"the Gospel miracles are ... acted parables of the kingdom." (FF Bruce)
The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4) describes grain multiplying many times over. It is followed by Jesus asking the disciples "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?"
The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mark 6) describes grain multiplying many times over. It is followed by an explanation that the disciple "did not understand [the acted parable] about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened".
The Feeding of the Four Thousand (Mark 8) describes grain multiplying many times over. It is followed by Jesus asking the disciples "Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?".
Any thoughts?
love your observation, as always Davey boy. I think ch.4 is all about the secret of the kingdom, namely the gospel. Seems ch.6-8 backs this up, as development along the way; it's the gospel.
ReplyDeletech.4 actually has a number of parables in, all of which are about something starting small/hidden and ending in large/light. I think the natural reading is that Jesus has been preaching the kingdom of God, but it's a secret thing...it looks small & hidden and you may not get it, but you will...in other words, the "pay attention to what you hear" motif, like the "if you don't understand this how will you understand later" is actually a call to the hearer (i dont want to say reader) of the gospel, just as it was a call for the disciples to listen to Jesus (according to Mark)...and see satan snatching away the seed (mark 8), or see the seed bearnig fruit (mark 16), or see the seed choked (mark 10) etc etc...
so passing via such comments as "let the reader understand" re Daniel, which I also think is about the gospel/the king on the cross (following Bolt), the ultimate secret of the kingdom, which people will look & look but never perceive/understand is the cross. What can we see there? a failure, rejected by his people, or the king, fighting to save his people?
... thinking. May come back to you!
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