Let us consider yet another example of this discussion of the remnant  Bearing in mind that we are discussing the use of the Greek word λοιπος loipoy, (Strong’s 3062) which means the remaining ones, the others which remain, the remnant, the residue, and the rest.

This particular discussion is worthy of a bit of time, as it concerns a parable of the Besorah Marcus.

Marcus (Mark) 4:1-20

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of YAHUAH: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should turn back, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?

14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of this remnant enters in, chokes the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

We must discuss a couple of things, before we discuss the remnant in this passage.  As I have written before, the word as used in the Besor’oth and in the Brit Chadashah means the Torah, or the everlasting instruction of YAH.  Of course there are dispensationalists of every ilk who will nuance this terminology in order to justify their pathology, or better stated, their pathological hermeneutical approach to either lawlessness (antinomianism) or denial of the testimony of MASHIACH (antimessianism). This parable is in its foremost meaning, a discussion of the teaching of the Torah and how it is received. 

You might recall in our discussion of the fig tree, how the trees of the field, i.e., the house of Yisra’el, sought a tree to rule over them, and they approached the olive tree, the fig tree, the vine, and finally the bramble or thorn bush.  In our third example of the sowing of the word, the word is sown among thorns.  It is here that we find the remnant.

Marcus (Mark) 4:18

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of this remnant enters in, chokes the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

It is this remnant who reside under the authority of the bramble bush and not the fig tree or the vine whose cares, riches, and lusts choke the word so that it becomes unfruitful.  As I have discussed in the writings concerning the fig tree that it is a metaphor for the Torah; the vine is a metaphor for the body of MASHIACH, and the bramble bush or thorn bush is a metaphor for secular government. 

You who harken to the edicts of secular government above the Torah of ELOHAYCHA: Do your cares choke off your hearing of the Torah?  Do your riches deceive you so that you no longer require the hearing of the Torah?  Do your lusts choke off the hearing of the Torah? Speak and answer these questions; and know that for those who turn their ears from hearing the Torah, even their prayers are abomination.  Mishlei (Proverbs) 28:9.

Let’s take a look at another word found in this verse, and the word is lust (in the Greek, επιθυμια epithumia (Strong’s 1939), meaning a longing (especially for what is forbidden); concupiscence, desire, or the lusting after.

Compare with the Ivriyt (Hebrew): חמד châmad (Strong’s H2530) which is one example, and means to delight in, to covet, to desire, or to lust after.  Where do we see this word?

Shemot (Exodus) 20:17

You shall not covet (חָמַד) (chamad) your neighbor's house, you shalt not covet (חָמַד) (chamad) your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his oxֺ, nor his ass, nor any thing that is your neighbor's.

Okay, I will confess that I, being raised as an American, never quite understood how covetousness could be so offensive to YAH, as it did not appear to be a covert act, but rather just an intent.  However, to get the full measure of what is being said, let’s replace the word covet with its English alternative: lust.

You shall not lust after your neighbor's house, you shalt not lust after your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his oxֺ, nor his ass, nor any thing that is your neighbor's.

Does this get the point across?

Consider one other verse, from the testimony of Sha’ul;

Eph’siym (Ephesians) 2:2

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the ruach that now works in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (the remnant).

Again, the remnant here are identified as those who lust in the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath.  Such an understanding is consistent with the parable of the seeds, and of the seeds sown among thorns.

To summarize our discussion here, the remnant in this passage are those who harken to the edicts of secular government above the Torah of ELOHAYCHA; whose cares choke off the hearing of the Torah; whose riches deceive them that they are no longer required to hear the Torah; and whose lust for the things of their neighbor chokes off the hearing of the Torah.