### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **mēkýnō**, represented by `{{G3373}}`, means to lengthen or enlarge. In its biblical usage, it takes on the meaning **to grow up**. It appears only **1 time** in 1 unique verse, making its single appearance highly specific in its application. It is derived from a root word signifying length, which informs its sense of extension and maturation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{G3373}}` is found in the parable of the growing seed. In this context, a man casts seed into the ground and goes about his life, sleeping by night `{{G3571}}` and rising by day `{{G2250}}`. The text states that "the seed should spring and **grow up**, he knoweth not how" [[Mark 4:27]]. This illustrates a growth that is automatic and mysterious, independent of the sower's direct effort or understanding. The action of "growing up" is presented as a sovereign work that unfolds according to a divine timetable, not a human one.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context help clarify the meaning of `{{G3373}}`:
* `{{G985}}` **blastánō** (to germinate; by implication, to yield fruit): This word describes the initial stage of growth, the sprouting of the seed. It works in tandem with `{{G3373}}` to show a complete process from germination to maturation [[Mark 4:27]].
* `{{G4703}}` **spóros** (a scattering (of seed), i.e. (concretely) seed (as sown)): This is the object that undergoes the growth. In a parallel passage, this **seed** is explicitly identified as "the word of God" [[Luke 8:11]], giving the parable its spiritual meaning.
* `{{G1492}}` **eídō** (properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know): This term is used to highlight the sower's passive role. He does not **know** how the growth occurs, emphasizing that the power behind the process is divine and beyond human comprehension [[Mark 4:27]].
* `{{G2518}}` **katheúdō** (to lie down to rest, i.e. (by implication) to fall asleep (literally or figuratively)): The sower's sleeping signifies his non-involvement in the seed's growth, which happens continuously whether he is awake or **asleep** [[Mark 4:27]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{G3373}}` is concentrated in its single appearance, which teaches key truths about the Kingdom of God.
* **Sovereign Growth:** The primary lesson from its context is that the growth of God's kingdom is a divine work. It does not depend on human striving or understanding but occurs through God's own power, as the man "knoweth not how" [[Mark 4:27]].
* **The Inscrutable Process:** The use of `{{G3373}}` highlights the mysterious nature of spiritual life and the expansion of the gospel. The process of growing up is imperceptible and beyond our control, a truth that encourages faith rather than reliance on our own efforts.
* **A Continuous Unfolding:** The word implies a lengthening or enlarging, pointing to a continuous process rather than a single event. It captures the sense of maturation that unfolds over time as the seed (the word of God) takes root and develops.
### Summary
In summary, though `{{G3373}}` appears only once in scripture, its role is vital. It vividly portrays the growth of the Kingdom of God as a sovereign, mysterious, and ongoing process. In the parable of the growing seed, **mēkýnō** encapsulates the truth that spiritual life and the church's expansion are not the result of human engineering but of the divine power of God, who alone brings the increase.
TRV