Mar 4:26¶ So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how.
Alternative: This is like God's rule. It is like someone who throws a seed onto the earth and sleeps and rises night and day as the seed sprouts and lengthens without his understanding how.
A specific parallel is made here between the growth of knowledge and the growth of God's kingdom. Unlike the growth of our personal knowledge, which requires our participation, the growth of the kingdom based on that knowledge happens whether or not an individual is actively part of it. This is one of the clearest examples of Christ describing God's kingdom, reign, and rule as having a hidden plan in which everyone plays a part, whether they know it or not.
Christ's topic until this point has been the limits of people's understanding. However, here he says that God's plan for us is working and developing whether or not we understand it. While we can use our understanding to make our lives more worthwhile and meaningful, this doesn't mean that those who lack understanding are left out of this plan. Waking or sleeping, the seed keeps growing.
As the Lord's prayer says, the universal rule is underway. It is God's desires coming into being in our lives and throughout the universe.
"Ground" is from gê (ge), which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky.
"Sleep" is from katheudô, (katheudo), which means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."
"Rise" is from egeirô (egeiro), which means "to awake," "to rouse," "to stir up" and "to wake up."
"Spring" is from blastanô, (blastano) which means "to sprout," "to bud," and "to grow." It is a metaphor for "to come to light," "to shoot forth," and "to be born."
"Grow up" is from mekuno (mekuno), which means "to lengthen," and "to make long."
"Know" is from eido (eido), which is another word that means "to see," "to examine," and "to know." It has more the sense of understanding.
Alternative: This is like God's rule. It is like someone who throws a seed onto the earth and sleeps and rises night and day as the seed sprouts and lengthens without his understanding how.
A specific parallel is made here between the growth of knowledge and the growth of God's kingdom. Unlike the growth of our personal knowledge, which requires our participation, the growth of the kingdom based on that knowledge happens whether or not an individual is actively part of it. This is one of the clearest examples of Christ describing God's kingdom, reign, and rule as having a hidden plan in which everyone plays a part, whether they know it or not.
Christ's topic until this point has been the limits of people's understanding. However, here he says that God's plan for us is working and developing whether or not we understand it. While we can use our understanding to make our lives more worthwhile and meaningful, this doesn't mean that those who lack understanding are left out of this plan. Waking or sleeping, the seed keeps growing.
As the Lord's prayer says, the universal rule is underway. It is God's desires coming into being in our lives and throughout the universe.
"Ground" is from gê (ge), which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky.
"Sleep" is from katheudô, (katheudo), which means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."
"Rise" is from egeirô (egeiro), which means "to awake," "to rouse," "to stir up" and "to wake up."
"Spring" is from blastanô, (blastano) which means "to sprout," "to bud," and "to grow." It is a metaphor for "to come to light," "to shoot forth," and "to be born."
"Grow up" is from mekuno (mekuno), which means "to lengthen," and "to make long."
"Know" is from eido (eido), which is another word that means "to see," "to examine," and "to know." It has more the sense of understanding.
posted by Gary Gagliardi at 9:37 AM
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