Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 4:27
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
27. spring and grow up ] We need not inquire too minutely who the Sower is, though primarily it refers to the Lord Himself. It is the property of the seed which is intended to engage our attention, the secret energy of its own, the principle of life and growth within itself, whereby it springs up and grows.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And should sleep, and rise night and day – Should sleep in the night and rise by day, for so the expression is to be understood. That is, should live in his usual way, without exerting any influence over the growing grain. By this we are not to infer that men are to use no diligence in the obtaining and in the growth of piety; but the illustration shows only that as we cannot tell how grain grows, so we cannot tell the mode in which piety increases in the heart.
He knoweth not how – This is still true. After all the researches of philosophers, no one has been able to tell the way in which grain grows. They can observe one fact after another; they can see the changes; they can see the necessity of rains and suns, of care and shelter, but beyond this they cannot go. So in religion. We can mark the change; we can see the need of prayer, and self-examination, and searching the Scriptures, and the ordinances of religion, but we cannot tell in what way the religious principle is developed and strengthened. As God unseen, yet by the use of proper means, makes the grass to flourish, so God unseen, but by proper means, nourishes the soul, and the plants of piety spring up, and bloom, and bear fruit. Compare the notes at Joh 3:8.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. And should sleep and rise night and day] That is, he should sleep by night, and rise by day; for so the words are obviously to be understood.
He knoweth not how.] How a plant grows is a mystery in nature, which the wisest philosopher in the universe cannot fully explain.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And should sleep,…. That is, the man that casts in the seed, who represents the ministers of the Gospel: and, as applied to them, is not to be understood of natural sleep, and indulging themselves in that; much less of spiritual sloth and indolence, as if they cared not what became of the seed sown, whether it sprung up, and came to any thing, or not; for neither of these belong to the characters of the true ministers of the word: for though bodily sleep in them, as in other men, is necessary for the support of nature, and to put them in a capacity of discharging their work; yet perhaps none have less of it than studious and laborious preachers of the Gospel; and much less do they indulge a spiritual sleep and slothfulness; though this may sometimes attend them, as well as others: but then, whilst they sleep, in this sense, tares are sown, and they spring up, and not the good seed of the word, as in this parable; besides, as they labour in the word and doctrine, by studying and preaching it, so they follow their ministrations with incessant prayers that they be succeeded to the conversion of sinners, and comfort of saints; nor can they be easy, unless they have some seals of their ministry: but rather, this may be understood of the sleep of death; for so it often is, that the seed sown by them does not appear in the fruits of it to the churches of Christ, among whom they have ministered, until after they are fallen asleep in Jesus: though it seems best to understand it of their holy security, confidence, and satisfaction in their own minds, that it will turn to profit and advantage, both to the good of souls, and glory of God, not despairing of success; but having left their work with their Lord, they sit down easy and satisfied, believing that the word shall prosper to the thing whereunto it is sent:
and rise night and day; which shows their diligence and laboriousness, and their constant attendance to other parts of their work, rising up early, and sitting up late, to prepare for, and discharge their ministerial work; and their continued expectation of the springing-up of the seed sown, which accordingly does in proper time:
and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how; it is a mystery in nature, how the seed under the clods, where it dies before it is quickened, should spring and grow up, and bring forth fruit; and so it is in grace, how the word of God first operates on a sinner’s heart, and becomes the ingrafted word there; the time when, and much less the manner how, grace, by this means, is implanted in the heart, are not known to a soul itself, and still less to the ministers of the word, who sometimes never know any thing of it; and when they do, not till some time after: this work is done secretly, and powerfully, under the influence of divine grace, without their knowledge, though by them as instruments; so that though the sowing and planting are theirs, all the increase is God’s: this may encourage attendance on the ministry of the word, and teach us to ascribe the work of conversion entirely to the power and grace of God.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Should sleep and rise ( ). Present subjunctive for continued action. So also
spring up and grow ( ) two late verbs. The process of growth goes on all night and all day ( , accusative of time).
He knoweth not how ( ). Note position of (beginning) and (end) of clause:
How knows not he . The mystery of growth still puzzles farmers and scientists of today with all our modern knowledge. But nature’s secret processes do not fail to operate because we are ignorant. This secret and mysterious growth of the kingdom in the heart and life is the point of this beautiful parable given only by Mark. “When man has done his part, the actual process of growth is beyond his reach or comprehension” (Swete).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Grow [] . Lit., lengthen; be extended by the seed lengthening out into blade and stalk.
He knoweth not how (wJv oujk oiden aujtov). The Greek order is very lively : how knoweth not he.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And should sleep, and rise night and day,” (kai katheude kai egeiretai nukta kai hemeran) ”And he might sleep and rise of his own interest and concern night and day,” watching it, vigilantly keep watch, expecting results, as pledged Psa 126:5-6; Dan 12:3; 1Co 3:8.
2) “And the seed should spring and grow up,” (kai ho sporos blasta kai mekunetai) “And the seed should sprout and the blade lengthen, extend, or grow out, ”We know as little of growth above ground as below. It is God that causes the growth in plant and in the spiritual growth of men, Zec 4:6, Joh 6:63.
3) ”He knoweth not how.” (hos ouk oiden autos) “As he knows or perceives not,” how it occurs, as the mystery or natural seed life is revealed, so is the word of the spirit, by, through, and in connection with the Word of God that is sown, expressed by Solomon, Ecc 11:5, and by Isaiah, Isa 55:10-11; and by Jesus, Joh 3:8; 1Co 3:7-9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(27) And should sleep, and rise.So it was in the worlds history. Men knew not the greatness of the new force that had been brought into action. Philosophers and statesmen ignored it. Even the very preachers of the new faith, the sowers of the parable, were hardly conscious of the enormous revolution which they were working. So it is in the individual life. The seemingly chance word, the new truth that flashes on the soul as a revelation, the old words now for the first time apprehended in their true force, these prove to be the seeds of a new growth in the soul.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Should sleep, and rise night and day That is, who sleep, night, and rise, day. He knoweth not how He knows what must be done by him in order that the process may take place, but the process itself is a secret to him. The plants grow while he sleeps. But if he were awake, nature nevertheless works in secret before his eyes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Ver. 27. And should sleep ] Ministers must rest secure with the success of their endeavours, having diligently done their duties. The word may work many a year after; as they say of the elephant, that she brings not forth till thirteen years after she hath conceived.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27. . . . ] i.e. employs himself otherwise goes about his ordinary occupations . The seed sown in the heart is in its growth dependent on other causes than mere human anxiety and watchfulness: on a mysterious power implanted by God in the seed and the soil combined, the working of which is hidden from human eye. Beware of the mistake of Erasmus, who takes as the subject of all the verbs in this verse.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 4:27 . , sleep and rise night and day, suggestive of the monotonous life of a man who has nothing particular to do beyond waiting patiently for the result of what he has already done (seed sown). The presents express a habit, while , Mar 4:26 , expresses an act, done once for all. (the reading in [22] [23] [24] , etc., as if from ) may be either indicative or subjunctive, the former if we adopt the reading ( [25] [26] ., etc.) = and the seed sprouts and lengthens. , how knoweth not (nor careth) he, perfectly indifferent to the rationale of growth; the fact enough for him.
[22] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
[23] Codex Bezae
[24] Codex Regius–eighth century, represents an ancient text, and is often in agreement with and B.
[25] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
[26] Codex Bezae
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
should sleep, and rise. These Present Tenses, following the Past in Mar 4:26, indicate the continued rising and sleeping after the seed was sown.
spring = sprout.
grow up = lengthen.
knoweth = has no intuitive knowledge. Greek. oida App-132.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
27. . . .] i.e. employs himself otherwise-goes about his ordinary occupations. The seed sown in the heart is in its growth dependent on other causes than mere human anxiety and watchfulness:-on a mysterious power implanted by God in the seed and the soil combined, the working of which is hidden from human eye. Beware of the mistake of Erasmus, who takes as the subject of all the verbs in this verse.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 4:27. , should sleep and rise) With these two verbs are connected by Chiasmus [See Append.] the nouns night and day [sleep referring to night; rise, to day]. Moreover, sometimes night is wont to be put before day, as in Genesis 1 [The evening and the morning were the first day, Mar 4:5].- , he knoweth not himself) After the safeguards of grace have been conferred on men, God leaves them in some measure to themselves. Yet this clause may be made to refer to the believing man himself; and then, of its own accord, in Mar 4:28, is opposed to mans care, not to the cultivation of the earth.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
and grow: Ecc 8:17, Ecc 11:5, Joh 3:7, Joh 3:8, 1Co 15:37, 1Co 15:38, 2Th 1:3, 2Pe 3:18
Reciprocal: Joh 9:10 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Knoweth not how. We do not understand how God makes things grow in the material kingdom, yet it makes its development notwithstanding our lack of that knowledge. Likewise, our work in the kingdom of God will have its reward in its proper time and in the Lord’s own way even though we cannot always understand how it is.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 4:27. And should sleep, etc., i.e., live as usual without further care of the seed sown.
He knoweth not how. The emphasis rests on the word he; he who sows does not know how that takes place which he expects to occur, and to occur for his benefit. A true picture, since such knowledge is not permitted to the wisest of men, and what is known helps the growth very little.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 27
Sleep, and rise night and day; that is, as usual,–pursuing his usual avocations, without having upon his mind any care in regard to the vegetation of his seed.
Mark 4:28,29. So with the disciples as preachers of the gospel. Their duty would be to sow the seed, and to gather into the churches those in whose hearts the Spirit of God causes it to vegetate. As they cannot by their own power make the word which they preach effectual, they have no responsibility in regard to its reception.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
4:27 And {g} should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he {h} knoweth not how.
(g) That is, when he has finished sowing should wait both day and night not doubting that the seed should spring forth, which grows both by day and night.
(h) It is the duty of the ministers to work the ground with all diligence, and accredit the success to God: for the mighty work of the seed coming to blade and ear is mysterious, and is only known by the fruit that comes.