With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given

 

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  

 

Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  

 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. 

 

- Mark 4:21–34 

 

Yesterday we read that once again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat on it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it become unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 

  Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."   Jesus speaks of believers as "light" in the Sermon on the Mount, and uses these words here regarding the lampstand (see Matthew 5:14-16).  Here in this context He speaks again of the revelation of mysteries, contained in the parables He gives to the people, for those who have ears to hear.

Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  My study Bible says that this is a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  We must not only hear, but hear properly.  It says that more will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts, and they will grow in understanding.  My study Bible quotes St. Mark the Ascetic, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."   Again, words Jesus uses here are also found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel, and also in Luke's Gospel, each in a different context (see Matthew 7:2; Luke 6:38).  No doubt this spiritual truth, applicable to many circumstances, was repeated by Christ many times.

 

 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  My study Bible tells us that this parable occurs only in the Gospel of St. Mark.  The kingdom, it explains, is a reference to the whole span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see Christ's explanation of the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading, above).  The man's sleep, in this understanding, indicates the death of Christ, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows shows that Jesus does not manipulate people's response to the gospel; rather, each is free to receive it and to let it grow in one's own heart.  The harvest indicates the Second Coming, when everyone will be judged on their reception of the gospel.

 

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   In St. Matthew's Gospel, this parable is paired with the parable of the leaven (see Matthew 13:31-33).  Both illustrate the explosive and expansive growth of the Kingdom.  According to Theophylact (noted in my study Bible) this represents the disciples, who began as a few, but "soon encompassed the whole world."  These also stand for faith entering a person's soul, causing an inward growth of virtue.  Thus the soul can become godlike and even receive angels (the birds of the air may nest under its shade). 

 

 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study Bible comments that, to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  to those with simple faith, it notes, these stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.

My study Bible explains that the Hebrew and Aramaic words for parable also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb."   In yesterday's reading, Jesus told the disciples, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables . . .."  So, my study Bible comments, this can also be translated as ". . . all things come in riddles."  So, as we read these various parables given to us here, and taught to the crowds by Jesus, let us note first of all that He explains them privately to His disciples later.  That is, for those with what we might call receptive ears, so to speak, Jesus continues to elaborate the meanings of the "riddles" hidden in these parables.  Such it is that we may also assume we will find meanings in the parables, and that, through faith, they may continue to render meanings applicable to our lives even at various times in our lives.  We can see through patristic commentary and even the short notes in my study Bible, various understandings are possible, as the teachings of Jesus apply to so much and so many circumstances -- whether that be the apostles sent out as "seeds" or even the Church itself as a grain of mustard seed that grows with expansive growth.  Even as individuals, we also may experience the same growth that works in us and produces expressions in our lives at various times, even so that we also may harbor angels and their work and guidance to us (as they ministered to Jesus in the wilderness during His time of temptation; see Mark 1:13).  So when we read these parables, let us do so with open hearts and open ears.  We should not be surprised if, through faith, glimmers of meanings come to us as we experience various aspects of our faith throughout our lives.  Jesus promises that "there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."  St. John's Gospel in particular emphasizes that Christ is light (the Creed says "Light of Light, true God of true God"); see John 1:1-9; 8:12.  So, therefore, what we find in this image of the lamp that cannot be hidden is also the nature of this light:  that it must spread and be shown, similar to the amazing nature of the growth that comes out of the mustard seed, and also the truths of God revealed to those who may receive them.  These are mysteries to us as they remain hidden as we cannot grasp them; but note that Jesus gave the word as they were able to hear it.   This light that cannot be hidden, these things that will be revealed, secret things that should come to light, all express the expansive, generous nature of God, what we might even call an explosive grace that is characterized more than anything else by a love that continually reaches toward us to share in that Kingdom, and desires for us to know as we are known, as St. Paul puts it (1 Corinthians 13:12).  Therefore, to know the parables is to revisit them as they show us new lights about our faith, as we become more "able to hear."  Jesus teaches us, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given."  With faith, we look forward to receive more of God's gracious light; for as we live that faith we're given, and share that light, so we step onto the path of more to be given.

 

To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever as, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

- Mark 4:21-34

Yesterday, we read that once again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  He has chosen twelve disciples, and His ministry has grown tremendously.  A great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.   And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that  'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it become unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit; some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever as, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  There are two sayings here, and in some sense the gist of each is dependent upon the other.  First Jesus speaks about the revelatory nature of His parables, and in some sense, the entire nature of His mission and ministry.  Here is here to reveal everything, to shine a light.  He speaks of mystery when He says there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nothing kept secret but that it should come to light.  As God Incarnate, He is here to give us spiritual truth.  But -- as in the nature of the parables by which He preaches -- everything is dependent upon our own spiritual eyes and ears.  What we are capable of receiving we receive; what we are incapable of receiving we do not.  Thus "with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you."    And again, there is the promise and teaching that we but enter if we hear, the journey only begins, and we are promised that more will be given.  My study bible quotes Mark the Ascetic:  "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  This is a parable only found in Mark's Gospel.  It's a parable about the nature of the Kingdom, which my study bible says here  is meant to be the whole dispensation or salvation plan.  The man -- like the Sower in yesterday's reading -- is meant to be understood as Christ, and the seed is His word, the gospel.  His sleep is Christ' death, from which He will rise.  That the earth yields crops by itself is meant to teach that Christ doesn't manipulate our receptivity to His word, how we hear and what takes root in us:  each is free to receive the gospel and let it grow in his or her own heart.  The harvest is the Second Coming, the time when judgment takes place based on our capacity to receive the word, the gospel.

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   This beautiful parable teaches us about the word, how it becomes an entire kingdom, and what its nature is like.  Jesus gives us "pieces" of the Kingdom in His word, like a tiny mustard seed, smallest of the seeds.  But its growth is exponential, surprising -- an herb like no other herb, in whose branches may nest birds of the air, reminding us of angels (who are messengers bearing truth), the fullness of the presence of the kingdom of God.  It teaches us about ourselves, what we are capable of becoming within this Kingdom, shade and support for the goodness of God to grow in the world.  Our communities in His word become like that as well.

 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study bible says, "To unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  To those with simple faith, these stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able."  We note that in private, He explained all things to His disciples.  As His followers, we too can learn through prayer and communion, and of course we have the testimony of the saints in the Church.

I always love to read the parable of the mustard seed, particularly as it is presented in Mark's Gospel.  There's something so kind and tender about the "birds of the air who may nest under its shade."  In this image I see all the seemingly fragile worthiness of goodness and grace, so easily and thoughtlessly destroyed by the violence and selfishness of our world.  That is, the goodness of love and truth and beauty, worth everything, and easily dashed by what passes too often as "progress" in the mindless pursuit of power.  Perhaps what I mean to say by that is illustrated in the death of Christ on the Cross; it's so easy, seemingly, for us to destroy the good, for the most base of reasons.  In some sense, it is Christ Himself we can see in this mustard tree, this image of the Kingdom.  He came to the world as a single, vulnerable human being, born as a babe to parents who had no place, and who would be sought after right from the time He was born.  And yet it is He who still holds each of us in the branches of the Kingdom that lives with us and among us, He whose grace and love we know and in which we trust and find comfort and guidance in a world enamored with its violence and ignorance at times overwhelming in its disregard for what it is that makes human life "good."  We may tenderly hold and support those "birds of the air" and nurture the goodness of a life in Christ.  We cherish His truth and beauty, and cling to grace through all things.  The mustard seed, for me, is the great parable that teaches us about what it means to nurture, to build, to grow.  In a world that wants overnight results, Christ teaches us about what is truly natural to us, and how things work.  He couples this parable, in Mark, with a parable unique to Mark -- about the seed that grows in the earth while the man sleeps.  Once again, we're given to understand about the natural processes of growth, of grace:  things take place mysteriously, within us, and all of sudden we see results.  Shoots and branches, glimmerings of understanding, until everything is ready for a harvest.  But most of all I can never quite get out of my mind those gracious, sturdy, sheltering branches that make a home for what is good, the messengers who bring us news of grace.  Those branches reflect to us even an image of Mary, the Mother of God, who made a home for the true seed, the Child, in herself, so that His word, and His Church -- His kingdom -- could grow among us.  We are each called to be like this, to protect what is precious, to be a home with protective branches, giving shade to what needs to be nurtured in our world.  Can we remember the fragility of life, the priceless quality of grace, our need to pursue our faith with patience and growth?  Everything depends upon it.

It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

- Luke 17:1-10

In our reading yesterday, Jesus gave the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus:   "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let then hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"


 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  My study bible says that "little ones" primarily refers to children, but by extension to anyone whose "heart is humble and dependent on God."  It seems to me also that "little ones" refers to those who come to the disciples, the nominal members of the Church who will be under their guidance as His stewards.  Thus "brother" becomes those we are in relation to - and a model for others in the flock, all the "little ones."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study bible suggests that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the devil's works.  "It is on the leaf of this tree that silkworms feed, worms being an image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  This patristic interpretation is confirmed by numerous scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10). "

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  A note says, "The servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, showing that one must first work out his own salvation (Philippians 2:12) before he can become a shepherd of others."

 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  My study bible tells us that the word for unprofitable here literally means "without merit."  However, it doesn't imply that the servant is without intrinsic value.  Rather, it means everything we have comes from God and is owed back to Him.  There is nothing we can offer God that is not already His.

Jesus speaks to the disciples as those who will be future stewards of His Church.  They will have the "jobs" of gathering and nurturing His flock, leading them, after Pentecost.  But in this sense these words prepare all of us, as we look to Christ to teach us what it is to become a true servant.  We need preparation, commitment, a kind of training in the work through experience.  And above all, this work requires humility -- the capacity to remember "the little ones" and to take great care in what we do.  Everything we do teaches.  Everything we do is a part of this work.  And if our attitude is like one of the "little ones," keeping in mind that we are always ready to learn more, to do more, and that we remain in this position, then we are on a good road.  We are on the road He calls us to.  Even in the highest positions of leadership, to be like the little ones, to take care of the little ones and remain humble might be the greatest task, but also the most difficult.  For all of us, the learning is ongoing -- and in the learning is at once the doing, the work, and the leadership He asks for.  He doesn't promise the disciples this will be an easy job.  On the other hand, He's calling them to a discipline and a remembrance.  He rebukes the Pharisees for a kind of elitism and ways in which power is used hypocritically; He tells His own disciples that they are to be nothing like this -- and that their greatest virtue will be to remain humble and without hubris.  In some sense, the whole of the Bible can be summed up in that teaching!  Even the ancient world of the Greeks taught above all against hubris, the kind of arrogance that leads us to forget that we are dependent upon God and that we are not gods unto ourselves.   We are human beings; we always have flaws and blind spots, things we are learning -- and so things we must keep in mind.  It's a tough road, not easy.  But what good thing is truly worthwhile if it doesn't call us to awareness and discipline, if it doesn't challenge us to a kind of call for excellence?  It would be wrong if we were to interpret Jesus' words in some sort of competitive spirit, comparing ourselves to others.  Each one is called to be the servant they can be; each one of us reports to the Master and therein finds our duties and also the flaws we need to work on.  We need humility for this job -- and Jesus constantly reminds the disciples that it is their job to mind how the fellow servants are treated!  This is what He gives us, and it is a good road to be on, a kind of honor that has to do with personal integrity -- to God and to neighbor, and especially to the "little ones" whoever they may be in our lives and communities.