Mustard Seed
The mustard seed is a very small seed. But it produces a large bush about 10-15 feet tall. The people were encouraged by this parable.
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31-32. “Mustard seeds were the smallest seeds commonly planted in Palestine fields.” (Blomberg, Craig L., The New American Commentary, Volume 22, Matthew. [Nashville: Broadman Press], 220)
“The mustard seed does not grow into a mighty oak like the little acorn does. It is a shrub which thrives best in desert lands.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 76)
“Passages like Daniel 4:12 and Ezekiel 17:23 indicate that a tree is a symbol of a world power. These facts suggest that the parable teaches an abnormal growth of the kingdom of heaven, one that makes it possible for Satan to work in it.” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 46)
“The mustard seed was the smallest of the commonly used garden seeds in that culture. Thus, the mustard seed was commonly used throughout the ancient world as a symbol of small size.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
“Jesus’ followers must have lost more and more sleep as the hostility of the powerful Jewish religious establishment grew. Jesus’ mustard seed parable encouraged them to keep up hope in the power of God to work through these humble instruments and small beginnings.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
Leaven
33. “Throughout the Bible, leaven is a symbol of evil. It had to be removed from the Jewish home during Passover (Exodus 12:15-19; 13:7).” Wiersbe, 46)
“Yeast can be a positive symbol (e.g., Leviticus 7:13-14; 23:17) and, with all the parables dealing with the growth of plant and seed in this chapter having the positive referent of the kingdom, the parable of the yeast must almost certainly be taken this way too.” (Blomberg, 220)
33-34. “Matthew again emphasized the shift in Jesus’ teaching style. Matthew was not intending to say that Jesus departed completely from any other style of teaching from this point on (e.g., 15:3-9; 19:3-12), but that on this particular occasion Jesus spoke only in parables to the crowds.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
“Our Lord is giving us a brand-new truth. The things He is revealing now, in parables, have never been revealed like this in the Old Testament.” (McGee, 77)
References
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.
Blomberg, Craig L., The New American Commentary, Volume 22, Matthew. Nashville: Broadman Press
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
Robertson, A. T., A Harmony of the Gospels. New York, HarperCollins Publishers
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004
