Parable of the Mustard Seed

Bible says :

Jesus used mustard seed as he taught about Kingdom of God, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it ? It is a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that birds of the air can perch in its shade.” ( Mark 4:30-32, Bible - New International Version )

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The parable is also mentioned in Matthew 13:31-32, and Luke 13:18-29.

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Jesus in another occasion used mustard seed to describe how even a small faith can do great wanders. ( Matthew 17:19-21 & Luke 17:6, Bible – New International Version )

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Despite numerous times of reading the Parable of Mustard Seed, I have not idea of how small a mustard seed is, or how big mustard plants can grows.

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Some may say it is not necessary to know much about mustard seed, as long as we understand the essence of the parable. But, how to understand Jesus word without knowing what he says ?

So, I did a little bit of searching.

Mustard is …

Mustard refers to several plant species in the genera Sinapis and Brassica, whose small seeds are used as a spice and made into a yellowish paste condiment, or pressed to make mustard oil, and the edible leaves can be eaten as greens. ( www.en.wikipedia.org )

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There are several known Sinapis and Brassica growing wild in Holy Land : Brassica napus, Brassica nigra, Brassica tournefortii, Sinapis alba and Sinapis arvensis. ( www.wildflowers.co.il ) . It is theorized that Brassica nigra is the one mentioned by Jesus, considering its cultivation history, uses in culinary and uses in daily life.

Mustard is … 

Mustard is cultivated in ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman for use as spice. The exact uses of mustard can only be speculated as it was no detailed documented. We can only assume that the seeds are used as spice or medicine, while the leaves maybe eaten as greens.

Today, mustard is a popular condiment, made from seeds of Sinapis hirta, Brassica juncea or Brassica nigra. The seeds are ground with water or vinegar or wine to create a thick paste ranging in colour fro bright yellow to dark brown. ( www.saskmustard.ca )

Mustard is a popular condiment to hotdogs, burgers, and sandwiches.

Mustard is … the smallest seed ? the biggest tree ?

Mustard seed is about 1 – 2 mm in diameter. (http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/seedid ) It is botanically not the smallest seed, but in Jesus’ culture, mustard seed is the smallest among the plants familiar to them. In fact, it is often used to describe something small during the time.

Mustard is an annual shrub, a small tree that is, capable grow up to 8 feet in height, ( http://www.eol.org ) which is the tallest among other herbs in a Jewish’s garden.

Interpretation …

The mustard seed represents the Gospel, starting very small but growing to reach millions throughout the world who will inherit the kingdom.

The birds’ of the air in this parable probably come from the Greek word “orneon,” signifying “to perceive, to hear.” The tree offers a refuge for His faithful to rest in Him.

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