Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace to it. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. © 1995–2021 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. I receive a lot of questions from people asking, “What’s that?”, Telling them it’s a mustard seed gives me an opportunity to relate a short parable of Jesus Christ where He used a mustard seed to explain the Kingdom of God. God’s Spirit must be a part of our life. The largest of mustard plants, even under ideal conditions, can grow only to a height of about 15 feet. Everyone agrees that the man - the sower - is Jesus Christ, as in the Parable of the Tares. An apple tree produces apples, and in the middle of an apple is a bunch of little seeds. The Mustard Seed and Leaven parables highlight the dominion of God becoming present in an unexpected and, by worldly standards, scandalous way, in the way of the cross. His purpose shall stand. Its smallness, then, is really our only clue as to what the parable is teaching. An overview of Matthew 13 is essential, because we need to understand the whole context to see what Jesus was trying to get across to us. But the message, as usual, is quite large and filled with profound insight. Crush them—before they are strong enough to resist. [32] Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. . “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 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”(Matthew 13:31-32). It is a consistent characteristic of God's true church to remain as a small herb, spiritually feeding the few who are chosen to become regenerated children of the Kingdom of God. In Mark 8:15, He speaks of "the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." The Parable of the Mustard Seed is contained in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19). What are the "birds of the air"? But God had been the One to move Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is found in Mark 4:30-32; Matt. Parables of Matthew 13 (Part Four): The Parable of the Mustard Seed. Jesus touches on this in the first parable. We find the beginning mandate in God’s plan in Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, where he spoke the convicting words that lead to life: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 Acts 2:38Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.American King James Version×). Yet, according to the commentators, this one case is the exception! Jesus Himself had an insignificant entrance into the world by human standards, and the church He founded is likewise a "little flock" (Luke 12:31-32), small and designed by God not to become a physically powerful organization that would make a spectacle of itself. [8] We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Jesus gave the first four to the mixed multitude, while He told the last four to the twelve disciples in private. Although it has small beginnings, it is to have a marvellous expansion, so that even those who naturally are outside it are glad to avail themselves of its protection. In the Greek, the word for it is sinapi, the common word for "mustard." [9] The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. However, this kind [of powerful demon] does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:20-21 Matthew 17:20-21 [20] And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. They were interfering between God and man, trying to defile Abraham's sacrifice. Normally the mustard plant grows to be four to six feet tall with spindly branches. When Jesus finished the first seven parables, He asked His disciples, "Have you understood all these things?" He is referring to those who voluntarily submit to God's dominion (the Kingdom of God), and they are absolutely few indeed at this point in time - compared with fifty billion people who have lived on this earth. Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parable is about the kingdom of God and is illustrated by the seed. This small outpost of Jews was completely at the mercy of the great Persian Empire and its king, Cyrus. Leaven must still be negative here. God was effectively saying to the leaders, You have begun the work; keep at it and you’ll finish it. Matthew identifies the birds of the air as "the wicked one" (Matthew 13:4, 19). It is instead an agent of the Kingdom of God at work to make the Kingdom of God grow and expand. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:7-8 2 Corinthians 4:7-8 [7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. But we need to remember that Jesus was seeing what would happen between the time He died and the time He returned. The Tares (verse 24) represents the relationship of the church to the wicked one and his agents. What is the mustard plant? The common interpretation of the Parable of the Mustard Seed is that the mustard seed represents the Kingdom of God, which begins tiny, and over time, expands or grows into a worldwide system, becoming the home for many nations or many people. It is an analogy, and as in all analogies, the correlation is not exact. The leaven went throughout the Corinthian church. The third section is the last parable, the Parable of the Householder, who takes out of his treasury both old and new. In verse 7, Paul says, in essence, "You are supposed to be pure. In a way, the eighth follows the seventh, but it is a parable in its own right. Demoralized from the years in Babylon, their confidence in both their ability and God’s presence among them was weak. Mark connects them with "Satan" (Mark 4:4, 15), and Luke links them to "the devil" (Luke 8:5, 12). No. The message to Zerubbabel and the people is clear: Don’t worry about your small numbers and your insignificant position. It is what He plants in us to draw us out of this world and gives us an opportunity for salvation. The Treasure and Pearl parables can emphasize both the cost of discipleship needed from … In Luke 12:31-32, He refers to His church as a little flock. The chapter contains eight parables. Fourth Pair: The Dragnet (verse 47) teaches that the good and evil who intermingle on earth will be completely separated in the judgment. Notice how Christ answered His disciples’ confusion over their lack of spiritual power. It is the mighty power by which He raised Jesus from the dead. Now, with the parable of the mustard seed, Christ adds another dimension of understanding to His teaching about the Kingdom. In Galatians 5:7-9, Paul calls leaven a "persuasion [that] does not come from Him who calls you," one that hinders us from obeying the truth. Christ is preparing places for His followers in His coming Kingdom. Everywhere else in the Bible where the word "leaven" or "unleavened" appears, "leaven" carries with it a negative implication. American King James Version×)—drawing closer to God. Taken together, the stories describe the characteristics and dynamism of the church, its formidable obstacles, and its ultimate victory. The mustard plant is always a shrub. For who has despised the day of small things? Yeshua is comparing the kingdom of heaven to a very s… In this parable leaven symbolizes sin that corrupts and spreads. He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. But does this not contradict what He said in the first parable—that the seed was the Word of God or the knowledge of God? It has the smallest of beginnings, yet has the greatest of power and potential. The central thought of the parable is the growth of the kingdom of heaven considered externally. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it” (Zechariah 4:6-9 Zechariah 4:6-9 [6] Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, said the LORD of hosts. “So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain [an obstacle blocking what needs to be done], “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. They dwell there in peace, safety, and harmony. What were the vultures doing? They show Christ working through His messengers to preach the gospel of the Kingdom between the time of His first and second comings. What is a seed? Distract them. That is almost twice the height of most ceilings. The power is great and significant, but it starts small, like a mustard seed. It does not make sense for a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). There was no need to fear the king or any other source of opposition. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Matthew expands Mark’s simple scheme into a 7 parable unit. 7-10). Simple - it is His church: the few, the small, the weak, and the base. What, then, is the mustard seed? The second section consists of the next three parables: the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, and the Parable of the Dragnet. when Jesus had finished these parables, . Romans 9:27 quotes Isaiah saying that the remnant will be saved. Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow | Learn more... With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later! The remaining four parables illustrate the inner characteristics of His church. God does His work among men by the power of His Holy Spirit. Though it seemed small at the moment, God was working! In Genesis 15:11, fowls swoop down on Abraham's sacrifices, and he has to drive them away (see Deuteronomy 28:26). Nothing that we do can be considered to be above and beyond the call of duty (vv. They act as a prophetic summary of the historical development of God's church. Parables of Matthew 13 (Part One): Introduction, It does not sound good that the birds eat the seed—and it is not. McGarvey suggests the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds sown in a garden. The apostles wanted more faith so they could meet the challenges of God's demands, but Jesus knew that it was not quantity they needed but quality. Persecute them. Like the lion of I Peter 5, they go for the stragglers, the weak, and the newborn, because they are the easy pickings. So we have to go back before the throne of grace and plead for mercy and forgiveness again and again and again—even up until the time that we die or we are changed. They had stopped work on rebuilding the temple, the very purpose for their return from captivity in Babylon. He reiterates in Matthew 20:16 that few are chosen. This parable is also found in Matthew 13:31-32 and Luke 13:18-19. Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 2): Leaven. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like ( C ) a mustard seed, ( D ) which a man took and planted in his field. It is the truth, the knowledge of God, the gospel, the whole counsel of God. It does not grow a thick trunk and large branches. [21] However, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting. Parable of the Unprofitable Servants. It is a very simple story—a snapshot of life, really: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33; cf. Only Christ's disciples can really understand the true spiritual principles involved in the parables, "because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (verse 11). In Luke 10:2, when sending the seventy out, He says the laborers are few. In verse 8, Paul defines leaven as "malice and wickedness." Just like the mustard plant grows tall and wide, the kingdom of God spread in every direction. It should stand alone. The parable is that mustard is the least among seed, yet grows to become a huge mustard plant that provides shelter for many birds. How can this be? Answer: Jesus’ Parable of the Leaven is found in two of the Gospels. In Palestine, the mustard seed was associated with the smallest of things. God’s kingdom continues to grow today. A mustard plant, if it is planted in a perfect spot with perfect nutrients, perfect light, perfect irrigation, etc., has been found to grow up to about 15 feet (5 meters) tall. Frankly, without that power none of us can expect to see the Kingdom of God. "The Parable Of The Mustard Seed" - Mk 4:30-32 b. In Luke 12:1, Jesus says that the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy—hypocrisy in religion. The end-time Babylon becomes "a habitation of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird" (Revelation 18:2). Jesus teaches us by the simplicity and shortness of His parables that directness and brevity are effective teaching tools. He gave the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19) to the mixed multitude to disclose evidence of a specific characteristic of the church compared to the outside world. The apostles, and the church Jesus would build, would bring forth a treasure of knowledge and understanding, "things new and old.". These eight parables can be divided into three sections. In other words, it is sin. For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. In this parable, Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which, however small at the beginning, becomes a large tree. At that moment the Jews were the remnant of the covenant nation of Israel. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Expectations are high. Adam and Eve sinned. for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. Seeds take root in the ground, which in this illustration is … The mustard seed stands for the progress of the church from small beginnings. Like that mustard seed, that Spirit must be planted within us and begin to grow to produce spiritual growth. They did not need an increase of faith that would bring some reward following its use, but a faith that, although small like a mustard seed, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus calls says that "the good seed" are "the sons of the kingdom." "Birds of the air" is a negative symbol. See the parallel in Luke 13:18. Israel had a special purpose in the hand of God, and though the nation had sinned and stumbled, God’s purpose and plan were sure. And we are right! What does the seed do? The seed being referred to in the parable, then, is a seed that was sown agriculturally to produce something edible. Parable of the Mustard Seed Just like the mustard plant produces more seeds for planting, the disciples made more disciples. Merchants could relate to illustrations from the business world that translated into spiritual principles. After the first series of four parables, Matthew writes, "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them" (verse 34). We would expect Christ to come as a mighty warrior, but he comes instead as an infant. It means to take an honest assessment of your life, even if you feel you are a Christian and know God, and compare that to the standard of righteousness defined by God’s law. God promises that there would be no Abraham around, as it were, to fend off the birds. God’s plan of salvation has different stages. The seed represents an instrument by which spiritual growth can be advanced, just as a plant grows and reproduces itself through a seed. The recurring phrase "kingdom of heaven" denotes Christ's work through His church to make known "the word of the kingdom" (verse 19), that is, to announce the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. (“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed”). It is described by many different terms. In a vision of the temple, Zechariah saw lampstands, a bowl and olive trees. But God accepts them because the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (I John 1:7). Parallel passages: Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. The Parable of the Yeast When the mustard plant mutated from its original form, God replanted His true church in another corner of the field, beginning the process anew. Mustard seeds are the smallest of those commonly used by His audience and are used in the parable to make His point easy to grasp. The Kingdom is supposed to be glorious and pure, and Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom is full of leaven. Paul argues in I Corinthians 1:26-29 that God calls the weak and the base of the world to put to shame the mighty and the noble. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@ucg.org. The Mustard Seed and the Leaven. The power of the returned Jewish exiles was very small at this moment. Portrayals of nature scenes provided Him with analogies with which to express spiritual truth. In this particular parable, the good seed represents the members of God's church, and the members of God's church are the means by which the Kingdom will grow throughout the whole earth. This does not mean we are clean forever—we still sin after we are cleaned. They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth” (Zechariah 4:10 Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? The mustard seed cannot be the Kingdom of God. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Farmers listened to pictures of agricultural life. It does not sound very good to us—nor did it sound right to the Jews—because we know what leaven represents in Scripture: the corruption of sin. Jesus gave clear and precise illustrations to which His audience could relate. Verse 31 is very clear. Both Matthew and Mark recorded it in their Gospel. God’s purpose would stand. God gives the power of the Holy Spirit to work faith and righteousness in His chosen people. If you’ve been struggling as a God-fearing person and wonder if something is wrong with you, then take a lesson from this parable. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Lessons from the Parables: The Mustard Seed - A... For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Jesus is speaking of dark mysteries, dark things happening. This power of life and faith is available when people realize they don’t have the real power of God inherent within them. Matthew 20:16 reiterates this by saying that few are chosen. The Parable of the Mustard Seed . He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren. We have to substitute kingdom for apple tree to understand the analogy here. They seem not to reveal as much about the church's eternal characteristics as about its day-to-day efforts resulting from Christ's work in coming into the world. But is this correct? If you understand what is in these parables, you will have a pretty good idea of what is happening spiritually. God promises the power to turn from sin and to obey Him in all parts of life. The second section can be titled "God's Work on Behalf of the Church," what God does to make sure that Satan does not destroy the church. This looks good and true on the surface, but after analyzing the symbols, we will see that it is incorrect. A particular Bible translation may divide the chapter into only seven parables, but there are eight parables in Matthew 13. In the parable, Jesus predicts the birds of the air would lodge in the branches. However, the Gospel of Matthew provides us with the most peripheral information, as it includes one parable before and after the mustard seed parable, each teaching on the same subject. Is it full of sin? In its most basic sense, it is a symbol of corruption, which has a tendency to multiply and spread like yeast. Happening spiritually 13:18, 19 ) obey Him in all parts of life, the... That time preciousness of the church of God to finish His perfect work in us to us! 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