After explaining the parable of the seeds regarding what the kingdom is the Divine is like.
Mark 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
Mark 4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
Just as a grain of mustard which, when it is seeded upon the ground, is younger than all of the seeds, those upon the ground.
Though "when" clause here "is sown" is left out of the NIV.
The Greek word translated here as "less," and "smallest" is a comparative form of "small," so "smaller." The form is singular. This matches the following verbal adjective, "being," which is the only occurrence of Greek verb "to be" in the verse. This phrase should be introduced by a "while" because it is a structure called an "accusative absolute." These phrases provide more information about the verb, often actions happening at the same time with the sense of "during" and "while." This creates the phrase, "while being smaller than all the seeds..."
The last phrase is funny because it limits "all seeds" to "those upon the earth." Perhaps this separates these seeds from the types of small seeds that float in the air. This is interesting because the analogy here compares something on the earth to "the skies." It also makes this statement about size more precise.
We need to remember that the "seed" is an analogy for the message in the parable of the seeds. So Jesus is also saying that his message is younger--another meaning of the word translated as "less" and "smallest"--than all other messages on the earth. In other words, it is something new.
I prefer younger messages before the world has its way with them.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it is" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "like" is not the verb in the last verse.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "seed" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- A "while" is necessary here to indicate something happening at the same time as the main verb.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "that" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "is" is not an active verb but a participle, "existing."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "be" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "in" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it is" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "like" is not the verb in the last verse.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "seed" is not the "seeds" at the end of the verse, which is the common word for "seed."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "when " is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "when " is not shown in the English translation.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "is" is not an active verb but a participle, "existing."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "is seeded" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "upon" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "earth" is not shown in the English translation.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "the" doesn't appear here but before the verb for rest.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "smallest" is not the superlative form, but the comparative.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "seed" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "seeds" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "earth" is not shown in the English translation.
It is -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it is" in the Greek source.
like - (CW) The adverb here has a very broad meaning, translating as "how", "when", "where", "just as", "like," and related words. The word translated as "like" is not the verb that means "to liken," which we saw in the previous verse (Mark 4:30).
a - There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a word doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
grain - The Greek word translated as "grain" means "a grain" and "a seed," though it is not the Greek word more commonly translated as "seed." Interestingly, it is used as a metaphor for a "grain of sense," which fits directly into the meaning here.
of - This comes from the genitive form of the following noun.
mustard - "Mustard" is the noun that means simply "mustard."
seed, -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "seed" in the Greek source.
which, - The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
when - The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
it - This is from the singular form of the following verb.
is - This is from the passive form of the following verb.
sown - "Sown" is from a verb that that means "to sow seed", "to scatter like seed," and "to beget offspring. It is from the same root as the noun "seed" used later in the verb.
in - (CW) The word translated as "in" means "upon," "against", "before", "during", "by" or "on."
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek 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", "those"). See this article for more.
earth, - The word translated as "the earth" also means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
missing "while" or "during"-- (MW) A "while" is necessary here because the phrase is an "accusative absolute" that indicates a something happening at the same time as the main verb.
is --- - (WF) The verb "is" here is in the form of a verbal adjective, "being." Its form, neutral, means that its subject is the "mustard" earlier in the verse since the other nouns are masculine and feminine. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
less - "Less" is a comparative adjective "small", "little," and "young." The form means "smaller." It is one of several words Christ uses to refer to children. The ending is the comparative form, (smaller) not superlative (smallest).
than -- This word "than" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. In comparisons, the sense is "than."
all - The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas.
the - The word translated as "the" is the definite Greek article, "the."
seeds - "Seeds" is the Greek word that means "seed", "sperm", "origin", "race", "descent," and "offspring." It was not used above. The verb, however, is from the same root word.
that - (CW) The word translated as "that" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more.
be - (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "is" in the Greek source.
in - (CW) The word translated as "in" means "upon," "against", "before", "during", "by" or "on."
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek 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", "those"). See this article for more.
earth, - The word translated as "the earth" also means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
It is -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it is" in the Greek source.
like - (CW) The adverb here has a very broad meaning, translating as "how", "when", "where", "just as", "like," and related words. The word translated as "like" is not the verb that means "to liken," which we saw in the previous verse (Mark 4:30).
a - There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a word doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
mustard - "Mustard" is the noun that means simply "mustard."
seed - (CW) The Greek word translated as "seed" means "a grain" and "a seed," though it is not the Greek word more commonly translated as "seed." It is not the word translated as "seeds" below. Interestingly, it is used as a metaphor for a "grain of sense," which fits directly into the meaning here.
which, - The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
missing "when" -- (MW) The untranslated word "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
missing "while" or "during"-- (MW) A "while" is necessary here because the phrase is an "accusative absolute" that indicates a something happening at the same time as the main verb.
is - (WF) The verb "is" here is in the form of a verbal adjective, "being." Its form, neutral, means that its subject is the "mustard" earlier in the verse since the other nouns are masculine and feminine. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
missing "is seeded" -- (MW) The untranslated word - "seeded" is from a verb that that means "to sow seed", "to scatter like seed," and "to beget offspring. It is from the same root as the noun "seed" used later in the verb.
missing "upon" -- (MW) The untranslated word "upon" means "upon," "against", "before", "during", "by" or "on."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word "the" is the Greek 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", "those"). See this article for more.
missing "earth" -- (MW) The untranslated word "earth" also means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
the --- (WP) The word translated as "that" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more. This article does not introduce "smallest."
smallest - (WF) "Smallest" is a comparative adjective "small", "little," and "young." The form means "smaller." It is one of several words Christ uses to refer to children. The ending is the comparative form, (smaller) not superlative (smallest).
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. In comparisons, the sense is "than."
all - The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word "the" is the definite Greek article, "the."
seeds - "Seeds" is the Greek word that means "seed", "sperm", "origin", "race", "descent," and "offspring." It was not used above. The verb, however, is from the same root word.
on - The word translated as "in" means "upon," "against", "before", "during", "by" or "on."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word "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", "those"). See this article for more.
earth, - The word translated as "the earth" also means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
ὡς (167 verses](adv/conj) "Like" is hos, an adverb which means to "thus," "as," "how," "when," "where," "like," "just as," "so far as," "as much as can be," "that," "in order that," "nearly (with numbers)," and "know that." -- The word translated as "as" has a very broad meaning, translated as "when," "where," "just as," "like," and related words.
κόκκῳ [6 verses](noun sg masc dat) "Grain" is not from the Greek word for seed (sperma) used later in the verse, but from kokkos, which means "a grain" and "a seed," a metaphor for a "grain of sense."
σινάπεως, [4 verses] (noun sg neut gen) "Of mustard seed," is sinapi which means simply "mustard."
ὃς [294 verses](pron sg masc nom) "Which" is from hos, which means "this", "that", "he", "she", "which", "what", "who", "whosoever", "where", "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
ὅταν [70 verses](adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)."
σπαρῇ [31 verses](verb 3rd sg aor subj pass contr) "It is sowed" is from speirô, which is a verb, that means "to sow seed", "to scatter like seed," and "to beget offspring.
ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "In" is epi, which means "on", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "during", and "against."
τῆς [821 verses](article sg fem gen) "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." --
γῆς, [59 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Earth" is ge, which means "the element of earth", "land (country)", "arable land", "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet. --
μικρότερον [5 verses](adj sg neut/masc acc comp) "Less" is from mikroteros, which is the comparative form of the adjectives that means "small", "little", "unimportant," etc. so "smaller," "more little," and "more unimportant."
ὂν [614 verses](part sg pres act neut nom/acc) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be", "to exist", "to be the case," and "is possible."
πάντων [212 verses](adj pl neut/masc gen) "Of all" is from pas, which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds," and "anything." In the adverbial form, it means "every way", "on every side", "in every way," and "altogether."
τῶν [821 verses](article pl neut gen) "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." -
σπερμάτων [7 verses](noun pl neut gen) "Seed" is from sperma, which means "seed", "sperm", "origin", "race", "descent," and "offspring."
τῶν [821 verses](article pl masc gen) "That" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "In" is epi, which means "on", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "during", and "against."
τῆς [821 verses](article sg fem gen) "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."
γῆς, , [59 verses] (noun sg fem gen) "Earth" is ge, which means "the element of earth", "land (country)", "arable land", "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet. -- The word translated as "earth" means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
The wordplay in the verse using "grain" for "grain of sense" and "small" to also mean "young" only works in Greek.
The analogy here is that the size of the information has no direct relationship to what it produces. When you put this particular grain of sense into your relationships, which is Christ's symbol for term translated as "the earth" here, it doesn't matter that it seems so small, new, and perhaps naive. This small, new idea has the potential within them to mature and grow over time.