Mark 4:17

ῥίζαν. Another of the commonplaces of literature; cf. Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7; 2 Kings 19:30 : ἐν ἑαντοῖς, because they are the soil.

ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιροί εἰσιν. On the contrary, they are short-lived. Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:18; Hebrews 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 Mark 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 (John 16:21; John 16:33), and passio (Colossians 1:24). R.V. has “affliction” 2 Corinthians 4:8, but changes “affliction” (A.V.) to “tribulation” here and Mark 13:19. In 2 Thessalonians 1:4, θλίψις is joined with διωγμός.

διὰ τὸν λόγον. Cf. Mark 13:13; Matthew 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 Mark 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 Matthew 5:29. Awkward questions caused Peter to deny his Master (Mark 14:27; Mark 14:29).