The Mustard Seed
The Mustard Seed
In the parable of the mustard seed it is necessary to understand that Christ is comparing the Kingdom of Heaven not with the mustard seed, which is significant in size but with the ultimate process of its growth, when it turns into a big bushy tree, in whose branches flocks of birds find shelter. Birds are a metaphor that stands for the peoples of the world of God, who will find shelter (be saved) in the Church of Christ which was to be founded. The mustard seed, in appearance dead and insignificantly small, the least of all seeds. In the words of the parable the mustard seed is a symbol of the mystery of the resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ spoke about the parable of the mustard seed immediately after the parable of the tares. This was not by chance that's why I think that they are tied together. In the parable of the sower it is said that of all the seed sown, three parts perish, and only the fourth part comes up. The parable of the tares explains that from the tares a great danger threatens even this fourth part of sown seed. On listening to these parables, the disciples might have come to despair because of such a small number of people for who the way to salvation would be open. That is why the Lord offers them also the parables of the mustard seed. As we know the parables represent the most characteristic form of Jesus' speech. He used the parables as the best way on letting us know his proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Gospel writers such as Mathew, Mark, and Luke all had their different ways on expressing the word of Jesus but in the case of the gospel of the mustard seed all three of then seemed to get together and practically present the gospel with the same or similar meaning. The meaning, which I perceive from Mark, Matthew, and Luke, is quite simple. Jesus compares his followers as the mustard seed, at the beginning only a few followers but withing time the faith of the followers will grow to the extreme of helping
In the parable of the mustard seed it is necessary to understand that Christ is comparing the Kingdom of Heaven not with the mustard seed, which is significant in size but with the ultimate process of its growth, when it turns into a big bushy tree, in whose branches flocks of birds find shelter. Birds are a metaphor that stands for the peoples of the world of God, who will find shelter (be saved) in the Church of Christ which was to be founded. The mustard seed, in appearance dead and insignificantly small, the least of all seeds. In the words of the parable the mustard seed is a symbol of the mystery of the resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ spoke about the parable of the mustard seed immediately after the parable of the tares. This was not by chance that's why I think that they are tied together. In the parable of the sower it is said that of all the seed sown, three parts perish, and only the fourth part comes up. The parable of the tares explains that from the tares a great danger threatens even this fourth part of sown seed. On listening to these parables, the disciples might have come to despair because of such a small number of people for who the way to salvation would be open. That is why the Lord offers them also the parables of the mustard seed. As we know the parables represent the most characteristic form of Jesus' speech. He used the parables as the best way on letting us know his proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Gospel writers such as Mathew, Mark, and Luke all had their different ways on expressing the word of Jesus but in the case of the gospel of the mustard seed all three of then seemed to get together and practically present the gospel with the same or similar meaning. The meaning, which I perceive from Mark, Matthew, and Luke, is quite simple. Jesus compares his followers as the mustard seed, at the beginning only a few followers but withing time the faith of the followers will grow to the extreme of helping