Mk. 4:30-32 - The parable of the mustard seed

Posted Tue, 15/07/2008 - 15:28 by andrew

30 And he said, How might we compare the reign of God, or in what parable shall we place it?

31 As a grain of mustard, which, whenever it is sown on the ground, being the smallest of all the seeds that are on the ground,

32 and whenever it is sown, it comes up and becomes greater than all the garden plants and makes great branches, so that under its shade the birds of the heaven are able to dwell.


My translation

Jesus’ image of a tree in which birds make their nests (cf. Matt. 13:32; Lk. 13:19) recalls passages in the Old Testament in which Babylon and Egypt are depicted as trees that provide a home for the birds of the air and shelter for the beasts of the field (Ezek. 31:6; Dan. 4:12). Conceivably Jesus meant by the parable of the mustard seed that the movement of renewal in Israel that he was initiating would become a ‘kingdom’ to rival the empires of the world, providing an alternative form of security and prosperity. In Ezekiel 17:22-24 the image appears to be used for Israel replanted following exile.

See also:

Comments

Re: Mk. 4:30-32 - The parable of the mustard seed

by ericboehmer - 29/07/2008 - 20:38
It appears to me that the size of the seed/renewal movement is of import here. Do you care to comment on that facet?

Re: Mk. 4:30-32 - The parable of the mustard seed

by andrew - 30/07/2008 - 21:16

Hi, Eric, nice to hear from you.

The size of the seed matters in the first place: Jesus encourages the disciples to believe that the marginal and insignificant movement of renewal to which they have attached themselves will not only survive the catastrophe of the Jewish War but will eventually outgrow or surpass or supersede the empire of pagan Rome, the new Babylon. And isn’t that what happened?

Re: Mk. 4:30-32 - The parable of the mustard seed

by ericboehmer - 31/07/2008 - 05:12
Yep. Just like to read your articulation of the point! I would have said something similar, but, (1) you say it better anyway and (2) I find myself in the middle of another set of final examinations.

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