“And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.”
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables — the transition to private explanation is characteristic of Mark: Jesus teaches publicly in parables and explains privately to the inner circle. Those who ask are not only the twelve but the others around him — the broader circle of disciples. The asking itself is the disciples' distinguishing characteristic: they are those who pursue understanding rather than walking away confused or satisfied with the surface story. The parables function as a selective mechanism: those who care enough to ask receive the interpretation; those who hear and walk away remain outside.
Church Fathers on Mark 4:10
Although the Lord appears in the transactions mentioned above to neglect His mother, nevertheless He honours her; since on her account He goes forth about the borders of the sea.
For if we look into the Gospel of Matthew, it appears that this same teaching of the Lord at the sea, was delivered on the same day as the former. For after the conclusion of the first sermon, Matthew immediately subjoins, saying, 'The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-side.'
But He began to teach at the sea, that the place of His teaching might point out the bitter feelings and instability of His hearers.
Read all 22 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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