Mark 4:30

30 Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent 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.

---

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 Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.

29 But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."

30 Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

31 It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;

32 yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."