Parable 30:
The Sower
Revised Standard Version
Last Revised: 6/9/00
Mark 4:3-9, 13-20
Block Diagram: 
Parable
     4.1      And
               again
(A)      he began teaching
               beside the sea.

              And
(B)      a very large crowd gathered
                               about him,
                                             after having gotten into a boat
                               so that he sat down
                                             on the sea,
              and
(C)      all the crowd was
                          by the sea
                          on the land.

    4.2       And
(D)      he was teaching them
               by means of many parables
              and
(E)      -- was saying
               to them
               in his teaching,
 (1)4.3                        Listen.

                                    Behold,
 (2)                           the sower went out
                                            to sow.

    4.4                             And
 (3)                           it happened
                                     while he was sowing

                                one fell
                                       by the path,
                                     and
                                the birds came
                                     and
                                they completely ate it.
    
                                    And
 (4)4.5                        another fell
                                          on the rocky ground
                                                          where there was little soil,
                                    and
                                     immediately
 (5)                           it sprang up
                                     because it did not have depth of soil;

    4.6                             and
                                     when the sun came up
 (6)                           it was scorched,

                                    and
                                     because it did not have proper root
 (7)                           it withered.

    4.7                             And
 (8)                           another fell
                                          among thorns
                                    and
 (9)                           the thorns came up
                                    and
(10)                           they choked it,
                                    and
(11)                           it did not bear fruit.

    4.8                             And
(12)                           others fell
                                         on the good soil,
                                    and
(13)                           they were bearing fruit
                                       coming up
                                          and
                                       growing,
                                    and
(14)                           they were bearing fruit
                                one thirtyfold
                                     and
                                one sixtyfold
                                     and
                                one hundredfold.

    4.9       And
(F)      he was saying,
                             He who has ears to hear
(15)                    let him hear.

-----------------------------------
Explanation

    4.13      And
(G)      he said
               to them,
(16)                    Do you not know this parable,
                             and
(17)                    how will you understand all parables?

(18)4.14                The sower sows the word.

    4.15                     And
(19)                    these are the ones by the path
                                                     where the word is sown,
                             and
                                 when they hear
                                 immediately
(20)                    Satan comes
                             and
(21)                    he takes away the word
                                             which had been sown
                                                      in them.

    4.16                     And
(22)                    these are the ones sown
                                              on the rocky ground

                                                when they hear the word
                                                immediately
                                                with joy
                                         who receive it,
4.17                                            and
                                         --- do not have root
                                                 within themselves
                                                but
                                         --- are not lasting;
                             then
                                when affliction or persecution comes
                                because of the word
                                immediately
(23)                    they are offended.

    4.18                     And
(24)                    others are the ones sown
                                               among thorns;

(25)                    these are the ones 
                                         who hear the word

    4.19                     and
(26)                    the cares of this age
                             and
                        the deceitfulness of riches
                             and                        entering in
                        the desires for other things choke the word,
                             and
(27)                    it is unfruitful.

    4.20                     And
(28)                    these are the ones sown
                                              on the good soil,

                                         who hear the word
                                              and
                                         --- welcome it in
                                              and
                                         --- bear fruit,

                                          one thirtyfold
                                               and
                                          one sixtyfold
                                               and
                                                        one hundredfold.
 

Semantic Diagram:

               ---------------------------------------- (A)
               |
          -----|--------------------------------------- (B)
          |    |
          |    ---------------------------------------- (C)
          |
          |    ---------------------------------------- (D)
          |    |
     -----|    |         ------------------------------ (E)
     |    |    |         |     
     |    |    |         |    -------------------------  (1)
     |    |    |    -----|    |   
     |    |    |    |    |    |    --------------------  (2)
     |    |    |    |    |    |    |
     |    |    |    |    -----|    |    ---------------  (3)
     |    -----|    |         |    |    |
     |         |    |         |    |    |         -----  (4)
     |         |    |         -----|    |    -----|
     |         |    |              |    |    |    -----  (5)
     |         |    |              |    |----|
     |         |    |              |    |    |    -----  (6)
     |         |    |              |    |    -----|
     |         |    |              |    |         -----  (7)
     |         |    |              -----|
     |         |    |                   |         -----  (8)
     |         |    |                   |    -----|
     |         |    |                   |    |    -----  (9)
     |         |    |                   |----|
     |         -----|                   |    |    -----  (10)
     |              |                   |    -----|
     |              |                   |         -----  (11)
     |              |                   |
     |              |                   |    ----------  (12)
     |              |                   -----|
     |              |                        |    -----  (13)
     |              |                        -----|
     |              |                             -----  (14)
     |              |
     |              |    ------------------------------ (F)
     |              -----|
     |                   ------------------------------  (15)
     |
     |    --------------------------------------------- (G)
     |    |
     |    |         -----------------------------------  (16)
     -----|    -----|
          |    |    -----------------------------------  (17)
          |    |
          -----|    -----------------------------------  (18)
               |    |         
               |    |         -------------------------  (19)
               -----|    -----|
                    |    |    -------------------------  (20)
                    |    |
                    |    |    -------------------------  (21)
                    |    -----|
                    |    |    -------------------------  (23)
                    -----|
                         |    -------------------------  (24)
                         |----|
                         |    |    --------------------  (25)
                         |    -----|
                         |         |    ---------------  (26)
                         |         -----|
                         |              ---------------  (27)
                         |
                         ------------------------------  (28)
 

Exegetical Outline:
I. (A-15)________________________________________________________________
A. (A-C)____________________________________________________________
1. (A)_________________________________________________________

2. (B)_________________________________________________________

3. (C)_________________________________________________________

B. (D-15)___________________________________________________________
1. (D)_________________________________________________________

2. (E-15)______________________________________________________

a) (E-14)_________________________________________________
(1) (E)_______________________________________________

(2) (1-14)____________________________________________

(a) (1)__________________________________________

(b) (2-14)_______________________________________

i)   (2)_____________________________________

ii)  (3-14)__________________________________

b) (F-15)_________________________________________________
(1) (F)_______________________________________________

(2) (15)______________________________________________

II. (G-28)________________________________________________________________
A. (G)______________________________________________________________

B. (16-28)__________________________________________________________

1. (16-17)_____________________________________________________
a) (16)___________________________________________________

b) (17)___________________________________________________

2. (18-28)_____________________________________________________
a) (18)___________________________________________________

b) (19-20)________________________________________________

(1) (19)______________________________________________

(2) (20)______________________________________________

c) (21-22)________________________________________________
(1) (21)______________________________________________

(2) (22)______________________________________________

d) (23-27)________________________________________________
(1) (24)______________________________________________

(2) (25-27)___________________________________________

(a) (25)_________________________________________

(b) (26-27)______________________________________

i)   (26)____________________________________

ii)  (27)____________________________________

e) (28)___________________________________________________
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