Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 4:17 - 4:17

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Mark 4:17 - 4:17


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

17. ῥίζαν. Another of the commonplaces of literature; cf. Eph 3:17; Col 2:7; 2Ki 19:30 : ἐν ἑαντοῖς, because they are the soil.

ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιροί εἰσιν. On the contrary, they are short-lived. Cf. 2Co 4:18; Heb 11:25. “Husbandmen, when there is warm weather too early, are afraid lest the seeds should be too luxuriant, and then a single frost should lay hold of them” (Epict. Dis. iv. 8 sub fin.). See on Mar 4:29.

θλίψεως. Frequent in N.T. and LXX. It implies being either pressed down or in great straits. Vulg. varies between tribulatio (here), pressura (Joh 16:21; Joh 16:33), and passio (Col 1:24). R.V. has “affliction” 2Co 4:8, but changes “affliction” (A.V.) to “tribulation” here and Mar 13:19. In 2Th 1:4, θλίψις is joined with διωγμός.

διὰ τὸν λόγον. Cf. Mar 13:13; Mat 5:11. This could not be expressed in the parable. The thin soil was not dried up because it contained good seed.

εὐθύς. This answers to the εὐθύς in Mar 4:16. They receive hastily, and they abjure hastily, in each case without considering the consequences.

σκανδαλίζονται. The verb is freq. in Mk and Mt., but is rare elsewhere in N.T. It combines the ideas of “trip up” and “entrap,” and in N.T. is always figurative of “causing to sin.” Cf. Sir 9:5; Sir 23:8, and see on Mat 5:29. Awkward questions caused Peter to deny his Master (Mar 14:27; Mar 14:29).