SALT: The Parables of Jesus
Aaron T. Hamer
NBST515: New Testament Orientation I
July 2023
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Introduction
The Gospels are biographies of Jesus Christ with different approaches and specific points
made by each author. They are not the entire New Testament, but many treat them as such.
People read them and do not have a grasp on their purpose - to tell the story of who He was and
of his deeds. As such, they do not give them the appropriate respect.1 They are to be followed as,
“God’s offer of salvation; the life, death, and resurrection; and the call to faith in light of coming
judgment.”2 To better understand the Gospels, and the Bible in its entirety, you could line up Old
Testament prophesies and tie them to specific points in Jesus’ life. Jesus was the fulfillment of
the prophesies and not an innovator.3
Summary
To better relay the Kingdom of God and His message of salvation, Jesus chose to teach
lessons through parables. A parable is a story about a topic, but in terms of another theme
because the subject is too difficult to relay to all people in a direct manner. Parables are always
about the Kingdom of God.4 You cannot point to anything specifically in any part of the world
and say, “That is the God.” It would not only be misunderstood but it would be understated and
_______________________
1 Walter E. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Company/Baker
Academics, 2013) p. 54
2 Walter E. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Company/Baker
Academics, 2013) p. 55
3 Walter E. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Company/Baker
Academics, 2013) p. 55
4 Stacy, Dr. Robert Wayne. “Negotiating Distances in Bible Interpretation”. Video.
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disrespectful to our Lord.
Parables are not simply a story. They have an astonishing and disturbing moment that
causes the listener to alter their beliefs about Jesus Christ and salvation in the Kingdom of God.
Every word in a parable needs to be analyzed to better understand the true meaning of that term
in its obscured relation to God’s Kingdom.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed is found in Matthew (13:31-32), Mark (4:30-32), and
Luke (13:18-19). It is an allegory Jesus told to his disciples for them to learn and understand the
power of God’s Kingdom. Jesus enjoyed teaching in a way that every person receiving his
message could identify with the story because it related to their everyday lives.5 The mustard
seed is one of the smallest seeds. His reasoning for using this agricultural beginning as a
metaphor is to demonstrate to the audience that power can begin with something insignificant.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in
his field;Cit is the smallest of all the seeds but when it has grown it is the greatest of
shrubs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its
branches.”6
Jesus uses this story to illustrate the Kingdom of God. It is not important that the seed
does not know who sowed it, but how it grows on its own into a bush and then a blossoming tree.
What is being demonstrated is that God’s Kingdom can grow anywhere in people’s minds,
hearts, and lives. As with Jesus’ other parables that draw parallels to agriculture, this parable
provides a vision and understanding of how not only the Kingdom of God is established in us,
but also how it grows. It demonstrates that the Holy Spirit attracts others to a foundation that we
_______________________
5 Walter E. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Company/Baker
Academics, 2013) p. 126
6 Matthew 13:31-32
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establish and how it can spread without boundaries.
Interpretation
This parable has been interpreted to mean that there are no growth limitations to our
actions no matter how small. When comparing the Kingdom of God to a tiny seed, Jesus was
telling his disciples that acts of faith and kindness, or a small group of believers, can grow into
something much greater over a period. The story confronts the audience’s ordinary outlooks. It
calls them to reexamine their perceptions. The draw to do so becomes the “hook” and holds their
attention.
Interpreting the parable in parts (by word, parts of a verse, or entire verses) makes it
easier to explore smaller digestible pieces. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed”
allowed the 1st-century listeners to imagine something tangible that they were familiar with in
their lives as agriculture was a common way to earn a living. “That someone took and sowed in
his field.” shows that it does not matter who does the sowing and that it could be them. “It is the
smallest of all the seeds” introduces a picture of something tinier than they may have ever seen
before. “But when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree” further develops
the portrayal of the Kingdom of Heaven growing into a commanding feature. “So that the birds
of the air come” allows the listener to imagine flocks of birds coming to see this amazing piece
of the landscape. And, finally, “And make nests in its branches.” demonstrates that the birds (the
Gentiles) have come to make this their home – their church in God’s love.7 Because the parable
utilizes the familiarity of farming and wildlife, the 1st-century Jews could then make the
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7 Cousland, J.R.C. Do the Birds in the Parable of the Mustard Seed Represent Gentiles?
The Catholic Biblical Quarterly. Volume 85, Issue 1. 2023.
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correlation between the growth of something and its draw of others to it.
In 2023, planting and wildlife are not as familiar to everyone as they were over two
thousand years ago. We purchase almost every fruit and vegetable we eat in a store or at a
roadside stand. The size of seeds and their growth process is irrelevant to most people. Parables
need a different interpretation for people to understand where Jesus was going with his allegory.
In a 2023 context, the audience may be able to assimilate the mustard seed with hopes and
dreams. It does not matter whose hopes and dreams they are in the story. They could be
something such as being better as a parent or running a marathon or writing a book. The size of
the end state is irrelevant (smallest of all seeds), but these dreams can make significant impacts
on the person, those around them, and, on a larger scale, society. As these dreams come to
fruition over time, there will be intermediate steps (the greatest of shrubs). Once they are no
longer a dream but rather a goal, then that dream is now founded in reality (tree). The realized
goal then has the potential to encourage others (birds) to pursue their goals and make their
dreams a reality (nests) in their lives (branches).
The “hook” in the Parable of the Mustard Seed is the audience gaining a perception that a
tiny, seemingly insignificant object can develop into something enormous and powerful. The
mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds in the world, but its size is irrelevant in the big picture.
The lesson is that even something so small can become great like the Kingdom of God.
Application
To the Jewish people of the 1st Century, this parable had a distinct meaning. During that
time, because the number of occupations was much more limited than now, familiarity with
agricultural practices made for better analogies. The hints laid out in this parable would be
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clearer to the audience. The message hidden in the story told by Jesus was that the Kingdom of
God could come from the smallest of beginnings. This is where the mustard seed made sense as
the example in the story. It would begin as something that could be overlooked, but then it
would one day be a great living thing that people would establish as their home.
The image of the transformation of a seed to a great tree was compelling to the audience
because kingdoms were to be looked upon as boundless. Power was demonstrated through
visible signs such as grand temples, tombs, and pyramids. Jesus used the “hook” of this parable
to introduce His listeners to the idea that God’s Kingdom, initiated on earth through small and
seemingly insignificant acts, was possible through individuals. What is important to identify
here is that mustard seeds do not only grow where they are planted. They spread out and take
over everything around where they are growing if left unbounded.8 This then leads His followers
to understand that these individual deeds grow communities and spiritual ecosystems. The
culmination of these efforts can result in worldwide salvation through the covenant of God when
he rules His New Heaven on earth.
Jesus’ parables were not spoken only to have meaning to His captive audience at the time.
They are timeless images of the meaning of faith, how we grow as Christian people, and the
endless potential of Christ’s message. They will always have deep meaning to His followers and
can bring non-believers to the Lord when messaged as a part of faith, growth, and inclusion.
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain,
'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”9 This verse can
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8 Mikić, Aleksandar. Reminiscences of the Cultivated Plants Early Days as Treasured by
Ancient Religious Traditions: The Mustard Crop in Earliest Christian and Islamic Texts. Genetic
Resources and Crop Evolution; Dordrecht Volume 63, Issue. 1, Jan 2016.
9 Matthew 17:20-21
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be of reassurance to people worldwide in 2023. Economic, societal, and political challenges
have caused great uncertainty in people’s lives. People can believe that even a small amount of
faith in God can make not only a tremendous difference for them personally but also to those
around them. This then encourages people to persevere in their hopes and dreams no matter
what obstacles they may encounter.
The most minuscule of seeds having the ability to grow into a strong tree is a clear
analogy of how faith grows in the Kingdom of God. Small beginnings can result in greatness!
For example, some small start-up companies, individual entrepreneurs, and creators of all kinds
become the Apple of technology and Van Halen of music. They start up in someone’s garage,
but they grow into mighty and powerful forces in their arenas. No matter how small something
is at the beginning, with faith and nurturing, it can grow beyond even the hopes and dreams of its
creators.
The growth results in the inclusion of others – people much like the Gentiles that were
reluctant to believe. Much like the birds that make their nests in the branches of a tree, people’s
livelihoods thrive in the companies that are previously mentioned. Race, color, and creed are not
obstacles; however, these are sensitive topics surrounding everything we do in 2023. Inclusion
results in compassion.10 Compassion drives people to bring those in their sphere of influence to
positivity. By doing so, communities grow and flourish with the potential for worldwide
dominance.
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10 Maguet, Sally. An Evaluation of the Compassion, Inclusion, and Engagement Initiative:
Learning from PWLE and Communities Across British Columbia. Harm Reduction Journal. July
14, 2023.
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Conclusion
Jesus utilizes symbolism in his parables to portray His Father’s kingdom. The sower of
the seed is not crucial as it can be any one of us. The focus of the analogy lies in its growth –
from a tiny seed to a strong bush, and finally, to a sturdy tree. The Kingdom of God is
allegorically demonstrated as it can grow from any individual’s thoughts and love, as well as
their own observational experiences. Those thoughts and love build spiritual bonds and
communities. Communities build nations.
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Bibliography
Book of Matthew, Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers,
2018.
Cousland, J.R.C. “Do the Birds in the Parable of the Mustard Seed Represent Gentiles.” The
Catholic Biblical Quarterly. Volume 85, Issue 1. 2023.
Elwell, Walter E. and Yarbrough, Robert W. Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Company/Baker Academics,
2013
Maguet, Sally. An Evaluation of the Compassion, Inclusion, and Engagement Initiative:
Learning from PWLE and Communities Across British Columbia. Harm Reduction
Journal. July 14, 2023.
Mikić, Aleksandar. “Reminiscences of the Cultivated Plants Early Days as Treasured by Ancient
Religious Traditions: The Mustard Crop in Earliest Christian and Islamic Texts”. Genetic
Resources and Crop Evolution. Volume 63, Issue. 1. Jan 2016.
Stacy, Dr. Robert Wayne. “Negotiating Distances in Bible Interpretation”. Video.
9
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