Mark’s final parable in this series is the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-31). No doubt Jesus used more, for Mark tells us that there were many such parables that Jesus used to speak to the multitude (Mark 4:33), and he didn’t speak to them without one (Mark 4:34). Nevertheless, these were the ones chosen out of however many Jesus spoke on that day. Certainly, Matthew records other parables in Matthew 13 that Mark didn’t record here, but we know that even Matthew didn’t give us a complete list, because Mark’s Parable of the Automatic Yield (Mark 4:26-29) is recorded only in Mark. Therefore, if, indeed, the others, which Matthew records, were used by Jesus on this day, even Matthew’s list isn’t complete.
According to Mark 4:30, Jesus wants to use a story that would help explain what the Kingdom of God is like. After all, the previous parables had noted very limited success of the Kingdom—fruitful, indeed, but only in some and then only after some time had passed. In other words, it didn’t come as might be expected—conquering and through forced submission, which is how worldly kingdoms arise and spread. So, what Jesus offers here has become problematic for many Biblical scholars, who want to use this parable to explain how large the Church has become over the centuries. They claim Jesus’ parable foretells the great success of the Church in spreading the Gospel, yet, Jesus never claimed that the great height of the mustard plant was of value to the Kingdom of God. Instead, it is the seed, itself, that has value. So, what, exactly is Jesus’ point in referring to the plant’s great height?
Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is like the kernel of a mustard seed! Why did he choose the mustard seed instead of a kernel of wheat or barley etc. They are food, but the mustard seed is an herb (Mark 4:31) used as a spice to flavor food. It is never used as a main dish for a meal. In another place Jesus told his disciples that they are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), which, once again, is not food, per se, but is used to bring out the flavor of food. So, we need to ask ourselves: what is Jesus saying about the Kingdom of God, and in what context does he put it?
Why would Jesus compare the mature mustard plant to a tree, when essentially it is merely a herb (Mark 4:32; cp. Matthew 13:31-23; Luke 13:18-19)? Although Mark doesn’t specifically say the mature mustard plant is a tree, both Matthew and Luke do. However, Mark does seem to allude to it becoming a tree in which birds might lodge. I believe the point is that, sometimes, trees are used in the word of God to point to a nation (Ezekiel 31:3) or its king (Daniel 4:10-12, 22), but the mustard plant, although compared to a tree, is merely an herb. In other words, the Kingdom of God isn’t a nation, which one could point to on a map, nor does it have a human king. Nevertheless, history does show the Church has tried to govern like a nation, and it has tried to rule over kings, but whenever it has tried to do so, it has show itself disobedient to the Lord. Does this have anything to do with Jesus’ point in how large the mature mustard plant had become? I think it does, for in Luke’s application of the parable shows it was delivered in the context of both Jesus’ disciples and his enemies (Luke 13:17-19).
Notice that the height of the mature mustard plant offers rest for the birds of the air (Mark 4:32). Earlier, however, the birds of the air had taken the seed out of the hearts of folks who might otherwise have believed the Gospel and entered the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:4, 15; cp. Matthew 23:13; Luke 11:52). So, the fact that the mature plant offers rest for the birds of the air is not a good thing. In fact, one could say that the mature plant’s largeness seems to offer a haven for undesirables. In the greater application of this parable, one could say that whenever wealth became a byproduct of preaching the Gospel, the danger of evil men entering in and fleecing the flock became more likely. What thief or wicked person would involve himself in the labor of the beginning of a church? More likely, their interest is peaked at harvest time, when the wealth is great. So, the birds of the air are found resting in the branches of the mature mustard plant and feeding upon its valuable, mature seeds.
Many folks believe Mark tells us that Jesus spoke in parables in order to teach knowledge to his hearers (Mark 4:33), or in other words he taught in parables as they were able to hear. However, if this were true, why did Jesus then have to explain the parables to his disciples once they were alone (Mark 4:34)? It seems to me Mark tells us that whenever the people gathered into a multitude, Jesus spoke in parables, because it wasn’t given to them to know and understand the things of the Kingdom of God (cp. Mark 4:11). It wasn’t so much that Jesus intended to hide knowledge, but rather the multitude didn’t gather to understand knowledge (cp. Mark 3:29-30). Instead, they wanted to see some great miracle performed (Luke 23:8; cp. Luke 4:23; Acts 8:19). Therefore, Jesus’ judgment was to respect their desire to remain aloof, so he doesn’t disturb their spiritual blindness (cp. Romans 1:18, 21, 28). Only those who actually obeyed the Lord were in the position to understand what Jesus said (Mark 4:34; cp. Mark 3:33-35).
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