Mark 4:30 And he said; He said also--Mof; Another saying of His was this-- Wey; Then he continued--Phi; Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God?; To what can we liken...--TCNT; With what can we compare...--RSV; How shall we picture...--NEB; or with what comparison shall we compare it?; or in what parable shall we set it forth--ASV; or what parable shall we use for it--RSV; or by what parable shall we present it-- NASB; And he was saying-- How shall we liken the kingdom of God, or /in what' parable\ shall we put /it\? And he said, 'To what may we liken the reign of God, or in what simile may we compare it? TRNTyeagerV245,6 -Kai elegen, Pws homoiwswmen tAn basileian tou theou, hA en tini autAn parabolA thwmen; Kai (continuative conjunction). elegen (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of legw, progressive duration). Pws (interrogative conjunction with the deliberative subjunctive). homoiwswmen (1st.per.pl.aor.act.subj.of homoiow, deliberative). tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with basileian). basileian (acc.sing.fem.of basileia, direct object of homoiwswmen). tou (gen.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with theou). theou (gen.sing.masc.of theos, definition). hA (disjunctive). en (preposition with the instrumental of means). tini (instru.sing.fem.of tis, in agreement with parabolA). autAn (acc.sing.fem.of autos, direct object of thwmen). parabolA (instru.sing.fem.of parabolA, means). thwmen (1st.per.pl.2d.aor.act.subj.of tithAmi, deliberative). Translation: "And He continued to speak: 'Unto what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we discuss it?'" COMMENT: kai elegen in Mark can be thought of as "He continued to say," or "He continued by saying." pws introduces the deliberative subjunctive. Cf.#627 for other examples. Jesus is struggling to find an analogy that will serve to make clear His teaching about the Kingdom of God. They had had the parable of the sower, the parable of the tares and the wheat and now the parable of spontaneous growth. How shall He continue in His effort to make them understand the divine weltanschauung. That God exercises a sovereign rule over the course of history on this planet is obvious. But how will He carry it out? What is the divine scenario? How long will it take to run its course? We know that it will end happily and for the total glory of God, but where are we on God's clock and what does the future hold? In the meantime, what should be the role of the Christian? These are important questions for the saints. In the last half of the verse Jesus repeats His question as He muses, as though in soliloquy. "By what parable shall we set it forth?" - an interesting use of tithAmi. R407 - By using the plural in this verse Christ associates others with himself in a very natural manner (cf. BD280). T257 - En with the dative has an instrumental sense here. Ear129 - Liken...Comparison. Here we first have the aorist subjunctive of the verb homoiow, which comes from the adjective homoios, "like, resembling." For "comparison" the Greek has parabolA. The literal rendering of the question is: "How shall we liken the kingdom of God, or in what parable shall we place it?" Probably the clearest translation is: "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?" (NIV). MARKitGNTwuest93,4 - Expositors has an excellent note: "This introductory question, especially as given in the text of W.H., is very graphic--how shall we liken the Kingdom of God, or in (under) what parable shall we place it? The form of expression implies that something has been said before, creating a need for figurative embodiment, something pointing to the insignificance of the Kingdom. The two previous parables satisfy this requirement--the word 'fruitful' in only a few, and even in them only after a time. What is the best emblem of this state of things?" The verb "liken" is homoiow "to liken, to compare." The noun of the same root refers to a likeness or a resemblance between two things. The use of the first person plural "we," taking in the hearers with a fine tact, into consultation, is just another instance of our Lord's masterful teaching technique. "With what comparison shall we compare it?" is literally "With what parable shall we put it?" A parable, therefore, is an explanation, presenting a likeness to the thing which one wishes to explain, thrown in alongside of the fact discussed. Translation: "And He was saying, In what shall we liken the kingdom of God? In what parable shall we set it forth? TCGTC-MARKcranfield169,70 - THE PRAABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED (4:30-32), (Mt.13:31f.; Lk.13:18f). The Mt. parallel seems to be a conflation of the Mk version with that reproduced in Lk. Dodd argues that 'the emphasis on the smallness of the seed is in Mark alone, and is probably intrusive', Mark having interpolated mikroteron...gAs in order to indicate the sense in which he understood the parable (according to Dodd, 'the Church is a small affair in its beginnings, but it is the germ of the universal Kingdom of God'). So he proposes to neglect it, and urges that both in Mk and Lk. 'the prevailing idea is that of growth up to a point at which the tree can shelter the birds'. For him then the parable means that 'the time has come when the blessings of the Reign of God are available for all men.... That multitudes of the outcast and neglected in Israel, perhaps even of the Gentiles, are hearing the call, is a sign that the process of obscure development is at an end. The Kingdom of God is here....' But the contrast between the smallness of the seed and the largeness of the plant cannot so easily be pushed aside. Quite apart from the additonal words in Mk the idea is present, for mustard seed was proverbial for its smallness (cf. Mt.17:20; Lk.17:6; and ...). Moreover in Lk. the hyperbolic dendron adequately emphasizes the contrast. This contrast is surely the key feature. This is another parable of contrast. The contrast is not, as is sometimes thought, between the Church's insignificant beginnings and the widely-spread, powerful organization it was to become: it is rather between the present veildness of the kingdom of God and its future glorious manifestation in the Parousia. To the objection that after all the parable depicts a process of growth Jeremias' answer is sufficient: he points out that, in contrast with modern western ma n, the men of the Bible did not regard the process of growth by which the seed develops into the mature plant, but rather saw one condition replaced by another by a miracle of divine power; and appeals to I Cor.15:35-38; Jn.12:24; and I Clem.24:4f. in support of his statement. Pws homoiwswmen..., A en tini...parabolA thwmen; hws.... Cf. the opening formulae of Rabbinic parables (given in S.-B. II, pp. 7f.), especially: 'I will tell you a parable. With what is...to be compared? With (Hebrew le)....' The subjunctives are deliberative. NTC-MARKhendriksen170,1,2 - (Cf. Matt. 13:31,32; Luke 13:18,19). In our treatment of The Synoptic Problem (N.T.C. on Matt., pp. 6-54) it was pointed out that one of the reasons why Matthew, Mark, and Luke resemble each other so closely may have been literary relationship, both Matthew and Luke having probably used Mark's Gospel; all three having utilized Matthew's earlier notes; Luke perhaps also Matthew's Gospel (p. 53). It was also shown that one of the reasons why the three are so different may have been that in the use of sources, whether oral or written, each evangelist exercised his Spirit-guided judgment, in accordance with his own character, education and general background, and with a view to the realization of his own distinct plan and purpose (p. 54). An illustration both of the variety and the unity is found in this parable of The Mustard Seed. Matt. 13:31-32 - He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds; yet, when it is full-grown, it is the biggest of the garden herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches." What a variety of expression! Nevertheless, no discrepancy anywhere! And the similarity is as striking as is the variety. Luke also contains this parable, as follows: He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden; and it grew to be a tree, and the birds of the air lodged in its branches." Here, too, there is no discrepancy, no conflict between Luke and the others. We note, moreover, the close resem- blance between Luke's eighteenth verse and Mark's thirtieth. Matt. 13:31a is wholly different. Did Luke, though retaining his own style, have Mark before him as he wrote? There is also a close resemblance between Luke's nineteenth verse and Matt. 13:31b, 32. Luke resembles Matthew more closely than he does Mark. Was he making use of what Matthew had already written: the latter's notes, or perhaps even his Gospel? However that may be, the fact stands out that amid pleasing variety of presentation an equally delightful harmony is evident. In the selection of his sources, both oral and written, as well as in everything else pertaining to his writing, each Gospel writer, for his own purpose employing his own style, was being guided by the Holy Spirit. In the parable of The Sower (verses 3-9, 13-20) the emphasis was on human responsibility; in that of The Seed Growing in Secret (verses 26-29), on divine sovereignty. When these two co-operate - man working out his own salvation because God is working within him (Phil. 2:12.13) - abundant growth results, as shown in the parable of The Mustard Seed. To be sure, this idea of growth, success, a good harvest, was already brought to the fore in the preceding parables (see verses 8,20,28,29). But there are two differences. Here, in the parable of The Mustard Seed, a. this fact receives all the emphasis; and b. added stress is placed on the truth that great results develop from small beginnings. The central idea of the new parable, then, is this: the kingdom of God, no matter how small and insignificant it may appear at first, will continue to expand and to become increasingly a blessing to all who enter it. [161] What we have here is an oratorical question [162] to arouse interest. Note the striking resemblance in form to the similarly double question found in Isa. 40:18 and to the one in Luke 7:31. It was not a question rising from embarassment, Jesus being at a loss as to what he should say next in illustration of the kingdom and its growth. It was a device - not unknown to the rabbis - to sharpen the attention of the audience. So very important did the Lord consider the amazingly marvelous theme of the kingdom and its growth that he wanted everyone to listen carefully. Hardened foes would remain hardened; rather, were to become even more hardened (verse 12), but though the lesson is lost on them, it would be revealed and savingly applied to the others. [Footnote 161] - All extraneous notions, such as that the mustard kernel is Jesus himself - it is granted that Christ and Kingdom cannot be separated (Rom. 8:31-29; Rev. 17:14) -, that it was because of its pungent taste that he chose the mustard seed to illustrate the kingdom, that the field or garden in which the seed was planted represent Isarel, should be dismissed as unwarranted and fanciful speculations that have little or nothing to do with the real meaning of the parable. [Footnote 162] - homoiwswmen and thwmen are aorist deliberative subjunctives. Mark 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed,; It is like the mustard- seed--NEB; which, when it is sown in the earth,; which, when sown upon the ground--RSV; is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:; is the smallest of all the seeds on earth--RSV; ...in the world--Wey; As a grain of mustard seed,--which /whensoever it may be sown upon the earth\ is less than all the seeds that are upon the earth; As a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is less than any of the seeds that are on the earth; TRNTyeagerV246,7 hws kokkw sinapews, hos hotan sparA epi tAs gAs, mikroteron hon pantws twn spermatwn twn epi tAs gAs, hws (relative adverb introducing a comparative clause, with the indicative). kokkw (dat.sing.masc.of kokkos, comparison). sinapews (gen.sing.neut.of sinapi, definition). hos (relative pronoun, nom.sing.masc.of hos, subject of sparA). hotan (temporal conjunction introducing an indefinite temporal clause). sparA (3d.per.sing.2d.aor.pass.subj.of speirw, indefinite temporal clause). epi (preposition with the genitive of place description). tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with gAs). gAs (gen.sing.fem.of gA, place description). mikroteron (nom.sing.neut.comparative of mikros, in agreement with sinapews). hon (pres.part.nom.sing.neut.of eimi, adverbial, concessive). pantwn (abl.pl.neut.of pas, in agreement with spermatwn). twn (abl.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with spermatwn). spermatwn (abl.pl.neut.of sperma, comparison). twn (abl.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with spermatwn). epi (preposition with the genitive of place description). tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with gAs). gAs (gen.sing.fem.of gA, place description). Translation - "...like a mustard seed, which when sown upon the soil, although smaller than all the seeds upon the earth,..." COMMENT: Mark has his syntax problems in this verse but his meaning is very clear, which is all that the Holy Spirit expected from him. We know what the means to say. He goes on breathlessly from the question of vs.30. How? He omits the verb, but after a pause, (indicated by our dash in the translation) presents the analogy - hws kokkw sthnapews - "...like a mustard seed." This mustard seed is then discussed in the relative clauses hotan sparA epi tAs gAs (vs.31) and hotan sparA (vs.32). The sentence ends only with vs.32. Note that the two temporal clauses are indefinite, as indicated by the subjunctive mode in sparA. Jesus is not saying that the mustard seed will be planted, but if and when it is planted, it will behave as described in vs.32. And furthermore, this behavior bears a similarity, in a parabolic manner, to the Kingdom of God. Mark emphasizes the relative insignificance of the mustard seed, in comparison with all other seeds by the concession participle hon and the ablative of comparison. "Despite the fact that (although) it is the smaller of all the seeds on earth...k.t.l." So what has He said? Jesus is going to build spiritual truth about the Kingdom of God around a tiny mustard seed. What are its characteristics? At the time that it is sown it is the tiniest seed on earth. What happens then? DM83 - Ablative. (4) The Aplative of Comparison. It is immediately evident that what has usually been defined as a genitive of comparison is really an ablative. Comparison obviously implies separation in degree. Thus meizwn tou deinos means advanced in a position beyond, consequently away from, some one. The thought of separation is obvious. The ablative of comparison may also be used with the superlative degree. Cham102 - Predicate Participle. There are two kinds of predicative participle: the complementary and the circumstantial. 2. The circumstantial participle can always be recognized by the fact that it stands in the predicative position, i.e., not in the attributive position. it can be distinguished from the complementary participle by the fact that the complementary is required to complete the idea of the speaker, which the circumstantial is not. "The circumstantial participle may be removed and the sentence will not bleed." It is practically an additional clause, really adverbial in force. But the additional idea stated has a loose relation to the rest of the sentence. Clauses added by means of conjunctions have their exact meaning rather sharply defined by means of the conjunction itself: ean tas entolas mou tArAsAte, meneite en tA agapA mou (Jn.15:10), 'If you guard my commandments, abide in my love.' Here the condition is stated by the if-clause. But the conditional idea can be implied by a circumstantial participle: ton nomon telousa (Rom.2:27), 'keeping (if they keep) the law.' Here Paul is saying with a participle what he might have said with a conditional clause. It is the context that gives the participle its conditional force here. The circumstantial participle may have quite a wide range of meanings. The context alone can clarify the meaning of the participles. They may suggest: a. Time,... b. Conditions: c. Concession, equivalent to our 'though,' 'although': (here). Ear130 - Grain of Mustard Seed. The Greek has "grain [kokkos] of mustard [sinapi]." Obviously the whole expression simply means "mustard seed." Ear130 - Less than All. The Greek has the comparative of the adjective micros, "small, little." We have taken it over into English for a prefix, as in "microscopic." So the Greek literally says that the mustard seed is "smaller than all the seeds that are upon the ground" (NASB). The problem is that the mustard seed is not the smallest seed known to botanists today, though it apparently was to the ancients. In any case, it was used proverbially for "the smallest thing." So the NIV has: "which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground." It whould be noted that the Greek word gA may be translated "earth" (KJV) or "ground" (NASB, NIV). TCGTC-MARKcranfield170 - mikroteron. Comparative used for superlative, as is common in Koine Greek. The parenthesis mikroteron...gAs is rather awkward, and may well be Mark's explanatory addition; but even without it the idea of the smallness of the seed is present (see above). The neuter on is due to the connection with spermatwn, though properly the participle should rather have been masculine agreeing with hos and kokkw. The variant readings are attempts to improve Mark's awkward grammar. The repetition of hotan sparA after the parenthesis is resumptive. NTC-MARKhendriksen172,3 - Under the symbolical figure of a mustard seed, the parable first of all describes the smallness of the kingdom in the beginning of its new dispensation phase. ... Among seeds sown in the garden (Luke 13:19) the mustard seed was generally the smallest. Proverbially it therefore indicated anything that was very minute in its beginning (Matt. 17:20; Luke 17:6). Thus also the kingdom of God in the days of Christ's sojourn on earth was represented by a small band of genuine believers. Compared to the entire population of the Roman empire, or to all those who were at that time living in Palestine, or even to the large crowds that followed Jesus but for selfish reasons, Christ's real "kingdom" - see on 1:15 - was indeed insignificant in human eyes. Moreover, its immediate prestige was small. It resembled a small flock of defenseless sheep: "Fear not, little flock..." (Luke 12:32). Its shepherd was "despised and rejected by men" (Isa. 53:3). It was like a mere stone (Dan. 2:34). Cf. also Luke 17:17; John 6:66; Acts 28:22; I Cor. 1:26; Rev. 3:8. Mark 4:32 But when it is sown,; yet...--ASV; But once sown--NEB; it groweth up,; it comes up--Wms; it springs up--NEB; it shoots up-- Knox; and becometh greater than all herbs,; and becomes the greatest of all shrubs--RSV; and grows taller than any other plant--NEB; and becomes larger than all the garden plants-- NASB; and shooteth out great brancehes;; and puts forth large branches--RSV; and produces branches so large--Gspd; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under th shadow of it.; so that the birds of the air can make their nests in its shade--RSV; that the wild birds can roost under the shelter of it--Gspd; and /as soon as it is sown\ springeth up, and becometh greater than all' garden plants, and produceth large branches, so that /under the shade thereof\ the birds of heaven can find shelter. (Joel 3:13). and whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.' TRNTyeagerV247,8 - kai hotan sparA, anabainei kai ginetai meizon pantwn twn lachanwn kai poiei kladous megalous, hoste dunasthai hupo tAn skian autou ta peteinwa tou ouranou kataskAnoun. kai (adversative conjunction). hotan (temporal conjunction introducing an indefinite temporal clause). sparA (3d.per.sing.2d.aor.pass.subj.of speirw, indefinite temporal clause). anabainei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of anabainw, customary). kai (adjunctive conjunction joining verbs). ginetai (3d.per.sing.pres.ind.of ginomai, customary). meizon (acc.sing.neut.of meizwn, predicate adjective). pantwn (abl.pl.neut.of pas, in agreement with lachanwn). twn (abl.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with lachanwn). lachanwn (abl.pl.neut.of lachanon, comparison). kai (adjunctive conjunction joining verbs). poiei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of poiew, customary). kladous (acc.pl.masc.of klados, direct object of poiei). megalous (acc.pl.masc.of megas, in agreement with kladous). hwste (consecutive conjunction introducing a result clause). dunasthai (pres.inf.of dunamai, result clause). hupo (preposition with the accusative of extent). tAn (acc.sing.fem.of skia, extent). skian (acc.sing.fem.of skia, extent). autou (gen.sing.neut.of autou, possession). ta (nom.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with peteina). peteina (nom.pl.neut.of peteinon, subject of kataskAnoun). tou (gen.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with ouranou). ouranou (gen.sing.masc.of ouranos, definition). kataskAnoun (pres.act.inf.of kataskAnow, complementary). Translation: "...nevertheless when it is sown it grows up and becomes greater than all of the plants and puts out large branches, with the result that the birds of the heaven are able to bed down under its shadow." COMMENT: Mark brings this long sentence to a close. Another indefinite temporal clause with hotan sparA. Before it we have adversative kai. "Although (concessive hon) it is small...nevertheless (adversative kai) when it is sown, the results follow. Now the verbs become indicative in mode and customarily present in tense. The nature of the seed is such that once planted, it germinates, grows and becomes greater than all plants and produces large branches, which have the result described in the hwste consecutive clause. Note result expressed here, as most commonly in the NT with hwste and the infinitive. Here too we have a complementary infinitive kataskAnoun completing a result infinitive dunasthai. With reference to this result clause Burton says, "Tendency or conceived result which it is implied is an actual result. In this case the result is thought of as that which the action of the principal verb is adapted or sufficient to produce, and it is the context or the nature of the case only which shows that this result is actually produced." (Moods and Tenses, 148). The three principal verbs are anabainei, ginetai and poiei. Certainly their action is sufficient to produce the result, viz. that the birds found rest under the shadow of the great branches. Cf.#1069 to see that the word means a cultivated plant. The Kingdom of God began with an insignificant beginning. Philosophical systems developed by man seemed far more sophisticated than the gospel of the cross. Yet the tiny mustard seed grows to exceed in greatness the cultivated systems of mens' minds. The least of all seeds (vs.31) produces the greatest of all trees (vs.32). One of its branches is Israel (Rom.11:16,17,18,19,21). Cf.#1071. There is much good preaching here. The shade of the tree is gracious for all birds, saved and unsaved, including those who bed down like David did in Christ - (Acts 2:26). Many unsaved fowls of the air lodge permanently under the shadows instead of trusting in the substance. Cf#380 and note particularly Col.2:17; Heb.8:5; 10:1. Those who confuse hA basileia tou theou with hA ekklesia (the kingdom of God with the Chruch) have misinterpreted this parable to mean that the Chruch, beginning small, will become the institution which ultimately will dominate the entire world for good. It teaches only that when the Kingdom of God becomes great, it becomes abnormal, because the mustard plant normally was not the largest tree. It grew normally to a height of ten feet. This plant is described as a monstrosity. The more it grew the greater became the number of branches. Church history abounds with evidence that church organization without God's guidance or His blessing has produced split after split until there are many "branches" of the church, each condemning all of the others. The Moravians understand this danger and pray, "From the unhappy desire of becoming great, Good Lord, deliver us." The Plymouth Brethren started small and were used of God. They grew and organized and became a monstrosity. So with many other groups. In fact, most organized Christianity has fallen into this trap. Who are the birds? Jesus has already told us in the parable of the sower (Mt.13:19; Mk.4:15; Lk.8:12). The Evil One, Satan, the Devil and his hellish representatives. So every speckled bird of false philosophy finds rest and comfort under the countless branches of this grotesque tree. We all know of nominal Christians, who have repudiated the trinitarian theology of the NT, who go to church every Sunday and piously intone, "I believe in God the Father Almighty...and in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son...born of a virgin...crucified...He arose, etc., etc." This is bird talk. Like magpies arguing in a deal tree or owls hooting in a barn. ... M65f. - The preposition hupo seems to portray the notion of "rest beneath," with the resultant meaning "so that the birds of the sky could nest under its shadow." Ear130 - Herbs or Garden Plants? Technically either term is correct. But since "herb" is used with special culinary and medicinal senses, "plant" is better (see note under "plant" in the American Heritage Dictionary). The Greek word here, lachanos, comes for the verb lachainw ("dig") and so means any plant that is put in the garden. MARKitGNTwuest94 - The question, "In what way shall we liken the kingdom of God?" is answered in this verse. The words begin, "Like a grain of mustard seed." The sense of the parable is: The mustard seed is the least of all seeds when it is sown or at the time of sowing, yet, after sowing, it springs up and becomes greater than ll herbs. The latter word has the definite article, the word thus speaking of herbs which people plant in their gardens. It denotes garden or pot- herbs, as distinguished from wild herbs. Vincent speaks of one of the Talmudists describing the mustard-plant as a tree, of which the wood was sufficient to cover a potter's shed. He quotes Professor Hockett as saying that on the plain of Akka, toward Carmel, he found a collection of mustard-plants from six to nine feet high, with branches from each side of a trunk an inch or more in thickness. Dr. Thompson, he says, speaks of the fact that near the bank of the Jordan, he found a mustard-tree more than twelve feet high. The word "lodge" is literally, "pitch their tents." Translation: "Like a grain of mustard seed, which when it is planted on the earth, is less than all the seeds which are upon the earth; and when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all of the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the heaven are able to find shelter under its shadow." TCGTC-MARKcranfield170,1 - hupo tAn skian autou ta peteina tou ouranou kataskAnoin. Cf. Ezek.17:23; 31:6; Dan.4:12,14,21. When at last he comes in his glory, who is himself the kingdom (cf. on 1:15), he will be not only the Judge of all men, but also the one under whose shadow all who have truly trusted in him will find shelter. kataskAnoin (so spelt in B: other MSS. have -oun) means probably not 'perch', but 'nest' ....). So in Mt.8:20 = Lk.9:58 kataskAnwseis means 'nests'. NTC-MARKhendriksen173,4 - But the "little flock" was to become the countless multitude (Rev. 7:9). The "stone" was predestined to become a mountain so huge that it would fill the entire earth (Dan. 2:35). ....The sprout resulting from a mustard seed grows and grows until it becomes a shrub, which in turn grows until it is taller than any of the other plants that grow from seeds entrusted to the soul of the garden plot. Ultimately it looks like a tree, and, loosely speaking, may actually be called a tree. It sends out branches - thus Mark correctly interpreted Christ's words - so large that the birds of the air are able to lodge or tent in its shade. Even today mustard grows vigorously in Palestine. it reaches ten feet, sometimes even fifteen. In the fall of the year, when the branches have become rigid, birds of many species find here a shelter from the storm, rest from weariness, and shade from the heat of the sun. [163] Similarly the kingdom of God, once established, expands and keeps on expanding. As to the birds finding shelter in the shade of the tree (cf. Ezek. 17:22-24; Dan. 4:10,21), does this not indicate that the kingdom becomes a blessing for men of every clime, race, and nation? Truly, "Around the throne of God in heaven Thousands of children stand." Within forty years of Christ's death the gospel had reached all the great cultural centers of the Roman world, and ever so many out-of-the-way places besides. Since that time it has been spreading, gaining men of every race, and influencing every sphere of life. It is doing this today. "From vict'ry unto vict'ry his army he shall lead." Accordingly, to those who first heard it, this parable was saying, "Have patience, exercise faith, keep on praying, and keep on working. God's program cannot fail." It is saying the same thng to those who have come afterward. Only, it is saying it today with even greater force, because the story-illustration is really a prophecy, and this prophecy has already been partly fulfilled! As to this matter of fulfilment see N.T.C. on Matt. 24:14(pp. 854-856). Great results have developed from small beginnings. See Ps. 118:22,23; Isa. 1:8,9; 11:1 ff; 53:2,3,10-12; Ezek. 17:22-24; Zech. 4:10. Christ's rule of grace, no matter how despised it may be at first, and how insignificant in the eyes of men, is bound to go forward" conquering and to conquer" (Rev. 6:1,2: 17:14). That kingdom will be established more and more widely and firmly. It will do this because it is God's kingdom! What we have here, then, is a striking illustration of the lines: "Large streams from little fountains flow, tall oaks from little acorns grow." (David Everet - Lines written for a school declamation) Implied in all this is the important lesson: Blessed is the one who takes an active part in promoting the growth of the kingdom; always beginning at home (Mark 5:19), but never forgetting "the whole creation" (16:15). [Footnote 163] - They also find delicious food - the small black seeds - which they remove from the pods, but this feature is not included in the parable..... TNICotNT-MARKlane171,2 - Of the three parables of seed which is sown the last is most elaborately introduced in explicit parabolic formulation:[73] the Kingdom of God is like what happens to a grain of mustard. The mustard seed was proverbial in Jewish thinking as the smallest of all seeds. Mark's explanatory phrase, "though it be the smallest of all the seeds upon the earth," may be understood as a gloss to inform his readers in the West of this underlying assumption. Unlike the previous parable, there is no real reflection upon the actual growth of the seed. All attention is focused upon the contrast between the smallest of the seeds and the tallest of the shrubs. The Kingdom is not likened to the mustard seed, but to what happens to the mustad seed. The whole life picture, in which there is significant reflection on the beginning and the end of an action, provides the basis of the comparison. The reference to the birds of the air which find shelter in the branches of the mustard shrub may have a deeper significance, [78] but it seems more probable that they are part of the picture of the surprising character of the end when considered from the beginning. Though insignificant in its beginning, the matured result is the provision of strength and protection for those who come within its shade. This parable is concerned with the enigmatic present manifestation of the Kingdom as embodied in Jesus' person. Its appearance may be characterized by weakness and apparent insignificance - but remember the mustard seed. The day will come when the Kingdom of God will surpass in glory the mightiest kingdoms of the earth, for it is the consequence of God's sovereign action. The mustad seed is the word of God proclaimed by Christ. This word possesses the power which one day will make all things new. When the glory of that manifestation breaks forth before men they will be as startled as the man who considers the tiny mustard seed and the mighty shrub. [Footnote 73] - The twofold introduction is paralleled in Isa. 41:18..... [Footnote 78] - The language reflects a number of passages in the OT which speak of the tree of God's planting, as a metaphor of a mighty kingdom. e.g. Ps. 104:12; Dan. 4:12, 21; Ezek. 17:23; 31:6. Jeremias, op. cit., p. 147 finds in kataokAnoun an eschatological technical term for the incorporation of the Gentiles into the people of God, and cites Joseph and Aseneth 15. This allusion may be present, but it would surely be lost on those who heard (or later read) the parable. MARKj&d131,2 - F. THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 4:30-32 COMMENT This is the fourth and last parable here recorded by Mark. Like the previous three it was given in the autumn of A.D. 28 while Jesus sat in a boat in the Sea of Galilee. A Pictue of the Kingdom OUTLINE - 1. Like a grain of mustard seed, vs. 30,31. 2. When grown is greater than all the herbs, vs. 32a. 3. A place for the birds of the heaven, vs. 32b. ANALYSIS I. A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED, vs. 30,31. 1. Just like the Kingdom of God. 2. Sown upon the earth. 3. Less than all the seeds. II. WHEN IT IS GROWN, 32A 1. Greater than all the herbs. 2. Putteth out branches. III. A PLACE FOR BIRDS, 32B. 1. In branches. 2. Under the shadow. EXPLANATORY NOTES In using the plural, we, our Lord seems to conceive of his disciples as deliberating with him in the choice of a comparison; not that he was in doubt as to how the gospel could be illustrated - comparisons thronged upon him - but because he would have them also watch for comparisons. The world was full of them, and they, the teachers of men in higher things, must learn, as well as their Master, to find them. Yet possibly he may sometimes, like any one of them, have had to feel after an illustration in nature that was suited to his thought. There seems to be no good reason for looking elsewhere than to the ordinary mustard of the East. Thomson (The Land and the Book) has seen it as high as a horse and rider. (See also the beautiful incident in Dr. Hackett's Illustrations of Scripture p. 124. - A.H.) This is the Sinapis nigra; but some have thought that the Salvadora Persica was more probably the herb that Jesus had in mind. The former, however, meets all the real requirements of the case, and was the more familiar plant to his hearers. "It (the Sinapis nigra) is a small grain producing a large result; the least of the husbandman's seeds, becoming the greatest of the husbandman's herbs. This is the point of the parable, and gives the only sense in which the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed" (The Bible Educator, 1.121). - Less than and greater than are not to be pressed to the point of minute precision. There may be smaller seeds in existence without giving us reason to stumble at our Saviour's words. The mustard-seed was commonly spoken of as the smallest of seeds, and that is enough. Matthew, "is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree" - i.e., of course, a tree in appearance, not botanically. The great branches are such as one would think impossible upon an herb that sprang from so small a seed. - The comparison calls for very little explanation, the lesson - small beginnings and great results - being very plain. Such is the kingdom, begun obscurely, with no human prospect of greatness, no seeming possibility of success. It began among the Jews, a disappointed people chafing under foreign masters; it was the smallest of sects among them; it contradicted their ideas, and was rejected by them; it seemed to be powerless at home, and without opportunities abroad; and its founder died on the cross. Even after the day of Pentecost it seemed but a feeble sect. Yet compare the strong language of Paul in Rom. 16:26; Col. 1:23 as to the wide extension of the gospel within the apostolic times. Consider also the power of the name and principles of Jesus in the world today, and the ever-widening circle of Christian influence. The kingdom has grown out of all resemblance to its humble beginning. Such is the kingdom; and the same rule is to be observed in its agencies. They are often obscure and yet mighty. A single act of a quiet person often seems possessed of a germinant power of usefulness that brings most unexpected fruit to the glory of God. Christian history is full of illustrations. Notice that this comparison does not set forth the greatness of the kingdom absolutely, as destined to fill the earth, but only relatively, in contrast with the insignificance of its apparent promise." MARKbarclay107,08,09,10 - There are in this parable two pictures which every Jew would readily recognize. First, in Palestine a grain of mustard seed stood proverbially for the smallest possible thing. For instance, "faith as a grain of mustard seed," means "the smallest conceivable amount of faith." In Palestine this mustard seed did grow into something very like a tree. A traveller in Palestine speaks of seeing a mustard plant which, in its height, overtopped a horse and its rider. The birds were in fact very fond of the little black seeds of the tree, and a cloud of birds over a mustard plant was a common sight. Second, in the Old Testament one of the commonest ways to describe a great empire was to describe it as a tree and the tributary nations who are within it are said to be like birds finding shelter within the shadow of its branches (Ezekiel 17: 22ff: 31: 1ff: Daniel 4:10,21). The figure of a tree with birds in the branches therefore stands for a great empire and the nations who form part of it. This parable says to us, Never be daunted by small beginnings. It may seem that at the moment we can produce only a very small effect; but if that small effect is repeated and repeated the small effect will become very great. There is a scientific experiment to show the effect of dyes. A large vessel of clear water is taken and a little phial of dye. Drop by drop the dye is dropped into the clear water. At first it seems to have no effect at all and the water does not seem to be coloured in the least. Then quite suddenly the water begins to tinge with the colour; bit by bit the colour deepens, until the whole vessel of water is coloured by the colour of the dye. It was the repeated drops that produced the effect. We often feel that for all that we can do it is hardly worth while starting a thing at all. But we must remember this-- somebody must start everything; everything must have a beginning. Nothing emerges full-grown. It is our duty to do what we can; and the cumulative effect of all the small efforts can in the end produce an amazing result. This parable speaks to us of the empire of the Church. The tree and the birds, we have seen, stand for the great empire and for all the nations who find shelter within it. The Church began with an individual and it is meant to end with the world. There are two directions in which this is true. (a) The Church is an Empire in which all kinds of opinions and all kinds of theologies can find a place. We have a tendency to brand as a heretic anyone who does not think as we do. John Wesley was the greatest example of tolerance in the world. "We think" he said, "and we let think." "I have no more right," he said, "to object to a man for holding a different opinion from mine than I have to differ with a man because he wears a wig and I wear my own hair." Wesley had one greeting, "Is thy heart as my heart? Then give me thy hand!" It is good for a man to have the assurance that he is right, but that is no reason why he should have the conviction that everyone else is wrong. (b) The Church is an Empire in which all nations meet. Once a new church was being built. One of the great features of it was to be a stained glass window. The committee in charge searched for a subject for the window and finally decided to take as its subject the lines of the hymn, "Around the throne of God in heaven Thousands of children stand." They employed a great artist to paint the picture from which the window would be made. The artist began the work and fell in love with the task. Finally he finished the picture. He went to bed and fell asleep but in the night he seemed to hear a noise in his studio; it seemed to him that he went into the studio to investigate; and there he seemed to see a stranger with a brush and a palette in his hands working at his picture. "Stop!" he cried. "You'll ruin my picture." "I think," said the stranger, "that you have ruined it already." "How that?" said the artist. "Well," said the stranger,"you have many colours on your palette but you have used only one for the faces of the children. Who told you that in heaven there were only children whose faces were white?" "No one," said the artist. "I just thought of it that way." "Look!" said the stranger. "I will make some of their faces yellow, and some brown, and some black, and some red, for they are all there for they have all answered my call." "Your call?" said the artist. "Who are you?" The stranger smiled. "Once, long ago," He said, 'Let the children come to me and don't stop them, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven'--and I'm still saying it." And then the artist knew that it was the Master Himself, and as he knew it, He vanished from his sight. The picture looked so much more wonderful now with the little black negroes, the little yellow, slant-eyed Chinese, and with the red for the Red indians and the Arabs burnt with the sun and the sand, and with the little white children too. In the morning the artist awoke and rushed through to his studio. His picture was just the same as he had left it; and he know that it had all been a vision and a dream. Although that very day the committee was coming to examine the picture he seized his brushes and his paints, and began to paint the children of every colour and of every race throughout all the world. And when the committee arrived they thought the picture very beautiful and one whispered gently, "Why! It's God's family at home." The Church is the family of God; and that Church which began in Palestine, small as the mustard seed, has room in it for every nation in the world. There are no barriers in the Church of God. Man made the barriers and God in Christ tore them down. Mark 4:33 And with many other parables spake he the word unto them,; ...he spoke the word to them--ABUV; ...he would give them his message--NEB; as they were able to hear it.; so far as they were able to receive it--NEB; according to their capacity for receiving it--Wey; such as their minds could take in-- Phi; such as they could listen to easily--Knox; And was he speaking unto them the word,--according as they were able to hear; And with many such similes he was speaking to them the word, as they were able to hear, TRNTyeagerV249,50 - Kai toiautais parabolais pollais elalei autois ton logon, kathws Adunanto akouein. Kai (continuative conjunction). toiautais (instru.pl.fem.of toioutos, in agreement with parabolais). parabolais (instru.pl.fem.of parabolA, means). pollais (instru.pl.fem.of polus, in agreement with parabolais). elalei (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of lalew, progressive duration). autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, indirect object of elalei). ton (acc.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with logon). logon (acc.sing.masc.of logos, direct object of elalei). kathws (adverbial). Adunanto (3d.per.pl.imp.ind.,Attic for edunanto, progressive description). akouein f(pres.act.inf.of akouw, epexegetical). Translation: "And with many such parables He continued to speak to them as they were able to hear." COMMENT: Whether Mark is referring to some parables which neither he, nor Matthew nor Luke record is not told us. It is doubtful that the writers recorded all of Jesus' parabolic teaching (Jn.21:25). Note that He taught only at their perception pace - kathws Adunanto akouein - "as they were able to hear." The imperfect in Adunanto indicates that they enjoyed a growing capacity to understand His message. Jesus was not preaching over their heads in order to achieve the purpose of Mk.4:11,12. The difference is that since vs.10, Jesus' audience has consisted only of the Twelve and a small group of sympathetic followers. These had followed Him with the proper attitude. Only through the virtue of intellectual humility can knowledge be increased (II Pet.1:5; Mt.5:3,5,6,8; 11:25-27; 18:3). Only those disciples of Jesus who qualify in terms of the passages cited shall be given His truths more abundantly. Hence we see Jesus' patient pedagogy. But because His audience often included those who had already turned against Him, He always used the parabolic method and then clarified the material for His true disciples when they were alone. R884 - Elalei is used as an iterative imperfect, "he spoke repeatedly." MARKitGNTwuest94,5 - "As they were able to hear." The verb "to hear" (akouw) refers not only to the act of hearing, its ususal meaning, but also in some contexts, to the act of understanding, as in I Cor.14:2. Here, our Lord spoke in parables, adjusting His discourse, to their capacity to understand. The implication is clear that parables were employed to make truth plain. Translation: "And by means of many parables of this kind He was speaking to them, as they were able to understanding. TCGTC-MARKcranfield171 - toiautais parabolais pollais. Mark gives only a small selection of the parabolic teaching. autois: i.e. to the multitudes .... The disciples would also hear, as 34b suggests. kathws Adunanto akouein. Calvin commenting speaks of Christ 'accommodating Himself to their capacity' and adopting 'a method of teaching which was proper and suitable to hearers, whom He knew to be not yet sufficiently prepared to receive instruction', and then goes on to suggest that his purpose in employing parables was 'to keep the attention of His hearers awake till a more convenient time', in the meantime allowing them 'to remain in a state of suspense'. Had he spoken to the crowds in a direct way, he would have forced them to make a final decision at once, and that decision could only have been a decision of unbelief and rejection. Instead he spoke to them in an indirect way, thus engaging and maintaining their interest, and summoning them to decision without compelling them to make a final decision immediately. The parabolic teaching was at once a judgment pronounced upon their unpreparedness for the kingdom of God and also the expression of divine mercy that desires to spare and save. ... NTC-MARKhendriksen174 - Mark is saying that these three parables were but samples of the many spoken by the Lord. By means of them he reached his audience to the extent in which these parables, even though uncomprehended, were able to arrest and hold the attention of the crowd. This reminds us of verses 11, 12, with which it is in complete harmony. Mark 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them:; He never spoke to them except in parables--NEB; He said nothing to them except in figures--Gspd; and to them it was his practise never to speak except in parables--Mon; and when they were alone,; but privately--ASV; and in private--ABUV; he expounded all things to his disciples.; to his own disciples he explained all things--ABUV; ...he expounded all things--ASV; but /without a parable\ was he not speaking unto them,-- /privately\ however, /unto his own' disciples\ was he explaining all things. and without a simile he was not speaking to them, and by themselves, to his disciples he was expounding all. TRNTyeagerV250,1 - chwris de parabolAs ouk elalei authos, kat' idian de tois idiois mathAtais epeluen panta. chwris (improper preposition with the ablative of separation). de (adversative conjunction). parabolAs (abl.sing.fem.of parabolA, separation). ouk (negative conjunction with the indicative). elalei (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of lalew, progressive duration). autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, indirect object of elalei). kat' (preposition with the accusative, adverbial). idian (acc.sing.fem.of idios, adverbial). de (adversative conjunction). tois (dat.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with mathAtais). idiois (dat.pl.masc.of idios, in agreement with mathAtais). mathAtais (dat.pl.masc.of mathAtAs, indirect object of epeluen). epeluen (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of epiluw, progressive duration). determine - Acts 19:39. expound - Mk.4:34. Meaning: A combination of epi and luw. Hence to unloose; untie; to set free whatever is bound. In the NT in an intellectual way - Jesus explained His parables to His disciples - Mk.4:34. panta (acc.pl.neut.of pas, direct object of epeluen). Translation: "But without the use of a parable He was not speaking to them; however when He was alone with His own disciples He began to explain everything." COMMENT: Cf. comment at the end of vs.33. kat' idian is an idiom used elsewhere to denote time when a small group is alone. Cf.Mt.14:13,23; 17:1,19; 20:17; 24:3, etc.Cf.#98. Those closed sessions with Jesus must have been unspeakably uplifting for the Disciples. The marvel is that they should have been so slow to grasp His meaning. yet we should probably had been as slow. This was before the time when the Holy Spirit was given to them in the special way as indicated by Jn.20:22; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4. This special instruction which He gave to His disciples was in preparation for their function as the co-builders with Him of His church. I Cor.3:9. Ear130,1 - Expound. The Greek word is epiluw. Luw means "loose" and epi means "upon." So this verb (only here and Acts 19:39) literally means "set free" or "release." But here it is used figuratively in the sense of "explain, interpret" (AG). MARKitGNTwuest95,6 - "Spake He not." The verb is in the imperfect tense, showing habitual action. Without a parable He was not in the habit of speaking to them. "He expounded." The verb is epiluw. Luw means "to unloose." The prefixed preposition epi is perfective in its force, makes the composite word mean "to give additional loosening," so as to explain, make plainer and clearer, the Word of God, even to the point of revelation. This same idea is found in the noun form having the same root as the above verb, in II Peter 1:20, where the A.V., has "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." Vs.21 shows plainly that disclosure or revelation to the prophet is meant, not interpretation of what the prophet said. Thus, what Jesus taught His disciples here in private, amounted to fresh revelations concerning the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. "To His disciples." The word "His" is idios, referring to one's private, unique, personal possessions. These disciples were not the ordinary listeners of our Lord, even though these were disciples in the sense of learners, which last is what the word means, but the Twelve. Translation: "...But without a parable He was not in the habit of speaking to them; but in private, He was in the habit of fully explaining all things to those disciples who were peculiarly His own." TCGTC-MARKcranfield171,2 - chwris...parabolAs ouk elalei autois does not mean that Jesus never spoke to the crowds except in parables like that of the mustard seed or the good Samaritan; but that what he addressed to them was consistently indirect and veiled. kat' idian: 'privately'. Cf. 6:31,32; 7:33; 9:2,28; 13:3; and also 4:10. epeluen. Epiluw means primarily 'to loose', 'untie'. It only occurs once more in the NT--in Acts 19:39, where R.V. translates: 'settle'. The noun epilusis occurs in II Pet.1:20, and there means 'interpretation' or 'explanation'. So here the verb means 'expound'. The crowds would understand that Jesus was talking about the kingdom of God: what they would not grasp would be the relation of the kingdom of God to his person (cf. on v.11). NTC-MARKhendriksen174 - This probably means that whenever Jesus addressed the multitude he would in his discourse include a parable or even more than one. Continued:...What is said here is entirely in line with verse 10. See also Matt. 13:10,36. We are not surprised that this evangelist does not record nearly as many parables as do Matthew and Luke. As was pointed out earlier - see sections II and IV of the Introduction - , Mark was writing for Romans, people who were interested in action, power, conquest. To them he pictures Jesus as an active, energetic, swiftly moving, conquering King, a Victor over the destructive forces of nature, over disease, demons, death, and moral-spiritual darkness, the One and only Deliverer. So, having related these three parables, Mark now turns quickly to an awe- inspiring action account. TNICotNT-MARKlane172,3 - Mark concludes his grouping of parables with a summary statement which indicates that he has selected illustrations of Jesus' teaching from a much larger cycle of tradition. It was Jesus' habit to teach the multitude through parables like those which Mark has presented. Through the vehicle of parables Jesus was proclaiming "the word." The term is an echo of the explanation given to the parable of the sower, where it occurs eight times. It is appropriate to the vocabulalry of revelation and means clearly "the word of God," or more concretely "the word of the Kingdom." The motive for Jesus' use of the parables is expresed in terms of his accommodation to that stage of preparation which was present in the crowd; he spoke the word "as they were able to hear it." This means that he adapted it to the level of understanding that he found in his listeners. Had Jesus spoken to the crowds in a direct manner they would have been forced to make a decision immediately. That decision could have expressed only unbelief and rejection. Jesus' adoption of the indirect address of the parable was accordingly an expression both of grace and of judgment. It was an expression of grace which allowed time for reflection on his appeal to penetrate beneath his words to "the word." It was an expression of judgment upon their lack of preparation to receive directly the word of the Kingdom of God. For that reason "he did not speak to them without a parable," which in this context means enigmatic speech, not necessarily the kind of extended similitude illustrated by the parables of the seed. With Jesus' utterance before the multitudethe evan- gelist contrasts his private exposition of "all things" to his own disciples. "All things" within this context means more than parabolic utterance; it refers to the mission of Jesus in which the mystery of the Kingdom was veiled. The summary, accordingly, points back to the contrast developed in Ch. 4:11-12 and exhibits the two aspects of the revelaton of God in the mission of Jesus. There was veiling (or very partial disclosure) before the multitude and disclosure (but only partial understanding) to the disciples. This is the pattern illustrated in Ch. 4 and assumed throughout the Gospel of Mark. In the private instruction which Jesus gives to his disciples, the mystery of the Kingdom as present in his person is graciously unveiled. Only through revelation does the enigma become partially resolved; not until the consummation (to take the perspective of the parables) will it become resolved for all men. G. LAST WORDS ON PARABLES 4:33-34 COMMENT At the conclusion of the record of the parables we have these concluding words of the writer Mark. No outline or analysis is needed here. PARALLEL ACCOUNTS - Matt. 13:34,35. EXPLANATORY NOTES These are mere samples of the parables by which our Lord elucidated or disguised the doctrine of his kingdom to the different classes of his hearers in proportion to their previous knowledge and their present receptivity of such instruction. As they were able to hear, i.e. as some understand it, to hear intelligently or with patience. It may however have the stricter and more simple sense, as they had opportunity and leisure to attend on his instructions. This cannot mean that he never taught them in any other form, which would be contradicted by the whole course of the history, but only that whatever he did teach in parables he did not also teach in other forms, but, as the last clause more explicitly asserts, reserved the explanation for a private interview with his disciples. This closes Mark's account of our Lord's parables, including, as we have now seen, a full report of one with its author's own interpretation (vs. 1-20), an explanation of his purpose in employing this mode of instruction and direction to his followers how to profit by it (21-25); two additional parables, without a formal explanation (26-32); and a general statement of his practice in relation to this matter (33-34.)" MARKbarclay110,11,12 - In this passage we have a short but perfect definition of both the wise teacher and the wise learner. Jesus suited His instruction to the ability of those who were listening to Him. That is the first essential in wise teaching. There are two dangers that the wise teacher must at all costs avoid. (a) He must avoid all self-display. A teacher's duty is not to draw attention to himself but to draw attention to his subject. A love of self-display can make a man attempt to scintillate at the expense of truth. It can make him think more of clever ways of saying a thing than of the thing itself. Or it can make him so desirous of displaying his own erudition that he becomes so obscure and elaborate and involved that the ordinary man cannot understand him at all. There is no virtue in talking over the head of an audience. As someone said, "The fact that a man shoots above the target only proves that he is a bad shot." A good teacher must be in love with his subject and not in love with himself. (b) He must avoid a sense of superiority. True teaching does not consist in telling people things. It consists in learning things together. It was Plato's idea that teaching simply meant extracting from people's minds and memories what they already knew. The teacher who stands on a pedestal and talks down will never be successful. True teaching consists in sharing and discovering truth together. It is a joint exploration of the countries of the mind. There are certain qualities which he who would teach must ever seek to acquire and to possess. (a) The teacher must possess understanding. One of the great difficulties of the expert is to understand why the non-expert finds a thing so difficult to understand or to do. It is necessary for the teacher to think with the learner's mind and to see with the learner's eyes, before he can really explain and impart any kind of knowledge. (b) The teacher must possess patience. The Jewish Rabbi Hillel laid it down, "An irritable man cannot teach," and insisted that the first essential of a teacher is that he must be even-tempered. The Jews laid it down that if a teacher found that his scholars did not understand a thing he must begin again without rancour and without irritation and explain it all over again. That is precisely what Jesus did all His life. (c) The teacher must possess kindness. Jewish teaching regulations forbade all excessive punishment. Especially they forbade all punishment which would humiliate the scholar. The teacher's duty was always to encourage, and never to discourage. Anna Buchan tells how her old grandmother had a favourite phrase, "Never daunton youth." It is easy for the teacher to use the lash of his tongue on the pupil with the limping mind; it is often a temptation to score a cheap triumph by making such a pupil the target of such sarcasms and witticisms as will make him a laughing- stock. The teacher who is kind will never do that. But this passage also shows us the wise learner. It gives us a picture of an inner circle to whom Jesus could really and fully explain things. (a) The wise learner does not go away to forget. He goes away to think over what he has heard. He ought to chew it over until he has finally digested it. Epictetus, the wise Stoic teacher. used to be grieved by some of his pupils. He used to say that men ought to use the philosophy they learned, not to talk about, but to live by. In a crude metaphor, he said that sheep do not vomit up the grass that they have eaten to show the shepherd how much they have eaten; they digest it and use it to produce wool and milk. The wise scholar goes away, not to forget what he has learned, and not to display what he has learned, but quietly to think over it until he has discovered what it means for life and for living for him. (b) Above all, the wise learner seeks the master's company. After Jesus had spoken the crowds dispersed; but there was a little company who lingered with Him and who did not want to leave Him. It was to them that He unfolded the meaning of everything. In the last analysis, if a man is a really great teacher, it is not so much the man's teaching that we wish to know, but the man himself. His message will always lie not so much in what he says as in what he is. The man who wishes to learn from Christ must company with Christ. If he does that he will win, not only learning, but even life itself.