Parable of the Sower

So in the book of Mark (chapter 4 ... the beginning) Jesus tells this parable. To me, it is one of the most memorable parables He tells. He tells of a sower that is sowing seeds. Some seeds fall on this walkway where birds came and ate it. Some seeds fall on rocky soil and sprout up but don't have roots so they wither and die. Some seeds fall in with thorns so when the seeds grow the thorns kill what little chance the seeds had. Finally some seeds fall on some really good soil. We're talking Miracle Grow here. Growing high, strong, etc.

When He's telling this parable He is with his disciples in a HUGE crowd. He literally stops right there with, some seeds falling on good soil, and then concludes with "he who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Done.

So, cryptic story about some guy throwing seeds around wherever he wants and then tells us where they fell and what happens to the seeds growth there.

Now, some of us have read on in the book of Mark and Jesus goes on to explain this parable in GREAT detail. I believe it is one of the only times He does this. What's interesting is that He explains is after the crowd leaves, and when He is alone with His disciples and "those around Him." But Mark explicitly tells us that He is "alone."

Why? Why does Jesus not explain Himself to the massive crowd? Doesn't He know that most of them didn't get the parable? They didn't know that the seed represented the Word of God, the Truth, Jesus. They didn't know that the "good soil" was those who take the Word of God and cultivate it, grow in it, chase after it, believe it and do it. They didn't know that the rest of the examples represent those who don't quite get the Gospel or don't even want to hear it. They didn't know that you don't want to be anything else but the "good soil" as a Christian.

Doesn't Jesus know that if He had explained it to everyone that there would have been more people that would have followed Him and His teachings? Or would there have been?

I believe Jesus was doing what He always did. He was doing exactly what the parable said.
He spread some seed. Wherever. Among different hearts and different minds. Different people. Then, when He was along, He waited for those who really wanted to understand, to ask. He didn't volunteer the answers, but once someone asked He was all over it. He gave them the deep meaning. Gave them some insight as to what His parables are all about, and did exactly what the parable said. Some of His words feel among people who didn't want to hear what he had to say. Some people heard it, but didn't understand it, and didn't care to understand it. Some people heard it, thought they understood it, but didn't ask Jesus what is really meant, so they got lost in it.
Finally, there were those who heard it, either thought they understood it or didn't understand it, but came to Jesus. Asked Him to clarity, and He did.

"he who has ears to hear, let him hear."