<p>4:26 <i>And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth</i>- The Greek tenses suggest a one-time sowing, contrasted with regular sleeping and rising (:27). As King of the Kingdom, the Lord Jesus did at times give Himself the title &quot;the Kingdom of God&quot;. John's Gospel often mentions that the gift of the life of the Lord Jesus is also that of &quot;eternal life&quot;; His life, the kind of life He lived, His spirit, is that which believers shall eternally have. The sower in the preceding parable of the sower refers to the Lord Jesus sowing the seed of God's word; although all those &quot;in Him&quot; are likewise sowers of the word. Perhaps &quot;the earth&quot; refers specifically to the land of Israel, as often in the New Testament. But it could be that this parable is an extension of the parable of the sower, and the earth / ground in view is specifically the good ground, which brings forth much fruit. This parable is then a reflection on the wonder of salvation from the Lord's viewpoint.</p>