Mark 4:22

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) For there is nothing hid.—This also is found elsewhere (e.g., in Matthew 10:26). The Greek word here for “secret” is interesting as being the same as that which we find in our word “Apocrypha.” The term was, in the first instance, applied to books that were surrounded with the secrecy of a spurious sacred-ness, but were not publicly recognised in the Church as being of divine authority, and was then transferred to all books which, whether “spurious” or “secret,” wanted that recognition.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:21-34 These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the place it ought to have in a soul, and it will show itself in a good conversation. It grows gradually: first the blade; then the ear; after that the full corn in the ear. When it is sprung up, it will go forward. The work of grace in the soul is, at first, but the day of small things; yet it has mighty products even now, while it is in its growth; but what will there be when it is perfected in heaven!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is nothing hid ... - See the notes at Matthew 10:26.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested, &c.—See on [1428]Mt 10:26, 27; but the connection there and here is slightly different. Here the idea seems to be this—"I have privately expounded to you these great truths, but only that ye may proclaim them publicly; and if ye will not, others will. For these are not designed for secrecy. They are imparted to be diffused abroad, and they shall be so; yea, a time is coming when the most hidden things shall be brought to light."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 22,23. Our Saviour, Matthew 10:26, sending out his apostles, saith to them, Fear them not therefore, that is, not your enemies and persecutors: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known: the sense of which words we there said might be, though your innocency be now hid, yet it shall be made known, or though the gospel be now hid, and preached in a little corner, and kept secret, it shall be made manifest, and come abroad. Both Mark and Luke have it immediately after the parable of the sower, where it doth not seem to have the same sense as here. But more general proverbial common sayings may be variously applied to things, to which the common sense and import of them will agree. Some here apply them thus, There is nothing in the prophecies concerning me which shall not be manifested; which agrees with the sense of those who interpret the former verse concerning Christ, as if he had been giving a reason why he opened the parables to those that asked him of it. But those who interpret it to the sense which it beareth plainly, Matthew 5:15,16, make the sense thus; For though you may play the hypocrites, and under a profession of the gospel but hide the hypocrisy, lusts, and corruptions of your hearts, yet that mask will not hold always, there will come a day of judgment, which will manifest and discover all, and bring to light the hidden things of dishonesty. What we have Mark 4:23 is but a usual conclusion which our Saviour hath often made of any grave and important discourses.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For there is nothing hid,.... In these parables, and figurative expressions used by Christ,

which shall not be manifested, sooner or later, to his disciples:

neither was any thing kept secret; any doctrine of the Gospel, or mystery of the kingdom:

but that it should come abroad; it was designed to be published in all Judea, and afterwards, throughout the whole world, for the benefit of God's chosen ones, to their conversion, comfort, and edification: wherefore it becomes the ministers of the Gospel to keep back nothing that may be profitable to the churches, nor shun to declare the whole counsel of God; but faithfully dispense the mysteries of grace, and commend the truth to every man's conscience, without any fear of men, or dreading the effects and consequences of things: since nothing is declared in the word, or made known, but with a design to be published to others, to answer some divine end and purpose; See Gill on Matthew 10:26.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 4:22. Double statement of the law that the hidden is to be revealed; 1st, predictively: there is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed; 2nd, interpretatively, with reference to the purpose of the hider: nor did anything become concealed with any other view than that it should eventually come to manifestation.—ἀπόκρυφον (ἀποκρύπτω), here and in Luke 8:17, Colossians 2:3.—ἀλλʼ: in effect = εἴ μὴ nisi, but strictly ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον is understood to be repeated after it = nothing becomes concealed absolutely, but it is concealed in order that, etc. This is universally true. Things are hid because they are precious, but precious things are meant to be used at some time and in some way. All depends on the time and the way, and it is there that diversity of action comes in. Christ’s rule for that was: show your light when it will glorify God and benefit men; the world’s rule is: when safe and beneficial to self.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 4:22. Οὐ γὰρ ἐστί τι κρυπτὸν—οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον, for there is nothing hidden—nor has anything become concealed) There is a difference both in the verbs is, implying that it was so naturally, and has become, implying intentional concealment, and also in the nouns [adjectives] used; comp. κρυπτὰ, 1 Corinthians 4:5, and ἀπόκρυφοι, Colossians 2:3;[38] to which corresponds the difference which is made in the corresponding antithesis, between φανερωθῇ, be manifested, and ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερὸν, come to be manifested; the former referring to manifestation by constraint, the latter to manifestation of its own accord, when it is ripe for manifestation. Therefore the former sentence can be understood of what is bad, the second sentence of what is good. This axiom holds good of the things in nature, of the feelings and actions of men, whether good or bad, in a natural condition or in a spiritual condition; as also of the divine mysteries.—ἐγένετο, has become [“was kept,” Engl. Vers.]) The subject is τὶ, anything, to be repeated from the previous sentence: the predicate is, hidden out of sight, ἀπόκρυφον.—ἔλθῃ, come) of its own accord; comp. John 3:21. This is done in successive stages in this present order of things; and it shall be done fully, when the light shall make manifest all secrets on the last day; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

[38] So Latin conditus, ‘hidden,’ whether undesignedly or otherwise: absconditus, “hidden out of sight,” by design.—ED.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested. The Greek of the latter part of this sentence, according to the best authorities, runs thus: ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ; so the true rendering of the words is, there is nothing hid save that it should be manifested; that is, there is nothing now hid, but in order that it may be made known. There is a great principle of the Divine operations here announced by our Lord. Much, very much, is now hidden from us, in nature, in providence, and in grace. But it will not always be hidden. In natural things more and more is revealed as science advances, and in providence and in grace the mysteries of the kingdom will one day, and at the fitting time, be laid open to all. "What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light" (Matthew 10:27). Mark 4:22

Vincent's Word Studies

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.