GOSPEL READING
THE GOSPEL OF MARK
THE KINGDOM GROWS: MARK 4,26-34
As I have noted earlier, we can take these two parables as being once again addressed to the crowd. The agricultural theme is similar to the parable of the seed and the opening is simply "He said" without the "to them". Consider where Jesus is, see verses 35-36.
Unlike the parable of the seed, we are told that both parables are about the kingdom of God (verses 26 and 30). The first (4,26-29) is unique to this Gospel. The second is told by Matthew (Mt 13,31-32) as part of his presentation of Jesus' parable discourse. It is also found in Luke (Lk 13,18-19). What can we conclude by Mark putting these two parables together as he has?
Both parables can be seen teaching with contrasts. What is the contrast in the first parable? St Paul says something similar writing to the Corinthians: 1 Cor 3,6, though there is also a notable difference.
The harvest then comes at the end of time - see Joel 3,13 and also the Apocalypse, Apoc 14,14-20.
Read then the parable of the mustard tree as complementary to the first parable. Some background here is Daniel 4,12 or Ezekiel 17,23.
Finally, we come to verses 33-34 which conclude the discourse. How is the style of these verses different from those in verses 10-12? Compare verse 33 especially with 4,11-12. (It will help to compare translations for verse 33).
Now go to my response.
The Sunday Gospel
These two parables are read as the Gospel for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time as we saw in the overview.
The accompanying reading from the Old Testament is taken from the prophet Ezekiel, Ezk 17,22-24. Read this passage in your Bibles together with the first part of the chapter, Ezk 17,1-10. Take 2 Sam 7,11-16, Is 11,1, Jer 23,5 and Micah 4,1 as guides. How then does this reading go with the Gospel?
Go again to my response.
We are therefore ready to conclude this chapter by reading about the storm, 4,35-41.