The Parable of the Seed in Mark 4:26-29:
A Paradoxical Participation in the Kingdom of God
Benjamin C. Long
RTCH500: Research, Writing, and Ministry Preparation
February 19, 2023
ii
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
Historical Overview ...................................................................................................................... 1
Cultural Considerations ................................................................................................................. 2
Literary Setting .............................................................................................................................. 3
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 11
1
Introduction
The kingdom of God was a central theme in Jesus’ teaching. In the synoptic Gospels of
Matthew and Mark, Jesus starts his public ministry with the declaration that “the kingdom of
God is at hand.” But what does this kingdom look like? Jesus revealed aspects of it through his
teaching in the form of a parable. One example is the parable of the seed found in Mark 4:26-29.
Through analyzing the historical, cultural, and literary context of the passage, this paper will
discuss what Jesus is revealing about the kingdom of God through this parable. Specifically, the
parable of the seed teaches that humans have a paradoxical participation in bringing the
good news of God’s kingdom.
Historical Overview
To understand the impact of Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God, the parable of the
seed must be placed within its historic context. For the 21st century American reader, the
implications of the word “kingdom” might be difficult to comprehend. In contrast, the Gospel of
Mark was written within the Greco-Roman world. “Alexander the Great, in his conquests,
spread Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean world . . . [Then] the rise of the Romans
would continue this trend of universilation of Greek ideals and religious tolerance . . .”
1
This
spread of Greek culture includes their language (specifically koine Greek), as well as physical
institutions such as the theater as well as a common educational system in the gymnasium that
not only included physical training, as the word is used today, but also focused on “the training
of young men mentally, militarily, and culturally.”
2
As a polytheistic culture, the Romans more
1
Dale B Martin, New Testament History and Literature, (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012),
34.
2
Ibid., 39.
2
often than not were amenable to “leaving local populations pretty much alone with regard to
local customs, religious practices, and living arrangements.”
3
The exception to this rule was for
any practice deemed at risk of rebellion. Therefore, Jesus’ claims concerning the Kingdom of
God take on a new risk when placed with this Greco-Roman context.
Further evidence of this is seen when we look at the historical context more proximate to
the penning of the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Mark is generally accepted as being written
within “the period [AD] 65 – 75, with the major issue being whether or not Mark 13 is
understood to reflect the destruction of Jerusalem as something that has already occurred.”
4
During this period, the early Christian church “lived a harassed and fragile existence within the
Roman Empire.”
5
Specifically, Nero blamed Christians for “the great fire of 64 in Rome” and
had many Christians arrested and killed.
6
Therefore, teaching on the Kingdom of God was setup
to be seen in contrast to the Roman Kingdom in which the early Christian community found
itself.
Cultural Considerations
The next layer for understanding the parable of the seed involves the relevant cultural
context. “Images of seeds, sowing, failure of crops, and fruitful harvest are among the common
metaphors to describe life with its hardship and its prosperity, instruction, and the judgment and
3
Martin, New Testament History and Literature, 51.
4
M. Eugene Boring, An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology (Louisville, KY:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), 1697l.
5
Ibid., 798u – 798v.
6
Ibid., 1098s.
3
blessing of God.”
7
This imagery was readily accessible to many within the original audience. A
consequence of the conquests and spread of the Greco-Roman world included a growing urban
population that increased the demand for agriculture. “Thus, both private and large-scale
government-controlled farms contributed to the ever-growing demand for grain and cereal
crops.”
8
So it would have been common for many people to be involved in agriculture for their
livelihood. But just as important of the details in the parable are the assumptions of what would
be known by the reader. Although the parable of the seed starts with the man casting seeds. The
original audience would assume the ground was plowed before spreading seeds and then
typically sowed immediately thereafter.
9
However, Jesus did not need to describe the structure
of the plow, or the typical sequence of plowing and sowing because such information would
have been assumed. That would be like a physician speaking to a group of colleagues who takes
the time to include how antibiotics work or what “blood pressure” means. Nevertheless, the
benefit of knowing what was left out is greatest for those of us removed from the original
audience.
Literary Setting
Finally, because the Gospel of Mark is a work of literature, it is important to place the
parable of the seed within its literary context. Looking at the Gospel of Mark as a whole gives
an idea of its intended first audience:
7
Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, 2nd ed. (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018), loc 3714, Kindle.
8
Steven Collins and Joseph M. Holden. The Harvest Handbook™ of Bible Lands : A Panoramic Survey of
the History, Geography and Culture of the Scriptures (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2019), 260,
EBSCOHost Ebrary.
9
Paul P Enns, Shepherd's Notes: Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing
Group, 2004), 54. ProQuest Ebook Central.
4
Some implications for the social and religious setting of Mark may be inferred
from the text itself… the primarily agrarian imagery, the lack of urban metaphors,
the preponderance of situations in which poor people play leading roles, and the
limitation of reference to monetary units to small-denomination coins suggest that
the community from which Mark came belonged to the lower socioeconomic
strata.
10
But the likely intended audience of a lower socioeconomic strata should not lead one to assume
that the Gospel of Mark is simple as a work of literature.
In the task of biblical interpretation, it is important to identify the genre of literature to
which a passage belongs. The Gospels are categorized as narrative. Kaiser and Silva teach that
narrative typically relies on details, events, and rhetorical devices to communicate the “big idea”
or “focal point” of a passage.
11
Because of this indirect approach to teaching the “big idea”, it is
important to pay close attention to the scene, dialogue, point of view, and use of rhetorical
devices within this genre. One such device, called a chiasmus, is evident in the structure of Mark
chapter four. Kline Snodgrass in his book Stories with Intent argues there is a seven-part
chiasmus that he divides as below:
12
A 4:1-2 Narrative Introduction
B 4:3-9 A Seed Parable (the Sower)
C 4:10-12 General Statement on the Purpose of Parables
D 4:13-20 Interpretation of the Sower
10
M. Eugene Boring, An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology (Louisville,
KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), 1697m.
11
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. and Moisés Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning,
2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007), 122.
12
Snodgrass, Stories With Intent, loc 3753.
5
C’ 4:21-25 General Statement Applied to Parables
B’ 4:26-32 Two Seed Parables
A’ 4:33-34 Narrative Conclusion on the Use of Parables
Understanding this structure is important because it shows that the two seed parables in Mark
4:26-32 parallel the seed parable in Mark 4:3-9 within the structure of the chiasmus. In light of
this parallel, Richard France suggests there is a “sequence of seed thoughts” building throughout
the chapter:
The first parable (and its accompanying explanation) speaks of only a select group
in whom the good seed can grow and flourish, the ‘insiders’ to whom the secret is
given. Three out of the six seeds have been wasted. But the second parable alerts
us to the fact that the growth of the seed may not be immediately apparent, and
the third assures us that, however little there may be to show for it at the moment,
the tiny, easily overlooked seed will one day become a great bush. The secret will
be out, and everyone will be able to see it.
13
Textual Analysis
The parable of the seed opens with “And He was saying . . .” (Mark 4:26 NASB 1995)
This transitional phrase distinguishes the parable of the seed from the preceding general
statement applied to parables. This literary technique is called an inclusion which is “used to
indicate the boundaries of a literary unit by beginning and ending it with the same or parallel
terms.”
14
Specifically, the repetition of this phrase is seen seven times throughout the seven-
13
France, Richard Thomas. “Seed Thoughts from Saint Mark.” Rural Theology 8, no. 2 (2010): 110.
doi:10.1558/ruth.v8i2.103.
14
Kaiser and Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, 335.
Great information
to include here.
6
point chiasmus proposed by Snodgrass. The parable starts with “The kingdom of God is like . . .”
What is missing from the NASB is the Greek word Οὕτως (houtōs) often translated as “Thus.”
It is important to mention this word for the decision of “whether ‘thus’ ties the parable in any
determinative way to the preceding sayings.”
15
Snodgrass argues the preceding use of “and he
was saying” would not suggest that this parable is meant to be determinative of the previous
passages. Rather it marks the beginning of the story. From the outset of the parable, the
structure of the text sets up an extended simile comparing the kingdom of God to what is
described thereafter. This is important to note because the meaning of the passage from the
outset points toward a lesson on the kingdom of God. This observation anchors the meaning of
the passage as the main characters of the story are introduced. “The kingdom of God is like a
man who casts seed upon the soil.” In the second half of Mark 4:26, the characters of the parable
are introduced as the man, the seed, and the soil. Specifically, the man is actively involved at the
beginning as he “casts seed upon the soil.”
Verse 27 picks up in the same order that the characters are introduced by first describing
more of the man’s action, “and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day. . .” (Mark 4: 27) Some
have suggested that the contrast of “casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed” would have
been a startling statement to the original audience. The work of tending to the seed is not done
after casting which has led some to suggest that the “parable is unrealistic, that the farmer is
incompetent or lazy, and that his inactivity is the focus [of the parable].”
16
Snodgrass argues the
reference to sleeping and rising is a rhetorical device to show the passage of time. However, this
explanation seems to flatten the parable. Whereas others have made conclusions that extended
15
Snodgrass, Stories With Intent, loc 4326.
16
Ibid., loc 4402.
Great
interjection
of Greek!
7
the inactivity of the man claiming the parable teaches “passivity, an ostentatious indifference so
that overactivists learn to wait on God, wait with a carefree attitude, or take time to sleep and
relax, or even that those who hear the word need no further nurture and care from Jesus,”
17
Snodgrass’ conclusion minimizes the inactivity in the overall narrative. As discussed below,
there is a tension in the participation of the man and his absence that highlights a theme of trust
throughout the parable. The sleep of the man displays trust that the seed will grow
“acknowledging God’s kingship (Dt 6,7; Prov 6,20-23), trusting in him (Ps 3,6(5), 139,2; Prov
3,24; LXX Ps 4,7-9; Is 27,3), avoiding preoccupation (Qoh 8,16; Sir 38,27).”
18
This is evident
when one considers the concept of trust developed throughout the parable, the parallel of Jesus
sleeping in v. 38, and that “the basic theme concerning the spiritual significance of sleep in
Scripture is that of trust.”
19
“. . . [A]nd the seed sprouts and grows–how, he himself does not know.” (Mark 4:27)
John Paul Heil connects the sprouting of the seed with “the creative power and activity of God
(Gen 1:11-12).”
20
This is an important part of the narrative, because as the implied listener/reader
is imagining the seed sprouting and growing, the narrative is interrupted. Kaiser and Silva
instruct that this is an important element of the narrative genre. “Biblical narratives exhibit the
elements of structure at four different levels: the verbal level, the level of narrative technique, the
level of the narrative world, and the level of conceptual content.”
21
The sudden insertion of
17
Ibid., loc 4409.
18
John Duncan Martin Derret. “Ambivalence: Sowing and Reaping at Mark 4,26-29.” Estudios Bblicos
48, no. 4 (1990): 493.
19
Jason McMartin, “Sleep, Sloth, and Sanctification,” Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 2, no. 2
(2013): 260.
20
John Paul Heil. “Reader-Response and the Narrative Context of the Parables about Growing Seed in
Mark 4:1-34.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 54, no. 2 (April 1992): 282.
21
Kaiser and Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, 122.
8
“how” interrupts the narration of events then comments on the knowledge available to the man.
This would be considered a change at the level of narrative technique which acts as a flag for the
interpreter to play close attention to what occurs next - specifically the answer “he himself does
not know.” This answer is interpreted with varying levels of surprise. Lowe and Lowe suggest
that this statement “would no doubt register shock at the ignorance of the farmer in the parable.
As an agricultural expert, one would expect the planter and harvester of the seed to know
something about how it grows.”
22
Heil on the other hand does not suggest the man’s ignorance is
startling because “the activities and ‘ways’ of God are essentially beyond human comprehension
(Isa 55:8-11).”
23
It may be that this statement was an indirect way of revealing man’s ignorance
to the process to either shock the original audience or to reflect on God’s power. The answer to
“how” comes in the next sentence.
Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard remind the interpreter to pay close attention to the “plot
and character development [which] also helps us to identify the climax or most important idea of
a passage.”
24
The statement“. . . how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by
itself . . .” (Mark 4:27-28) is the center of the parable and arguably the climax as well.
Snodgrass argues that the Greek word αὐτομάτη (automatē) “is a key word – maybe the key
word – for understanding the parable.”
25
This adjective describes how the earth (interestingly not
the seed) produces crops by itself.
22
Stephen D. Lowe and Mary E. Lowe, Ecologies of Faith in a Digital Age: Spiritual Growth through
Online Education (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018), 43.
23
Heil, “Reader-Response,” 282. The verses in Isaiah have an intriguing parallel to the imagery in Mark’s
parable. The passage is a simile of the process of growth in the natural word compared to the process of God’s word
spreading. This passage shows the earth sprouting and “furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater.”
24
William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical
Interpretation, Third Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 122.
25
Snodgrass, Stories With Intent, loc 4427.
9
With the exclamation that the earth produces the crops independent of the man’s actions,
the narration returns to the seed in its stages of growth, “. . . first the blade, then the head, then
the mature grain in the head.” Within the literary structure of the parable, the sequence of
growth in the second half of the parable mirrors the sequence of sleeping and rising, night and
day, sprouting and growing in the first half. Both sections of the parable emphasize the passage
of time. This contrast is further characterized by the use of “immediately” in v. 29.
After focusing on the growth of the seed, verse 29 shows a return of the man’s
involvement in the process, “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle,
because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29) Notable here is the use of the word παραδοῖ
(paradoi) which can be translated as “offer itself.” Indeed modern readers may assume that the
word is conveying that the harvest is ready. But such an understanding closer resembles the use
of ἐδίδου (edidou) in v. 8 in the parable of the sower and soils. Therefore, one may argue that
the use of paradoi offers a sense of the crop entrusting itself to the harvest and thereby furthering
a theme of trust seen throughout the parable.
Some commentators have noted that “The harvest spoken of is the eschatological
judgment (cf. Joel 3:13).”
26
Snodgrass agrees that he does not think “an allusion to Joel 3:13 in
Mark 4:29 can be avoided.”
27
This is in contrast to some – such as C.H. Dodd – who “refers here
to the harvest happening in [Jesus’] own ministry.”
28
But the allusion to Joel and the use of
“when” seem to suggest a future coming of the harvest.
26
Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary New Testament, ed.
Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger. Abridged ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017).
27
Snodgrass, Stories With Intent, loc 4441.
28
Ibid., loc 4451.
10
Having gone through each verse of the parable, the next question may be what is the
“focal point” or “big idea” of the parable? George Ladd suggests the “focal point” is “Seedtime
and harvest: both are the work of God. Both are essentially supernatural. The earth bears fruit of
itself. The seed has resident within it powers which man does not place there and which utterly
transcend anything he can do. Man can sow the seed, but the Kingdom itself is God’s deed.”
29
Snodgrass agrees that “the parable asserts that the kingdom process is already underway with
Jesus’ teaching and activity and that the glorious revelation of the kingdom has its beginning in,
and is directly tied to, what he is doing.”
30
This point is made by remembering the entire parable
is a prolonged simile comparing “the kingdom of God is like . . .” What flows from this focal
point is patience and trust that “the harvest will come, but it will come in God’s time and in
God’s way, not by human effort or to fit in with human expectations.”
31
29
George Eldon Ladd, The Presence of the Future : The Eschatology of Biblical Realism, (Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 33m.
30
Snodgrass, Stories With Intent, loc 4512.
31
France, “Seed Thoughts from Saint Mark,” 109.
11
Bibliography
Barker, Kenneth L., and John R. Kohlenberger. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary New
Testament. Edited by Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger. Abridged edition.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Pub. House, 2017.
Boring, M. Eugene. An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology.
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012.
Collins, Steven and Joseph M. Holden. The Harvest Handbook™ of Bible Lands : A Panoramic
Survey of the History, Geography and Culture of the Scriptures. Eugene, OR: Harvest
House Publishers, 2019. EBSCOHost Ebrary.
Derret, J. Duncan M. “Ambivalence: Sowing and Reaping at Mark 4,26-29.” Estudios Bblicos
48, no. 4 (1990): 489-510.
Enns, Paul P. Shepherd's Notes: Manners and Customs of Bible Times. Nashville, TN: B&H
Publishing Group, 2004. ProQuest Ebook Central.
France, Richard Thomas. “Seed Thoughts from Saint Mark.” Rural Theology 8, no. 2 (2010):
103–13. doi:10.1558/ruth.v8i2.103.
Heil, John Paul. “Reader-Response and the Narrative Context of the Parables about Growing
Seed in Mark 4:1-34.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 54, no. 2 (April 1992): 271-286.
Kaiser Jr., Walter C. and Moisés Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for
Meaning, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.
Klein, William W., Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical
Interpretation. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017.
Ladd, George Eldon. The Presence of the Future : The Eschatology of Biblical Realism. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996.
Lowe, Stephen D., and Mary E. Lowe, Ecologies of Faith in a Digital Age: Spiritual Growth
through Online Education. Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018.
Martin, Dale B. New Testament History and Literature. New Haven: Yale University Press,
2012.
McMartin, Jason. “Sleep, Sloth, and Sanctification,” Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care
2, no. 2 (2013): 255-272.
Snodgrass, Klyne. Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus. 2nd ed.
Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018. Kindle.
