Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 4:22
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
There is nothing hid … – See the notes at Mat 10:26.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mar 4:22
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested.
Immediate revelation not always desirable
Here our Lord is justifying the parabolic form of teaching, which often serves to veil the truth, on the ground that immediate revelation is not always desirable. Many things are concealed, both in nature and by art, though the concealment is by no means designed to be permanent. What striking illustrations of this principle are furnished in geology! Look at the almost measureless beds of coal, hidden for ages in the bowels of the earth, but designed by Providence to be revealed when necessity should arise. The precise time for the unveiling it is not always easy to decide, because mans knowledge is finite, but we rest assured that it will coincide with the need for its use. It is a principle worth bearing in mind when human efforts fail; for it is encouraging to know that such a result may be due simply to the fact that we have tried unconsciously to anticipate the fore-appointed time. (H. M. Luckock, D. D.)
Things brought to light sooner or later
The doctrine of Jesus Christ has nothing in it which fears the light; it is itself the light which must enlighten the world. Everything is brought to light sooner or later. The humble person conceals his virtue in this life, but God will disclose it at the day of eternity. The hypocrite hides his wickedness here, but he shall suffer an eternal confusion for it in the sight of heaven and earth. (Quesnel.)
Secret sin comes out at the judgment
One day Thomas Edwards, the Scottish naturalist, went out on one of his expeditions to search for insects. He had on, as usual on such occasions, an old coat with many pockets, and each pocket held a goodly store of chip boxes wherein to place the various specimens of the insect tribe which he might find. He had a most successful day; met with many curious and rare insects, all of which he duly deposited each in its own little box, And now he was returning home laden with the spoils, every box and every pocket full, when suddenly he was overtaken by a tremendous storm. The thunder roared, the lightning blazed around him, the rain came down in torrents, like water from a bucket, and he was soon drenched and wet to the skin. Espying a farmhouse at a short distance, he made for it, and begged leave to shelter himself from the storm. To this the gudewife readily assented, made up a blazing fire, threw on a log, and told him to draw near and dry himself, whilst she went on with her household duties. Accordingly he did so, and soon his benumbed limbs began to feel the pleasant warmth of the fire. Presently the housewife returned, uttered a loud cry of horror and disgust, caught up a broomstick, and, deaf to all entreaties, drove him forth again into the pitiless storm. He now looked at himself, and soon perceived the cause of this strange treatment, for he was covered from head to foot with his beloved insects, so abhorred by others. The soaking rain had loosed and destroyed the boxes, and set their inhabitants at liberty, and they remained unseen in his pockets till the warmth of the fire brought them out. So will it be in the day of judgment: mens darling sins will come forth to light, and cover the sinner with horror and confusion as with a cloak. The fire of that day will bring them forth, and then the sinner will be driven out by the Judge into the fierce tempest of Gods wrath.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 22. For there is nothing hid, c.] Probably our Lord means, that all that had hitherto been secret, relative to the salvation of a lost world, or only obscurely pointed out by types and sacrifices, shall now be uncovered and made plain by the everlasting Gospel. See Clarke on Mt 5:15 “Mt 10:26“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Our Saviour, Mat 10:26, sending out his apostles, saith to them, Fear them not therefore, that is, not your enemies and persecutors: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known: the sense of which words we there said might be, though your innocency be now hid, yet it shall be made known, or though the gospel be now hid, and preached in a little corner, and kept secret, it shall be made manifest, and come abroad. Both Mark and Luke have it immediately after the parable of the sower, where it doth not seem to have the same sense as here. But more general proverbial common sayings may be variously applied to things, to which the common sense and import of them will agree. Some here apply them thus, There is nothing in the prophecies concerning me which shall not be manifested; which agrees with the sense of those who interpret the former verse concerning Christ, as if he had been giving a reason why he opened the parables to those that asked him of it. But those who interpret it to the sense which it beareth plainly, Mat 5:15,16, make the sense thus; For though you may play the hypocrites, and under a profession of the gospel but hide the hypocrisy, lusts, and corruptions of your hearts, yet that mask will not hold always, there will come a day of judgment, which will manifest and discover all, and bring to light the hidden things of dishonesty. What we have Mar 4:23 is but a usual conclusion which our Saviour hath often made of any grave and important discourses.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. For there is nothing hid whichshall not be manifested, c.See on Mt10:26, 27 but the connection there and here is slightlydifferent. Here the idea seems to be this”I have privatelyexpounded to you these great truths, but only that ye may proclaimthem publicly; and if ye will not, others will. For these are notdesigned for secrecy. They are imparted to be diffused abroad, andthey shall be so; yea, a time is coming when the most hidden thingsshall be brought to light.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For there is nothing hid,…. In these parables, and figurative expressions used by Christ,
which shall not be manifested, sooner or later, to his disciples:
neither was any thing kept secret; any doctrine of the Gospel, or mystery of the kingdom:
but that it should come abroad; it was designed to be published in all Judea, and afterwards, throughout the whole world, for the benefit of God’s chosen ones, to their conversion, comfort, and edification: wherefore it becomes the ministers of the Gospel to keep back nothing that may be profitable to the churches, nor shun to declare the whole counsel of God; but faithfully dispense the mysteries of grace, and commend the truth to every man’s conscience, without any fear of men, or dreading the effects and consequences of things: since nothing is declared in the word, or made known, but with a design to be published to others, to answer some divine end and purpose; [See comments on Mt 10:26].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Save that it should be manifested ( ). Note and . Lu 8:17 has it
that shall not be made manifest ( ). Here in Mark it is stated that the temporary concealment is for final manifestation and a means to that end. Those who are charged with the secret at this time are given the set responsibility of proclaiming it on the housetops after Ascension (Swete). The hidden () and the
secret () are to be revealed in due time.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Which shall not be manifested [ ] . The A. V. makes Christ say that every hidden thing shall be revealed. This is wrong. He says that things are hidden in order that they may be manifested. Concealment is a means to revelation.
26 – 29. THE PARABLE OF THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY. Peculiar to Mark.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For there is nothing hid that shall not be manifested;- (ou gar estin ti krupton can me hina phanerothe) “For there is or exists nothing hidden or concealed, except that (in order that) it may be manifested,” Mat 10:26; Php_2:15-16 or come to light, eventually, at the right time, in the right way, to the honest learner. As the purpose of a light is to help, so is the influence of every believer, 1Co 9:26-27; Rom 12:1-2.
2) “Neither was any thing kept secret,” (oude enegento apokruphon) ”Nor has anything become concealed or covered up;- Valuable things may be hidden, but for a temporary time, to be useful later, rather than selfishly hoarded.
3) “But that it should come abroad.” (all’ hina elthe eis phaneron) ”But in order that it may come abroad, be brought out into the open, or manifest,” later, even as the purpose of God, concerning the church, as described, Eph 3:3-10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) For there is nothing hid.This also is found elsewhere (e.g., in Mat. 10:26). The Greek word here for secret is interesting as being the same as that which we find in our word Apocrypha. The term was, in the first instance, applied to books that were surrounded with the secrecy of a spurious sacred-ness, but were not publicly recognised in the Church as being of divine authority, and was then transferred to all books which, whether spurious or secret, wanted that recognition.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Ver. 22. There is nothing hid, &c. ] i.e. The prophets have delivered nothing darkly of me, which you must not make more manifest, and for that end you are enlightened, Rom 16:15 . See Mat 10:26 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] here is almost equivalent to . Hartung, Partikel. ii. 43, cites Eur. Hippol [13] 633, | | . We may add Xen. Mem. iii. 13. 6, , ; , , . See Klotz, Devar. p. 7.
[13] Hippolytus, disciple of Irenus, Bp. of Portus, 220
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 4:22 . Double statement of the law that the hidden is to be revealed; 1st, predictively: there is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed; 2nd, interpretatively, with reference to the purpose of the hider: nor did anything become concealed with any other view than that it should eventually come to manifestation. ( ), here and in Luk 8:17 , Col 2:3 . : in effect = nisi , but strictly is understood to be repeated after it = nothing becomes concealed absolutely, but it is concealed in order that, etc. This is universally true. Things are hid because they are precious, but precious things are meant to be used at some time and in some way. All depends on the time and the way, and it is there that diversity of action comes in. Christ’s rule for that was: show your light when it will glorify God and benefit men; the world’s rule is: when safe and beneficial to self.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
nothing = not (Greek. ou. App-105.) anything.
manifested. Greek phaneroo. App-106.
was any thing kept secret = does a secret thing take place.
it should come abroad = it may come into (Greek. eis. App-104.) [the] light (App-1308),
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] here is almost equivalent to . Hartung, Partikel. ii. 43, cites Eur. Hippol[13] 633, | | . We may add Xen. Mem. iii. 13. 6, , ; , , . See Klotz, Devar. p. 7.
[13] Hippolytus, disciple of Irenus, Bp. of Portus, 220
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 4:22. – , for there is nothing hidden-nor has anything become concealed) There is a difference both in the verbs is, implying that it was so naturally, and has become, implying intentional concealment, and also in the nouns [adjectives] used; comp. , 1Co 4:5, and , Col 2:3;[38] to which corresponds the difference which is made in the corresponding antithesis, between , be manifested, and , come to be manifested; the former referring to manifestation by constraint, the latter to manifestation of its own accord, when it is ripe for manifestation. Therefore the former sentence can be understood of what is bad, the second sentence of what is good. This axiom holds good of the things in nature, of the feelings and actions of men, whether good or bad, in a natural condition or in a spiritual condition; as also of the divine mysteries.-, has become [was kept, Engl. Vers.]) The subject is , anything, to be repeated from the previous sentence: the predicate is, hidden out of sight, .-, come) of its own accord; comp. Joh 3:21. This is done in successive stages in this present order of things; and it shall be done fully, when the light shall make manifest all secrets on the last day; 1Co 4:5.
[38] So Latin conditus, hidden, whether undesignedly or otherwise: absconditus, hidden out of sight, by design.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
For there is
For nothing is hidden except unto manifestation, nor a secret thing done that shall not be exposed. Cf. Rev 20:12; Rom 4:6; Heb 10:16; Heb 10:17
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Psa 40:9, Psa 40:10, Psa 78:2-4, Ecc 12:14, Mat 10:26, Mat 10:27, Luk 8:17, Luk 12:2, Luk 12:3, Act 4:20, Act 20:27, 1Co 4:5, 1Jo 1:1-3
Reciprocal: Luk 8:16 – when Luk 11:33 – when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
All evil deeds will some day be exposed by the Lord. Our good deeds, therefore, should be permitted to be a benefit to others, and not be lost upon them by some unwise conduct on our part.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 4:22. For there is nothing hid, etc. See on Mat 10:26. Here these words are a literal statement of what was figuratively expressed in Mar 4:21.
But that it should come to light. This is the purpose of the temporary secrecy, a thought implied throughout, but more strongly expressed here. Even the concealing is for the purpose of revealing. Only by such a process could Christian truth be ultimately spread. The concealing, hiding purpose, mentioned in Mar 4:12, is not without this gracious use of revealing the truth more fully to those who see the evil effect of rejecting it.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 22
The meaning is, that the disciples and their successors were to disseminate throughout the world the instruction which Jesus communicated to them privately, in the solitudes of Galilee.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The former verse expressed a parable. This one explained a literal reality. As a principle, people do not hide precious things forever. They only conceal them temporarily, and then they bring them out into view. If they remain hidden forever, they are virtually lost. People conceal them to protect them from others who would abuse and take them. For example, people who own expensive jewelry or art treasures may keep them locked up for safe keeping part of the time, but they display them publicly at other times. Keeping them locked up privately all the time is a misuse of their purpose.
The disciples should not conclude that because God had previously hidden the characteristics about the kingdom that Jesus was revealing He wanted them to remain unknown. The time had come to proclaim them publicly.
"The kingdom of God, as embodied in Jesus’ Person and ministry, was now a veiled revelation to those without, but He intended that later it should receive a glorious manifestation through the ministry of His followers." [Note: Hiebert, p. 107.]