13:18 Thus Jesus 1 asked, 2 “What is the kingdom of God 3 like? 4 To 5 what should I compare it?
1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Grk “said,” but what follows is a question.
3 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
4 sn What is the kingdom of God like? Unlike Mark 4 or Matt 13, where the kingdom parables tend to be all in one location in the narrative, Luke scatters his examples throughout the Gospel.
5 tn Grk “And to.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginwskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
7 sn The kingdom of God refers here to the kingdom in all its power. See Luke 17:20-37.