Matthew 13:31-32

Matthew 13:31-32

(with Mark 4:30-32 ; Luke 13:18-19 )

The Mustard Seed.

I. Not Christ's doctrine merely, nor yet even the Church which He planted upon earth, is this grain of mustard seed in its central meaning. He is Himself at once the mustard seed and the man that sowed it. He is the mustard seed; for the Church was originally enclosed in Him, and unfolded itself from Him, having as much oneness of life with Him as the tree with the seed in which its rudiments were all enclosed, and out of which it grew; and the Sower, in that by a free act of His own, He gave Himself to that death whereby He became the author of life unto many.

II. This seed, when cast into the ground, is "the least of all seeds" words which have often perplexed interpreters, many seeds, as of poppy or rue, being smaller. Yet difficulties of this kind are not worth making; it is sufficient to know that "small as a grain of mustard seed" was a proverbial expression among the Jews for something exceedingly minute. The Lord, in His popular teaching, adhered to the popular language. And as the mustard seed so has been His kingdom. Herein it differs from the great schemes of this world; these last have a proud beginning, a shameful and miserable end; towers as of Babel, which threaten at first to be as high as heaven, but end a deserted, misshapen heap of slime and bricks; while the works of God, and most of all His chief work the Church, have a slight and unobserved beginning, with gradual increase and a glorious consummation. So is it with His kingdom in the world, a kingdom which came not with observation; so is it with His kingdom in any single heart; there, too, the word of Christ falls like a slight mustard seed, seeming to promise little, but effecting, if allowed to grow, mighty and marvellous results.

III. There is prophecy, too, in these words. Christ's kingdom shall attract multitudes by the shelter and protection which it offers, shelter, as it has often proved, from worldly oppression, shelter from the great power of the devil. Itself a tree of life whose leaves are for medicine and whose fruit for food, all who need the satisfying of their soul's hunger, all who need the healing of their soul's hearts, shall betake themselves to it.

R. C. Trench, Notes on the Parables, p. 107.

References: Matthew 13:31 , Matthew 13:32 . R. Winterbotham, Sermons and Expositions, p. 128; S. A. Brooke, Christ in Modern Life, Philippians 1:17 ; A. B. Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ, p. 90; J. R. Macduff, Parables of the Lake, p. 102.