The Meaning of Mark 4:22 Explained

Mark 4:22

KJV: For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

YLT: for there is not anything hid that may not be manifested, nor was anything kept hid but that it may come to light.

Darby: For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light.

ASV: For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  there is  nothing  hid,  which  shall  not  be manifested;  neither  was any thing kept  secret,  but  that  it should come  abroad. 

What does Mark 4:22 Mean?

Study Notes

For there is
For nothing is hidden except unto manifestation, nor a secret thing done that shall not be exposed. Cf. Revelation 20:12 ; Romans 4:6 ; Hebrews 10:16 ; Hebrews 10:17

Verse Meaning

The former verse expressed a parable. This one explained a literal reality. As a principle, people do not hide precious things forever. They only conceal them temporarily, and then they bring them out into view. If they remain hidden forever, they are virtually lost. People conceal them to protect them from others who would abuse and take them. For example, people who own expensive jewelry or art treasures may keep them locked up for safe keeping part of the time, but they display them publicly at other times. Keeping them locked up privately all the time is a misuse of their purpose.
The disciples should not conclude that because God had previously hidden the characteristics about the kingdom that Jesus was revealing He wanted them to remain unknown. The time had come to proclaim them publicly.
"The kingdom of God, as embodied in Jesus" Person and ministry, was now a veiled revelation to those without, but He intended that later it should receive a glorious manifestation through the ministry of His followers." [1]

Context Summary

Mark 4:10-41 - Growth In God's Kingdom
How quick the Master was to observe the meaning of natural symbols! To Him all things were unfoldings of eternal mystery, and the ways of men unconsciously mirrored the unseen. Are there bushels in your life? Use them as lamp stands, not as coverings. All secrets come out; beware of what you say. All measures come back to us; take care how you mete. The mysterious co-operation of God in nature, and the gradual process of growth, are analogous to the co-working of the Holy Spirit with all faithful sowers of the Word, and the imperceptible stages through which the soul reaches maturity.
The stilling of the storm, Mark 4:35-41. They that bear Christ's company must prepare for squalls. Yet, why should we fear, when the Master is on board, who can impress His commands on wind and sea-to the wind, Peace; to the sea, Be still! "The Lord on high is mightier than the waves of the sea." A moment ago he was so weary as to sleep amid the storm, but at a word of appeal from those He loves, He shows Himself able to save to the uttermost. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 4

1  The parable of the sower,
14  and the meaning thereof
21  We must communicate the light of our knowledge to others
26  The parable of the seed growing secretly;
30  and of the mustard seed
35  Jesus stills the storm on the sea

Greek Commentary for Mark 4:22

Save that it should be manifested [εαν μη ινα πανερωτηι]
Note εαν μη — ean mē and ινα — hina Luke 8:17 has it that shall not be made manifest Here in Mark it is stated that the temporary concealment is for final manifestation and a means to that end. Those who are charged with the secret at this time are given the set responsibility of proclaiming it on the housetops after Ascension (Swete). The hidden (κρυπτον — krupton) and the secret (αποκρυπον — apokruphon) are to be revealed in due time. [source]
Which shall not be manifested [ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ]
The A. V. makes Christ say that every hidden thing shall be revealed. This is wrong. He says that things are hidden in order that they may be manifested. Concealment is a means to revelation.sa40 [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 4:22

Luke 8:17 Nothing is secret - manifest []
Correctly rendered in A. V., but not so the parallel passage, Mark 4:22, on which see note. [source]
Luke 8:17 That shall not be known [ο ου μη γνωστηι]
Peculiar to Luke. First aorist passive subjunctive of γινωσκω — ginōskō with the strong double negative ου μη — ou mē See note on Mark 4:22 for discussion of krupton and apokruphon f0). [source]
Romans 3:21 Is manifested [πεφανέρωται]
Rev., hath been manifested, rendering the perfect tense more strictly. Hath been manifested and now lies open to view. See on John 21:1, and see on revelation, Revelation 1:1The word implies a previous hiding. See Mark 4:22; Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27. [source]
Colossians 2:3 Hid [ἀπόκρυφοι]
Only here, Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:7. Not to be joined with are, as A.V. Its position at the end of the sentence, and so far from are, shows that it is added as an emphatic secondary predicate. Hence, as Rev., in whom are all the treasures, etc., hidden. For a similar construction, see Colossians 3:1, “where Christ is on the right hand of God seated (there).” James 1:17, “Every perfect gift is from above, coming down.” Grammatically, hidden may be taken as an attribute of treasures; “in whom the hidden treasures are contained;” but the other is preferable. The words which immediately follow in Colossians 2:4, suggest the possibility that hidden may convey an allusion to the Apocrypha or secret writings of the Essenes, whose doctrines entered into the Colossian heresy. Such writings, which, later, were peculiar also to the Gnostics, contained the authoritative secret wisdom, the esoteric teaching for the learned few. If such is Paul's allusion, the word suggests a contrast with the treasures of christian wisdom which are accessible to all in Christ. [source]
Colossians 2:3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [παντες οι τησαυροι της σοπιας και γνωσεως]
See note on Matthew 2:11 and note on Matthew 6:19 for this old word, our thesaurus, for coffer, storehouse, treasure. Paul confronts these pretentious intellectuals (Gnostics) with the bold claim that Christ sums up all wisdom and knowledge. These treasures are hidden (αποκρυποι — apokruphoi old adjective from αποκρυπτω — apokruptō to hide away, Mark 4:22) whether the Gnostics have discovered them or not. They are there (in Christ) as every believer knows by fresh and repeated discovery. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 4:22 mean?

Nothing for there is which [is] hidden if not that it should be made manifest nor has taken place a secret thing but it should come to light
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν 〈τι〉 κρυπτὸν ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ’ ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν

οὐ  Nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἐστιν  there  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
〈τι〉  which  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
κρυπτὸν  hidden 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: κρυπτός 
Sense: hidden, concealed, secret.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
φανερωθῇ  it  should  be  made  manifest 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φανερόω  
Sense: to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way.
οὐδὲ  nor 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: οὐδέ  
Sense: but not, neither, nor, not even.
ἐγένετο  has  taken  place 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἀπόκρυφον  a  secret  thing 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀπόκρυφος  
Sense: hidden, secret.
ἔλθῃ  it  should  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
φανερόν  light 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: φανερός  
Sense: apparent, manifest, evident, known.