Mark 4:11 – Jesus has just told the parable of the Sower, the Seeds, and the Soil… and The Twelve and other serious disciples come to him alone for instruction. They asked and he answered – the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. To whom? It’s given to those who seek it, who come close, who ask for answers.
Why are there “secrets”? The word mysterion – isn’t like a “who done it” mystery, but something that has been hidden and now is revealed. Why hide it? Well, partly because we are “children” and our understanding is limited. Then parents don’t always tell children everything, you stay with what matters and in proper timing can be understood.
The scriptures tell us parts of the story of God and Man, but there is a decidedly Israeli perspective because they were the “chosen” people of God. God was doing something through them, though, for ALL of mankind. In heaven will be an innumerable multitude from EVERY people, but God was using the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to produce the line through which Jesus would come for all, for any who would believe.
Secrets are also mysteries because God so chooses, and he is Sovereign and thus not required to tell, to reveal, everything.
Yet – if we will come, if we will listen, then mysteries can be revealed
The Sower sows a Seed, and we who have come, have understood, want to join in the revelation of the mystery.
Even the awful reality of the cross was advanced because the mystery was hidden. 1 Corinthians 2:7–9 (CSB) — 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.
If God didn’t keep parts of the plan a mystery, the cross doesn’t happen, our sins are not redeemed. He didn’t force the unjust killing of Christ, but used the unjust action to bring justification for all who receive. v9 God has prepared these things…
Mark 4:12 then Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10 – the first instruction to Isaiah. The idea there is not that men’s hearts were hardened without reason, but as a result of their OWN act of hardening, So God further moved them down their self-chosen path.
But if we will come to him, come as these in Mark, alone, with ears to listen, and ask, he answers.
And Jesus begins to explain the parable, but says in v13 don’t you understand this? Who then will you understand all the parables?
This is the basic stuff, Jesus is saying, let’s start at the basic, the secret is the sower sows the word… and there are different kinds of soil and response.
Different Types of Soil – Hard, Shallow, Unfruitful, and Good
Let’s go there for a minute
- Hard Ground – the Path. Nothing gets in, predators steal the seed, it is open to the predatory purloinment of the personification of evil.
- Shallow Soil – Rocky Ground – it is receptive, receives with joy – but have no depth to grow, no roots to sustain survival, open game for distress and persecution
- Thorny soil – there is plenty of soil there because the thorny weeds are growing. But those weeds have taken over the soil, consume the nutrients and nothing is left for the seed. It grows, but it doesn’t produce fruit. The deceitfulness of the age steals the opportunity for production. Sounds like it’s alive, but distracted from its purpose because the weeds run rampant
- Seeds Sown on Good Ground – they hear, welcome, produce fruit
If we are going to sow with The Sower – we have good seed, but what are we doing about the soil? What do we do with this conundrum?
- Only sow seed ON Good Ground? maybe
- Be ground Inspectors? maybe
- Be ground Preparers? maybe
- Perhaps we need to be doing ALL of those things
Interestingly – the Isaiah 6:9-10 quote, I don’t believe is saying “don’t tell”, but it is both a bit of “reverse psychology” and a statement of the reality. Not All WILL come, but in Isaiah’s life, God has just revealed himself to Isaiah. Isaiah sought God in the tragedy of Uzziah’s death, and he saw God’s Holiness. That revelation revealed his own unholiness, and he cried out for cleansing and the Lord forgave and cleansed him.
From that cleansed position… Isaiah hears God say, who will I send, who will go for us? And Isaiah throws up his hand and says, “Send ME! Pick Me Lord, Use me Lord!”
The Secret is the Sower has Seed to Sow, and He invites us into the work if we will hear and desire to join him, prepare the field, cast the seed, and move toward the harvest.
Now that you know, are you in? are you joining The Sower, and sowing the word?
