Passage: Mark 4:1-20
By the time of our passage, Jesus has been ministering in the region of Galilee for over a year with no better than a mixed reception. The Jewish religious leaders rejected him outright and sought to have him killed. The crowds flocked around him but appeared more interested in what he could provide them in terms of food and healing than in their greater spiritual needs. His family thought he was crazy. Even his closest disciples were confused by his methods and teaching. The only ones who appeared to have a clear grasp on Jesus’ true identity were the demons, and Jesus was determined that they would not testify. It is into this environment that Jesus presents one of his most well-known parables, and while it speaks to his immediate situation, it also has tremendous implications for us.