31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man
took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when
it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds
of the air come and nest in its branches.”
Commentary
Having just told the parable of the wheat
and the tares the Lord Jesus now tells another parable concerning the kingdom
of heaven comparing it to a mustered seed which a man took and sowed in his
field (vs. 31). Now the Lord Jesus says that a mustered seed is indeed the
least of all the seeds; that is the mustered seed is not a seed that is given
much attention or notice by people at its beginning, nobody looks to it like
they would wheat or other stable crops. However, the Lord Jesus says though it
is the least of all the seeds (that is least in the eyes of man) yet when it is
grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree… Now herbs in the ancient
world were highly prized and desirable because of their seasoning (and
medicinal) qualities. And so, though this mustered seed started off small, as
the least of all the seeds, yet when it was grown it became a tree, and thus in
stature was considered greater than all the herbs combined, so that as the Lord
Jesus concludes this parable of the kingdom of heaven that the birds of the air
came and nested in its branches. Therefore, though the kingdom of heaven starts
of very small it soon becomes greater then anything else planted on earth! So
much so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. Now the “birds
of the air” here are figurative of evil or demonic forces (consider Rev 18:1-2)
who by nesting in the branches of it try to present themselves as being apart
of the kingdom of heaven, but in fact are not. And so, through the ages we see
many cults and sects and such that try to present themselves as being Christian
when they are not but are only evil and demonic entities nesting in the “branches”
of the kingdom of heaven. And so, in this parable the Lord Jesus like with the
parable of the wheat and tares is warning us TO BE DISCERNING because not everything
in Christendom is Christian. The largest counterfeit being that great entity
born out of the great harlot (see Rev.17-18).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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