The Parable of the Growing Seed, found only in Mark 4:26-29, is one of Jesus’ lesser-known but deeply profound teachings about the Kingdom of God. Unlike many of His other parables, which emphasize human responsibility, this parable highlights God’s sovereignty and the mysterious, inevitable expansion of His Kingdom. Its unique focus is not on how people respond to the message, but on how the Kingdom advances according to divine power and timing, independent of human effort.
This parable follows the Parable of the Lamp Under a Bushel and is connected to the Parable of the Sower, which focus on the heart’s receptivity to God’s Word. In contrast, here Jesus shifts the focus to the unseen, supernatural work of God that ensures the Kingdom’s ultimate triumph.
Words: 1273 / Time to read: 7 minutes
Explanation of the Parable
Jesus begins with a familiar introduction:
“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.” (Mark 4:26)
The man represents the sower—whether Christ Himself during His earthly ministry or those He sends to proclaim the Word. The seed symbolizes the message of the Kingdom. However, the emphasis here is not on the different types of soil, as in the Parable of the Sower, but on what happens after the seed is sown.
Jesus continues:
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” (Mark 4:27)
This describes the mysterious, almost imperceptible process of spiritual growth. The sower’s role is limited—he sows the seed, but the seed’s growth happens apart from his efforts. This illustrates that the advancement of God’s Kingdom is God’s work, unfolding according to His design, beyond human comprehension or control.
Jesus explains the natural progression:
“All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” (Mark 4:28)
The phrase “all by itself” (Greek: automate) emphasizes the automatic, unstoppable nature of the seed’s development. God’s Kingdom grows progressively and orderly: from small beginnings to full maturity, in stages determined by God alone.
Finally, Jesus describes the moment of completion:
“As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29)
The harvest symbolizes the final gathering at the end of the age—the moment when God completes His redemptive work. The image of the sickle recalls Old Testament passages like Joel 3:13, where the harvest represents both redemption and judgment.
Dispensational Interpretation
From a dispensational perspective, this parable explains the period between Christ’s first and second comings. The Kingdom, which Israel expected to be established immediately, is revealed to grow slowly and invisibly at first. Its expansion does not depend on human schemes or timing but on God’s sovereign plan.
The man scattering seed points to Christ, who inaugurated the Kingdom by proclaiming the Word, and later to His disciples who continue to spread the message. Yet, as the parable shows, the growth is God’s doing. The Kingdom advances according to divine timing—not human ambition or action.
This parable also foreshadows the Tribulation period, when the Kingdom message will be proclaimed by the 144,000 sealed Jewish evangelists (Revelation 7:4-8), the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-12), and an angel flying in midair (Revelation 14:6-7). The growth of faith during that time will occur by God’s power, culminating in the harvest when Christ returns in glory to establish His Kingdom.
The harvest imagery also aligns with Revelation 14:14-16, where Christ is pictured with a sickle, reaping the earth at the time of final judgment. This affirms that the Kingdom’s full realization is tied to the Second Coming and the separation of the righteous from the wicked.
Comparison to Apostolic Teaching
Though this parable is rooted in Kingdom prophecy, the theme of God’s sovereignty in spiritual growth is echoed in apostolic teaching.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7:
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
This affirms that while human labor has its place, the actual growth—the transformation of hearts—is God’s work alone.
Similarly, in Philippians 1:6, Paul assures believers:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
This mirrors the pattern in the parable: God initiates, sustains, and completes the work of redemption, bringing it to its appointed harvest.
Cultural and Historical Context
Jesus’ audience would have understood well the rhythms of agriculture. In the first-century Jewish world, farming was a way of life, and the mystery of how seeds sprouted into grain was accepted as part of God’s providence. Farmers worked the soil and scattered seed, but they relied on God for rain, sunshine, and the miraculous process of growth.
The image of the harvest as judgment was familiar from the prophets. Joel 3:13 speaks of God’s judgment as a great harvest, and Isaiah 27:12 describes God gathering His people like grain at harvest time. Jesus draws on these themes to teach that the Kingdom will reach its full maturity according to God’s timetable—not human expectation.
Application and Significance
The Parable of the Growing Seed provides deep encouragement and a humbling reminder: the Kingdom belongs to God. While His servants sow the Word, it is God who gives growth.
For Israel, this parable explained why the Kingdom did not appear immediately in visible power. It reassured Jesus’ disciples that the Kingdom was indeed advancing—though quietly and invisibly for a time.
For Tribulation believers, this parable will reinforce that despite persecution and global chaos, God’s Kingdom is growing and will reach its fulfillment when Christ returns to harvest the earth.
For believers today, though this parable speaks to the Kingdom program, it offers the timeless truth that we must faithfully sow God’s Word and trust Him for the results. We are called to labor, but the growth—and the harvest—are in His hands. This frees us from striving for human success and invites us to rest in God’s power and timing.
Conclusion
The Parable of the Growing Seed shines a light on the mystery of the Kingdom’s growth. God’s redemptive plan unfolds steadily and surely, whether seen or unseen, and it will one day reach its final harvest at Christ’s return. Our calling is to sow the seed and wait patiently, trusting in the Lord of the harvest.
Jesus leaves us with this assurance: The seed will grow, the harvest will come—the question is, will we be ready?
Want to Go Deeper?
This post draws from my book, The Parables of Jesus: Covert Communication from the King (Grace and Knowledge Series, Book 7), where I explore the prophetic and dispensational significance of each parable in detail.
Read the full book on Amazon →
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.