Small Seed, Hidden Leaven

Why does Jesus say the mustard seed becomes a tree large enough for birds to nest in its branches?

A mustard plant is a shrub, not a tree, so Jesus is reaching past the garden into an older picture of God's people. Ezekiel saw the same thing: a great tree with room in its branches for the birds of the air, and the birds were the nations. Albert the farmer plants a seed and gets a tree with room in it for strangers.

He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.”

Luke 13:18–19

“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘I will also take some of the lofty top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”

Ezekiel 17:22–24

All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow.

Ezekiel 31:6

The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the sky and its sight to all the earth; whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation— it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

Daniel 4:20–22

Why does the kingdom grow the way leaven works invisibly through a batch of dough?

Leaven is a living culture that leaves no visible sign at first and then raises the whole lump overnight. A woman works it into three measures of flour and can see nothing. The growth is happening whether or not anyone is watching it.

Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

Luke 13:20–21

He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”

Matthew 13:33

Why would Jesus describe the kingdom as three measures of flour rather than a single small loaf?

Three measures of flour is roughly fifty pounds of dough, enough bread to feed a crowd far beyond one household. The kingdom is not sized to a family dinner. It is sized to overflow so there is more than enough to hand out.

It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

Luke 13:21

They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to me.” He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces. Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Matthew 14:17–21

“Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.

Isaiah 55:1–2

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

Revelation 7:9