Mark 4:21-25

Mark 4:21

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

a. Amplified Bible: And He said to them, Is the lamp brought in to be put under a peck measure or under a bed, and not [to be put] on the lampstand?

1. “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed…”

a. a bushel [3426 * modios] [Strong:  of Latin origin; a modius, i.e. certain measure for things dry (the quantity or the utensil):--bushel.]

b.  a bed [2825 * kline] [Strong: from 2827; a couch (for sleep, sickness, sitting or eating):--bed, table.]

1). Jesus used this same example in the Sermon on the Mount when pointing to the lives of his disciples.

a). Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

2). In Mark 1:21 Jesus is speaking of the same thing but he is deepening and broadening the message. Jesus is right in the middle of pointing out the differences in hearts in how they receive the word. He did not change the subject and start talking about lamps or candles; he is still talking about the Scripture, but as we shall see, he is speaking of the effect of the Scripture in the lives of his disciples.

a). Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

b). 1 Peter 1:13 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

c). The Greek word for “light” in 1 Peter 1:13 is the same as “candle” in Mark 4:21.

2. “…and not to be set on a candlestick?”

a. a candlestick [3087 * luchnia] [Strong: from 3088; a lamp-stand (literally or figuratively):--candlestick.]

1). God’s word was designed to be seen and to give light.

Mark 4:22

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

a. Classic Amplified Bible: Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation. For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything temporarily kept secret except in order that it may be made known.

1. “For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested…”

a. manifested [5319 * phaneroo] [Strong: from 5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively):--appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).]

1). What Jesus was referring to essentially was the hidden wisdom of the gospel and the plan of redemption, hid in secret, but would be revealed to the world.  

a). Matthew 23:34, 35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

(1) That “prophet” was one of the writers of the Psalms.

(2) Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

2). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is what was hid from the beginning of the world, but is now revealed by the word, according to the commandment of God. The plan of redemption is older that the earth.

a). 1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

b). Romans 16:25, 26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

3). It is God’s will for all men and women, boys and girls to be saved and be enlightened by the truth.

a). 1 Timothy 2:3, 4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2. “…neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.”

a. abroad [5318 * phaneros] [Strong:  from 5316; shining, i.e. apparent (literally or figuratively); neuter (as adverb) publicly, externally:--abroad, + appear, known, manifest, open (+ -ly), outward (+ -ly).]

1). As said above, it is the will of God that the Gospel go forth over the whole earth and be received by all men and women.

a). Acts 17:26, 27 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Mark 4:23

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

a. Classic Amplified Bible:  If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.

1. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

a. ears [3775 * ous] [Strong: apparently a primary word; the ear (physically or mentally):--ear.]

d. to hear [191 * akouo] [Strong: a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

1). My guess is that the majority of people listening to Jesus during this teaching had physical ears and could hear, but Jesus wasn’t talking about physical ears or hearing with them. Jesus was referring to spiritual hears and hearing with our spirit.

a). Isaiah 50:4, 5 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

2). We have spiritual senses.

a).Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

b). Isaiah 55:1, 2 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

2). Through sin and disobedience we can harden our heart and lose them.

a). 1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

b). Isaiah 6:9, 10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

c). Matthew 13:13-15 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

d). Acts 28:24-27 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

28:25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

28:27   For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Mark 4:24

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

a. NLT: Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.

b. Classic Amplified Bible: And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

1). The meaning of virtue and knowledge includes wisdom, faith, grace, power, and spiritual insight.

1. “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear…”

a. take heed [Strong: blepo  blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.] [Bullinger: to look, see, have the power of sight applied to mental vision or consideration, to consider, to take to heart, employed to express a more intent, earnest spiritual contemplation.] [Strong: a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.]

1). Jesus is clearly saying to us that we must give intentional earnest spiritual contemplation to the Scripture.

b. what [5101 * tis] [Strong: probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

c. ye hear [191 * akouo] [Strong: a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

1). Proverbs 19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

2. “…with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you…”

a. measure [metron * 3358] [Zodhiates: a measure of capacity, a portion measured out or allotted.] [Strong: an apparently primary word; a measure ("metre"), literally or figuratively; by implication, a limited portion (degree):-- measure.]

b. ye mete [3354 * metreo] [Zodhiates: to measure] [Strong: from 3358; to measure (i.e. ascertain in size by a fixed standard); by implication, to admeasure (i.e. allot by rule):--figuratively, to estimate:--measure, mete.]

c. it shall be measured [3354 * metreo] [Zodhiates: to measure] [Strong: from 3358; to measure (i.e. ascertain in size by a fixed standard); by implication, to admeasure (i.e. allot by rule):--figuratively, to estimate:--measure, mete.]

1). Basically, what is being said is the amount of effort we put in is the amount of blessing we will get out. The Amplified translation I believe hits it right on. “The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you and more besides.” Inserted here can be all the exhortations to meditate God’s word. All of the passages on meditation and the benefits they mention are complemented by what Jesus said.

2).  Classic Amplified Bible: And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

3. “…and unto you that hear shall more be given.”

a. that hear [191 * akouo] [Strong: a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

1). Not only will we receive back what effort we put in, but here Jesus says more will be given, wisdom, faith, power.

a). Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

b). Joshua 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

c). Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

(1) The Hebrew word for “prosperous” in Joshua 1:8 and “prosper” in Psalm 1:3 is also the same Hebrew word used in 1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”

(2) The Hebrew word translated in the English “came upon” in 1 Samuel 16:13 is Strong’s number 6743 [came upon 6743 tsâlach, tsaw-lakh'; or צָלֵחַ tsâlêach; a primitive root; to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):—break out, come (mightily), go over, be good, be meet, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send) prosper(-ity, -ous, -ously).]

(3) One of the benefits of meditating the word of God is the Holy Spirit of God will come upon us. When the Spirit of the Lord come upon David, he killed a lion, a bear, and a giant named Goliath.

2). Here is an example giving attention, thought, study, meditation, to God’s word, and getting more besides. In the first passage we have Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus giving attention to God’s word. In the second passage we have Mary because she gave attention to God’s word getting more besides.

a). Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

b). John 12:1-7 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

(1) In Matthew’s account we get more detail on what Jesus said.

(2) Matthew 26:10-13 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

(3) In this passage we see Mary receiving a revelation of the death and burial of Jesus and she was literally anointing his body for burial before his death. Jesus said that the gospels record of it would be a memorial to her. Praise God! What an honor to be given to this woman. She was acting on revelation knowledge and yet Jesus’ own close followers were clueless.

Mark 4:25

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

1. “For he that hath…”

a. For he that hath, hath what? Has taken heed, has applied mental vision, has given earnest spiritual contemplation!

2. “…to him shall be given…”

a. To him shall be given what? Just what the word says, more of the things that are freely given to us from God.

1).1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

3. “…and he that hath not…”

a. Hath not what? Has not taken heed, has not applied mental vision, has not given earnest spiritual contemplation.

4. “…from him shall be taken even that which he hath.”

a. Matthew 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

1). understandeth [Strong: 4920 syníēmi, soon-ee'-ay-mee; from G4862 and ἵημι híēmi (to send); to put together, i.e. (mentally) to comprehend; by implication, to act piously:—consider, understand, be wise.] [Zodhiates: The comprehending activity of the mind denoted by suniemi entails the assembling of individual facts into an organized whole, as collecting the pieces of a pussel and putting them together. Such understanding includes the moral and religious awareness of man’s heart.] [Vine: primarily, to bring or set together, it is used metaphorically of perceiving, understanding, uniting (sun), so to speak, the perception with what is perceived.]

2). [it] not [Strong: 3361 mḗ, may; a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:—any but (that), × forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

a). On the face of this sentence fragment these individuals did not understand the word they heard. No big deal they just didn't get. But looking deeper into the meaning of the Greek word for “understanding” we get a different picture. These individuals did not consider the word, they did not assemble the individual facts into an organized whole, they did not collect the pieces of a puzzle and put them together.