I am reminded of a lesson I learned on the Parable of the Mustard Seed from Chuck Missler. Many commentaries about this Parable speak about how the Kingdom of God that started out out small will grow to something extraordinary. Catholic Living Today’s commentary on this parable is typical of most denominations interpretation of it “the mustard seed and the leaven are used to illustrate the surprising growth of the church in spite of small and unpromising beginnings. The point is that God can work through small and ordinary agents (like ourselves) to achieve surprising and significant results-” I believe these commentaries are shallow, and much more is implied that is not taught. The Holy Spirit has a tendency to use idioms consistently. The Mustard Seeds grow into bushes about 3 feet tall, birds don’t normally lodge in small bushes. In this parable the seed grows to become so big that birds come and lodge in its branches. In the parable of the four soils, Jesus explains what the birds represent “ministers of Satan”. So don’t be surprised that as the Church has grown, Satan has infiltrated the pulpits as well. You can read about this apostasy in the Church daily!
A good point of study is to read the Seven Kingdom Parables and compare.
• The Sower and 4 Soils
• The Tares and the Wheat
• The Mustard Seed
• The Woman & the Leaven
• The Treasure in the Field
• The Pearl of Great Price
• The Dragnet
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is
like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest
among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and
lodge in the branches thereof.
Matthew 13:31, 32