Bible In Poetry: Gospel Of St. Mark (Chapter 4) Poem by Dr John Celes

The parable of the sower:

As Jesus taught by the sea-side,
A multitude had gathered fast;
He sat on a boat at sea therefore;
While people stayed ashore!
He taught by mostly parables;
To know the Kingdom, it enables.

Behold, a sower went to sow;
Some seeds fell by the way-side but;
And quickly birds devoured them.

Some fell on stony ground, sans soil;
The seeds did sprout but didn’t have roots;
The scorching sun withered them all!

Some fell ’midst thorns, which choked them,
And they could not yield any fruits!

A few on ground fell that was good;
And yielded fruit, some many-fold.

And Jesus said:
“He that has ears, let him then hear.”
The meaning of the parable,
His disciples asked when alone.
To you is giv’n the pow’r to know
The mystery of God’s Kingdom;
To others, God explains the same,
Through stories called the parables.

Although they see, they can’t perceive;
And though they hear, can’t understand;
And when they get converted, then,
Their sins should be forgiven them.

The Sower is Almighty God;
The seed is Word of God, the Lord;
The ones that fell by way-side are
People who only hear the Word;
Yet, Satan steals their Word-sown heart!

The seeds that fall on stony ground
Are words that people gladly hear;
But since, they do not have firm roots,
They give them up, when trials come.

And those that fall amongst the thorns
Are people filled by worldly thoughts;
The thorns are riches / lusts of world,
Those harden hearts to spiritual things.

And those that fall on ground that’s good,
Are people who hear, live, obey:
Fruit-bearing, some a hundred-fold!

A Candle under a Bushel!

Is not a lamp placed on lamp-stand,
Or under bushel-basket / bed?
All things remain to become seen;
Ev’n secret things will come to light.

One who has ears, let him then hear!
The measure used will measure you.
To one who has, more is added;
From one with less, all is taken!

The Kingdom of God:

Jesus compared the Lord’s Kingdom,
Akin a man who scatters seed:
That grow on land, he knows not how,
Of own accord with ears, full-grain!
He wields the sickle all at once,
When harvest’s come and grain is ripe!

God’s Kingdom is like mustard-seed;
Although smallest, when sown in ground,
It grows to be the largest one,
With shady branches where birds nest!

Jesus always told parables,
As people understood with ease!

As evening came, then Jesus said,
“Let’s cross over to other side.”
By boat, He went; others followed.
A violent squall brought waves aboard.

The water filled the boat with ease
But Jesus was found deep asleep;
They woke him up and cried, “Teacher,
You do not care if we perish! ”

Jesus rebuked the wind and sea;
The wind soon ceased; the sea turned calm!
And Jesus asked, “Are you afraid?
You do not have enough of faith! ”
Awe-struck, they said to each other,
“Who’s He, whom wind and sea obey? ”