Last post on the Mustard Seed
Verses:
Matthew 13:31-33
(31) Another parable he put to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed,
which a man took, and sowed in his field: (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. (33) Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman
took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."
The Remaining Verses on the Mustard
Seeds:
Now, let’s combine and complete the ‘mustard
seed’ verses. Then we will move on to the Biblical verses referencing “Faith”.
Mark 4:30-32 “And
he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of
God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? (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: (32) But when it
is sown, it growth 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.”
Luke 13:18-21 “Then
said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and
whereunto shall I resemble it? (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. (20) And again he said, Whereunto
shall I liken the kingdom of God? (21) It is
like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened.”
All of the ‘parable of mustard seed’ verses are
in complete unison proving the harmony of the gospels.
Jesus uses the mustard seed parables to explain to
the disciples how Christianity and the work of grace would begin small and
progress into a mighty kingdom. Jesus likened the Christian Body of Christ (the kingdom of God) to that tiny seed with a small beginning and the future of being the most substantial of herbs. Jesus used parables (earthly stories with heavenly
meanings) quite a few times to help those around Him understand what He was
saying to them. He wanted them to grasp the full intensity of what He was
teaching.
Matthew Henry explained the parable well:
“Christ speaks as
one considering the consulting with himself, how to illustrate it with an apt
similitude; With what comparison shall we compare it? Shall we fetch it from
the notions of the sun, or the revolutions of the moon? No, the comparison is
borrowed from this earth, it is like a grain of mustard-seed; he had compared
it before to seed sown, here to that seed, intending thereby to show,
1. That the beginnings of the gospel kingdom
would be very small, like that which is one of the least of all seeds. When a
Christian church was sown in the earth for God, it was all continued in one
room, and the number of the names was but one hundred and twenty (Acts 1:15)1,
as the children of Israel when they went down into Egypt, were but seventy
souls. The work of grace in the soul, is, at first, but the day of small
things; a cloud of no bigger than a man's hand. Never were there such great
things undertaken by such an inconsiderable handful, as that of the discipling
of the nations by the ministry of the apostles; nor a work that was to end in
such great glory, as the work of grace raised from such weak and unlikely
beginnings. Who hath begotten me these?
2. That the perfection of it will be very great;
When it grows up, it becomes greater than all the herbs. The gospel kingdom in
the world, shall increase and spread to the remotest nations of the earth, and
shall continue to the latest ages of time. The church hath shot out great
branches, strong ones, spreading far, and fruitful. The work of grace in the
soul has mighty products, now while it is in its growth; but what will it be,
when it is perfected in heaven? The difference between a grain of mustard seed
and a great tree, is nothing to that between a young convert on earth and a
glorified saint in heaven.”
Christ, the
Messiah, was the “Seed” of Christianity (I say that in total respect of my
Saviour). He was one Person. After His death, burial, resurrection, and the
witnessing of His ascension, His disciples gathered in the upper room where the
120 met for safety reasons. Just as Jesus promised to send a Comforter, the
Holy Spirit came in, filled and anointed them and the Christian church was
planted.
God is at work building His kingdom. The “leaven”
as stated in Luke 13:18-21 is at work. Just as leaven helps breads to rise and
spread, the leaven of grace is helping Christianity rise and spread out.
Satan has many people blinded to Christ and it
may seem as though he is doing a fine job at hindering the work; however, his
failure is eminent. The work of God is very significant and His kingdom is
being built strongly with millions of faithful followers all over this planet. Believers,
no matter how small their mustard seed of faith is, make a tremendous
difference when united together with other Christians. Together, we can
accomplish great things for Christ.
1Acts 1:15 “And in those days
Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names
together were about hundred and twenty,”
Other Study References Used:
Thomas Nelson King James Study Bible
Tyndale Life Application Bible King James Version
OF OTHER NOTE:
Studying about the mustard plant I picked up
some tidbits of information to share about the characteristics of
mustard compared to our lives in a Biblical sense:
Characteristics of Mustard:
1. Any
of several annual plants of the mustard family, with yellow flowers and slender
pods contained round seeds.
Cynthia: The sun is yellow like the
flowers of the mustard plant. Without sunshine plants would not grow. Jesus is
the light of the world, as the sun lights the earth, God’s word lights our path
to righteousness. Without the gospel of Jesus Christ our faith could not grow
and we would not have the hope of Heaven. Humans are shaped like slender pods and are full of seeds (sin seeds or faith seeds) and we are contained to a round earth. Our heads are shaped roundly – like
the mustard seed. Our knowledge of Christ should grow within our minds and down
to our hearts.
2. The
ground or powdered seeds of some species of these plants, often prepared as a
paste, used as a pungent seasoning for foods, or as a counter-irritant in
medicine.
Cynthia: The Gospel, when read and
studied (ground), is a pungent seasoning for our soul. Like the paste that would
be sticky, we should allow God’s Word to stick in our minds and our hearts. It
is the great word of God! And, as mustard is a counter-irritant in medicine,
the Gospel is a counter-irritant to sin.
3. The
color of ground mustard a dark yellow – adj. designating or of a family of
plants with cross-shaped flowers, pointed pods, and strong, cabbage-like odors,
including cabbage, turnip, broccoli, radish, horseradish, alyssum, etc. – ‘cut
the mustard’ (colloquial) to come up to expectation or to the required
standard.
Cynthia: Dark yellow as a golden sunset
to remind us of another day God has allowed us to be blessed with countless
breaths. Here are the tears – some of the plants have cross-shaped flowers.
Jesus Christ was nailed to a wooden cross for me where He died. How appropriate He chose this plant
with pointed pods – pointing to the way He would be crucified - on a cross, the same as the shape of the flowers. The odor is
strong, such should the odor of our existence here for Him in this place we are
just passing through until our physical bodies cease to live; or, He steps out
of Heaven and splits the Eastern sky! Jesus Christ lived (and died) up to the
expectations of His Father – God. So should we be able as Christians to “cut
the mustard.”
MORE:
1. Mustard oil: oil extracted
from mustard seed, used in making soap
Cynthia: Like the mustard oil, the Gospel is for our study to
show us how to be washed as white as snow with the soap of forgiveness provided
through the death on the cross of our Saviour.
2. Mustard plaster: a paste made
with powdered mustard, spread on a cloth and applied to the skin is a
counter-irritant to rubefacient (Rubefacient: to redden, causing redness, as of
the skin, any external application, salve or plaster, causing redness of the
skin)
Cynthia: The Gospel is our “paste”. By opening the pages of the
Holy Bible, God’s breathed word, and applying it to our sinful lives, the
irritants of sin can be healed and removed for all who will believe Jesus
Christ is the Son of God and follow His commandments.
