20 Jul 2016, Mark 4:1-25 马可福音 4:1-25, Judgment by Parables 藉着比喻的审判

Posted on Jul 10, 2016 in Devotions, Mark |

Scripture Reading        : Mark 4:1-25

Theme                            : Judgment by Parables

 

  1. The Purpose of Parables. When the people, especially the religious leaders (the Pharisees), started to show serious antagonism towards Jesus, to the extent that they blaspheme against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:22-30), Jesus began to speak to them in parables. The real purpose of parables is a sign of judgment (Mark 4:11-12), so that those who reject the Word of God will also not be able to understand His Word. And if sinners do not know God’s Word, they will not be saved.
  1. The Meaning of the Parable. The parable of the sower talks about four types of ground – the path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil. Jesus explained the parable to the disciples: the path represents people who hear the Word of God but immediately rejects it, rocky ground represents people who accepted God’s Word but did not persevere during suffering, the thorns represents people who hear God’s Word but unwilling to give up the pleasures of this world, the good soil represents people who accept the Word of God and persevere, bearing fruit in the end. Only the good soil represents true believers who are genuinely saved.
  1. The Warning after the Parable. The analogy of the lamp that is not placed under a basket is a warning that it is not possible to be a genuine believer but not bear any fruit. This follows the parable of the sower closely as a further illustration of the good soil that will bear fruit.

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. Much of what God has revealed to us in the Bible is quite easy to understand (e.g. having lustful thoughts equates to committing adultery, homosexuality is sin, etc.). The real problem is that sinners refuse to accept or believe God’s Word. If sinners continue to reject the Word of God, their hearts will become so numbed by sin that they cannot understand even the simplest teaching from the Bible (1 Cor 2:14). When this happens, it is a clear sign of God’s judgment. Let us pray for soft and humble hearts that is ready to accept and believe God’s Word.
  1. The parable of the sower shows that we should not be selective in sharing the Gospel with unbelievers. We are not the ones who can tell who is what type of ground. We simply preach the Gospel to everyone, and the type of ground will reveal itself in time to come. Let us pray that we will be bold in preaching the Gospel and not give excuses.
  1. The passage is very clear that genuine believers will bear fruit. Bearing fruit is not the cause of our salvation, but the effect/result of our salvation (James 2:17-18). If we have been giving excuses for not bearing fruit, let us repent from this sin and pray that God equip us to serve Him and bear fruit.
 
 
 

经文：马可福音4:1-25

主题：藉着比喻的审判

 

  1. 使用比喻的目的。当人，尤其宗教领袖（法利赛人）开始对耶稣展示深厚敌意，甚至亵渎圣灵时（3:22-30），耶稣就用比喻跟他们说话。使用比喻的真正目的是作审判的迹象（11-12节），叫拒绝神话语的人不能明白神的话。而倘若罪人不晓得神的话，他们就不能得救。
  1. 比喻的意思。撒种的比喻叙述四种土地：路旁、石头地、荆棘和好土。耶稣向门徒解释，路旁代表的是听到神话语却立刻拒绝的人；石头地代表接受神话语但无法在患难中忍耐的人；荆棘代表听到神话语但不愿舍弃世上享乐的人；好土代表接受神话语，又能忍耐到底并结果子的人。唯有好土代表真实得救的属实信徒。
  1. 比喻后的警告。不放在斗底下的灯的比喻是一个警告：真实信徒是不可能不结果子的。这比喻紧跟在撒种的比喻后，以延伸好土会结果子之意。

 

用经文祷告

  1. 神在圣经里向我们启示的内容大部分都是较容易理解的（如：动淫念的便是犯奸淫，同性恋是罪，等）。真正的问题是罪人拒绝接受或相信神的话。若罪人继续拒绝神的话，他们的心会对罪如此麻木，叫他们无法明白圣经里最简单的教导（林前2:14）。若这事发生，那就是神审判的明确迹象。让我们祷告我们能有柔软谦卑的心，能随时接受并相信神的话。
  1. 撒种的比喻显示我们不能挑选要向哪个非信徒传福音。我们不能看出谁属哪一种土；我们仅要向众人传福音，而时间会证明谁是哪种土。让我们祷告我们能在传福音上有胆量，而不是找借口不传。
  1. 这段经文很明确：真实信徒会结果子。结果子并不是救恩之源，乃是得救的结果或效果（各2:17-18）。我们若一向都在给予不结果子的借口，我们就要从这罪中悔改，并祈求神能装备我们好服侍祂并结果子。