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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 4
Jesus gives the parables of the sower, the candle under a bushel, the seed
growing secretly, and of the mustard seed—He stills the tempest.
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1 AND he began again
to teach by the asea side: and there was gathered unto him
a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and
the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said
unto them in his adoctrine,
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1a
D&C 128:20;
2a
Mark 9:2 (2-13);
Luke 9:29 (28-36);
John 1:14;
2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
TG
Jesus Christ, Glory of;
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Parable of the Sower
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3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a
asower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
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1a
D&C 128:20;
2a
Mark 9:2 (2-13);
Luke 9:29 (28-36);
John 1:14;
2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
TG
Jesus Christ, Glory of;
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5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
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7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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1a
D&C 128:20;
2a
Mark 9:2 (2-13);
Luke 9:29 (28-36);
John 1:14;
2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
TG
Jesus Christ, Glory of;
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Why Parables Are Given
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10 And when he was aalone, they
that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to
know the amystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that
are without, all these things are done in
bparables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not
aperceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand;
lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be
bforgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
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1a
D&C 128:20;
2a
Mark 9:2 (2-13);
Luke 9:29 (28-36);
John 1:14;
2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
TG
Jesus Christ, Glory of;
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Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower
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14 ¶ The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word
is sown; but when they have heard, aSatan cometh
immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
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1a
D&C 128:20;
2a
Mark 9:2 (2-13);
Luke 9:29 (28-36);
John 1:14;
2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
TG
Jesus Christ, Glory of;
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16 And these are they likewise which are sown on
stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately
areceive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but
for a time: afterward, when aaffliction or
bpersecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they
are offended.
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18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness
of ariches, and the blusts of other
things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
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20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
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Parable of the Light/Candle Under a Bushel
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21 ¶ And he said unto them, Is a
acandle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed?
and not to be set on a candlestick?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
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An Early Slant on the Parable of the Talents
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24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear:
with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you:
aand unto you that hear shall more be
bgivena.
25 aFor he that hath, to him shall
be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be
btaken even that which he
hatha.
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24a unto you that hear shall more be
given The Joseph Smith translation added the concept that you
that 'continue to receive', unto such more shall be given. The Lord reveals
line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little until
we come unto the fulness of the stature of Christ. Often a member of the
church will state within themselves, 'I know the chruch is true' and seldom
will they bear their testimony before others. Or they will be like some of
the early church members who knew the Book of Mormon was true but they
settled for that and began to find fault with the Prophet Joseph Smith, not
coming to a fuller and greater testimony of the things of the gospel. So it
is that often we take our light, our talents of testimony if you will, and
hide them up, bury them away not to be shared or traded and built upon one
with another. They are as the miser, they take that which they hath and hide
it up unto themselves.
25a he that hath not, from him shall be
taken even that which he hath (See Matthew 25:29) This shorter
summarized doctrinal account was likely given in a longer parable form, that
form may well be seen to be the parable of the Talents as repeated by the
Savior on the Mount of Olives during the last week of his ministry. That the
Lord repeated his parables and sermons of the gospel is to be understood. In
the parable of the talents as given by Matthew 25:14-30 it may not seem quite
clear as to exactly what the Lord is speaking. Certainly it was not the weath
and the riches of mortality though the monetary unit of a talent was used.
Could it have been a play on words and actually have spoken of personal
talents and skills of an individual obtained by their intellectual diligence?
Rather than use the monetary unit of the parable which hides the meaning,
Peter seems to cut to the bottom line of the intrepretation of the parable.
The Word of God is given to all men liberally. To him that receives of it
and continues to receive of it sharing and multiplying it one to another
will come unto an understanding of the fulness of God. And to such as has,
and sought and obtained more of it, and who has shared it with others, thus
multiply it, to such will be given more even unto receiving and obtaining
the fulness of the understanding of God. But he that hid it away. To he that
does not share it even by the baring of testimony to set it out to obtains
some interest or usury, from such it will be taken even that which he hath.
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Parable of the Harvest
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26 ¶ And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the
seed should spring and agrow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth
afruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after
that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately
he putteth in the sickle, because the aharvest is come.
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Parable of the Mustard Seed
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30 ¶ And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
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33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto
them, as they were aable to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
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35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
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38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto
the sea, aPeace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there
was a great bcalm.
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What Manner of Man Is This?
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40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so
afearful? how is it that ye have no
bfaith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to
another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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