Chapter 4

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19

Who: The disciples and others “about him”

Where: Sea of Galilee

Why: A continuing discussion of the growth of the kingdom. This parable is another answer to the question, What is the kingdom of God like?

Matthew 13:31–32

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Commentary

Mustard is that yellow spread we put on hot dogs. Most of us wouldn’t know a thing about mustard seeds if it weren’t for this parable—and Jesus’ later teaching about having the faith “as a grain of mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20). The yellow condiment of mustard is actually made from crushing the seeds to powder, then adding water or vinegar to make a paste. D. Kelly Ogden has written:

There is only partial consensus among botanists who have studied biblical plants as to which member of the mustard family represented in the land of Israel could be the “tree” Jesus referred to. The most likely candidate is Brassica nigra, from which the important condiment black mustard is derived. Although rabbinical writings label mustard as a field plant, it was also planted in gardens (Where Jesus Walked, 90).

Tiny mustard seeds

Perhaps Jesus chose the mustard seed because it begins so small and grows large enough that birds can lodge in its branches. Hyperbole, such as this “smallest to largest” comparison, is a common device used in parables. Robert J. Matthews taught:

Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration used for effect; hence it must be understood according to context and circumstances. To state that the mustard seed is the “least of all seeds,” or that the mustard plant is the “greatest among herbs” (Matthew 13:32) is more than the botanical truth, but it establishes the desired contrast (Behold the Messiah, 170).

There are varying estimates on how large a mustard herb or tree will grow, anywhere from two feet to ten feet, but certainly large enough for birds to settle in its branches.

The Prophet Joseph Smith, commenting specifically on this parable, said:

Let us take the Book of Mormon, which a man took and hid in his field, securing it by his faith, to spring up in the last days, or in due time; let us behold it coming forth out of the ground, which is indeed accounted the least of all seeds, but behold it branching forth, yea, even towering, with lofty branches, and God-like majesty, until it, like the mustard seed, becomes the greatest of all herbs. And it is truth, and it has sprouted and come forth out of the earth, and righteousness begins to look down from heaven, and God is sending down his powers, gifts and angels, to lodge in the branches thereof (Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 258–59).

In Jesus’ day, those who heard the parable might have envisioned something much more grandiose than a little seed. One scholar noted: “For Jesus it is the growth of the tiny seed into a large plant that resembles the kingdom of God/heaven. Whereas his listeners probably expected God’s kingdom to be inaugurated in a dramatic, earth-shattering manner, Jesus emphasizes that from the smallest of beginnings it will slowly grow to reach its full size” (in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, 578).

Therefore, What Do I Do?

Ponder the Restoration and your part in it.

Several years ago, someone e-mailed me a short movie called “Worldwide Stakes” that illustrates the growth of the restored Church (available in the videos section of www.lds.org). The movie depicted a map of the Western Hemisphere, and displayed the year 1847 at the top. As the music started, the years began to click forward. Every time a new stake was organized, a red dot would appear on the map. Over time, and as the hymn “The Spirit of God like a Fire Is Burning” played on, more and more stakes began to appear. In the 1950s, the map grew, and the movie zoomed out to reveal the whole world. Soon the islands of the South Pacific and then Europe began to sparkle with light. Then South America began to glisten rapidly. By the time the year counter hit 2004, there were 2,665 stakes, the choir was hitting the crescendo, and I was reaching for the tissue. Knowing how e-mails get passed around, I’m guessing you’ve probably seen this movie too. Two thoughts came to me as the movie concluded: “Look at North and South America,” and “We’ve got work to do.”

The Prophet Joseph Smith said:

Brethren, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it. . . . It is only a handful of priesthood you see here tonight, but this church will fill North and South America it will fill the world (in Woodruff, Discourses, 38).

When I served my mission in the early 1980s, there were four missions and no temples in the Philippines. At the time of this writing there are fifteen missions and two temples in just that country. We are all witnesses of this parable and the fulfillment of its prophecy.

Coming Up . . .

The parable of the mustard seed describes something “a man” took and sowed in his field. Next, the Savior speaks of something “a woman” took and hid in three measures of meal.