Mark 4:30-32
When
Jesus talks about “mustard,” he and his culture have nothing around that
compares to what we find in our French’s bottles or Grey Poupon jars. For them,
the seed is used for cooking…as are the leaves of the plant. These things
(seeds and leaves), the people know all about. And, as Jesus does in his
parables, he takes something common, everyday and infuses new meaning.
At
the beginning of this parable, Jesus makes very clear what he’s talking about: “What
shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to
describe it?” (v.30). This is about the kingdom of God, not about mustard at
all. In the Greek of Mark’s Gospel, the phrase is “basileian tou theou” –
a phrase that can be translated “Kingdom of God,” “Reign of God,” or “Rule of
God.” While we have traditionally translated the phrase with “kingdom,” “rule”
might be a better, more helpful way to understand God’s activity on earth.
After all, God has not established a kingdom as we often think of kingdoms—walled
cities or geographically defined areas (ex. United Kingdom). Rather, God’s reign
is beautifully fluid, undefined, able to go anywhere and everywhere. The reign
of God flows through hospitals and prisons, through our lives, and through our
communities—regardless of language, culture, or location.
Jesus
says that reign of God is like a mustard seed…a seed that falls into the soil,
puts down roots, and bursts through the soil surface to become “…the largest of
all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade”
(v.32).
In
our own lives, when we allow God to enter—just a small seed planted in the soil
of our lives, the reign of God begins to grow in us. Jesus’ teachings take root
in our lives, and soon the rule of God in us bursts through in the forms of
good works and good words.
The
mustard plant (brassica nigra) is an invasive plant…a plant that soon
pushes other plants aside and begins the fill the space. The reign of God is
just as invasive—it soon begins to push aside the anger, anxiety, fears, and
discontent of our lives. As the reign of God grows in us, loving kindness, joy,
and peace begin to take over the garden of our lives.
We
nurture and water this new growth in our lives—the reign of God—by taking time
to be with God and with God’s people. When we make time for prayer, or Bible
study, or inspiring music, or worship time with others—when we do this, the
reign of God is able to grow and flourish within us.
May
we nurture God’s reign and rule and kingdom within us. When we do, our lives
become a place of shade…or rest and renewal for others.
Sunday, November 2, 2025
“Parables: Preparing the Soil”
Watch/Listen: HERE
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