Mark 4:23 · Bible study
Mark 4:23 Commentary: Ears to Hear
Greek · 5 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jesus repeat the call for ears to hear in Mark 4:23? Discover the meaning, context, and demand for true hearing.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A repeated summons to spiritual attentiveness and obedient response to Jesus' teaching.
- Key words: "ears" (metaphor for spiritual understanding, Thayer: "faculty of perceiving with the mind"); "hear" (implies obeying).
- Main debate: Whether the call implies election (only some have ears) or a universal invitation to all.
- Theological theme: The kingdom of God demands active, discerning hearing that leads to fruitfulness.
- Best use: A sermon or Bible study on listening to God's word, especially in the context of parables.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
KJV King James Version 1769
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
If any hath ears to hear--let him hear.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Si alguno tiene oídos para oir, oiga.
Se alguém tem ouvidos para ouvir, ouça.
Si quelqu’ un a des oreilles pour entendre, qu’ il entende.
Wer Ohren hat, zu hören, der höre!
Zo iemand oren heeft om te horen, die hore.
Se uno ha orecchi da udire oda.
Jeźli kto ma uszy ku słuchaniu, niechaj słucha!
Если кто имеет уши слышать, да слышит!
有 耳 可聽的，就應當聽！」
If any man has ears, let him give ear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Mark 4:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse is a repeated summons to spiritual attentiveness. John Gill calls the saying "very momentous and important." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that Jesus says it "for the second time on the same subject" (see Mark 4:9). The Geneva Bible Notes treat it as a straightforward call to heed. The consensus is that the repetition signals the urgency of what Jesus is teaching: the parables of the kingdom demand more than passive listening. "Ears to hear" refers, as the lexicon shows, not to physical hearing but to the "faculty of perceiving with the mind, the faculty of understanding and knowing" (Thayer on οὖς). This call sits after the saying that nothing hidden will remain secret (vv.21-22) and before the command to "take heed what you hear" (v.24). The commentators agree that Jesus is pressing his audience to move from hearing sounds to grasping meaning, and from grasping meaning to obedient living.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus commands all hearers to pay careful attention to his teaching and respond in obedience.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Repetition of the call | Jesus repeats the call to underscore its importance. | Some see it as a warning that only the elect truly hear; others see it as a universal invitation to respond. |
| Meaning of 'ears to hear' | It refers to spiritual understanding, not physical hearing. | Whether this understanding is a gift given only to some, or a capacity all are commanded to exercise. |
| Connection to hidden/revealed | The call follows a saying about hidden things being uncovered. | Some connect it to judgment (hidden sins revealed), others to the unveiling of kingdom mysteries. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Mark 4:23 appears within a series of sayings about the nature of the kingdom of God. Verse 21 introduces the image of a lamp not hidden but placed on a stand. Verse 22 declares that nothing hidden will remain secret, but will come to light. This motif of revelation sets the stage for the call to hear. In Jewish tradition, hearing (שָׁמַע, shama) implies more than listening, it implies obedience, as in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). Jesus uses the repeated call "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (first at v.9, then v.23) as a refrain that demands a response. The ancient hearer would recognize this as a wisdom formula, urging active engagement with the teaching. The immediate context, the parable of the sower, the lamp, and the seed, is about how the word of the kingdom is received. The hidden things that will be revealed (v.22) likely refer to the meaning of the parables themselves, which are now being explained to the disciples but will one day be fully manifest. The call to hear is therefore an invitation to be among those who understand the mystery of the kingdom (cf. Mark 4:11-12). Agricultural metaphors were common in a largely agrarian society. The repeated call cuts through the crowd's familiarity, Jesus wants no one to miss the point. By placing it after a statement about hidden things being revealed, he creates expectation: the secrets of the kingdom are now accessible, but only to those who truly hear. The next verse, "Take heed what you hear," reinforces that hearing is an active discipline, not a passive experience.
Textual Notes
The verse is textually stable. None of the consulted sources mention any significant variant readings for Mark 4:23. The Greek text is consistent across major manuscripts.
Reception History
From the early church onward, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" became a standard formula for calling the congregation to attentive listening. Augustine used it in his sermons to urge hearers to receive the word with the heart, not just the ear. The medieval church incorporated the phrase into liturgical exhortations before the gospel reading. During the Reformation, the verse was emphasized by both Luther and Calvin as a reminder that true hearing involves faith and the work of the Spirit. In modern preaching, it often appears as a critical question: Are we really listening to what Christ says? The repetition in Revelation 2-3 shows its importance as a call to the churches across time.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Urgency of Repetition. Jesus says this twice in one chapter (vv.9, 23). Repetition in Jewish teaching signals supreme importance. This is a call to wake up and pay attention.
- The Nature of True Hearing. "Ears to hear" are not physical ears but the capacity to understand and obey. This echoes the Old Testament where hearing leads to doing (James 1:22).
- The Accountability of Hearing. The following verses (24-25) warn that how you hear determines what you receive. The measure you use will be measured to you. Hearing is not neutral; it has consequences.
Five-point outline
- Jesus repeats his call. This is the second time in the chapter; note the pattern.
- The context of hidden things. Verses 21-22 reveal that what is hidden will come to light. Hearing is about discerning what God is revealing.
- The condition of hearers. "If any man has ears..." suggests not everyone does. Some are spiritually deaf (Mark 4:12).
- The imperative to hear. "Let him hear" is a command, not a suggestion.
- The progression to fruitfulness. Hearing rightly leads to bearing fruit (v.20) and receiving more (v.24).
Illustration hooks
- A parent calling a child's name twice to get their full attention before giving a crucial instruction.
- A doctor repeating a diagnosis slowly so the patient truly understands the next steps.
- A teacher saying "this will be on the test" to signal that the next point is essential.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does Jesus keep saying the same thing? Isn't once enough?
- How do I know if I have 'ears to hear'?
- What changes when I truly hear Jesus' words compared to just listening?
Leading a Discussion
Jesus often concluded important sayings with "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." In Mark 4:23, he repeats it right after talking about hidden things being revealed. This suggests that something vital is at stake. The discussion aims to explore what it means to truly hear Jesus' teaching, not just listen passively.
Discussion questions
- Read Mark 4:21-25. What connects the saying about the lamp (v.21) with the command to hear (v.23)?
- In what way is hearing more than using your ears? How does the Bible use "hearing" to mean obeying?
- Why do you think Jesus repeats this phrase twice in the same chapter (vv.9, 23)?
- What might prevent someone from having "ears to hear"? Consider the parable of the sower (vv.14-20).
- How does knowing that hidden things will be revealed (v.22) affect the way you listen to Jesus?
- The next verses (24-25) talk about the measure you use. How does the quality of your hearing affect what you receive from God?
- What is one practical change you can make this week to "hear" better when you read Scripture or listen to preaching?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 11:15 | He who has ears to hear, let him hear. |
| Mark 4:9 | He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” |
| Revelation of John 2:7 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God. |
| Revelation of John 2:11 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death. |
| Revelation of John 2:17 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows but he who receives it. |
| Revelation of John 2:29 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
If any man haue eares to heare, let him heare.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Jesus' call to hear is an urgent demand for full attention, because what has just been said is extremely weighty and important. The saying is not casual but carries such gravity that the listener must carefully take it in.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Jesus issues this same call to hear for a second time on the same subject. The repetition underscores the importance of paying attention to what has just been said, linking it back to an earlier use of the phrase in the Gospel.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Mark's three parables as a spatial picture of the kingdom's gradual expansion, contrasting Matthew's chronological view. He emphasizes the seed-growing parable, unique to Mark, showing
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats the parables as a call to action: those who are good must actively do good, using God's gifts to bring forth fruit. He stresses that God expects both a grateful return and a useful improvement of whatever he has entrusted to us.