience. Experienced workers are to give the younger workers this fuller explanation of spiritual instruction and to guide them in studying the Bible.
Apprentices are to receive this fuller explanation of what they hear, with quiet times for seeking God and studying His Word. All who desire a better understanding of instruction given to many should be offered such fuller personal teaching in a smaller circle. Apprentices in particular, who need instruction and saving, need this personal explanation. His disciples followed the pattern by mingling with the hearers after His instruction, repeating what He had said and using Scripture to correct their misunderstandings.
In retirement alone with them He talked together with them about the work of God and how to bring greater efficiency into it. There He corrected their errors, made plain the right way of approaching unbelievers, and opened more fully to them the precious treasures of divine truth from the inexhaustible storehouse. By this plain private instruction they were vitalized by divine power and inspired with hope and courage. Their rest was therefore not self-indulgent rest given to pleasure or frivolous amusement. As those thus taught in private after the public parables, they were to herald the gospel message.
He spoke to the multitudes only in parables, but when alone with His disciples He explained all things more fully and plainly in private. His parables joined spiritual truth to familiar scenes from nature and daily life, often things happening around His hearers, in simple language and plain symbols that even ordinary hearers could understand. Those familiar figures stirred attention and inquiry, drew out questions that brought home the force of the truth, and fixed divine principles in heart and mind so the lesson would be recalled whenever the connected scene was met again. In private He could speak openly to illuminate the mind and fill the soul with hope, because His disciples had been with Him and could understand, while He veiled the plain meaning from hostile hearers who would misuse the truth. His example calls for giving those who need better understanding, especially young workers and apprentices, quiet times apart for fuller explanation of public instruction, by which they are vitalized with divine power and fitted to herald the gospel.
Christ's Parabolic Teaching Method
Jesus spoke to the multitudes only in parables, but when they were alone He expounded all things to His disciples more fully and plainly in private. What He had spoken before the crowd in parable He afterward explained to them in quiet retirement, giving the plain meaning that had been veiled in public teaching.
His parables joined spiritual truth to familiar scenes from nature and daily life, making divine principles clear through comparisons drawn from the natural world. He used familiar figures and objects, often things happening around His listeners at the time, and nature furnished beautiful and clear illustrations for His instruction. He chose simple language and plain symbols and touching words rather than lofty eloquence, so that even ordinary and simple hearers could understand.
Those familiar figures stirred attention and interest and inquiry, helping listeners to attend and understand truths that might otherwise have left little impression. His illustrations prompted questions that brought out the force of the truth, reaching the heart as well as the understanding. They made divine principles memorable, and helped hearers recall the lesson when they later met the connected scene or experience.
When alone with His disciples He did not need to speak in parables because they had been with Him and could understand Him, so He could speak openly and plainly. In that retirement He illuminated the chambers of the mind, dispelled darkness, and filled the soul with hope and gladness by truth that loses nothing by being questioned and critically examined. He hid the plain meaning from Pharisees and Sadducees because they would misuse the truth, which teaches care not to confront people with truths they are not prepared to receive or that have not been fully explained.
Following His Private Example
Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables and then explained them more fully in private to his disciples in a quiet setting apart. His example calls for giving young workers quiet, focused times apart for fuller explanation of public instruction and for study of God's Word. Those special times are to be seasons of study and of seeking the Lord, given with patience. Experienced workers are to give the younger workers this fuller explanation of spiritual instruction and to guide them in studying the Bible.
Apprentices are to receive this fuller explanation of what they hear, with quiet times for seeking God and studying His Word. All who desire a better understanding of instruction given to many should be offered such fuller personal teaching in a smaller circle. Apprentices in particular, who need instruction and saving, need this personal explanation. His disciples followed the pattern by mingling with the hearers after His instruction, repeating what He had said and using Scripture to correct their misunderstandings.
In retirement alone with them He talked together with them about the work of God and how to bring greater efficiency into it. There He corrected their errors, made plain the right way of approaching unbelievers, and opened more fully to them the precious treasures of divine truth from the inexhaustible storehouse. By this plain private instruction they were vitalized by divine power and inspired with hope and courage. Their rest was therefore not self-indulgent rest given to pleasure or frivolous amusement. As those thus taught in private after the public parables, they were to herald the gospel message.