Parable of the Mustard Seed
Mark 4:30-34
Today we are going to start in a field of study that might feel unusual for Bible reading. Rather than starting with theology or literature or etymology, today we will start with botany - the study of plants.
To understand this parable we must first know a few things about the mustard tree. The mustard tree is the common name for the Salvadora persica. It’s a small, shrub-like tree native to the Middle East, Africa, and India. In terms of trees, it’s pretty small, but as Jesus points out, it’s large in comparison to other “garden plants.” Here in the northwest, we’re used to some pretty massive trees. But in Jesus’ climate and geography, the Mustard Tree was large, especially considering it comes from a very tiny seed.
Turning our attention back to the words Jesus uses to describe the kingdom of God, he clearly states that it is like a mustard seed - “the smallest of all seeds on Earth.” (v. 31)
The mustard seed is simple. It looks insignificant. You need a careful eye to see it. Why does this describe the kingdom of God?
Jesus tells us that to see and find the kingdom of God, one must have a careful and attentive eye. Those who are consumed by the cares of life - money, success, reputation - often miss it. Those who are prideful often don’t humble themselves to the point of considering the potential of the Kingdom. Consider Jesus words in Matthew 5:3-5:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Or look at what Jesus tells the rich ruler in Mark 10:21-23
“Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Those who are seeking material comforts miss the kingdom. Not because it isn’t powerful, but because it is simple. It’s not flashy. It looks nothing like the power of this world. It’s like a little mustard seed.
But what happens when someone believes Jesus when he says “Repent and believe, the kingdom of God is near?”
The simple but life-altering truth that God and his Kingdom have come near to us in Jesus begins to take root. And it grows. When the power of the Gospel takes root, it grows bigger than any other plant. It’s bigger and more powerful than anything else in the garden of this world.
As Paul Writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For those of us who trust in Jesus’ message, we have the power of God. To the world, admitting that we need God, need forgiveness, and need supernatural transformation looks foolish. But to us, it is the power of God.
We have a simple gospel from a gentle and lowly Jesus. It can seem foolish to put our hope in it. But when we do, we become part of a kingdom that is better than we could ever imagine.
