Mark 4:31

Mar 4:31. Ὡς κόκκον, as a grain) viz. let us compare [Mar 4:30] it.[40]—ΜΙΚΡΌΤΕΡΟς) less.

[40] BDΔ read κόκκῳ, and so Tischend. But AC Vulg. bc, κόκκον and so Lachm.—ED.

Mar 4:31-32. Ὅταν σπαρῇ, when it has been sown) This clause, being placed twice, exactly defines that time when the grain ceases to be small, and begins to become great in size. In Mar 4:31, the emphasis in pronunciation is to be laid on the when, and in Mar 4:32, on the words, it has been sown.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 4:31 . ὡς κόκκῳ : ὡς stands for ὁμοιώσωμεν = let us liken it to a grain, etc.; κόκκον would depend on θῶμεν . ὃς ὃταν σπαρῇ … καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ : the construction of this passage as given in critical texts is very halting, offering a very tempting opportunity for emendation to the scribes who in the T. R. have given us a very smooth readable text ( vide A. V [30] ). Literally it runs thus: “which when it is sown upon the earth, being the least of all the seeds upon the earth. and when it is sown,” etc. The R. V [31] improves this rugged sentence somewhat by substituting “yet” for “and” in last clause. It is hardly worth while attempting to construe the passage. Enough that we see what is meant. In the twice used ὅταν σπαρῇ , the emphasis in the first instance lies on ὅταν , in the second on σπαρῇ (Bengel, Meyer). By attending to this we get the sense: which being the least of all seeds when it is sown or at the time of sowing, yet when it is sown , after sowing, springs up, etc. μικρότερον ὂν is neuter by attraction of σπερμάτων , though κόκκῳ going before is masculine.

[30] Authorised Version.

[31] Revised Version.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 31. A grain of mustard seed] See on Mt 13:31; Mt 13:32.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(31-32) It is like a grain of mustard seed.—See Notes on Mat_13:31-32. Slight variations in this report are (1) the “great branches,” and (2) the birds lodging “under the shadow” of the tree.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. a grain of mustard seed] The growth of a worldly kingdom had been already set forth under the image of a tree, and that of the kingdom of God also had been similarly compared. (See Dan_4:10-12; Eze_17:22; Eze_17:24; Eze_31:3-9.)

in the earth] In St Mat_13:31 a man is represented as taking and sowing it “in his field,” while St Luke, Luk_13:19, says “in his garden.”

less than all the seeds] “Small as a grain of mustard seed” was a proverbial expression among the Jews for something exceedingly minute. The mustard-seed is not the least of all seeds in the world, but of all which the husbandman was accustomed to sow, and the “tree,” when full grown, was larger than the other herbs in his garden.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when they had sent away the multitude,.... Who had been attending him all day on the sea shore; though they seem to have been dismissed by Christ, when he went into the house, and privately interpreted the parables to his disciples: see Mat 13:36, wherefore it is possible, that upon Christ's going to the sea shore again, in order to take boat for the other side, they might gather together the disciples acquainted them that he was not about to preach any more to them, but was going to the other side of the lake; upon which they departed: and

they took him even as he was in the ship; which may be understood of his being taken and carried in the ship, in which he had been preaching all the day, without being moved into another; though this does not so well agree with his quitting that, and going home to his house in Capernaum; where, being alone with the disciples, he opened the parables to them. Some think it refers to the situation and posture in which he laid himself, as soon as he entered the ship; placing himself at the stern, and laying his head upon a pillow there, and so they carried him: others, that they took him into the ship, as he was alone without the multitude, who were sent away, only the disciples with him, which seems best:

and there were also with him other little ships; or boats, that were in company with that, in which Christ was; and had in them either seafaring men upon business, taking fish, or carrying passengers over; or might have in them persons, who were going along with Christ to the other side: these seem to be ordered in providence to be in company, that they might be witnesses of the after miracle.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

Ver. 31. {See Trapp on "Mat 13:31"} {See Trapp on "Mat 13:32"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mat 13:31-32.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31. Like a grain of mustard seed. See note on Matt. 13:31–35. Compare Luke 13:18, 19.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

31. ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως. The verse is a medley of confused constructions, but with its meaning sufficiently plain. The three words seem to mix the forms of reply to the two questions, ὡς answering to πῶς and κόκκῳ to τίνι. Hence the reading κόκκον ([870][871][872] After the second ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, the constr. is lost in the superfluous καὶ ὅαν σπαρῇ. The corrections in MSS. are various, and it is difficult to determine how much of the defective grammar is due to the Evangelist. Lk. connects the parable with the healing of a woman in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Neither Mk nor Mt. gives any hint of time or place.

[870] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[871] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[872] odex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τ. σπ. This is the main feature; the smallness of the seed compared with the greatness of the development. This use of the comparative is freq. in N.T. Cf. Mar 9:34; Luk 7:28; Luk 9:48. The seed now is, not the Gospel, but the Kingdom. Again Christ seems to be using a current proverbial saying; cf. Mar 4:22; Mar 4:24. “Small as a mustard-seed” was a Jewish proverb. Lk. says that the man sows the seed “in his own garden.”

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31.] The repetition of expressions verbatim in discourses is peculiar to Mark: so ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς here, and οὐ δύν. σταθῆναι ch. 3:24, 25, 26: and see a very solemn instance, ch. 9:44-48.

32.] καὶ ποιεῖ κλ. μεγ. is also peculiar. See notes on Matt.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως—as to a grain of mustard.2 ὅς, ὅταν …, μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων …, καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ3—which, whenever it is sown upon the earth, being (is) smaller than all the seeds upon the earth; and whenever it is sown, etc.

μικρότερον ὂν (omit ἐστὶ), Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BL D (L ὦν) two mss. Lat. Vet. μικρότερόν ἐστι D* M etc.

μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων—greater than all the garden-herbs, or vegetables.

μεῖζον, instead of μείζων, Tisch. Treg. marg. WH. RV. א ABCELV 33.

This comparison is intended to denote the superiority of this plant to others of the class λάχανα to which it belongs, which have no woody fibre, like trees and shrubs, so that it even passes over into the latter class, making great branches under which the birds can find shade. And this is contrasted with the unusual smallness of the seed. Mk. and Lk. say directly that it becomes a δένδρον.4

ὥστε δύνασθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκίαν αὐτοῦ τὰ πέτεινα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνοῦν—so that the birds of heaven can lodge (tent, or camp down under its shades.

This is a different account from that given in Mt. and Lk., where the birds are said to lodge in the branches. Here its greatness is described by saying that it affords shade for the birds. The parable means that the kingdom is like growing things in having small beginnings and a great ending.

COMMON FEATURES OF THE PARABLES

In order to understand the significance of this group of parables, we have to learn not only their separate meanings, but their common features. They have a mystery of the kingdom to unfold, namely, the gradualness of its establishment, in opposition to the prevalent notion of its immediate setting up by a Divine, supernatural power. And they give one common reason for this, that the kingdom belongs to the class of things that grow subject to natural laws, not to those that are set up full-grown by external force. More particularly, the Parable of the Sower shows that the present slow growth is due to the differences of soil; that is, of spirit in the hearers. It is a matter of the Word and of hearers of the Word, and the result is largely influenced by the different classes of hearers. The Parable of the Ground Producing by Itself shows that the growth depends on forces hidden in the soil itself, that is, on the adaptation of the spirit to the truth, and that this common fitness underlies all differences of soil. The mind of man and the word of God are at bottom adapted to each other. The Parable of the Mustard Seed shows that small beginnings belong to the nature of the kingdom, but not less, large and complete results.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When it is sown [οταν σπαρη] . This phrase is repeated in verse 32. Here the emphasis is on otan, when. It is small at the time when it is sown. In verse 32 the emphasis is on sparh, it is sown. It begins to grow great from the time when it is sown.

That are upon the earth. A little detail peculiar to Mark.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.