Parable of the Mustard Seed Matt.13:31-32; Lk.13:18-19; Mk.4:31-32
This parable clearly sets the significance of the mustard seed. It is like the kingdom of heaven or of God. Jewish background of St Matthew was strongly ingrained in his worldview that he avoided mentioning the name as far as possible. We may treat this kingdom as planted in the world after the Advent of Jesus Christ. A clue to this we have in the same chapter. ‘The field is the world (v.38).’The Son of man is the message. He gave his life in order to make it grow. A child of God is like an herb tender and lowly as he was. His spiritual growth depends not on what the worldly wise would understand. The Psalmist mentions about such a tree as the mustard tree and it is a tree planted by rivers of water (Ps.1:3). Growing in wisdom he shall be a source of comfort to many who come in contact with him. As the epistle to Philemon makes clear his hospitality shall refresh the saints who come to lodge under his roof.
In the Book of Daniel we read of a tree that is of an altogether league.
King Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a mighty tree (Dan.4:21) on whose branches fowls used to take shelter. But his oversized pride and sense of grandeur needed to be cut to size. What is man but mere breath and once it is taken away what does his glory leave in his wake? Nothing. This is what God wanted the king to realize. His subjects shall seek shelter under another king and the strangers while passing through the realm not seek his company.
Benny
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