Mark 4:30

30 And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?

Mark 4:30 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:30

And he said
Still continuing his discourse on this subject, and in order to convey to the minds of his disciples clearer ideas of the Gospel dispensation, the success of the Gospel, and the usefulness of their ministration of it, for their encouragement, how unpromising soever things might then be:

whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison
shall we compare it?
It was usual with the Jewish doctors, when about to illustrate anything in a parabolical way to begin with such like questions; as, (hmwd rbdh hml) , "to what is this thing like" ^F4? when the answer is to such or such thing, as here.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Hieros. Bava Bathra, fol. 16. 2. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 82. 1. & Sabbat, fol. 108. 1. & passim.

Mark 4:30 In-Context

28 The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.

30 And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?

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

32 yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.