When Jesus began teaching in parables, it marked a dramatic change in His ministry. Early on, His message to Israel was clear and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). But after persistent rejection—especially the Pharisees’ claim that His miracles were empowered by Satan (Matthew 12:24)—Jesus began to speak in parables. These parables concealed truth from the hardened, while revealing it to those ready to receive.
Jesus told His disciples:
“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” (Matthew 13:11)
This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy about a people who would hear but not understand (Matthew 13:14–15). Parables were both a judgment on unbelief and a mercy to the faithful. From a dispensational perspective, they unveil the mystery phase of the Kingdom—a period between Christ’s rejection and His return when the Kingdom’s influence is real but not yet visible in power.
These parables were directed to Israel, not the Church, and they describe the conditions of the age while the King is absent. The Church had not yet been revealed; the parables focus on the interim form of the Kingdom, not Church doctrine.
Words: 1310 / Time to read: 7 minutes
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Matthew 13:31–32
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
Understanding the Parable
The Small Seed: Humble Beginnings
Jesus describes a mustard seed, known in Jewish teaching as a symbol of smallness. While not the tiniest seed on earth, it was among the smallest sown by Palestinian farmers. This small seed pictures the unassuming beginnings of the Kingdom’s influence. The Messiah’s Kingdom did not appear with immediate, overwhelming power as Israel expected. Instead, it began quietly, like a seed, with Jesus and a handful of disciples.
This contrasts sharply with Jewish expectations of the Messianic Kingdom’s dramatic arrival. Instead of a political revolution, Jesus revealed that the Kingdom’s influence would start small but grow in unexpected, massive ways.
The Field: The World as the Stage
As in other parables, the field represents the world. The Kingdom’s influence begins in one place, but its growth extends globally. The initial planting—Jesus’ ministry and the early Gospel proclamation—would spread far beyond Galilee or Judea.
The Growth into a Tree: Expanding Influence
Mustard plants, though technically shrubs, could grow 8–10 feet tall, large enough to be called “trees” in agricultural language. This dramatic growth illustrates how the Kingdom’s influence would expand beyond what seemed possible at first glance. From twelve disciples, the message of Christ has reached every continent.
The growth is not the establishment of the political Kingdom, but the spread of the Gospel’s influence, preparing for the day when the King returns to reign.
The Birds: Shelter or Corruption?
Interpreters debate the meaning of the birds. On one hand, Old Testament imagery sometimes uses birds in trees to represent nations seeking shelter (Ezekiel 17:22–24; Daniel 4:12). This would highlight the Gospel’s appeal to all peoples.
On the other hand, given the context of Matthew 13, where previous parables warned of corruption (e.g., the birds in the Parable of the Sower snatching away seed), it is likely that these birds represent false believers, apostate movements, or demonic influences settling into the visible expression of the Kingdom. As Christianity spread, both true faith and counterfeit forms grew side by side.
How This Parable Fits God’s Kingdom Program
The Messianic Kingdom Is Postponed
Israel expected the Messianic Kingdom to come suddenly and in great power. But this parable reveals that the Kingdom’s influence would grow gradually during the King’s absence. The Kingdom’s full establishment awaits the Second Coming, but its influence is already at work in the world.
Kingdom Influence Expands Despite Opposition
Just as the mustard plant grows rapidly, the Gospel has spread globally despite persecution, opposition, and attempts to suppress it. From Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, the message of Christ has borne fruit.
True and False Grow Together
The growth of Christendom has not been pure. As the Gospel spread, it attracted both genuine faith and corruption. The presence of the birds may symbolize the infiltration of false teachers, worldly philosophies, and apostate movements—just as the Parable of the Weeds shows Satan sowing false believers among the true.
Future Fulfillment
The Kingdom’s full realization will only come at Christ’s return (Revelation 19:11–16). The current phase—marked by growth and mixture—prepares the world for that day. The mustard seed’s growth foreshadows the global reach of Christ’s future reign.
Apostolic Teaching and Church-Age Reflection
Though this parable speaks of Kingdom influence, apostolic teaching confirms these themes:
- True growth: Paul rejoiced that the Gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
- False infiltration: Paul warned of those who have “a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). Jude described ungodly people slipping into the Church unnoticed (Jude 4).
- Faithful mission: Despite the spread of false Christianity, believers are called to preach the truth boldly (2 Timothy 4:2–5).
Cultural and Historical Context
Mustard Seeds in Jewish Culture
The mustard seed was a common metaphor for smallness in Jewish thought. Jesus also used it as a symbol of faith:
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…” (Matthew 17:20)
Rapid Growth of Mustard Plants
Mustard plants were known for their explosive growth. Farmers understood how quickly these shrubs could dominate a field, making them an apt illustration of surprising and unstoppable expansion.
Birds in Trees in Scripture
Old Testament imagery of birds nesting in trees often symbolized nations under a kingdom’s protection (Ezekiel 17; Daniel 4). This could highlight the inclusion of Gentiles under the Gospel’s reach.
Final Reflection
The Parable of the Mustard Seed teaches that God’s Kingdom influence began small but has grown in ways no one could have imagined. From a tiny seed in a field to a tree providing shelter—or, in part, attracting corruption—the parable illustrates both the power and complexity of the Kingdom’s expansion.
The visible Church today includes both true believers and counterfeit movements. We must be discerning and faithful, holding fast to the true Gospel while proclaiming Christ until His return.
As C.I. Scofield noted:
“The parables of the Kingdom reveal the outward form of Christendom in the age when the King is absent, and the mystery of its growth until He comes again.”
Want to Go Deeper?
This post is adapted from my book, The Parables of Jesus: Covert Communication from the King (Grace and Knowledge Series, Book 7). It offers clear, verse-by-verse explanations of every parable using a faithful dispensational lens.
👉 Read the full book on Amazon →
(Includes all parables in Gospel order, Old Testament parallels, and detailed Kingdom commentary.)
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Related
The Parable of the Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31–32
Published by Brother Woody BrohmWhen Jesus began teaching in parables, it marked a dramatic change in His ministry. Early on, His message to Israel was clear and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). But after persistent rejection—especially the Pharisees’ claim that His miracles were empowered by Satan (Matthew 12:24)—Jesus began to speak in parables. These parables concealed truth from the hardened, while revealing it to those ready to receive.
Jesus told His disciples:
This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy about a people who would hear but not understand (Matthew 13:14–15). Parables were both a judgment on unbelief and a mercy to the faithful. From a dispensational perspective, they unveil the mystery phase of the Kingdom—a period between Christ’s rejection and His return when the Kingdom’s influence is real but not yet visible in power.
These parables were directed to Israel, not the Church, and they describe the conditions of the age while the King is absent. The Church had not yet been revealed; the parables focus on the interim form of the Kingdom, not Church doctrine.
Words: 1310 / Time to read: 7 minutes
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Matthew 13:31–32
Understanding the Parable
The Small Seed: Humble Beginnings
Jesus describes a mustard seed, known in Jewish teaching as a symbol of smallness. While not the tiniest seed on earth, it was among the smallest sown by Palestinian farmers. This small seed pictures the unassuming beginnings of the Kingdom’s influence. The Messiah’s Kingdom did not appear with immediate, overwhelming power as Israel expected. Instead, it began quietly, like a seed, with Jesus and a handful of disciples.
This contrasts sharply with Jewish expectations of the Messianic Kingdom’s dramatic arrival. Instead of a political revolution, Jesus revealed that the Kingdom’s influence would start small but grow in unexpected, massive ways.
The Field: The World as the Stage
As in other parables, the field represents the world. The Kingdom’s influence begins in one place, but its growth extends globally. The initial planting—Jesus’ ministry and the early Gospel proclamation—would spread far beyond Galilee or Judea.
The Growth into a Tree: Expanding Influence
Mustard plants, though technically shrubs, could grow 8–10 feet tall, large enough to be called “trees” in agricultural language. This dramatic growth illustrates how the Kingdom’s influence would expand beyond what seemed possible at first glance. From twelve disciples, the message of Christ has reached every continent.
The growth is not the establishment of the political Kingdom, but the spread of the Gospel’s influence, preparing for the day when the King returns to reign.
The Birds: Shelter or Corruption?
Interpreters debate the meaning of the birds. On one hand, Old Testament imagery sometimes uses birds in trees to represent nations seeking shelter (Ezekiel 17:22–24; Daniel 4:12). This would highlight the Gospel’s appeal to all peoples.
On the other hand, given the context of Matthew 13, where previous parables warned of corruption (e.g., the birds in the Parable of the Sower snatching away seed), it is likely that these birds represent false believers, apostate movements, or demonic influences settling into the visible expression of the Kingdom. As Christianity spread, both true faith and counterfeit forms grew side by side.
How This Parable Fits God’s Kingdom Program
The Messianic Kingdom Is Postponed
Israel expected the Messianic Kingdom to come suddenly and in great power. But this parable reveals that the Kingdom’s influence would grow gradually during the King’s absence. The Kingdom’s full establishment awaits the Second Coming, but its influence is already at work in the world.
Kingdom Influence Expands Despite Opposition
Just as the mustard plant grows rapidly, the Gospel has spread globally despite persecution, opposition, and attempts to suppress it. From Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, the message of Christ has borne fruit.
True and False Grow Together
The growth of Christendom has not been pure. As the Gospel spread, it attracted both genuine faith and corruption. The presence of the birds may symbolize the infiltration of false teachers, worldly philosophies, and apostate movements—just as the Parable of the Weeds shows Satan sowing false believers among the true.
Future Fulfillment
The Kingdom’s full realization will only come at Christ’s return (Revelation 19:11–16). The current phase—marked by growth and mixture—prepares the world for that day. The mustard seed’s growth foreshadows the global reach of Christ’s future reign.
Apostolic Teaching and Church-Age Reflection
Though this parable speaks of Kingdom influence, apostolic teaching confirms these themes:
Cultural and Historical Context
Mustard Seeds in Jewish Culture
The mustard seed was a common metaphor for smallness in Jewish thought. Jesus also used it as a symbol of faith:
Rapid Growth of Mustard Plants
Mustard plants were known for their explosive growth. Farmers understood how quickly these shrubs could dominate a field, making them an apt illustration of surprising and unstoppable expansion.
Birds in Trees in Scripture
Old Testament imagery of birds nesting in trees often symbolized nations under a kingdom’s protection (Ezekiel 17; Daniel 4). This could highlight the inclusion of Gentiles under the Gospel’s reach.
Final Reflection
The Parable of the Mustard Seed teaches that God’s Kingdom influence began small but has grown in ways no one could have imagined. From a tiny seed in a field to a tree providing shelter—or, in part, attracting corruption—the parable illustrates both the power and complexity of the Kingdom’s expansion.
The visible Church today includes both true believers and counterfeit movements. We must be discerning and faithful, holding fast to the true Gospel while proclaiming Christ until His return.
As C.I. Scofield noted:
Want to Go Deeper?
This post is adapted from my book, The Parables of Jesus: Covert Communication from the King (Grace and Knowledge Series, Book 7). It offers clear, verse-by-verse explanations of every parable using a faithful dispensational lens.
👉 Read the full book on Amazon →
(Includes all parables in Gospel order, Old Testament parallels, and detailed Kingdom commentary.)
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Related