NOTES for Mar 4:1-20
Today's reading tells of Jesus' preaching on the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret. Judging by the Gospel accounts, this place was one of Christ's favorite places to preach in Galilee. More people could gather on the shore of the lake than in any synagogue, even the largest one, and the chance of conflict with opponents was somewhat lower there, so no one would have been very likely to interfere with the preaching.
As a rule, Jesus preaches to His listeners by speaking in parables, and then explains the meaning of those parables to His closest disciples, the apostles. This method was generally widespread in the ancient East, and in some countries it is still used just as widely today. In this way the speaker achieved two important aims: he expanded the meaning of what was said and made his listeners think.
The language of a parable is always symbolic, and a symbol is always rich in meanings. Something said in the form of a parable always allows more than one interpretation, and for that reason a parable can convey to the listener truths that could not be adequately expressed, for example, in strict scientific language. In addition, a parable never gives ready-made answers, and therefore the listener or reader must always search for those answers personally, reflecting on the variety of meanings the parable offers. An answer found independently was, of course, remembered and absorbed better than one received in finished form, which only had to be heard and memorized. Thanks to the parables, Jesus' preaching became a form of living communication with those who listened to Him. Without them it would have turned into something like a scholarly lecture, and the Gospel would have resembled a textbook, whose reading may have been useful but most likely would not have brought the joy it brings us today.
And yet, when a parable was not entirely clear to Jesus' closest disciples, He Himself explained it to them, as described in today's passage. An adequate understanding of Jesus' words was absolutely necessary for the apostles: they had a mission to preach, and without such understanding that mission would have been impossible.