properly · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular
So
οὕτωςhoutōs
G3779
in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) · adverb
is
ἐστίestí
G2076
he (she or it) is
the kingdom
βασιλείαbasileia
G932
properly · noun — nominative singular feminine
of God
θεοῦ,theou
G2316
figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
as
ὡςhōs
G5613
which how · particle
if
ἐάνeán
G1437
a conditional particle
a man
ἄνθρωποςanthrōpos
G444
from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι)) · noun — nominative singular masculine
should cast
βάλῃbalē
G906
to throw (in various applications · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
seed
σπόρονsporon
G4703
a scattering (of seed) · noun — accusative singular masculine
into
ἐπὶepi
G1909
properly · preposition
the ground
γῆςgēs
G1093
soil · noun — genitive singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1 Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Isaiah 32:20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.
Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Proverbs 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Mark 4:21-34
The lessons which our Saviour designs to teach us here by parables and figurative expressions are these: -
I. That those who are good ought to consider the obligations they are under to do good; that is, as in the parable before, to bring forth fruit. God expects a grateful return of his gifts to us, and a useful improvement of his gifts in us; for (Mar 4:21), Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? No, but that it may be set on a candlestick. The apostles were ordained, to receive the gospel, not for themselves only, but for the good of others, to communicate it to them. All Christians, as they have received the gift, must minister the same. Note, 1. Gifts and graces…
So is the kingdom of God - This parable is mentioned only by Mark, a proof that Mark did not abridge Matthew. Whitby supposes it to refer to the good ground spoken of before, and paraphrases is thus: - "What I have said of the seed sown upon good ground, may be illustrated by this parable. The doctrine of the kingdom, received in a good and honest heart, is like seed sown by a man in his ground, properly prepared to receive it; for when he hath sown it, he sleeps and wakes day after day, and, looking on it, he sees it spring and grow up through the virtue of the earth in which it is sown, though he knows not how it doth so; and when he finds it ripe, he reaps it, and so receives the benefit…
And he said,.... He went on saying the following parable, which was delivered at the same time that the parable of the sower was, though omitted by Matthew; and is here placed between that, and the other concerning the grain of mustard seed; which shows the time when it was spoken. The design of it is to set forth the nature of the word, and the ministration of it; the conduct of the ministers of the Gospel, when they have dispensed it; the imperceptibleness of its springing and growth; the fruitfulness of it, when it has taken root, without the help of man; the gradual increase of grace under the instrumentality of the word; and the gathering of gracious souls, when grace is brought to matu…
The Church Fathers
The kingdom of God is the Church, which is ruled by God, and herself rules over men, and treads down the powers which are contrary to her, and all wickedness.
(in Ezech. 2. Hom. 3) Or else; Man casts seed into the ground, when he places a good intention in his heart; and he sleeps, when he already rests in the hope which attends on a good work. But he rises night and day, because he advances amidst prosperity and adversity, though he knows it not, for he is as yet unable to measure his increase, and yet virtue, once conceived, goes on increasing. When therefore we conceive good desires, we put seed into the ground; when we begin to work rightly, we are the blade. When we increase to the perfection of good works, we arrive at the ear; when we are firmly fixed in the perfection of the same working, we already put forth the full corn in the ear.
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) A parable occurred, a little above, about the three seeds which perished in various ways, and the one which was saved; in which last He also shows three differences, according to the proportion of faith and practice. Here, however, He puts forth a parable concerning those only who are saved. Wherefore it is said, And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, &c. (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Or else He calls by the name of kingdom of God, faith in Him, and in the economy of His Incarnation; which kingdom indeed is as if a man should throw seed. For He Himself being God and the Son of God, having without change been made man, has cast seed upon the earth, that is, He has enlightened the whole world by the word of divine knowledge.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Emblems Of The Holy Spirit, The · Imperceptible — Imperceptible
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Mark 4:26-34
Matthew 13:31-35
Mark 4:26-34
Luke 13:18-22
31. He delivered another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard, which a man took and sowed in his field: 32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown up, it is the largest among herbs, [220] and becometh a tree, so that the fowls of heaven come and make their nests among its branches. 33. He spake another parable to them: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid among three measures of meal, till the whole was leavenened. 34. All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes, and without a parable he spoke nothing to them. 35. That it might be…
Mark now gives additional seed parables (cp. 4:3-20). Their common theme is the secret of the Kingdom of God (4:11). The parables of the seed growing secretly (4:26-29) and of the mustard seed (4:30-32) describe different stages of the seed-growth process. The Kingdom of God is hidden (4:21), but growth is certain (4:26-29) and the result will be glorious (4:32).
4:26-29 This parable focuses on the seed and its inevitable growth. • Just as the earth produces the crops on its own, the consummation of God’s Kingdom does not depend on human action. • The leaf blade, the heads of wheat, and the ripened grain describe normal stages in a seed’s growth.
