This month we want to give you a little look into the fruit of Scott’s seminary studies. If you’ll remember back to last year, Scott began part-time (one day per week) study toward a MA in Theological Studies. What follows is a brief exposition he did on one of Jesus’ parables. We hope it’s helpful and encouraging!
The parable of the mustard seed is found in Matthew 13:31-32, during Jesus’ Galilean ministry. It is the third in a rapid succession of seven parables describing the “kingdom of heaven.” As with all of Jesus’ parables, they give us a fuller understanding of the kingdom of God2. Jesus’ audience in this parable is “the crowds” (Matt. 13:2, 36). This parable was taught for everyone to hear, as he was teaching from a boat on the Sea of Galilee.
The tiny mustard seed, and the large plant that results from it, was a well-known contrast in first century, Jewish culture1. The mustard plant grows from a tiny seed, to a “tree”, or large plant, that can reach as much as 12 feet in height1! This is key to understanding the “reversal of expectations” Jesus is communicating about the kingdom of heaven2. Jews at that time were expecting a powerful Messiah to come, overthrow their enemies, and establish God’s kingdom on earth. But Jesus was teaching that the kingdom of heaven would actually start very small and insignificant and grow over time to become “large and prosperous”3. This is not what the Jewish crowds were expecting, and would have come as a surprise1!
So, the simple point of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed, was to communicate that the kingdom of God would not begin with a massive overthrow of earthly kingdoms, but would have a small and seemingly insignificant start, that would one day grow to a large and prosperous kingdom.
Thanks for trusting Jesus with us to begin small movements of his followers on college campuses, that will grow into the massive Kingdom of God!
As a small excursus, I will mention that living in California has added to my understanding of the mustard plant. About two years ago, I discovered that we have tons of wild mustard growing in undeveloped parts of the land. The bright yellow “carpet” that decorates our local hills every spring, is a variety of the mustard plant! Attached is a picture I took two years ago on a hike with my son, in our local hills. I took it for the birds, but didn’t realize until later, that they are resting in a mustard plant! The second is just a snapshot from the car of what the hills look like covered with mustard in March.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31-32
1ESV Study Bible. 2008. Wheaton: Crossway. pp. 1849, 1985.
2Harris, Dana M. 2018. “Introduction to the New Testament Lectures”. Illinois: Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Lecture 4.
3Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Radmacher, Earl D., Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds. 1999. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Praise & Prayer Requests!
- Continue to pray for a smooth transition to Cru’s new Summer Mission Trip structure.
- Pray for the many Fall Retreats happening this time of year. They are a key time for those involved with Cru to establish lasting Christian friendships.
- Family Requests: Praise God that Scott was chosen again to coach a Spring soccer team with AYSO! Our prayer is always to be good witnesses to Jesus in our community. Coaching and playing soccer has provided great opportunities.
THE SLAMERS 