After explaining the parable of the seeds regarding what the kingdom is the Divine is like.
Mark 4:30 Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Mark 4:30 What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
How should we compare this realm of the Divine? Or in what should we place it as an analogy?
The KJV had a very different Greek source based on several errors in the Latin Vulgate.
The English translations make it look like the verbs are in the future tense by the "shall," but they are not. The "shall" is from the form of the verb indicating possibility, which is better represented by "might" or "should." The verb translated as "liken" and "is like" means "to compare."
The KJV translated the Greek source of the word "parable" into "comparison" which gives us a better idea of its meaning. However, "analogy" works better here because it is not from the same root as the "liken" that also means "compare."
The word translated as "use to describe" in the NIV is from a verb that means "put" or "place." The KJV "compare" is from a different, incorrect verb. The "place" verb is used like we use the word "position" to describe how something is compared among a group of other things. Though the Greek word for "analogy" is the same form as the "what" in the "with what" phrase, it does not appear as part of that phrase. When not with a preposition, its form requires adding a preposition: "to," "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context. In the context of "placing an analogy," "with," "as," and "by" work, but "as" works best for comparisons in general. The accurate sense of the sentence is, "In what should we place it as an analogy?"
We have to put our analogies somewhere.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "whereunto" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "compare " existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "what" should be something more like "how."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "say" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The verb here is translated as passive but it is active.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "with" is not shown in the English translation.
- UW --Untranslated Word -- The word "parable" means "analogy." It is an untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "use to" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "describe" does not capture the word's general meaning.
Whereunto -- -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "whereunto" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used. In today's source, it is the adverb that means "how", "by any means", and "I suppose".
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we - "We" is from the plural, first-person form of the verb.
liken - The verb translated as "liken" is a verb that means "to make like" and, in the passive, not used here, "to become like."
the - The word translated as "the" is the definite Greek article. It usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
kingdom - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of - The "of" is from the genitive form of the following word.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God? - The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.
or - "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison. The same word could also be the exclamation "hi" or the adverb meaning "in truth."
with - The word translated as "with" also means "within", "in," or "among."
what - The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". The form matches that of the word translated a comparison, but this word does not precede the "comparison."
comparison - "Comparison" is Greek for "analogy", "comparison," and "illustration." It is the word usually translated in the Gospels as "parable" but that is not a translation. The word doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. The fact that Jesus speaks in analogies and illustrations is important for understanding his words.
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we - "We" is from the plural, first-person form of the verb.
compare - -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "compare " in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used. In today's source, it is from a Greek word that means primarily "to put," and "to place," but which has many related meanings as well. This verb is in a form that indicates it is possible but not certain. This KJV source verb had the same root as "comparison" above. It is uses like we use the word "position" to describe a comparison.
it? -- The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a singular object of a verb or preposition. It is feminine to match the form of "kingdom."
What -- -- (WW) This "what" is the adverb that means "how", "by any means", and "I suppose".
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we - "We" is from the plural, first-person form of the verb.
say -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "say" in the Greek source.
the - The word translated as "the" is the definite Greek article. It usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
kingdom - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of - The "of" is from the genitive form of the following word.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God? - The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.
is -- (WV) This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive but it is active with the "we" as the subject.
like, - The verb translated as "like" is a verb that means "to make like" and, in the passive, not used here, "to become like."
or - "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison. The same word could also be the exclamation "hi" or the adverb meaning "in truth."
missing "with" -- (MW) The untranslated word "with" also means "within", "in," or "among."
what - The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". The form matches that of the word translated a comparison, but this word does not precede the "comparison."
parable - (UW) "Parable" is Greek for "analogy", "comparison," and "illustration." It is the word usually translated in the Gospels as "parable." It doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. The fact that Jesus speaks in analogies and illustrations is critical in understanding his words.
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we - "We" is from the plural, first-person form of the verb.
use to -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "used to" in the Greek source.
describe- -- (CW) This "describe" from a Greek verb that means primarily "to put," and "to place," but which has many special but related meanings as well. This verb is in a form that indicates it is possible but not certain.
it? -- The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a singular object of a verb or preposition. It is feminine to match the form of "kingdom."
Πῶς [36 verses](adv/conj) "Whereunto" is pos, which means "how", "how in the world", "how then", "in any way", "at all", "by any mean", "in a certain way,"and "I suppose." --
ὁμοιώσωμεν [12 verses(verb 1st pl aor subj act) "Shall we liken" is homoioo, which means "to liken," "to compare", "to make like", and and in the passive, "to become like". .
τὴν [821 verses] (article sg fem acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." --
βασιλείαν [98 verses](noun sg fem acc) "The kingdom" is basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign."
τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
θεοῦ, [144 verses](noun sg masc gen) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
ἢ [92 verses(conj/adv) "Or" is e which is a particle meaning "either", "or," or "than." -- "Than" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison.
ἐν [413 verses]((prep) "With" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
τίνι [252 verses](irreg sg dat) "What" is tis which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "they [indefinite]", "many a one", "whoever", "anyone", "anything", "some sort", "some sort of", "each", "any", "the individual", "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who", "why," or "what."
αὐτὴν [39 verses]((adj sg fem acc) "It" is auten, in the form of the singular, object, feminine pronoun "her."
παραβολῇ [12 verses](noun sg fem dat) "Comparison" is from parabole, which means "comparison", "illustration," and "analogy." It is most often translated in the NT as "parable."
θῶμεν; [24 verses](verb 1st pl aor subj act) "Compare" is tithemi which means "to put", "to place", "to propose", "to suggest", "o deposit", "to set up", "to dedicate", "to assign", "to award", "to agree upon", "to institute", "to establish", "to make", "to work", "to prepare oneself," "to bear arms [military]," "to lay down and surrender [military]," "to lay in the grave", "to bury," and "to put words on paper [writing]," and a metaphor for "to put in one's mind."
The word translated as "compare" also means "to put in one's mind."
This verse raises an interesting point about Christ's use of analogies or parables. He has just finished explaining what of his parables, the sower of the seed means. He also explained why and how he both hides and reveals the truth in his teaching. Elsewhere, he explains that he is emulating the father who is hidden in the universe. He gives us the choice whether or not we want to learn. We can learn from his teaching, but only if we are willing to study it and work toward understanding.
This hard-won understanding is the contrast with the automatic way in which the seed yields its fruit in nature. If we sow the seed and harvest the crop, God does the rest. This is a free gift from God. If you didn't know anything about Christ, except his words as captured in the Gospels, you would think that his main mission on earth was to describe the "kingdom of Heaven," which can also describe as God' reign, the universal rule, or, if I may add another interpretation, God's plan. Most of his parables begin with the words "the universal rule is like." Strangely enough, these parables do not involve the story of sin and redemption central to Christianity. Instead, they are always about learning, growing, and getting our priorities straight.