Mark 4: The Sower & Other Parables
Why do illustrations help people understand? How might they be a hindrance?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
How well do you think people understood his illustration about the sower? Why?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
Why did the disciples ask Jesus what the sower illustration meant?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
Why were the disciples given understanding, when others weren’t?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What does understanding the sower illustration have to do with understanding others?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
How is sharing God’s word like sowing seed?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
Why didn’t the Jews ever put a lamp under a basket?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
How comforting or discomforting is it to know that everything will be revealed? Why?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What can we do to better listen and understand?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What are the dangers of not listening?
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Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What makes God’s Kingdom like the farmer when he sows seed? If the disciples later asked Jesus to explain, what do you think he would have said?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What makes God’s Kingdom like a mustard seed?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
How did Jesus’ illustrations help people’s understanding? What was their effect if they didn’t want to understand?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
When Jesus asked to take a boat to the other side of the lake, did he know a storm was coming? Why?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
When large waves were crashing over the side of the boat, where were the boats that had followed? What happened to those people?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
In the midst of a violent storm, how could Jesus be sleeping?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
How real were the disciples’ fears that they were about to die?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What do you think would have happened if Jesus had not calmed the storm?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
Anybody can speak to a storm and then see the winds continue to rage. What was different about Jesus’ words that the waters calmed?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Paraphrase
King James
What was the weakness in the disciples’ faith? In what ways do you think their faith was affected by this experience?