Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 4]
present perfect indicative).
4:30 {How shall we liken?} (\P•s homoi•s•men?\) Deliberative
first aorist subjunctive. This question alone in Mark. So with
the other question: {In what parable shall we set it forth?} (\en
tini aut•n parabol•i th•men;\). Deliberative second aorist
subjunctive. The graphic question draws the interest of the
hearers (_we_) by fine tact. Lu 13:18f. retains the double
question which Mt 13:31f. does not have, though he has it in a
very different context, probably an illustration of Christ's
favourite sayings often repeated to different audiences as is
true of all teachers and preachers.
4:31 {When it is sown} (\hotan spar•i\). Second aorist passive
subjunctive of \speir•\. Alone in Mark and repeated in verse
32. {Less than all the seeds} (\mikroteron pant•n t•n
spermat•n\). Comparative adjective with the ablative case after
it. Hyperbole, of course, but clearly meaning that from a very
small seed a large plant grows, the gradual pervasive expansive
power of the kingdom of God.
4:32 {Groweth up} (\anabainei\). Mt 13:32 {When it is grown}
(\hotan aux•th•i\). {Under the shadow thereof} (\hupo t•n skian
autou\). A different picture from Matthew's {in the branches
thereof} (\en tois kladois autou\). But both use \katask•noin\,
to tent or camp down, make nests in the branches in the shade or
hop on the ground under the shade just like a covey of birds. In
Mt 8:20 the birds have nests (\katask•n•seis\). The use of the
mustard seed for smallness seems to have been proverbial and
Jesus employs it elsewhere (Mt 17:20; Lu 17:6).
4:33 {As they were able to hear it} (\kath•s •dunanto akouein\).
Only in Mark. Imperfect indicative. See Joh 16:12 for \ou
dunasthe bastazein\, not able to bear. Jesus used parables now
largely, but there was a limit even to the use of them to these
men. He gave them the mystery of the kingdom in this veiled
parabolic form which was the only feasible form at this stage.
But even so they did not understand what they heard.
4:34 {But privately to his disciples he expounded all things}
(\kat' idian de tois idiois math•tais epeluen panta\). To his own
(\idiois\) disciples in private, in distinction from the mass of
the people Jesus was in the habit (imperfect tense, \epeluen\) of
{disclosing}, revealing, all things (\panta\) in plain language
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