Mk. 4:30 And He said, “To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?”
Mt. 13:31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in the ground.”
Mk. 4:31 “It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth.”
First of all, by combining these verses in Matthew and Mark, we see the play on the words Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God. The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews while the Gospel of Mark was supposedly written to the Romans. The Jews would never pronounce the name of God, so they used the euphemism “kingdom of Heaven (Malkut Shammayim). Mark really doesn’t care about that, so he uses actually the correct term :Kingdom of God.” This is not talking about two different kingdoms, as some people teach. It is the same kingdom.
From the start, the supernatural aspect of this parable should not be overlooked. That a tiny seed can progressively grow into a tree is viewed as nothing less than a miracle. The same must have been true for the action of the leaven in the dough. Growth -- this amazing, steady continuous process -- would have been viewed as a true wonder in the eyes of the people. The major theme of both of these illustrations is this miraculous growth. The idea of a sudden, total reversal of the present situation is not congruous with those parables of progressive growth. Yeshua clearly teaches that a day of judgment and recompense is in God’s plan, but He never connects the theme of the future judgment with the concept of the steady growth of God’s reign. No.! The Kingdom has deeper implications.
In the land of Israel (Eretz Ysrael) the tiny mustard seed is about the size of a grain of salt. From that seed grows a tree that is about ten to twelve feet tall. Moreover, the mustard seed is noted for its ability to take root in rocky, difficult-to-cultivate soil. The seed will grow in between the stones of a rocky mountainside. The natural growth process of the plant and it roots will literally move huge stones as it grows. The simplicity of this parable helps in creating the deep and powerful mental image which the growth process of the tiny mustard seed conjures. This verse talks about the mustard seed being the least of all seeds. This was a proverbial saying found in the JT:Berachoth 5:8, JT:Biacharah 6:31, and M:Niddah 5:2. The word, by the way, is a comparative, not a superlative as some have tied to say that it is not scientifically true. That is not the point. Yeshua was painting a word picture here, not a literal story.
Sources: JT:Berachoth 5:8; JT:Biacharah 6:31; M:Niddah 5:2
Mt. 13:32 “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.”
Mk. 4:32 “But when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
The mustard seed grows into an abnormal size tree. Certainly birds are able to find rest in its branches. From a very small beginning it takes on a size that is huge and out of proportion. So, this parable tells us that the Kingdom of God, which is birthed through the Gospel seed, will be far greater in size than is normally thought of as far as man’s kingdoms go. But, He also gives the warning to His listeners. Birds will come to roost in its branches. We learned from the first parable that birds represent the agents of Satan. Even though God’s Kingdom will be great, Satan will continually try to infiltrate it with his false message. Not every one claiming to be part of the Kingdom of God are who they claim they are. Many cults like Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Science, and others, while claiming to be Christians, will teach doctrines of devils. They will attack the very essence of the Gospel itself.
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