as being “on the outside” are the relatives of Jesus. That said, Mark would surely know that James, the Lord’s brother, did come to trust in Jesus after his resurrection! This means the “outsiders” can become “insiders.” Perhaps the way forward is to start from Isa 6:9–10 and acknowledge that the harshness in Mark 4:10–12 comes mainly from the quoted words. Our preferred interpretation is therefore option 2. It retains the telic idea, which is suggested not simply by the Greek hina but also by the