The Big in the Small

Mark Study 21 by Michael Spencer


Step into the study, pour a cup of coffee and let's enjoy the Gospel of Mark. Our scripture today is Mark 4:26-34 He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (NIV)

We move this week from what I would judge to be one of the most difficult sections of the Gospel of Mark to one of the simplest and most obvious. These two parables are readily accessible in their core meanings and their larger implications are also plain. In fact, both parables consist more of simple illustrations- pictures almost- as compared to stories or vignettes. Yet their simplicity is not simplistic. Crucial and powerful truth is here for anyone who is following Jesus. These are parables about how God is changing the world and they are parables that seem to have a smaller and smaller audience all the time. In their implications, these two pictures of seeds are world-shaking.

(Mark 4:26-29 has no exact parallel in the other Gospels. This is unusual, but no interpreter is really in a position to say why. I would speculate that the material here is similar enough to other parables that it simply was not necessary to use this parable in this form.)

"The Kingdom of God" is not obviously present. It's reality has to be discerned through comparison, so both parables begin with a statement that the Kingdom is "like" the illustrations used. The Kingdom of God is not equal to or exactly like anything in this world, but we can learn about the Kingdom from many simple truths in the world. Jesus warned his followers about those who would say the Kingdom was an earthly reality in this age. Notice Luke 7:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." I will not attempt to rework the topic of the Kingdom of God, but would recommend the reader consult the studies of 1:15 or other sources on the topic. But we must note that Jesus' lived in a time were obsessed with the Kingdom of God as an earthly reality and were caught up in many different ideas of how best to bring the Kingdom into existence. The Zealots, for example, were prominent in Jesus' culture and were determined to bring the Kingdom by a revolution against Rome and the Jewish leaders who complied with Roman rule. Jesus' teaching in these parables was a strong departure from such thinking. He was encouraging his followers to see the Kingdom in very different terms than earthly power, politics or programs. (His success at getting this truth into his followers was mixed, as we can see from what they were still asking in Acts 1:6!)

The first parable deals with the experience of the farmer as he sows, waits and harvests. Certain aspects of this story are already clear from the parable of the soils and from Jewish teaching common in Jesus' time. The harvest is the end of the world. Jesus and others took this image from the Old Testament, such as Joel 3:12ff. From the earlier parable- and 1:14-15- we can conclude that the seed being sown is the Gospel message itself in the person and ministry of Jesus. The Kingdom of God has arrived, not with armies or trumpets or coronations; the Kingdom is here in this rabbi and his band of followers. The miracles testify of the presence of the Kingdom. But why isn't the world changed? Why isn't Jesus crowned and reigning? Because, at this time, the Kingdom is a seed that is planted. The work of Jesus in this mission is to plant the seed. And when the seed is planted, it grows. The growth process is a mystery (botanists excluded) and no human hand is at work in making the seed grow. At the proper time, harvest will bring an end to the time of growth and the grain will be brought into the storehouse.

Several important truths need to be noted in this parable. 1) The Kingdom is certain because it is already here. 2) We are never seeing the finished work because God is still at work until judgment comes. 3) The Kingdom of God is present in the smallest work of the Gospel. 4) Growth is the sovereign work of God, not to be controlled or mapped out in human wisdom. All of these truths should be greatly encouraging to all Christians. Jesus is reminding us that we serve a God who is not impressed by what impresses men. Here is a God whose wisdom, love and compassion are just as real, just as present in the smallest place and the most unnoticed act as in the most celebrated and noticed. God is no more impressed with stadiums of people listening to Billy Graham than by a mother praying with her infant child. The Kingdom is there, being sown and going to work in both. An excellent passage to read along with this parable is I Corinthians 3:6-9- "God made it grow."

I can't help but be struck by how "un-western" Jesus is in this parable. If I am hearing correctly, I can sow the seed and pray. God does the rest. The parable of the soils has already told me that the condition of the heart determines the response. This parable tells me that the process of life, growth and fruitfulness is beyond my understanding or power. I can sow; freely, with love and everywhere a hurting world allows. But I cannot create the Kingdom of God. God himself is bringing it, building it and creating it. When I read this passage I am not surprised that Ghandi was such an admirer of Jesus! Our culture tells us we build the Kingdom with numbers, buildings, budgets and recognition (which we have become expert at giving ourselves.) Jesus says the Kingdom is there in the smallest act of bringing the Gospel into our lives and relationships. It is in the small that God is at work, in ways we cannot see but that the judgment will reveal.

The second parable echoes this message. Many have pointed out there were seeds smaller than the mustard seed. Those who test the Bible's truthfulness by such measurements should consider not saying that the sun is "going down" or "coming up" since they are not telling the truth. It is possible a mustard seed is not meant and we do not know precisely what seed Jesus was referring to. The point of the smallness of the seed and the resulting comparative largeness of the plant is obvious. Again, we have the theme of the small beginning of the Kingdom of God, and the surprising destiny of the entire process. The "birds" are taken by some commentators to refer to Gentiles who will be finally included in the Kingdom of God. Such a connection may be made, but the evidence seems to be very weak.

The final two verses tell us that Jesus used many other parables. It is fairly easy to conclude that the Gospel writers had access to some material they did not use and it is exciting to hope that some other teachings of Jesus may one day be found. But such a discovery would not alter the canonical gospels and we should be very wary of the new age tendency to but lots of credence in gnostic scriptures such as the Gospel of Thomas. Mark stresses that Jesus used parables throughout his teaching and that his purpose was communication, but he also tells us that he explained the meaning of parables to his disciples. Mark probably wants the early Christians to be sure that the apostle's message is based on an "insider's" understanding of the message of Jesus and they can be trusted. But there is a twist to this comment. One of the characteristics of Mark is his portrayal of the disciples as unable to grasp the ultimate significance of Jesus' identity and message. Even when the parables are explained by the master teacher, the disciples still cannot grasp the Kingdom, the cross and the resurrection. Their own experience of Kingdom authority is amazing to them. (Luke 10:17) I suppose all of us have to see ourselves in this; no matter how much we believe we understand the Kingdom and Jesus, we still have a long way to go.

We live in a world where technology beyond out wildest dreams is present in microchips almost too small to see. Yet we have great trouble putting the truth of these parables into our lives. Jesus put similar truths on a more practical level when he said in Luke 16:10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." He illustrated this many times, such as his observations about the woman giving her pennies at the treasury or the story of the man forgiven a great debt who would not forgive a small one. Jesus practiced this in his own life, taking time to minister to children and the overlooked and left out. Jesus was fully capable of building a great organization or training a vast missionary force. Instead he poured his life into his family for 30 years, an itinerant ministry for 3 and into the lives of a small group of men and women who followed him. The worldly assessment of his ministry was that it was an absolutely failure. But the seed was planted in accordance with Kingdom truth, and the seed is growing all over the world. Before long, the world will witness the harvest of what Jesus planted into the world.

Questions
  1. How have you usually heard these two parables interpreted?
  2. What might people today point at and say "That is the Kingdom of God"?
  3. What are ways that people attempt to bring the Kingdom into existence?
  4. What do you believe is the Bible's position on the issue of trying to bring about a perfect society (utopia) on earth?
  5. How is spiritual life a mystery to the natural eye? What must happen in spiritual growth that can only happen under the power of God?
  6. Michael says this parable teaches that judgment will reveal the "grain" from the seed. What does this teaching say about how we should evaluate "success" in any ministry or "growth" in any Christian's life?
  7. Is it possible to know whether another person is a Christian?
  8. One of Michael's pet peeves is Christian media. What is the result when we have an entire industry telling us what matters? How can a Christian, with love, point out that God isn't impressed with what impresses us? How should we respond to the logic that if its big, popular, sells well or has a big audience it must be God's blessing?
  9. One of the practical outgrowths of this scripture should be a sensitivity to affirm those who do small things for God. Who do you know that is doing Kingdom work, but is usually overlooked?
  10. Relate I Corinthians 3:6-9 to these parables.
  11. Geoff Moore recently wrote a wonderful song about how the world sees it as foolish when we "see the big in the small" and follow Jesus in ministering to the overlooked of society. How can we nurture this Kingdom perspective in ourselves, our families and our churches?
  12. Some will undoubtedly say "Well, if all we can do is sow, then why try to do anything other than preach?" Why feed the hungry or do any social ministry that improves the quality of life? What is the answer to this objection?
  13. Are there truths in the second parable that are not in the first?
  14. If Jesus explained everything to the apostles, why didn't they get it!!?? What does this tell us about our condition as fallen human beings?
  15. Michael mentions several "links" to these truths in the rest of the Bible. Can you think of any? Have you ever learned or observed the truth of these scriptures in your life experiences?

Recommended Resource of the Week: A Theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd. I've recommended Ladd's work before. Much of it is now being reprinted and revised. This big book is a must-have, in my opinion. I think Ladd just hits the pitch perfectly when it comes to building theology on the Bible and not the current fads. Lots of help for a long time in this book.

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