Parables of Light and Growing Seeds

Mark 4:21-34 

Light Under a Basket

21 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

24 Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

Jesus' Use of Parables

33 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

Parables of light and growing seeds were used so that only those who had been prepared by God would grasp the meaning of the kingdom which Jesus proclaimed through the gospel.  Others would find the stories interesting or bewildering, but not completely comprehended apart from divine revelation to open deaf ears which His words fell upon.  He even had to explain the details to the disciples afterwards when they were alone with the teacher because their understanding would not be perfect until the helper had come to teach them with ongoing comprehension (Luke 24:26-27, John 14:25-26, 1 Corinthians 2:11-12, 14).  The first short parable was about not hiding the light of the gospel under a basket or bed to enjoy only for oneself, but to put it high on a lampstand to fill the room with light of truth and understanding of the kingdom of God.  However, even if we were to hide the light God will reveal it in His time because the truth cannot be hidden.  If we do not speak it another will to our shame and their credit for God’s glory and the salvation good of those whose ears have been opened by God to believe and receive the message and person of Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:12-13).  It is similar to the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) where the heavenly reward is commensurate with the personal investment (1 Corinthians 3:8) in the feet of the ones bringing this good news (Romans 10:14-15).  

Parables of seeds came next.  First was seed broadcast across a wide field which seemed to grow on their own overnight automatically (αὐτόματος automatos).  This demonstrates the power of God to take the message of the gospel’s words and embed them in the hearts of the fertile ground prepared for His chosen from before the world began (Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-5) because the sower was faith to deliver the seed of God’s word everywhere, himself not knowing which heart was ready to germinate the gospel and which was not.  This is a lesson for us not to broadcast the gospel and force results from the hearers, but to trust God to use our faithful feet to bring the truth and for God’s Spirit to open the ears and eyes to believe and receive it (John 1:12).  Then the work of God will cause growth in the ones who hear and believe and receive the gospel that they show increasing understanding and comprehension of the kingdom of God through hearing more of His word in the scriptures by reading, studying, hearing, and meditating on what they are learning.  This is seen in this parable as ripening grain that eventually bears fruit of its own just as disciples of Jesus Christ themselves also make disciples through broadcasting the word, baptizing, and in turn teaching them as well like we have been commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 to do for God’s harvest in eternity. 

The other parable of seeds describes this grow process which the gospel brings forth in receptive hearts with the analogy of a mustard seed.  This smallest of seeds, barely visible, eventually grows into a massive bush that can reach over nine feet tall as if it is a tree!  Such tiny beginnings of faith to receive and trust the word of God in the gospel lead to ever increasing growth in the believer who is changed by God over a lifetime and given growing understanding to know and grow in comprehension of the height, width, length, and depth of God saving grace and goodness (Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:18-19, Colossians 1:9-10) to call us out of the dark night of sin into the marvelous light of knowing and being reconciled to Him!  This great tree spreads out branches like the growing plants of the previous parable that others may hear and grow under its branches as disciples of that one.  May we be faithful to broadcast the seed of the word that many may hear, be changed, and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and in turn bring that message of change wherever we go.