Mark 4:26 kjv
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mark 4:26 nkjv
And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
Mark 4:26 niv
He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
Mark 4:26 esv
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.
Mark 4:26 nlt
Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.
Mark 4 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty of God in Growth | ||
| 1 Cor 3:6-7 | I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ...neither he who plants... but God who gives the increase. | God is the ultimate source of spiritual growth. |
| Zech 4:6 | Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. | Divine power, not human effort, effects growth. |
| Phil 1:6 | He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. | God initiates and completes His work. |
| Jn 1:13 | born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. | Spiritual birth is a divine act. |
| Acts 2:47 | And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. | God Himself brings people into the Kingdom. |
| Col 2:19 | from whom the whole body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. | All true spiritual growth originates from God. |
| Jas 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. | All good things, including spiritual growth, come from God. |
| The Sowing of the Word | ||
| Mark 4:3-9 | "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow..." (Parable of the Sower) | Describes the initial human act of sowing the Word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "so My word that goes out from My mouth; It will not return to Me void, but it will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." | The inherent power and effectiveness of God's Word. |
| Matt 13:3-9 | "A sower went out to sow..." (Parable of the Sower) | Echoes the human responsibility to spread the message. |
| Psa 126:5-6 | Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves. | Encouragement for faithful sowing, anticipating God's harvest. |
| Lk 8:5-8 | "A sower went out to sow his seed..." (Parable of the Sower) | Reinforces the importance of sowing the divine message. |
| Mystery and Nature of Kingdom Growth | ||
| Mark 4:27 | "and sleeps by night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know." | Directly linked; emphasizes the mysterious, unseen process of growth. |
| Mark 4:30-32 | "How shall we picture the kingdom of God... Like a mustard seed..." | Kingdom starts small but grows surprisingly large. |
| Lk 17:20-21 | The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed... for behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst. | Kingdom growth is often internal and spiritual, not overtly spectacular. |
| Matt 13:33 | The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened. | Growth is pervasive, affecting from within. |
| Jn 3:8 | The wind blows where it wishes... So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. | Spiritual life and growth are mysterious, like the unseen wind. |
| Acts 1:7 | "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority." | Human limitations in understanding God's sovereign timing and methods. |
| Application & Encouragement | ||
| Gal 6:9 | Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. | Persistence in sowing, trusting God for the outcome. |
| Phil 2:12-13 | "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." | Our human effort in spiritual growth is empowered by God working within us. |
| Heb 12:2 | fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. | Jesus is the one who initiates and brings our faith to maturity. |
Mark 4 verses
Mark 4 26 Meaning
Mark 4:26 introduces the Parable of the Growing Seed, illustrating a fundamental truth about the Kingdom of God: its growth is ultimately a divine, mysterious process that is largely independent of human effort or complete understanding, after the initial act of sowing. It highlights God's sovereignty and the inherent power of His Word to bring forth spiritual life and expansion, reassuring believers that while they are called to sow the seed, God orchestrates the increase.
Mark 4 26 Context
Mark chapter 4 features a series of parables delivered by Jesus, all revolving around the nature and growth of the Kingdom of God. Following the Parable of the Sower (Mk 4:1-9), which explains the different receptions of the Word, Mark 4:26 introduces the unique Parable of the Growing Seed, also known as the Parable of the Seed Growing Itself (Mk 4:26-29). This parable sheds light on the often unseen, quiet, yet powerful way God's Kingdom expands. The subsequent Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mk 4:30-32) then further illustrates its exponential growth from small beginnings.Historically, first-century Galilee was an agrarian society, making farming analogies highly relatable to Jesus' audience. This parable specifically addresses the 'mystery' of the Kingdom—its quiet, internal expansion, in contrast to common expectations of a powerful, immediate political takeover. It gently corrects the idea that the Kingdom's progress depends solely on human strategy or ceaseless labor, rather emphasizing the inherent life within the seed (the Word) and the divine power that brings forth the harvest.
Mark 4 26 Word analysis
- And: Kai (Greek: καί). Connects this parable directly to Jesus' preceding teaching about the Kingdom of God and acts as a narrative transition.
- He said: Elegen (Greek: ἔλεγεν). Imperfect tense, indicating a continuous or habitual action, signifying Jesus as the authoritative and ongoing teacher of these truths. It implies this was part of His regular instruction.
- The kingdom of God: Hē basileia tou theou (Greek: ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ). This central concept in Jesus' teaching refers to God's active, dynamic reign and rule, inaugurated by Jesus. It is not merely a future heavenly realm but also a present, spiritual reality at work in the world and in human hearts. It is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17).
- is as if: Hōs ei (Greek: Ὡς εἰ). A common way to introduce a simile or parable in Greek, meaning "just as if," "like," or "as when." It signifies a comparison to illustrate a spiritual truth through a familiar earthly example.
- a man: Anthrōpos (Greek: ἄνθρωπος). Refers to a generic human being, representing any person who acts as a sower of the Gospel message. The focus of this parable is not on the sower's identity, but on the seed and its independent growth.
- should scatter: Ballē (Greek: βάλλῃ). Aorist subjunctive. Meaning to "throw," "cast," or "sow." Implies the initial act of faithfully distributing the seed (the Word of God).
- seed: Sporon (Greek: σπόρον). Refers to the "seed," which, in parables of the Kingdom, consistently represents the Word of God or the Gospel message (Mk 4:14, Lk 8:11). It inherently contains life and potential.
- on the ground: Epi tēs gēs (Greek: ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς). Literally "upon the earth" or "on the soil." This signifies the medium or environment into which the Word is sown, representing the hearts and lives of people who hear the message.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "The kingdom of God is as if": This phrase directly connects the ensuing narrative illustration to the overarching theme of God's dynamic rule and reign. It sets up the parable as a metaphorical explanation of how God's Kingdom functions and expands.
- "a man should scatter seed on the ground": This initial action represents the human responsibility in the work of God's Kingdom. It highlights the indispensable first step of proclaiming the Gospel or living out its truth. The scattering is a deliberate, yet finite, act by human agents. It implicitly emphasizes that while humans plant, the subsequent growth process is not fully within their control.
Mark 4 26 Bonus section
This parable is significant for being unique to Mark's Gospel. Its inclusion highlights Mark's focus on Jesus' active power and the mysterious nature of God's work. It subtly corrects potential misconceptions that the Kingdom's growth is purely a result of continuous human toil or that its processes are always fully comprehensible to man. Instead, it elevates divine sovereignty and the intrinsic life within the Word itself. The "sower" here, unlike in the Parable of the Sower, does not represent God but a human agent, further emphasizing that after their initial, faithful act of scattering, the mysterious growth rests squarely on divine power.
Mark 4 26 Commentary
Mark 4:26 reveals a profound aspect of God's Kingdom: its inherent vitality and independent growth once the "seed" (the Word of God or the Gospel message) has been sown. While the human responsibility is to faithfully sow this seed, the sower does not make it grow; God does. This parable, unique to Mark, immediately precedes the well-known statement in verse 27 that the sower "sleeps by night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know."This perspective brings immense relief and encouragement to those involved in ministry or evangelism. It frees them from the burden of manipulating or forcing spiritual results, emphasizing instead faithful sowing and trust in God's power. It challenges human anxieties about visible progress, reminding us that true spiritual transformation and Kingdom expansion often occur mysteriously and incrementally, orchestrated by divine design rather than solely by human strategy. It also implies the self-propagating power of the Gospel once received.Examples: A missionary who plants a church and leaves, seeing it flourish years later through God's work; a parent who teaches a child biblical truths, witnessing their child's spiritual awakening years later; an evangelist who shares the Gospel with someone who seemingly rejects it, only for the "seed" to germinate later in life.