Parable of the Mustard Seed

Mark 4:30-32 || Matthew 13:31-32 || Luke 13:18-19

Jeremy Lindley

 

Mark 4:30-32

30And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”  (RSV)

Matt 13:31-32

31Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”  (RSV)

Luke 13:18-19

18He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  19It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”  (RSV)

 Setting

 Not only is this parable paralleled in the other synoptics, the Gospel of Thomas 20 has a version of it as well.  It is thought that both Matthew and Luke use Mark as a source, along with another, Q (Hultgren 393).  The reasoning for this is that Matthew and Luke both stray from Mark’s terminology, while staying the same with each other, then come back to use the words of Mark, showing the shared two sources.  This is the third of a series of seed parables.  This, as does the second, “explicitly identifies the Kingdom of God as the point of comparison” (Guelich 248).  Hultgren differentiates the Gospels’ account of the same story as follows:
 

“Mark: A contrast is made between the smallest of seeds and the greatest of shrubs, which has large branches; birds make nests in its shade.
 

          Luke: A seed grows and becomes a tree; birds make nests in its branches.

 
Matthew: A contrast is made between the smallest of seeds and the greatest of shrubs, which becomes a tree; birds make nests in its branches” (393).

Exegetical Analysis/Statement of Teaching

   It is somewhat ironic that Jesus uses a mustard seed to describe the Kingdom.  Actually, as in other parables -- such as the Pearl and the Hidden Treasure (see Matthew 13:44), the Kingdom is not actually like these things.  The likeness is instead to the situation that is depicted.  The situation as pertaining to the mustard seed is the contrast between very small, seemingly insignificant beginnings and enormous results.  In Jesus' time the mustard seed was as both small and insignificant, even having a negative connotation.  The idea of comparing its growth parallel to the Kingdom of God seems completely out of place (Guelich 252).  The correct comparison to be made is of the Kingdom of God starting out as small, perhaps even insignificant, just as the mustard seed.  

Mark records Jesus as putting emphasis on the seed as the smallest of seeds and the bush as the largest of shrubs (Hultgren 398).  But suddenly (the parable does not mention the time required to grow), the insignificant has becomes the amazing.  This has been likened to the teaching and preaching of Jesus and his disciples (Guelich 252).  Hultgren agrees, adding that this parable may have been aimed at those “who opposed the message of Jesus, but more likely it was addressed to his followers” (397).  

The idea of all the work that Jesus and his followers did being compared to the great transformation of a mustard seed giving great rewards had to be a comfort to the people of the time.  The parable also shows two aspects of the Kingdom of God.  The first aspect of Jesus' teaching is the present time.  The second is of the greatness of the Kingdom that will come and all the birds of the air will gather to it (this could be allegorically linked to include Gentiles) (Guelich 252).

 Application

          What can this parable teach us today?  A few important things can be learned from this.  One is that the Kingdom is present here and now with our actions.  We can be catalysts for God’s Kingdom to "grow."  It is comforting even now to look back at Jesus’ ministry as cultivating the Kingdom.  We can now carry on that work so that when the Kingdom is here in all its glory, there will be room for all.  

           Another thing we can learn is, “As disciples of Jesus-composing a band of persons that is tiny like the mustard seed-they [we] are given the promise of salvation” (Hultgren 398-99).  As followers of Christ, this parable illustrates the promise of the Kingdom, ever growing, reaching new heights.