Καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλήν καὶ ἐδίδου καρπὸν ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ αὐξανόμενα, καὶ ἔφερεν ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν. (Mark 4:8)
This verse, nestled within the Parable of the Sower, may appear simple in story, but it hides deep syntactic and theological riches. With participles describing spiritual process and coordinate clauses quantifying divine abundance, Mark 4:8 uses Greek grammar to proclaim the silent miracle of receptive hearts. Let’s trace the steps.
The Aorist Fall: ἔπεσεν
The main event begins with the aorist active indicative verb ἔπεσεν (“it fell”). This punctiliar action marks a single moment: the sowing is done, the seed has landed. The phrase εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλήν (“onto the good soil”) uses the article + adjective construction τὴν καλήν to modify γῆν and emphasize the quality of the soil.
The word order γῆν τὴν καλήν puts emphasis on γῆν as the main noun, with καλήν giving evaluative clarification. The definite article τὴν repeated with the adjective is classic Koine for emphatic attribution.
Present Imperfect: ἐδίδου καρπὸν
While ἔπεσεν marks a completed act, ἐδίδου (imperfect of δίδωμι) indicates ongoing action: “it was giving” or “it kept producing” fruit. This temporal shift is crucial: the seed’s fall was momentary, but its growth is durative, dynamic, and continual.
This imperfect verb introduces an imperfective aspect: a sustained state of fruitfulness that evolves over time.
Participles in Process: ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ αὐξανόμενα
These present participles describe the nature of the fruit that is being yielded. The participles agree with καρπὸν (accusative masculine singular), and are thus attributive:
- ἀναβαίνοντα – “rising up” or “growing upward”
- αὐξανόμενα – “increasing” or “multiplying”
These participles are conjoined with καὶ, depicting the process of fruit maturation. The present tense participles reinforce the continual and progressive nature of true spiritual productivity.
Abundance in Triplet: ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν
This threefold phrase marks the climax of the verse. Three neuter singular numerals (ἓν) are paired with each number: thirty, sixty, a hundred. This may reflect Semitic-style parallelism, but grammatically, it emphasizes that each grain bore a specific yield—none less, some more, some extraordinary.
The repetition of ἓν before each numeral is both rhythmic and emphatic. It’s not “thirty, sixty, and a hundred,” but “one [yielding] thirty, one sixty, one a hundred”—inviting the reader to reflect on individual fruitfulness in diverse degrees.
Syntax Table: Growth in Motion
| Greek Phrase | Grammatical Role | Interpretive Insight |
|---|---|---|
| ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλήν | Aorist indicative + prepositional phrase | One-time action of sowing into receptive soil |
| ἐδίδου καρπὸν | Imperfect indicative | Ongoing productivity |
| ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ αὐξανόμενα | Present participles modifying καρπὸν | Describing fruit’s growth and increase |
| ἓν τριάκοντα… καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν | Coordinated numeral phrases | Varied yields—one seed, many outcomes |
Grammar as Growth: Participles of Transformation
This verse doesn’t merely tell a story—it demonstrates how fruitfulness unfolds. Participles breathe life into grammar, painting the ongoing work of divine transformation. The imperfect and present forms show that God’s kingdom grows quietly, steadily, abundantly—in different measures, but always in motion.
The sower’s work may be singular, but the seed’s work is continuous. And grammar, in Mark 4:8, is the syntax of spiritual fertility.
