One wonders where all the fear about the sinister 666 comes from, because the author provided some pretty good clues about its meaning right in the passage. Continue in verse 12, “That seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hearing they may hear, and not understand ; lest at any time they should be … He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! The spouses are the ministers of the sacrament of marriage because the mark — the external sign — of the sacrament is not the wedding Mass or anything the priest might do but the marriage contract itself. The Parable of the Sower - Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. These four marks, along with why the church is more Marian than Petrine in her nature, will be elaborated on in this article. The parable of the sower. iii. Answer: The first thing we notice about this parable is its similarity to the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:2-9. The twelve do not grasp Jesus’ meaning. (21-34) Christ stills the tempest. If you miss the key, you miss the whole parable. If you think the seed represents love, you miss the parable. In the context of Mark, thus far there has been a great deal of opposition to Jesus and very little receptivity. This does not mean the wedding license that the couple receives from the state, but the vows that each spouse makes to the other. Even the disciples of Jesus who have followed Him do not understand Him and demonstrate fear and unbelief (Mk 4:12-14; 4:40; 6:50-52; 7:17-18; 8:17-21). Complete Concise Chapter Contents. The church is categorized by the four marks of being One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. In some ways, this parable expands on Jesus’ teaching of how the “good soil” (a receptive heart) receives the “seed” (the Word of God). Mark does not glorify the Twelve; they often lack understanding or are out of step with Jesus. Catholic means “universal.” The Church is universal in two ways. Mark 4:10 "And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable." First, the number is a definite product of a numerical process which an attentive reader—“one who understands”—could arrive at. The first mark of the church is that it is one. The Church Is Catholic. 4 Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up.. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and at once sprang up, because there was no depth of earth;. The Church is One. God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Catholic Church Teaching, Bible, Catechism, Prayers, Saints, Virgin Mary, Apostles, Pope Francis, Vatican, Catholic News, Life Issues This parable contained instruction so important, that all capable of hearing were bound to attend to it. (35-41) Commentary on Mark 4:1-20 (Read Mark 4:1-20). Second, the mission of the Church is universal because the Church has been sent to proclaim Christ to the entire human race. Jesus used parables to conceal, to hide the true meaning so those He was not working with would not understand. If you think the seed represents money, you miss the parable. One is more than just a number, it also conveys unity. Question: "What is the meaning of the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)?" (1-20) Other parables. In the case of Jesus and the fig tree, the symbolism of Jesus’ action should have made immediate sense, for before cursing the fig tree Jesus gave the Parable of the Fig Tree, making the symbolic meaning clear (Luke 13:6-9): And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. First, the Church is catholic because all baptized people are part of the Church and the Church possesses the means of salvation. But none of them could understand the spiritual meaning until Jesus explained the key to them: The sower sows the word (Mark 4:14). A farmer went out to sow his seed.