And should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up whilst he knoweth not.
και καθευδη και εγειρηται νυκτα και ημεραν και ο σπορος βλαστανη και μηκυνηται ως ουκ οιδεν αυτος
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
After having forsaken Him, He "sleeps," signifying His ascension into heaven; however, He also "arises both at night and during the day." Although God may seem to be resting, meaning that He is patient with us, He nonetheless awakens: He awakens at night, when through temptations He prompts us to seek a deeper understanding of Him; He awakens during the day, when He enriches our lives with joy and comfort.
The parable illustrating the gradual growth from a seed of wheat serves to represent the incremental development of what is concealed within the human heart, cultivated through God’s grace. In relation to humanity as a whole, it symbolizes the slow expansion of the Church, the community of the redeemed in Christ, in alignment with the order He has established. This parable addresses the question: Why has Christianity not fully realized its potential to this day? Just as a man sows a seed and then sleeps and rises, unaware of the seed’s growth, the Lord has sown the seed of divine life upon the earth and granted it the liberty to flourish, allowing it to follow the natural course of creation without coercion.
He remains watchful over the seed, providing assistance when necessary and offering guidance in a general sense. This is tied to the freedom of humanity; the Lord seeks individuals to yield to Him and patiently waits for their hearts to turn towards Him. If the entirety of this scenario was reliant solely on God’s will, then all would have embraced Christianity long ago.
Additionally, it is worth noting that the edifying body of the Church is established in heaven, while only the raw materials originate from the earth, which are also shaped by heavenly artisans. The heavenly message traverses the earth and draws those who yearn for it. Those who listen and respond become the raw materials in God’s workshop, the Church, where they are transformed according to the heavenly designs. Once transformed, they depart from this life and ascend to heaven, where they become part of God’s edifice, each one tailored for their divine purpose. This process is ongoing, ensuring that God's work is ever active. The grand proclamation of Christianity is not a prerequisite for this; the construction of God's kingdom occurs invisibly.
In two succinct parables, He illustrated the gradual, unfolding expansion of His kingdom; initially appearing small and negligible, it will steadily gain strength and ultimately embrace the entire world - it is like a mustard seed, and it is like leaven. The first parable, the mustard seed, emphasizes the external manifestation of Christ's kingdom, while the second parable, the leaven, highlights its internal transformation. Mark's account further clarifies the idea of this last parable.
The teaching of a man who sows seeds in the soil can be likened to the kingdom of God. This man casts his seeds into the earth and then rests, rising day and night, unaware of how the seeds sprout and grow, as the earth, on its own, first brings forth tender shoots, then the ear, and finally the full grain within the ear. Once the harvest is ripe, he swings the sickle without delay, for the time to harvest has arrived. This parable presents a significant challenge to those who seek to interpret it. Who does the sower symbolize? According to Anthony, the Archbishop of Volyn and Zhitomir, the sower represents not God Himself, but a Christian who plants good seeds—such as the teachings of Christ or acts of devotion—both within his own heart and in his community.
Just as a diligent master does not oversee every detail of a growing field, he cannot constantly observe the flourishing of divine grace within himself and others. However, it is the Lord who invisibly cultivates virtue in both the individual and the community, akin to the sun and rain nourishing the crops, revealing the fruits of their labors and the abundant harvest from God at the right moment.
When interpreting the Lord’s parables, we ought to remember that Jesus employed familiar, real-life examples rather than fictitious ones, as explained by John Chrysostom. This choice made His teachings more vivid, embedding them deeply into memory, almost as if putting them before the eyes of His listeners. Therefore, we must seek general similarities in parables rather than fixate on specific details or individual words. Moreover, each parable must be understood in the context of other similar parables and aligned with the overall message of Christ’s teachings.
Within His sermons and parables, Jesus distinctly differentiates between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. He refers to the Kingdom of Heaven as that which is reserved solely for the righteous, to commence after the final judgment of humanity. The kingdom of God, on the other hand, pertains to the realm of believers who carry out the will of the heavenly Father who sent Him, established on earth. This kingdom prepares its members for entering the kingdom of heaven; it began with Christ’s arrival, who spread the word of God into the hearts of men, like a farmer sowing seeds. It will conclude at the time of harvest, when the fruit, borne from the sown word of God, is fully ripe. This fruit will mature when all humanity comes together as one society of believers, forming one flock under the One Shepherd. In this unity, even the presence of tares alongside the wheat will not disrupt the integrity of the field, just as Judas's inclusion did not fracture the unity of Christ's small group of followers. At that time, the Kingdom of Heaven will commence.
The tangible involvement of Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God is evident through His establishment of the kingdom and the sending out of reapers when the fruit is ready. While His unseen guidance of this kingdom is well recognized by all who trust in Him, the apostles had not yet attained that level of belief. They required everyday examples to illustrate the inception and culmination of the kingdom of God on this earth, with the act of sowing seeds serving as the most fitting illustration. The man who prepared the soil and sowed the seed fulfilled his role; even though he nurtures the seed and shields it from adverse conditions, the inherent power of the seed enables the earth to produce first a green shoot, then an ear, and ultimately, a full grain in the ear. Likewise, the word of God, which Jesus Christ has sown and that falls on receptive ground, contains divine power for regeneration; if it is not choked by thorns or tares, it will flourish and bear fruit without further intervention from the Sower. Thus, within this parable, one may conclude that the Sower represents Christ Himself, the seed signifies the word of God He brought to earth, and the growing plant embodies the Kingdom of God. The central theme of this parable highlights the strength of God’s word in uniting individuals into the kingdom of God. Other elements of the parable should not be over-analyzed for their independent significance, as they serve merely to visually underscore the principal idea.
To further unveil the secrets of the kingdom of heaven to His disciples, the Saviour presented them with additional parables that expanded on a central theme. In the parable of the sower, He elucidated the process of seed planting and the outcomes for that seed in different hearts. Following this, the Saviour emphasized the potential of the seed to flourish in a receptive soul. The Kingdom of God is likened to a mustard seed (Matt. 13:31-32, Mk. 4:30-34), which, though initially one of the tiniest seeds, ultimately grows to become larger than all other grains, transforming into a tree that provides shelter for the birds of the air. Similarly, it is like the leaven that a woman mixes into three measures of flour, until all the flour is leavened.
Just as the mustard seed, by its inherent nature, develops into a mighty tree, or as leaven inevitably permeates all the dough, so too must the New Testament kingdom, despite its modest origins, extend its reach throughout the entire world and infuse it with its foundational spirit. Establishing this kingdom would not necessitate external, violent disruptions or fierce conflicts, as many of His listeners may have believed. Rather, the Saviour conveyed that the kingdom of heaven would prevail through the inherent power of truth and through the transformative force of faith and love, ultimately revitalizing the world.
And sleeps and rises, etc.: sleeps at night and awakens in the morning, essentially existing as normal without any distinct influence on the growth of the seed. However, this should not lead to the conclusion that individuals should refrain from putting forth their efforts for the revival of this seed, or for the cultivation and foundation of faith and virtue within the soul. Rather, the phrase suggests that people are unaware and incapable of determining how the seed germinates and flourishes, as well as how faith and virtue are conceived, nurtured, and strengthened within the hearts of individuals and broader communities. It is evident that this seed develops, but the process remains a mystery.
The physical seed produces a sprout, a stalk, color, and fruit, which can be observed by the layman; the scientist understands the conditions and principles of germination and fertilization, yet ultimately, the process of growth is beyond anyone's comprehension. The same applies to faith within the souls of individuals and entire communities. We can observe moral transformation, recognize a yearning for prayer, engage in self-reflection, read the Scriptures, and practice various virtues, among others; yet how the essence of faith is imparted in the spirit remains elusive to our understanding.
He sleeps and wakes (καὶ καθεύδῃ καὶ ἐγείρηται) both night and day; and he does not understand how the seed germinates and flourishes (βλαστάνῃ καὶ μηκύνηται). Our proposed interpretation is: he may rest, he may remain alert night and day; and the seed will indeed sprout and flourish, yet he does not comprehend how this occurs.
In these succinct parables, Jesus Christ illustrated various aspects of His kingdom. The growth of this kingdom, both in entire communities and within each individual believer, unfolds gradually rather than instantaneously, following a specific timeline and order, akin to natural occurrences. Thus, the Kingdom of God behaves like a man who sows seed in the earth, then rests and rises both night and day, while the seed sprouts and flourishes unbeknownst to him. The soil first produces grass, then a head of grain, and finally the full grain in the ear; when the harvest is ripe, the reaper becomes active, for the time of gathering has arrived. The seed of faith evolves like a plant, nurtured by the divine life force within it.
It initially manifests as grass, indicating early signs of virtue, progresses to the ear, signifying the capacity to withstand temptations, and culminates in the full grain, representing the attainment of spiritual maturity. For faith to thrive and expand within the heart, it necessitates the nourishing rain of grace, the illuminating rays of truth, and protection from the chill of worldly influences, the heat of passions, and the turbulence of earthly distractions.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS