Mark 4:3-9

(… in his teaching he said to them: ) “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

As in Tibet, people in Israel were familiar with the methods of sowing grain. In that case about what matter was Jesus  speaking? Was he really talking about barley?

What he said from the boat could be heard clearly, so what kind of ears did they need for hearing his parable?

 

Mark 4:1,2

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him,  so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! … .”

When the crowds kept pressing on Him, how could Yeshu teach? From a boat was one way. first on the near shore,  also on the far side of the lake, and then back again. He taught in the hills, He taught in lonely places; and both in his own valley, and in the capital city and its neighborhood; and even in other prefectures.

People wanted healing; they also wanted freedom from suffering. So He healed them, and they also listened. But his preaching was not about political matters. He used few religious words, but spoke using illustrations that they could understand about farming and life in the home. Read the next message which is his first parable. Of what is it a picture?

Mark 3:31-35

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Those who sat at Yeshu’s feet to learn how they may obey God, they were His real family; it is what he said.

As for those who believe in Him today, 2000 years later, and seek to do God’s will, though they are not His Jewish relatives, yet He calls them His own true family.