Mark 4 29

Mark 4:29 kjv

But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Mark 4:29 nkjv

But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Mark 4:29 niv

As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

Mark 4:29 esv

But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Mark 4:29 nlt

And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come."

Mark 4 verses

Mark 4 29 Meaning

Mark 4:29 signifies the definitive and divinely appointed culmination of the kingdom of God's growth. When spiritual "fruit" (the fully mature crop of the kingdom) has reached its readiness, God (or the Son of Man acting on His behalf) will immediately and decisively bring about the final ingathering of believers and the ultimate judgment, as the appointed time of "harvest" has arrived. This verse emphasizes divine sovereignty, precise timing, and the certainty of consummation for God's mysterious kingdom.

Mark 4 29 Context

Mark 4:29 is the concluding verse of the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4:26-29). This parable immediately follows the longer Parable of the Sower and serves to further illuminate the nature of the kingdom of God. While the Parable of the Sower explains why different responses to the kingdom message yield varying results, the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly highlights the mysterious, unseen, and self-sufficient growth of the kingdom. The sower plants the seed, sleeps, and rises, and the seed grows "of itself" (Mark 4:27), implying a divine, inherent power behind its development, independent of human comprehension or effort once planted. The historical and cultural context for Jesus' audience involved agrarian societies deeply familiar with farming cycles, making the harvest imagery relatable. The "harvest" would typically refer to the end of a season, the gathering of produce, and often, a time of celebration or reckoning. The polemic implied here is against expectations of an immediate, overtly political, or militarily forceful establishment of the Messiah's kingdom, instead presenting it as a process with a divinely determined, unseen growth and a precise, ultimate consummation. It underscores God's sovereignty over the kingdom's progress from initial sowing to final fruition.

Mark 4 29 Word analysis

• But when the fruit is brought forth (ὅταν δὲ παραδῷ ὁ καρπὸς - hotan de paradō ho karpos)

  • ὅταν (hotan): "Whenever," "when," "at such time as." Indicates a definitive moment, an appointed time.
  • δὲ (de): "But," "and," "moreover." Connects the idea to the preceding thought of the crop growing "of itself."
  • παραδῷ (paradō): From παραδίδωμι (paradidomi), meaning "to hand over," "to yield," "to deliver up." In this context, it describes the fruit having "yielded" itself, meaning it is fully ripened and ready. It's not a passive coming into being, but an active reaching of maturity, where the crop effectively "surrenders" itself to be reaped because it is complete. This emphasizes the finality of its development.
  • ὁ καρπὸς (ho karpos): "The fruit," "the crop," "the produce." Represents the outcome of the seed, specifically the spiritual produce of the kingdom. This "fruit" is not merely spiritual virtues, but the full maturity of God's work, leading to the harvest of the saved and the judgment of the lost.

• immediately (εὐθύς - euthys)

  • εὐθύς (euthys): "Immediately," "straightway," "at once." This term is characteristic of Mark's Gospel, emphasizing rapid action. Here, it denotes no delay between the crop reaching full ripeness and the action of the harvest. It conveys the swift, decisive, and irreversible nature of the final divine action. There is no waiting period once the precise moment of readiness is met.

• he putteth in the sickle (πέμπει τὸ δρέπανον - pempei to drepanon)

  • πέμπει (pempei): From πέμπω (pempō), meaning "to send," "to dispatch," "to cause to go." This is an active verb. The "he" (implied subject) is not just physically bringing a sickle, but "sending" or "dispatching" it, indicating divine agency. This suggests authority and deliberate action. The subject is debated but widely understood as God, or Christ as the Son of Man (as seen in Rev 14:14-20). It points to divine initiation and execution of the harvest.
  • τὸ δρέπανον (to drepanon): "The sickle," "reaping hook." A common farming implement, but in this eschatological context, it becomes a symbol of judgment and gathering at the end of the age. Its "putting in" is the act of harvesting, separating, and gathering.

• because the harvest is come (ὅτι παρέστηκεν ὁ θερισμός - hoti parestēken ho therismos)

  • ὅτι (hoti): "Because," "that." Provides the reason or justification for the immediate action.
  • παρέστηκεν (parestēken): From παρίστημι (paristēmi), meaning "to stand beside," "to be present," "to be at hand," "to be ready." The perfect tense emphasizes a completed state with ongoing results—the harvest is not merely approaching but has arrived and is present, fully actualized and prepared. This denotes absolute certainty.
  • ὁ θερισμός (ho therismos): "The harvest," "the harvest time." This term is a clear reference to the end of an agricultural cycle, but in prophetic and eschatological terms, it consistently refers to the end of the age, the day of judgment, and the gathering of God's people.

• Words-group analysis:

  • When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle: This phrase underscores the precise and responsive nature of divine action. The harvest is not determined by human effort or timing, but solely by the readiness of the "fruit," which God mysteriously brings to maturity. The sequence (maturity -> immediacy -> divine action) emphasizes God's sovereign control over the kingdom's consummation.
  • Because the harvest is come: This phrase solidifies the reason for the decisive action. The kingdom, in its mysterious growth, reaches a definitive point of completion. This point is God's ordained time for separation and ingathering, signifying that His long-suffering and patient work has achieved its purpose, necessitating immediate closure.

Mark 4 29 Bonus section

The identity of the "he" who "putteth in the sickle" is significant. While some early interpretations suggested the farmer, the eschatological context of "harvest" in the Gospels (particularly Jesus' own parables and later revelations in Rev 14) strongly points to God or the Son of Man (Jesus Himself) as the ultimate Reaper/Judge. This aligns with Christ's authority over the kingdom's consummation. The parable highlights not only God's control over the kingdom's growth but also His ultimate authority in bringing it to its conclusion, emphasizing that humanity is responsible for sowing and nurturing the seed (discipleship), but the divine hand alone orchestrates the increase and final gathering. The very concept of "the fruit brought forth" highlights that the ultimate success of the kingdom's propagation and the maturity of its followers is divinely ensured and culminates at God's appointed time, not when humans deem it opportune.

Mark 4 29 Commentary

Mark 4:29 delivers a profound eschatological truth through an agrarian metaphor. It builds upon the mystery of the kingdom's growth presented in the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly, asserting that while humanity sows, only God orchestrates the mysterious process of growth to maturity. This growth is unseen and self-contained within the seed, yet its progression is assured and its ultimate ripeness predetermined. The verse clarifies that there will be a precise and non-negotiable point of readiness for the spiritual "fruit"—the full realization of the kingdom's purpose and the maturation of those within it. At this appointed moment, God will not delay. The action of "sending the sickle" signifies the decisive intervention for the final harvest, which in biblical prophecy denotes both the ingathering of believers and the judgment of the world. The term "immediately" (εὐθύς), a hallmark of Mark, stresses the swift and absolute nature of this final act. It dispels notions of a gradual fade into eternity, instead presenting a sharp, sudden culmination triggered by divine assessment of readiness. This offers comfort regarding God's control and warning regarding the certainty of the final reckoning.