Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Matt 13:31-32 (NKJV)

Mustard Seed – Parables Series 3 – Part 5

Go to  PART 1  |  PART 2  |  PART 3  |  PART 4

(OR go to Parable Series 1 or Parable Series 2)

This parable is subject to many interpretations. From the rejection of Jewish purity laws; to anti-empire sentiments; to the idea that from insignificance, greatness can grow; to the direction of the natural world to an eternal destination, and on and on and on. Like the branches of a tree are the interpretations of this parable and a lot of them are far-reaching and hard to back up with historical and cultural context. You can read more about them in Amy-Jill Levine's book “Short Stories By Jesus.”

One thing we can be sure of is that this parable is about growth. It’s a story about a seed becoming something that it has the potential to be but is not yet.

A tiny mustard seed.

This parable is told in Mark 4 and Luke 13, and while some of the details are different, the direction of the parable is the same. They all state that the mustard seed is the smallest of seeds. I can’t tell you how many sermons I’ve heard that hinge on the fact that the seed of a mustard plant is the smallest seed you can find.

Here’s the thing. It’s not. It’s not the smallest seed. It is a small seed, but not the smallest. Same with the tree… A mustard plant grows more into a shrub. It’s a wild and prolific plant that almost behaves like a weed and grows without too much tending and nurture so much so that it can take over an entire garden or field. It doesn’t really have branches.

Why would Jesus use the mustard seed and plant as a picture of his divine and eternal Kingdom? It’s not incredibly royal. When comparing trees and plants to royalty, perhaps he would have been more apt to choose a cedar or an oak, or maybe even a grand royal red rose. But he chose a mustard seed.

A generic, yet useful seed.

The mustard plant was known and valued for its many medicinal and flavour qualities. Instead of the Kingdom of heaven being a grandiose, obvious, and imperialistically impressive monument, it was more subversive, a mystery; more salt and light, flavour and healing. It’s found in normal everyday places, just a tiny seed, that when planted grows mysteriously and almost at will, and brings healing and blessing and wholeness to those who find it.

We all have a seed and are a seed. Eternity has been hidden in our hearts, waiting to germinate and grow. That's how Jesus could say that the Kingdom of God is here and is yet coming. I think the seeds we have been given are the gifts that God has sown into us. The things we do that spark a miraculous otherworldly life within us.

This gift of life that we’ve been given, this tiny seed… what will we do with it? Will we plant it in the ground? Or will fear cause us to hide our seed away; put it on a shelf, seal it in a jar. Safe, but completely dormant.

“Let me make this clear: a single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died. The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to me, will find true life and enjoy it forever!” Jesus, John 12:24-25 (The Passion Translation)

Go to Part 6 – That Seed

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