Mark 3:7

Crowds by the Sea

3:7 Then ¹  Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. ²  And from Judea,

Mark 4:31

4:31 It is like a mustard seed ³  that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground –

Mark 13:32

Be Ready!

13:32 “But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son ⁴  – except the Father.

[3:7]  ¹ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[3:7]  ² tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[4:31]  ³ sn Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.

[13:32]  ⁵ sn The phrase nor the Son has caused a great deal of theological debate because on the surface it appears to conflict with the concept of Jesus’ deity. The straightforward meaning of the text is that the Son does not know the time of his return. If Jesus were divine, though, wouldn’t he know this information? There are other passages which similarly indicate that Jesus did not know certain things. For example, Luke 2:52 indicates that Jesus grew in wisdom; this has to mean that Jesus did not know everything all the time but learned as he grew. So Mark 13:32 is not alone in implying that Jesus did not know certain things. The best option for understanding Mark 13:32 and similar passages is to hold the two concepts in tension: The Son in his earthly life and ministry had limited knowledge of certain things, yet he was still deity.