As I was reading through Mark 4 this morning, I began envisioning the scene. Jesus is standing near the edge of the shore when people start packing in. The crowd grows and grows. Jesus raises His voice a little louder so the people in the back could hear as well. Then more people came and He steps up on to a pile of rocks they made Him so His voice projects a little further. Finally, He steps into a boat and sets out 50 yards so He can address the whole crowd who has now pushed up to the shoreline to make sure they get at good view and ear to hear what He's saying. He begins this new teaching on a farmer who went along scattering seed...
The men, I can imagine, nod along as they are tracking along. After all, they are in an agricultural era so they understand how seeds work. Frustration at those stupid birds that keep taking their seed rise up as Jesus explains the path. Memories of fresh crops sprouting up only to be withered later by the sun bringing disappointment to their hearts as Jesus moves on. They're tracking along with the backside of the story. "And the other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty fold, and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." The farmers smile as they remember the good years of harvest they had and how they could give some away and had plenty for the next year. They remember the parties and celebrations they had at the big harvest times. The wives remember making all of the food and the peace they had that their family was taken care of. The kids remember how happy their parents were and how long those days seemed to be when they had to keep working. Many people are tracking along with personal experience, others are imagining based on their neighbors work. Then Jesus does something crazy.
"He who has ears let him hear." Aka "Alright, if you hear me, understand what I'm saying."
Then blesses them sits down in the boat and rows to the other side.
And the crowd stands bumfuzzled.
Wait, what?! What was the point? He gave the backstory but....where's the rest of it. I thought He was a religious teacher, why is He teaching about farming then? People look back and forth at each other like "Did you get it? Cause I didn't." Another guy pretends to have gotten it because he zoned out for the last five minutes, so he joins in pretending like he was paying attention the whole time. Then he realizes no one else got it either so he jumps on that train. And the packed shore is still standing there waiting for the punchline... still waiting.
Imagine the teaching going something like this: "If you go to McDonalds and get a Big Mac you'll get a cheeseburger with 2 patties, 3 pieces of bread, special sauce, lettuce and others. You can get a value meal and get fries and a drink. If you get a Happy Meal it will feed a child with a smaller cheeseburger, fries, a drink, and a toy. If you heard me, understand what I'm saying."
What?! That doesn't make any sense. Understand what? What are you saying?
This is the reaction the people had to Jesus' teaching (I have a feeling more often than not). But there was something about the way He spoke and addressed them that made them feel good. They didn't get it, but they got something. Enough to keep them coming back. I'm afraid most people didn't understand tho. The disciples we read in v10 came to Jesus afterwards and say "Hey, the seeds. We don't get it. McDonalds, seems a few fries short of completion. Explain that."
Jesus then responds, "You have been given the secrets to the Kingdom of God. To everyone else their just stories so they can hear it and see it but not understand so that they won't repent and be forgiven."
That's where I got confused. So they won't repent and be forgiven? Wasn't that the point of Jesus coming? What?
So I read some commentaries which didn't fully help, but lead me to dialogue with the Holy Spirit about what was up here. The following is what He was teaching me from this.
Why shouldn't they repent?
Because I don't want them brought into a concept, I want them brought into the Kingdom.
(At this point, sometimes I go off to wonder what that meant rather than just ask. This time I remembered to ask.)
What do you mean brought into a concept instead of the Kingdom?
Many times people are prone to get an idea, and run with it, creating a whole set of believes off of an idea or concept. Could you imagine how many people wanted to take one of Jesus' teaching's and run with it creating a whole doctrine, denomination, or religion out of one concept. I hid these from people because in the Kingdom there's more than one concept. It's not based around one teaching, it's based around a series of principals that are held in tension. I revealed the answers and meanings to those who were constantly with me, the ones who would get the whole story. The closest followers who heard every sermon, every message, and every meaning had a fuller picture of how they were all held together. Others would have took one idea and left and started a whole other movement based on something Jesus said, when it wasn't complete. It's the same reason I held you in first year (of the school of ministry I'm going to) all year without letting you go out and teach. You had great teaching, but you needed the other side of the coin, the full spectrum before you were ready to teach and explain it. I want people to come into the truth and reality of the Godhead and Our ways rather than one way.
Now, I realize that there's more here in this passage. I'm not saying this is the final explanation. But I'm saying this is what God taught me this morning through it. Take away points for you: 1) envision the Bible stories. Use your imagination to see, feel, think the way they did. 2) interesting how some people will get part of it, but won't get all of it. I love how God won't allow someone to get swept up into a false doctrine (which is what 1 piece of truth, when made into the whole truth is), because He wants to wait until they have a fuller view of the Truth.
