Mark 4:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Gospel reveals that our Lord communicated profound truths to the apostles. The prophecy regarding Him states: ... I will open My mouth in parables; I will speak of the mysteries established since the foundation of the world (Psalm 77:2; cf. Matthew 13:35). The potency of the word, which has been bestowed upon us, is both mighty and transformative; anyone who has fully embraced and internalized it finds themselves drawn to it with deep and personal connection (cf. Heb. 4:12).

At that time, even the most devoted followers of Jesus, His apostles, lacked a complete understanding of what they had witnessed and heard. Mark the Evangelist indicates that they struggled to grasp the significance of the parable of the sower, prompting Christ to question them: "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?"

The Savior was prompt in providing His apostles, who would become the future bearers of His mission, with a comprehensive interpretation of the parable. When questioned about His use of parables in teaching the crowds, the Savior explained that this method was the only means suitable for enlightening the people, ‘who seeing see not, and hearing hear not, neither understand.’ As the prophet Isaiah stated, ‘the heart of this people is hardened, and they can hardly hear with their ears, and have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts’ (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Do you not comprehend this parable? How is that possible? The parable of the sower and the seed acts as the cornerstone for the subsequent parables about the Kingdom of God, not only because it is the first in this series but also due to its significance and its relative simplicity compared to the others. If the disciples found it challenging to grasp, they would likely struggle even more with the parables that follow. However, the explanation provided serves as a key, enabling them to unlock the meanings behind the subsequent teachings. This is not a critique of the disciples for their lack of understanding; rather, it is a rhetorical method designed to highlight the significance of this parable and those that come after it.

After the Lord had sent the crowds away and entered the home, He was alone with His disciples. Those who were close to Him, including the twelve apostles, approached Him with a question: “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He responded, “The reason is that to you has been granted the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them it has not been given. They only perceive the surface, and all they receive is in parables; thus, I speak to them in parables because seeing, they do not truly see, and hearing, they do not really hear or grasp the meaning.