Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Mt 13:31-32; Mr 4:30-32; Lk 13:18-19)

Mt 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Mt 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mr 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

Mr 4:31 [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

Mr 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Lu 13:18 ¶ Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

Lu 13:19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

Lu 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Hidden wisdom

Mustard: σίναπι 'sinapi' pun אסנפר 'sinapir' = thorn or pun אסון 'aws-sone' mishap, bruise אפי 'api' [by] anger

Seed: Christ is the seed of the woman (Ge 3:15)

least of the seed: Jesus was the least among the seed since he served us all (Lu 7:28 )

herb: Jesus is the herb. The herbs were given to men to eat (Ge 1:29) and the body of Christ is the greatest thing men can eat (Mr 14:22).

tree: The cross is the tree upon which Christ hung (Ga 3:13).

air: The spirit (same word) רוח ruwach

birds: Those who live in the spirit rest in the cross. Heb 4:10

Ps 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

Retelling the mystery

An example of The Kingdom of Heaven (the New Jerusalem or the new Teaching of peace) is Christ, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" (Php 2:6) instead became the least among men by serving us all with his death on the cross. He offered himself even unto death in order to redeem us. He hung on the cross as the ultimate expression of the love of God, and we can rest in him.

σίναπι

סנפיר - fin

אסנפר - thorn abolished

אסון - (d. mishap, bruised)