^4:21He also said to them, “A lamp²⁴ isn’t brought to be put under a basket²⁵ or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand? ^4:22For nothing is hidden except to be revealed,²⁶ and nothing concealed except to be brought to light. ^4:23If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!”²⁷^4:24And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive,²⁸ and more will be added to you. ^4:25For whoever has will be given more, but²⁹ whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”³⁰

The Parable of the Growing Seed

^4:26He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. ^4:27He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ^4:28By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ^4:29And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle³¹ because the harvest has come.”³²

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

^4:30He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? ^4:31It is like a mustard seed³³ that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground—^4:32when it is sown, it grows up,³⁴ becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds³⁵ can nest in its shade.”³⁶

The Use of Parables

^4:33So³⁷ with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. ^4:34He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

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Footnotes

24 The lamp is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry.
25 Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
26 Or “disclosed.”
27 The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
28 Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”
29 Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
30 What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.
31 The Greek word εὐθύς (euthus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use ( 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect ( 10), 73–77.
32 Because the harvest has come. This parable is found only in Mark (cf. Matt 13:24–30) and presents a complete picture of the coming of God’s kingdom: (1) sowing; (2) growth; (3) harvest. Some understand the parable as a reference to evangelism. While this is certainly involved, it does not seem to be the central idea. In contrast to the parable of the sower which emphasizes the quality of the different soils, this parable emphasizes the power of the seed to cause growth (with the clear implication that the mysterious growth of the kingdom is accomplished by God), apart from human understanding and observation.
33 Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.
34 Mark 4:31–32 is fairly awkward in Greek. Literally the sentence reads as follows: “As a mustard seed, which when sown in the earth, being the smallest of all the seeds in the earth, and when it is sown, it grows up …” The structure has been rendered in more idiomatic English, although some of the awkward structure has been retained for rhetorical effect.
35 Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. πετεινόν).
36 The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22–24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
37 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.