Mark 4:30

30 He continued, " What's a good image for God's kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it?

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 produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain.

29 Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it's harvesttime."

30 He continued, "What's a good image for God's kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it?

31 Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it's the smallest of all the seeds on the earth;

32 but when it's planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade."