Keraia
Mark 4

Mark 4:34

The Parable of the Mustard Seed · Mark 4:30–34
Read Mark 4

Translations

Modern
He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
Traditional
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Literal
And without a parable He was not speaking to them; but in private to His own disciples He was explaining all things.
Latin
…sine parabola autem non loquebatur eis: seorsum autem discipulis suis disserebat omnia.

Interlinear

Greek
English
He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

Notes

Mark 4:33–34

  • Mark’s summary of this section shows that 4:3–32 is a collection of parables. It is not a record of what Jesus taught on one specific day in the order in which he taught it.

  • Jesus privately explained the parables to the disciples. This shows that they were not outsiders, even though they sometimes did not understand (compare 4:13).

Mark 4:26–34

Mark now gives additional seed parables (see 4:3–20). They all focus on "the mystery of the kingdom of God" (4:11). The parables of the seed growing secretly (4:26–29) and the mustard seed (4:30–32) show different stages of seed growth.

The kingdom of God is hidden (4:21). But growth is certain (4:26–29). The outcome will be great (4:32).

Mark 4:1–34

In this section, Mark gathers several teaching parables of Jesus. A parable is a short story that teaches a spiritual truth.

Theme notes and profiles

The Secret of the Messiah

Events

Parallels

Matthew 13:31–32 Luke 13:18–19

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven Mark, Gospel of

Topics

Jesus, the Christ: Parable of the Tares and Other Teachings (In Galilee)