¤¤¤
00:00:00.33\00:00:04.30
¤¤¤
00:00:11.37\00:00:14.38
>>Eric Flickinger:
Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
00:00:15.71\00:00:17.01
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:00:17.05\00:00:18.81
We're glad that you
are able to join us today.
00:00:18.85\00:00:21.08
We're taking a look
at the book of Mark,
00:00:21.12\00:00:23.25
a fascinating Gospel.
00:00:23.28\00:00:25.29
It's really a
story of a journey,
00:00:25.32\00:00:28.42
the journey of Jesus.
00:00:28.46\00:00:29.96
And we're taking a look at
that journey in great detail.
00:00:29.99\00:00:33.23
We are looking at lesson
number four today, "Parables."
00:00:33.26\00:00:35.93
Jesus told many parables,
and today we're going to delve
00:00:35.96\00:00:39.00
into some of those and see
what we can learn from them.
00:00:39.03\00:00:42.64
We want to begin today, though,
as we do each day, with prayer.
00:00:42.67\00:00:45.94
Let's pray. Father, thank
You for giving us an opportunity
00:00:45.97\00:00:49.28
to learn more about
You and Your character,
00:00:49.31\00:00:52.28
about Jesus and His love for us.
00:00:52.31\00:00:54.55
We ask that You'll
bless our time together
00:00:54.58\00:00:56.79
as we spend it in
the book of Mark today,
00:00:56.82\00:00:58.89
and help us to understand
why Jesus told so many parables
00:00:58.92\00:01:03.36
and what the lessons
are that He wishes us
00:01:03.39\00:01:05.63
to learn from them.
00:01:05.66\00:01:06.96
We thank You in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:07.00\00:01:10.27
Well, we're
happy to be here again.
00:01:10.30\00:01:11.97
Not just with you,
certainly with you,
00:01:12.00\00:01:13.77
but not just with you,
but also with the author
00:01:13.80\00:01:16.20
of this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson,
00:01:16.24\00:01:18.11
that is Tom Shepherd.
00:01:18.14\00:01:19.44
He is the senior
research professor
00:01:19.47\00:01:21.44
of New Testament
at Andrews University.
00:01:21.48\00:01:24.35
Tom, thanks for
joining us once again.
00:01:24.38\00:01:26.61
>>Tom Shepherd:
It's good to be with you.
00:01:26.65\00:01:28.08
>>Eric: So, we're
looking at parables this week.
00:01:28.12\00:01:30.89
What is a parable?
00:01:30.92\00:01:32.82
If we're going to spend
some time digging into them,
00:01:32.85\00:01:34.79
we need to know what
they are. What's a parable?
00:01:34.82\00:01:36.46
>>Tom: Well, so first of
all, the English word "parable,"
00:01:36.49\00:01:41.10
people usually think of
it as some kind of a story,
00:01:41.13\00:01:44.67
maybe not a--
maybe a fictional story,
00:01:44.70\00:01:47.17
made-up story, that
makes some kind of point,
00:01:47.20\00:01:50.54
some kind of lesson.
00:01:50.57\00:01:52.54
Usually, people think of
parables as rather simple,
00:01:52.57\00:01:55.98
and that it's not
hard to get the idea.
00:01:56.01\00:01:59.81
Now, there's a long history
00:01:59.85\00:02:01.95
of interpreting
the parables of Jesus.
00:02:01.98\00:02:05.62
The word "parable" is
actually from a Greek word,
00:02:05.65\00:02:08.62
"parabole," which actually
has a wider set of meanings
00:02:08.66\00:02:12.83
than we usually
think of in English.
00:02:12.86\00:02:14.73
It could also refer
to a riddle that people,
00:02:14.76\00:02:19.10
that somebody
could not understand,
00:02:19.13\00:02:20.60
you know, what it meant.
00:02:20.64\00:02:21.94
So its meaning was wider
than what we usually have.
00:02:21.97\00:02:25.51
So here in Mark 4, though, we
have the typical parables, okay?
00:02:25.54\00:02:31.11
And He speaks to
them in many parables.
00:02:31.15\00:02:33.92
And the first one, of course,
is the parable of the sower.
00:02:33.95\00:02:38.65
And so, maybe we
should read that,
00:02:38.69\00:02:40.26
the story of the
parable of the sower,
00:02:40.29\00:02:43.12
and you can read it for us.
00:02:43.16\00:02:44.46
It started in verse
3 of Mark, chapter 4.
00:02:44.49\00:02:48.10
>>Eric: "Listen!
Behold, a sower went out to sow.
00:02:48.13\00:02:51.17
"And it happened, as he sowed,
00:02:51.20\00:02:52.73
"that some seed
fell by the wayside;
00:02:52.77\00:02:54.77
"and the birds of the
air came and devoured it.
00:02:54.80\00:02:57.44
"Some fell on stony ground,
00:02:57.47\00:02:59.14
"where it did
not have much earth;
00:02:59.17\00:03:00.74
"and immediately it sprang up
00:03:00.78\00:03:02.31
"because it had
no depth of earth.
00:03:02.34\00:03:04.68
"But when the sun
was up it was scorched,
00:03:04.71\00:03:06.68
"and because it had
no root it withered away.
00:03:06.72\00:03:09.55
"And some seed
fell among thorns;
00:03:09.58\00:03:11.19
"and the thorns
grew up and choked it,
00:03:11.22\00:03:13.05
"and it yielded no crop.
00:03:13.09\00:03:14.79
"But other seed
fell on good ground
00:03:14.82\00:03:16.96
"and yielded a crop that sprang
up, increased and produced:
00:03:16.99\00:03:21.26
some thirtyfold, some
sixty, and some a hundred."
00:03:21.30\00:03:24.60
>>Tom: Okay, so, it's a
very interesting little story,
00:03:24.63\00:03:28.14
one that people at that
time could easily understand.
00:03:28.17\00:03:32.44
They were an
agricultural society.
00:03:32.47\00:03:35.28
There's a lot of people
today that, you know, don't,
00:03:35.31\00:03:38.91
aren't farming people
and don't live in farm areas.
00:03:38.95\00:03:42.58
And so, they may not
understand it as well, though.
00:03:42.62\00:03:45.99
You know, it's not too hard
to see what's going on here.
00:03:46.02\00:03:49.52
And there's
actually four little stories
00:03:49.56\00:03:53.93
that are told
from beginning to end.
00:03:53.96\00:03:57.90
He doesn't just
tell them interlinked.
00:03:57.93\00:04:02.27
It's like four
separate stories, okay?
00:04:02.30\00:04:05.27
So, there's four different
places where the seed falls.
00:04:05.31\00:04:09.94
So, the first place it falls
is on the hard beaten path,
00:04:09.98\00:04:15.85
and birds come along
and devour it. All right,
00:04:15.88\00:04:20.79
the second place where
it falls is on rocky ground.
00:04:20.82\00:04:25.73
So, there's a bit of soil,
but it's hard rocks underneath,
00:04:25.76\00:04:30.63
and it springs up, and
it withers away because it--
00:04:30.67\00:04:36.67
the sun scorches it,
00:04:36.71\00:04:38.34
because it doesn't
have any depth of soil.
00:04:38.37\00:04:40.44
Then there's the one
that falls among the thorns,
00:04:40.48\00:04:42.98
and the thorns
grow up and choke it.
00:04:43.01\00:04:44.75
And finally there's the seed
that falls on the good soil.
00:04:44.78\00:04:47.05
Now, so let me ask you a
few questions as a teacher.
00:04:47.08\00:04:51.09
How long would it
take for the path soil,
00:04:51.12\00:04:57.96
for the seed that fell there,
00:04:57.99\00:05:00.60
how long would it
take for that story
00:05:00.63\00:05:02.40
to come to a conclusion
with the birds eating it up?
00:05:02.43\00:05:05.30
>>Eric: Probably not very long.
00:05:05.33\00:05:06.80
>>Tom: Yeah, the birds would--
if you've ever seen farmers
00:05:06.84\00:05:09.47
with--they're plowing the field
and they're putting things in,
00:05:09.50\00:05:12.61
there's all
these birds. [laughs]
00:05:12.64\00:05:14.61
They're at
the--what are the birds doing?
00:05:14.64\00:05:16.81
Well, they're having
their supper, you know.
00:05:16.85\00:05:18.91
The--there's some
that doesn't get down
00:05:18.95\00:05:20.75
when the farmer plants it,
00:05:20.78\00:05:22.42
and, of course, if
it fell on the path,
00:05:22.45\00:05:24.82
it would just
bounce and, you know,
00:05:24.85\00:05:26.22
there would be the seed,
and birds are always looking
00:05:26.25\00:05:28.59
for something to eat, so
they would eat it right up.
00:05:28.62\00:05:31.26
So it would be
immediate, you know;
00:05:31.29\00:05:34.00
it would be with just moments
of it being thrown there or,
00:05:34.00\00:05:37.10
you know, within a few minutes.
All right, well, how about
00:05:37.13\00:05:40.44
the rocky ground, where
it doesn't have much soil,
00:05:40.47\00:05:43.51
but it springs up,
and then the sun comes up
00:05:43.54\00:05:47.08
and scorches it,
and it withers away.
00:05:47.11\00:05:50.08
How long would that take?
00:05:50.11\00:05:52.75
>>Eric: Probably take a
little bit longer anyway
00:05:52.78\00:05:54.72
because you've got to have
time for that seed to germinate.
00:05:54.75\00:05:57.19
>>Tom: Yeah, you
know, I remember as a kid
00:05:57.22\00:05:58.72
the seeds that sprouted
the most quick were radishes.
00:05:58.75\00:06:04.33
I really don't like radishes,
00:06:04.36\00:06:05.83
but, you know,
they grew quickly.
00:06:05.86\00:06:07.60
For little kids, they'd
say, "Oh, it's coming up."
00:06:07.66\00:06:10.43
So, yeah, it would,
it would take some time
00:06:10.47\00:06:12.47
for it to come
up, and, of course,
00:06:12.50\00:06:15.47
it would also take
some time for it to dry out.
00:06:15.50\00:06:18.27
All right, so the
first soil is the same day.
00:06:18.31\00:06:20.78
The second soil is
probably several weeks, right?
00:06:20.81\00:06:25.15
Then the third soil is
the soil with the thorns,
00:06:25.18\00:06:33.02
and the thorns have to sprout
up and grow up and choke it,
00:06:33.05\00:06:36.96
so it yields no grain.
How long would that take?
00:06:36.99\00:06:38.96
>>Eric: It's
gonna take even longer.
00:06:38.99\00:06:40.30
>>Tom: Yeah,
probably a month or, you know,
00:06:40.33\00:06:42.56
maybe a couple
of months where we--
00:06:42.60\00:06:45.13
and then finally the good
soil where it produces grain,
00:06:45.17\00:06:48.37
and it yields thirty, sixty,
00:06:48.40\00:06:50.77
and a hundredfold.
How long would that take?
00:06:50.81\00:06:52.27
>>Eric: Well, if it's producing
crops, that's gonna take
00:06:52.31\00:06:53.78
longer still. >>Tom:
Yeah, those would be like
00:06:53.81\00:06:55.11
for what--so, each of these
stories is a little bit longer
00:06:55.14\00:06:58.28
than the previous one. Now,
00:06:58.31\00:06:59.61
usually when people
are reading these stories,
00:06:59.65\00:07:02.18
they, they're
quick to just kind of--
00:07:02.22\00:07:05.59
they say, "What
does the story mean?
00:07:05.62\00:07:07.39
I want to know what
the story means." [laughs]
00:07:07.42\00:07:09.59
And they miss the
story aspect of it,
00:07:09.62\00:07:12.59
which is really,
really interesting and helpful
00:07:12.63\00:07:15.76
for understanding the
interpretation of the story.
00:07:15.80\00:07:18.90
You get kind of the idea here
that to really produce a crop,
00:07:18.93\00:07:23.30
you have to--and here we're
talking about a spiritual crop--
00:07:23.34\00:07:27.34
you have to be in
it for the long haul.
00:07:27.38\00:07:30.21
You have to be in
it-- you have to have
00:07:30.25\00:07:32.11
a commitment that goes
on for a period of time.
00:07:32.15\00:07:34.35
Even before you get to Jesus'
interpretation and explanation
00:07:34.38\00:07:37.02
of the story, you see
that you have, you know,
00:07:37.05\00:07:41.02
a period of time
that is gonna be involved.
00:07:41.06\00:07:43.86
Now, let's jump down. We're
gonna jump past verses 10 to 12
00:07:43.89\00:07:47.93
and go down to
verses 13 through 20.
00:07:47.96\00:07:51.77
We want to see how Jesus
interpreted this parable.
00:07:51.80\00:07:55.94
>>Eric: "And He said to
them, 'Do you not understand
00:07:55.97\00:07:57.94
"'this parable? How then will
you understand all the parables?
00:07:57.97\00:08:01.84
"'The sower sows the
word. And these are the ones
00:08:01.88\00:08:04.85
"'by the wayside
where the word is sown.
00:08:04.88\00:08:06.95
"'When they hear,
Satan comes immediately
00:08:06.98\00:08:09.15
"'and takes away the word
that was sown in their hearts.
00:08:09.18\00:08:12.45
"'These likewise are the
ones sown on stony ground who,
00:08:12.49\00:08:15.59
"'when they hear the word,
00:08:15.62\00:08:17.03
"'immediately
receive it with gladness;
00:08:17.06\00:08:19.26
"'and they have no
root in themselves,
00:08:19.29\00:08:21.23
"'and so endure only for a time.
00:08:21.26\00:08:23.30
"'Afterward, when tribulation
or persecution arises
00:08:23.33\00:08:26.43
"'for the word's sake,
immediately they stumble.
00:08:26.47\00:08:28.97
"'Now these are the
ones sown among thorns;
00:08:29.00\00:08:31.87
"'they are the
ones who hear the word,
00:08:31.91\00:08:33.78
"'and the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches,
00:08:33.81\00:08:36.21
"'and the
desires for other things
00:08:36.24\00:08:37.68
"'entering in choke the
word, and it becomes unfruitful.
00:08:37.71\00:08:40.98
"'But these are the
ones sown on good ground,
00:08:41.02\00:08:43.62
"'those who hear the
word, accept it, and bear fruit:
00:08:43.65\00:08:46.62
some thirtyfold, some
sixty, and some a hundred.'"
00:08:46.65\00:08:49.79
>>Tom: Okay, so it's
very interesting here
00:08:49.82\00:08:52.96
that you start to see
when you take a little time
00:08:52.99\00:08:56.43
to analyze the story--
00:08:56.46\00:08:57.77
I teach students how to--
it's called narrative analysis,
00:08:57.80\00:09:01.50
how to analyze
stories, and there's characters,
00:09:01.54\00:09:03.44
there's
settings, and there's time,
00:09:03.47\00:09:05.01
and there's all these
different things that go on.
00:09:05.04\00:09:07.41
And so, when you
analyze the story itself,
00:09:07.44\00:09:12.31
it meshes with how--
what Jesus has to say
00:09:12.35\00:09:16.02
and actually helps
you to understand the--
00:09:16.05\00:09:17.85
understand it better.
00:09:17.89\00:09:19.55
So, those along the
path where the word is sown,
00:09:19.59\00:09:22.49
and so it's-- the
soil is the people.
00:09:22.52\00:09:25.73
The seed is the Word of God,
and just like seeds are amazing
00:09:25.76\00:09:30.43
that they have, you
know, they have life in them,
00:09:30.47\00:09:33.27
they're seeds, but
they have life in them,
00:09:33.30\00:09:35.60
and that springs up.
00:09:35.64\00:09:37.31
That's the way the Word
of God is. It contains life.
00:09:37.34\00:09:40.11
It can change our
lives; it changes our lives.
00:09:40.14\00:09:42.91
It makes us better people.
00:09:42.94\00:09:45.15
So the people along the path,
they hear it, it says, and it--
00:09:45.18\00:09:49.68
Satan immediately
comes and takes away the word
00:09:49.72\00:09:52.45
that is sown in them. So,
somebody says, "Well, wow.
00:09:52.49\00:09:54.96
"Does that mean there's
no hope for those people?
00:09:54.99\00:09:56.96
They, you know,
they-- that Satan just,
00:09:56.99\00:10:00.26
you know--they're
predestined to be lost?"
00:10:00.30\00:10:02.93
No, they're hard;
they're not really susceptible
00:10:02.96\00:10:07.27
or open to spiritual things.
00:10:07.30\00:10:08.64
I've seen this with a number
of people where people are not,
00:10:08.67\00:10:11.94
you know, open to
hearing the Word of God.
00:10:11.97\00:10:15.31
And, you know, you try.
00:10:15.34\00:10:17.15
You try to reach out to them,
but they just don't listen.
00:10:17.18\00:10:21.05
So, that's not because
God doesn't want them saved,
00:10:21.08\00:10:25.32
but because they have not
opened their hearts to follow.
00:10:25.35\00:10:28.96
Now, then there's the
one sown on the rocky soil,
00:10:28.99\00:10:33.06
and these are the ones that
when they hear the Word of God,
00:10:33.09\00:10:35.90
they receive it with joy.
00:10:35.93\00:10:37.73
Now, these folk
are the people who,
00:10:37.77\00:10:41.94
they don't have root, you know,
but they endure for a while.
00:10:41.97\00:10:45.01
Then when
tribulation, the sun comes up,
00:10:45.04\00:10:46.84
the heat of the
day, then they fall away.
00:10:46.88\00:10:49.71
And these folk are those
who do not--what should I say?
00:10:49.74\00:10:55.45
They don't count the
cost of discipleship.
00:10:55.48\00:10:58.82
The third group are those who
are not harmed by tribulation,
00:10:58.85\00:11:04.66
but by a nice life.
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.60
Maybe here, people
in the United States
00:11:07.60\00:11:09.06
can especially relate
to that. It's a good life.
00:11:09.10\00:11:12.63
You know, you have nice things,
00:11:12.67\00:11:14.24
and you may not take
the gospel so seriously.
00:11:14.27\00:11:17.94
But it's only those who
really take it seriously that--
00:11:17.97\00:11:20.31
you see, the last soil is
different from all the others
00:11:20.34\00:11:23.61
in that those that
are sown on the good soil
00:11:23.65\00:11:26.51
are the ones who hear the Word.
00:11:26.55\00:11:28.18
They don't, they--well,
everybody hears the Word,
00:11:28.22\00:11:30.55
but they accept it, not like
the people with the hard ground.
00:11:30.59\00:11:35.32
They bear fruit, not
like the people who didn't,
00:11:35.36\00:11:39.06
you know, that it was scorched
or was messed up by the thorns,
00:11:39.09\00:11:44.00
but they actually bear
fruit for God, and they produce,
00:11:44.03\00:11:47.54
and it becomes a
harvest for the kingdom of God.
00:11:47.57\00:11:51.14
So it's a great story, you know,
00:11:51.17\00:11:53.24
and we'll have to
see a little bit more
00:11:53.27\00:11:55.28
about what comes in
between both the story
00:11:55.31\00:11:58.61
and the
interpretation of the story.
00:11:58.65\00:12:02.48
>>Eric: We're going to come
back to that in just a moment
00:12:02.52\00:12:04.62
after we take a break.
But before we go to break,
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.96
take a moment and share with
us about that companion book
00:12:06.99\00:12:09.62
and what's in
the companion book,
00:12:09.66\00:12:11.36
especially for this
week, that people are going
00:12:11.39\00:12:14.00
to want to learn a
little bit more about.
00:12:14.03\00:12:15.76
>>Tom: All right,
so this companion book
00:12:15.80\00:12:17.10
is the one that I wrote, and
it goes along with the lesson.
00:12:17.13\00:12:19.93
So, every chapter has a link
to that. It's the same number.
00:12:19.97\00:12:23.94
So, the 4th week
is with the chapter 4.
00:12:23.97\00:12:26.94
It's got the same title
as the lesson quarterly.
00:12:26.98\00:12:29.28
So, here you see about
the parable of the sower,
00:12:29.31\00:12:32.55
and you find out the story's
meaning and the parallels.
00:12:32.58\00:12:36.32
We talked about some
of those kinds of things
00:12:36.35\00:12:38.19
here in this--I have a
section on verses 10 to 12,
00:12:38.22\00:12:43.32
which is a very
problematic section
00:12:43.36\00:12:45.66
and that I took some
more time to describe here.
00:12:45.69\00:12:49.26
Actually, my commentary, I took
6,000 words to describe it--
00:12:49.30\00:12:52.27
not in this book--so this is
00:12:52.30\00:12:53.77
just a little foretaste of where
we're going to go with that.
00:12:53.80\00:12:55.60
>>Eric: The condensed
version of the commentary.
00:12:55.64\00:12:56.94
>>Tom: The condensed
version. >>Eric: Fantastic.
00:12:56.97\00:12:58.44
>>Tom: Very condensed.
>>Eric: And it's very easy
00:12:58.47\00:12:59.94
to pick that one up
if you would like to,
00:13:00.04\00:13:02.31
and I would
encourage you to do so.
00:13:02.34\00:13:03.65
You can find it
at itiswritten.shop.
00:13:03.68\00:13:06.18
Again, itiswritten.shop,
00:13:06.21\00:13:08.08
and you will find
the companion book
00:13:08.12\00:13:09.82
to this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson there.
00:13:09.85\00:13:12.82
Just deeper
information, more information,
00:13:12.85\00:13:15.42
delving into it
and deeper insights,
00:13:15.46\00:13:17.56
so, if you're
enjoying this journey
00:13:17.59\00:13:19.43
through the book of
Mark, you want to make sure
00:13:19.46\00:13:21.10
that you pick up that
companion book as well.
00:13:21.13\00:13:24.10
And as you delve into
it, as you dig into it,
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.40
you're going to find
that you are blessed,
00:13:26.43\00:13:28.67
and you're gonna have
more that you can share
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.61
in your Sabbath school class.
00:13:30.64\00:13:32.37
But even more
important than that,
00:13:32.41\00:13:34.11
it's going to richen,
00:13:34.14\00:13:35.84
enrich, and deepen your
life and your spiritual walk
00:13:35.88\00:13:39.75
with Christ as well.
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.35
So that's the companion
book found at itiswritten.shop.
00:13:41.38\00:13:45.99
We're going to be
back in just a moment
00:13:46.02\00:13:47.32
as we continue taking
a look at the parables
00:13:47.36\00:13:49.56
here in the book of Mark.
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.13
¤¤¤
00:13:51.16\00:13:54.13
>>male announcer:
Discover the powerful ways
00:13:55.86\00:13:57.40
that God is part of
the healing process.
00:13:57.43\00:13:59.87
Go beyond what the
media and popular trends say
00:13:59.90\00:14:02.54
about health care
and learn from an expert
00:14:02.57\00:14:04.47
what it really
means to be healthy.
00:14:04.51\00:14:06.24
In his book "The
Ultimate Prescription,"
00:14:06.27\00:14:07.98
Dr. James L. Marcum explains
00:14:08.01\00:14:09.74
some of the
common misconceptions
00:14:09.78\00:14:11.21
about health care that are
prevalent in our society today,
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.92
how you can avoid
them and how to take care
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.08
of the spiritual
dimension of your health.
00:14:16.12\00:14:18.45
To order "The
Ultimate Prescription,"
00:14:18.49\00:14:19.89
call 888-664-5573
00:14:19.92\00:14:23.22
or visit itiswritten.shop.
00:14:23.26\00:14:25.59
>>Melissa Bradshaw:
If you enjoy coloring,
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.76
then you are going to love the
Buried Treasure Coloring Book
00:14:28.80\00:14:31.47
from My Place With Jesus.
00:14:31.50\00:14:33.10
The Buried
Treasure Coloring Book
00:14:33.13\00:14:34.77
has more than
just pictures to color.
00:14:34.80\00:14:36.94
You'll also
enjoy activity pages,
00:14:36.97\00:14:39.11
each accompanied by
their very own audio story.
00:14:39.14\00:14:42.44
>>John Bradshaw: Mr.
Dixon came across a small
00:14:42.48\00:14:44.78
well-weeded rice patch
out in the middle of a field.
00:14:44.81\00:14:48.98
>>Melissa: Get
ahead of a rainy day
00:14:49.02\00:14:50.52
or a relaxing
evening as a family,
00:14:50.55\00:14:52.55
and order the Buried
Treasure Coloring Book
00:14:52.59\00:14:55.12
from It Is Written.
00:14:55.16\00:14:56.49
¤¤¤
00:14:58.49\00:15:02.76
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:15:02.80\00:15:04.10
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:15:04.13\00:15:05.60
We're looking at
some of the parables
00:15:05.63\00:15:07.04
that Jesus tells
in the book of Mark.
00:15:07.07\00:15:10.71
Tom, parables--interesting
stories, lessons to learn,
00:15:10.74\00:15:15.54
they're things along those
natures, but--of that nature--
00:15:15.58\00:15:19.28
why didn't Jesus just
tell us what He meant?
00:15:19.31\00:15:22.52
What's the-- did He
tell us these things
00:15:22.55\00:15:24.85
to keep people in the dark?
00:15:24.89\00:15:26.29
Why mingle these
teachings in with these stories?
00:15:26.32\00:15:30.96
What was the purpose?
>>Tom: Yeah, so it's a--
00:15:30.99\00:15:33.29
it's a good question.
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.10
The history of
the interpretation
00:15:35.13\00:15:37.53
of parables is long.
00:15:37.57\00:15:39.93
It used to be that
early church fathers
00:15:39.97\00:15:44.71
and everything actually did
what we call allegorization,
00:15:44.74\00:15:48.41
and they would take
every detail of the parable,
00:15:48.44\00:15:52.65
and they would match it
up with some kind of thing.
00:15:52.68\00:15:55.12
The famous one on
this is the parable
00:15:55.15\00:15:56.82
of the good
Samaritan, and they--
00:15:56.85\00:15:59.62
the donkey is one thing,
and the inn is the church,
00:15:59.65\00:16:03.46
and the Samaritan is
Jesus, and the man is us, and,
00:16:03.49\00:16:07.86
you know, and the
denarius is-- [laughs]
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.17
everything has its
own-- every single detail.
00:16:10.20\00:16:14.44
There was a guy named Jülicher
who came along in the, like,
00:16:14.47\00:16:19.11
19th century, and
he put that all aside
00:16:19.14\00:16:22.28
and said these
were not allegories,
00:16:22.31\00:16:24.65
these were just analogies,
00:16:24.68\00:16:27.05
and that the evangelists
actually were the ones
00:16:27.08\00:16:30.22
that made 'em into allegories.
00:16:30.25\00:16:32.29
And actually today,
Jülicher is not accepted
00:16:32.32\00:16:36.12
by many interpreters
of the parables anymore.
00:16:36.16\00:16:38.76
But still people,
you know, challenge--
00:16:38.79\00:16:41.43
are challenged by the parables.
00:16:41.46\00:16:42.76
Sometimes the
parables get abused;
00:16:42.80\00:16:45.23
they get used in ways
that Jesus didn't mean.
00:16:45.27\00:16:48.27
Now, one of the
passages about the parables
00:16:48.30\00:16:51.34
that's very
striking and really takes a--
00:16:51.37\00:16:58.18
takes you aback is the verses
between the story of the parable
00:16:58.21\00:17:04.45
and Jesus'
interpretation of the parable
00:17:04.49\00:17:06.62
in Mark, chapter
4, verses 10 to 12.
00:17:06.65\00:17:08.96
So maybe you should
read that for us, Eric.
00:17:08.99\00:17:11.29
>>Eric: "But when He was alone,
those around Him with the twelve
00:17:11.33\00:17:14.03
"asked Him about the
parable. And He said to them,
00:17:14.10\00:17:17.53
"'To you it has been
given to know the mystery
00:17:17.57\00:17:20.30
"'of the kingdom of God;
but to those who are outside,
00:17:20.34\00:17:23.47
"'all things come in parables,
00:17:23.51\00:17:25.54
"'so that "Seeing they
may see and not perceive,
00:17:25.57\00:17:28.44
"'"and hearing they may
hear and not understand;
00:17:28.48\00:17:31.11
lest they should turn, and
their sins be forgiven them."'"
00:17:31.15\00:17:34.95
>>Tom: Wow, you know,
you read that and it's like,
00:17:34.98\00:17:38.15
my goodness, is Jesus--
00:17:38.19\00:17:39.95
Jesus is telling these parables
to keep them in the dark,
00:17:39.99\00:17:43.29
you know? He
wants them to be lost.
00:17:43.32\00:17:45.99
Well, that
actually doesn't match
00:17:46.03\00:17:48.13
with some of the other things
00:17:48.16\00:17:49.86
that we've read
already in this book.
00:17:49.90\00:17:52.80
If you read-- if
you go back to Mark 3,
00:17:52.83\00:17:55.27
we didn't read this part.
00:17:55.30\00:17:56.77
But at the beginning of Mark
3 in that controversy story,
00:17:56.81\00:18:00.08
there's the man
with the withered hand,
00:18:00.11\00:18:02.78
and Jesus asked the
question in Mark 3, verse 4:
00:18:02.81\00:18:06.48
"He said to them, 'Is it
lawful on the Sabbath to do good
00:18:06.51\00:18:09.32
"or to do harm, to save life or
to kill?' But they were silent.
00:18:09.35\00:18:15.59
"And He looked
around at them with anger,
00:18:15.62\00:18:18.36
"grieved at their
hardness of [their] heart,
00:18:18.39\00:18:21.10
"and said to the man,
'Stretch out your hand.'
00:18:21.13\00:18:23.70
He stretched it out,
and his hand was restored."
00:18:23.73\00:18:26.20
Now, here's the
interesting thing:
00:18:26.23\00:18:28.54
"He looked around
at them with anger."
00:18:28.57\00:18:32.27
He was angry.
00:18:32.31\00:18:33.74
Now, in Greek that
reference to anger is a--
00:18:33.78\00:18:39.95
in a past tense,
which gives the idea
00:18:39.98\00:18:42.02
of a momentary kind of anger.
00:18:42.05\00:18:45.29
But the word "grieved" is
a continuous kind of a thing.
00:18:45.32\00:18:48.96
He's--He
continues to be grieved.
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.66
So, it was--it made
Jesus angry or He became angry
00:18:51.69\00:18:57.30
when they would not,
you know, admit the truth,
00:18:57.33\00:19:02.94
but immediately His
compassion for people,
00:19:02.97\00:19:06.27
His sorrow comes in,
00:19:06.31\00:19:08.54
He's grieved at the
hardness of their heart,
00:19:08.58\00:19:10.61
so, this is not a Man who
wants people to, you know,
00:19:10.65\00:19:14.08
stay out of the kingdom.
00:19:14.12\00:19:15.42
This is not a Man who
wants people to be lost.
00:19:15.45\00:19:19.29
So, we have to look
for a different explanation
00:19:19.32\00:19:22.79
as we look at this passage.
00:19:22.82\00:19:24.39
So, in verse 10,
we go back to Mark 4,
00:19:24.43\00:19:27.30
and we look at verse
10: "When He was alone,
00:19:27.36\00:19:30.43
those around Him with the twelve
asked Him about the parables."
00:19:30.47\00:19:37.27
The group of people
illustrate the soils.
00:19:37.31\00:19:40.71
There's a group of people
that are listening to Him.
00:19:40.74\00:19:43.28
He tells the story,
He finishes teaching,
00:19:43.31\00:19:46.61
and what happens? They leave.
00:19:46.65\00:19:49.45
Most of them leave, but
some stay, they want more,
00:19:49.48\00:19:55.46
they want to hear more,
00:19:55.49\00:19:56.79
and it's not just the 12;
there's these other people.
00:19:56.83\00:19:59.43
"Those around Him
with the twelve asked Him
00:19:59.46\00:20:02.93
about the parables."
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.27
Now, that's a
very important verse
00:20:04.30\00:20:06.23
because it's the context
for what Jesus is gonna say.
00:20:06.27\00:20:09.60
"He said to them,
'To you has been given
00:20:09.64\00:20:11.94
the secret of the kingdom.'"
Because they were interested,
00:20:11.97\00:20:15.28
they wanted to know, you
know, what it was all about.
00:20:15.31\00:20:19.11
"But [to] those outside
everything is in parables"--
00:20:19.15\00:20:21.58
or in riddles.
Why is it in riddles?
00:20:21.62\00:20:25.42
Because they're
not serious about it.
00:20:25.45\00:20:27.46
They don't wanna know. They,
you know, there are some people
00:20:27.49\00:20:30.39
that they will
hear the gospel message,
00:20:30.43\00:20:32.63
and...they'll just hear it,
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.83
and they'll say,
"Well, that's nice.
00:20:36.87\00:20:39.27
It's a good story,
you know, and it's okay."
00:20:39.30\00:20:42.90
The gospel for them
is a little point of--
00:20:42.94\00:20:47.41
a little dip of paint on
their canvas of their life
00:20:47.44\00:20:50.05
here and there, a little color.
00:20:50.08\00:20:52.15
Ellen White uses this
illustration of a canvas.
00:20:52.18\00:20:54.15
She says that's not the way
the gospel is supposed to work
00:20:54.18\00:20:56.62
in your life.
00:20:56.65\00:20:57.95
The gospel in your life is
to be like the whole canvas
00:20:57.99\00:21:00.89
is dipped down into that
paint and dipped down again
00:21:00.92\00:21:04.39
until it just
permeates everything in that,
00:21:04.43\00:21:08.00
in your life. And
that's what it is.
00:21:08.03\00:21:11.13
"So that 'They may
indeed see but not perceive,
00:21:11.17\00:21:14.20
"'and may indeed
hear but not understand,
00:21:14.24\00:21:16.34
lest they should
turn and be forgiven.'"
00:21:16.37\00:21:18.61
If they would just turn,
00:21:18.64\00:21:20.94
they would be
forgiven of their sins.
00:21:20.98\00:21:22.61
So this--I, like I
said, I think, before,
00:21:22.64\00:21:27.68
I spent 6,000
words in my commentary
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.79
explaining this passage because
there's a whole lot more.
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.86
There's a whole lot more to it
than just what I've just said.
00:21:33.89\00:21:37.19
But that gives you the basic
gist of what this is about.
00:21:37.23\00:21:41.13
>>Eric: So a
powerful parable here of the--
00:21:41.16\00:21:43.06
of the different soils and
the different types of people
00:21:43.10\00:21:45.07
and how they respond or
don't respond to the gospel.
00:21:45.10\00:21:48.47
Jesus also emphasizes
some things in this parable
00:21:48.50\00:21:52.17
of the lamp in Mark 4:21-23.
00:21:52.21\00:21:54.61
>>Tom: Yeah, I
think we should read that.
00:21:54.64\00:21:55.94
>>Eric: All right.
"Also He said to them,
00:21:55.98\00:22:00.12
"'Is a lamp brought to be put
under a basket or under a bed?
00:22:00.15\00:22:03.65
"'Is it not to be
set on a lampstand?
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.89
"'For there is nothing hidden
which will not be revealed,
00:22:05.92\00:22:08.19
"'nor has
anything been kept secret
00:22:08.22\00:22:10.09
"'but that it
should come to light.
00:22:10.13\00:22:12.19
If anyone has ears
to hear, let him hear.'"
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.50
>>Tom: Okay, so this
is, actually it says here
00:22:14.56\00:22:19.37
"a" lamp and "a" basket.
00:22:19.40\00:22:22.07
But if I recall
correctly in the Greek,
00:22:22.10\00:22:24.21
actually it's "the"
lamp and "the" basket,
00:22:24.24\00:22:27.14
probably because
this was a poorhouse
00:22:27.18\00:22:28.54
where they had one lamp
and they had one basket.
00:22:28.58\00:22:31.65
And do you light a
lamp just to hide it away?
00:22:31.68\00:22:35.72
And of course, the answer
is, well, no, nobody does that.
00:22:35.75\00:22:38.52
You wouldn't do that.
00:22:38.55\00:22:39.85
And of course,
that's what you wouldn't do
00:22:39.89\00:22:41.19
with the gospel message.
00:22:41.22\00:22:42.46
Nothing is hidden
except to be made manifest.
00:22:42.49\00:22:45.13
Now, this is linking in again
to that secrecy relation motif
00:22:45.16\00:22:49.43
that we've talked about
00:22:49.46\00:22:50.77
that the things
are going to come out,
00:22:50.80\00:22:52.73
the truth is going to come out;
it's not going to stay hidden.
00:22:52.77\00:22:55.60
So, He says that
"nor is anything secret
00:22:55.64\00:22:58.61
except it come to light."
00:22:58.64\00:23:00.28
So, He says, if
you have ears to hear,
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.78
listen to what He's saying.
00:23:02.81\00:23:04.95
And actually, that's a
point for us as Christians.
00:23:04.98\00:23:09.62
We didn't get the gospel
message just to hide it away
00:23:09.65\00:23:12.92
in our own little church
or in our own life and say,
00:23:12.95\00:23:16.83
"Oh, this is such a wonderful
treasure. I'm so glad."
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.46
No, we're supposed to
share it with other people
00:23:19.49\00:23:22.26
who haven't had this good news
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.57
and whose lives are messed
up and who need that hope.
00:23:24.60\00:23:28.10
And so, it's really a call.
00:23:28.14\00:23:31.07
When you get the
light of the gospel,
00:23:31.11\00:23:33.21
you're not supposed to
just keep it to yourself.
00:23:33.24\00:23:36.31
You're supposed to
share it with other people.
00:23:36.34\00:23:38.61
I like the idea that we
have what are called GLOW tracts
00:23:38.65\00:23:42.55
and that you have something,
00:23:42.58\00:23:44.02
oh yes, it's really kind of
the light of the gospel message.
00:23:44.05\00:23:46.69
You have something
to share, a little GLOW.
00:23:46.72\00:23:48.96
We at one of my
churches, we do something called
00:23:48.99\00:23:51.89
Feeding America,
00:23:51.93\00:23:53.66
and it's a program to
help people who need food.
00:23:53.70\00:23:56.93
So I, as the pastor,
what I do is I go from car--
00:23:56.97\00:24:00.40
the people stay in their cars--
00:24:00.44\00:24:01.74
and I go from car to
car praying with people.
00:24:01.77\00:24:04.54
And I often give them
some, like a GLOW tract
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.04
or some piece of
literature to, you know,
00:24:07.08\00:24:09.64
help encourage their life. So,
yeah, yeah, share the message.
00:24:09.68\00:24:12.81
>>Eric: Very good.
00:24:12.85\00:24:14.75
So, we've looked at the soils;
we've looked at the, this lamp.
00:24:14.78\00:24:17.49
What about the
parable of the mustard seed
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.29
that we find in this chapter?
00:24:19.32\00:24:20.62
>>Tom: Yeah. It's in
verses 30-32. It's interesting.
00:24:20.66\00:24:23.53
It says, "And He said,
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.19
"'With what can we
compare the kingdom of God,
00:24:25.23\00:24:27.56
"'or what parable
shall we use for it?
00:24:27.60\00:24:29.93
"'It is like a
grain of mustard seed,
00:24:29.96\00:24:31.97
"'which, when
sown on the ground,
00:24:32.00\00:24:33.50
"'is the smallest of
all the seeds on earth,
00:24:33.54\00:24:35.77
"'yet when it is sown
it grows up and becomes
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.77
"'larger than
all the garden plants
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.47
"'and puts out large branches,
00:24:39.51\00:24:41.38
so that the birds of the air
can make nests in its shade.'"
00:24:41.41\00:24:45.41
That's interesting.
00:24:45.45\00:24:46.68
The mustard seed was, you now,
the mustard seed is very tiny.
00:24:46.72\00:24:50.62
Now, it's actually not the
smallest seed in the world.
00:24:50.65\00:24:53.46
Actually, I
think, of all things,
00:24:53.49\00:24:55.12
tobacco is this
little teeny tiny seed.
00:24:55.16\00:24:59.46
But it was the smallest
seed in Palestine and, you know,
00:24:59.49\00:25:03.60
that commonly people knew about.
00:25:03.63\00:25:06.03
So, it was the
smallest of the seeds.
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.37
And yet when you planted it,
00:25:08.40\00:25:10.04
it would become this
great big plant, you know?
00:25:10.07\00:25:12.94
So, a little tiny seed,
00:25:12.97\00:25:14.28
and it becomes
a great big plant.
00:25:14.31\00:25:17.31
So, you know, that's actually
an encouragement for people
00:25:17.35\00:25:21.82
who are--there's just a
few believers, and that is,
00:25:21.85\00:25:27.72
there's hope that
things can change,
00:25:27.76\00:25:30.26
hope that things can grow.
00:25:30.29\00:25:33.46
Small churches--I'm the
pastor of two smaller churches;
00:25:33.50\00:25:36.43
one is smaller than the other.
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.43
And we have
believers in some places
00:25:38.47\00:25:41.67
where there's just a handful,
00:25:41.70\00:25:43.51
just a handful of believers, and
it can be a little discouraging.
00:25:43.54\00:25:47.94
But basically, I think what
we should do in small churches,
00:25:47.98\00:25:51.35
and I guess since I'm
the pastor of a small church,
00:25:51.38\00:25:53.62
I have some
knowledge of some of this,
00:25:53.65\00:25:56.62
is not try to do everything.
00:25:56.65\00:25:58.89
If you look at
the church manual,
00:25:58.92\00:26:00.22
you got, like, 50 offices.
00:26:00.26\00:26:02.86
Well, you know,
don't fill all the offices.
00:26:02.89\00:26:05.73
Fill the ones that you can
do, don't overwhelm people,
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.36
but try to do something.
00:26:08.40\00:26:10.33
Try to do something
where you can share.
00:26:10.37\00:26:12.27
And the church has a whole
variety of resources available
00:26:12.30\00:26:15.77
that you can make use of
in your conference office.
00:26:15.80\00:26:18.71
And those GLOW
tracts we mentioned,
00:26:18.74\00:26:20.51
go and share something
with somebody and get started,
00:26:20.54\00:26:24.95
and it can be a blessing
to reach out to those folk.
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.95
>>Eric: So, it
doesn't have to be big.
00:26:27.98\00:26:29.95
It doesn't have to start
big; you just start like--
00:26:29.98\00:26:32.92
we just looked at
the parable of the lamp--
00:26:32.95\00:26:36.12
just start with what you have.
00:26:36.16\00:26:37.46
That little spark
is-- that's where a fire--
00:26:37.49\00:26:40.46
>>Tom: Start with
what you have is a good--
00:26:40.50\00:26:42.30
start with what you
have is a good example
00:26:42.33\00:26:44.83
or a good way to
begin. Start with that.
00:26:44.87\00:26:47.84
>>Eric: The simple thing is to
say, "Well, we don't have much,
00:26:47.87\00:26:49.77
so there's not much we can do."
00:26:49.80\00:26:51.37
But if you don't have much, that
implies you've got something.
00:26:51.41\00:26:54.61
>>Tom: Yep.
>>Eric: And so start with
00:26:54.64\00:26:55.94
that something and share that
something, share the gospel,
00:26:55.98\00:26:58.85
and you'll find that
it makes a big difference,
00:26:58.88\00:27:01.85
in fact, an eternal
difference in someone's life.
00:27:01.88\00:27:05.29
And so, if you'll
take that and share it,
00:27:05.32\00:27:07.96
gather together
with like-minded people,
00:27:07.99\00:27:09.66
if they're around, and
share what you do have.
00:27:09.69\00:27:12.86
We're looking at
the book of Mark.
00:27:12.89\00:27:14.66
It's a journey--
00:27:14.73\00:27:16.10
a journey that helps us
to see Jesus more clearly.
00:27:16.13\00:27:19.13
And if we look carefully,
it's a journey that helps us
00:27:19.17\00:27:21.80
to see us a little
bit more clearly as well
00:27:21.84\00:27:24.87
because our stories are woven
throughout the book of Mark,
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.14
and we can see where
Jesus touches each one of us
00:27:28.18\00:27:30.45
along the way of His journey.
00:27:30.48\00:27:33.82
And we are
continuing that journey
00:27:33.85\00:27:35.42
for another 9 weeks or so,
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.22
and we're continuing to
delve into the story of Jesus
00:27:38.25\00:27:41.19
and the gospel and what we
can learn from the book of Mark.
00:27:41.22\00:27:44.03
And we're excited that you
are on this journey with us,
00:27:44.06\00:27:47.23
and we look forward
to having you continue
00:27:47.23\00:27:49.03
that journey with us as
we look at the book of Mark,
00:27:49.06\00:27:52.00
the beautiful
picture of Jesus' ministry,
00:27:52.03\00:27:54.90
here on "Sabbath School,"
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:27:54.94\00:27:58.94
¤¤¤
00:27:58.97\00:28:03.14
[Captions provided by Aberdeen
Captioning www.abercap.com]
00:28:27.30\00:28:29.64