The Parable of the Growing Seed: Mark 4:26-29
by Owen Borville
In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus describes a parable associated with the Kingdom of Heaven:
This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come. Mark 4:26-29.
The seed in the parable is the Church of the Kingdom of God. As the seed grows in the parable, the man doesn't know how the seed grows but it does. The growth of the Church is beyond the understanding of man and is led by God. Despite the work of the Church members, the Church members alone are not causing the growth of the Church, but the Church's growth is spurred by God. No matter how hard the Church works to convert individuals to the faith of the Kingdom of God, there is a supernatural element that goes beyond the understanding of man in the process of converting individuals to the faith. However, the Church must do their part by planting the seeds and God will take care of the rest. As long as the Church members have faith, the whole world can be saved and God can make the impossible possible. The harvest describes the time of Jesus' return when he comes back for his people.
by Owen Borville
In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus describes a parable associated with the Kingdom of Heaven:
This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come. Mark 4:26-29.
The seed in the parable is the Church of the Kingdom of God. As the seed grows in the parable, the man doesn't know how the seed grows but it does. The growth of the Church is beyond the understanding of man and is led by God. Despite the work of the Church members, the Church members alone are not causing the growth of the Church, but the Church's growth is spurred by God. No matter how hard the Church works to convert individuals to the faith of the Kingdom of God, there is a supernatural element that goes beyond the understanding of man in the process of converting individuals to the faith. However, the Church must do their part by planting the seeds and God will take care of the rest. As long as the Church members have faith, the whole world can be saved and God can make the impossible possible. The harvest describes the time of Jesus' return when he comes back for his people.
