Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 4]
Mark. Vivid recollection of Peter. Mark has also "they that were
about him with the twelve" (\hoi peri auton sun tois d•deka\),
Matthew and Luke simply "the disciples." They did not want the
multitude to see that they did not understand the teaching of
Jesus.
4:11 {Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God}
(\Humin to must•rion dedotai t•s basileias tou theou\). See on
¯Mt 13:11 for word \must•rion\. Here (Mr 4:11; Mt 13:11; Lu
8:10) alone in the Gospels, but in Paul 21 times and in the
Revelation 4 times. It is frequent in Daniel and O.T. Apocrypha.
Matthew and Luke use it here in the plural. Matthew and Luke add
the word {to know} (\gn•nai\), but Mark's presentation covers a
wider range than growing knowledge, the permanent possession of
the mystery even before they understand it. The secret is no
longer hidden from the initiated. Discipleship means initiation
into the secret of God's kingdom and it will come gradually to
these men. {But unto them that are without} (\ekeinois de tois
ex•\). Peculiar to Mark, those outside our circle, the
uninitiated, the hostile group like the scribes and Pharisees,
who were charging Jesus with being in league with Beelzebub. Lu
8:10 has "to the rest" (\tois loipois\), Mt 13:11 simply "to
them" (\ekeinois\). Without the key the parables are hard to
understand, for parables veil the truth of the kingdom being
stated in terms of another realm. Without a spiritual truth and
insight they are unintelligible and are often today perverted.
The parables are thus a condemnation on the wilfully blind and
hostile, while a guide and blessing to the enlightened. {That}
(\hina\). Mark has the construction of the Hebrew "lest" of Isa
6:9f. with the subjunctive and so Lu 8:10, while Mt 13:13
uses causal \hoti\ with the indicative following the LXX. See on
¯Mt 13:13 for the so-called causal use of \hina\. Gould on Mr
4:12 has an intelligent discussion of the differences between
Matthew and Mark and Luke. He argues that Mark here probably
"preserves the original form of Jesus' saying." God ironically
commands Isaiah to harden the hearts of the people. If the notion
of purpose is preserved in the use of \hina\ in Mark and Luke,
there is probably some irony also in the sad words of Jesus. If
\hina\ is given the causative use of \hoti\ in Matthew, the
difficulty disappears. What is certain is that the use of
parables on this occasion was a penalty for judicial blindness on
those who will not see.
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