An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels Parables Of The Mustard Seed And Leaven

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The three synoptic Gospels deal with the very short parable of the Mustard Seed, with two of them (not Mark) adding the additional short example of the Leaven Dough right after it. In Mark 4:30–32, Matthew 13:31–32, Luke 13:18–19 Jesus compares the impending Kingdom Of God to the humble mustard tree seed. Apart from the Kingdom not coming in the time of the immediate audience and still not arriving over 2,000 years later, the parable has other problems. The message is simple enough, the little seed grows into a mighty tree, producing the great mustard herbs, and which easily provides a sheltering nest for the birds. The message is that a little faith makes us big and strong and draws in the angels. The Mustard seed story is little changed in the three tellings except Luke has it planted in a domestic garden rather than in a farmer’ field. In reality, birds rarely nest in black mustard trees (the kind most common in the geographical regions Jesus preached in). Mustard seeds were alo often seen as a nuisance weed as the seeds germinate almost as soon as they fall to the soil and the trees growing can choke out other crops and spread vigilantly. Jesus may have liked the anarchic idea of his followers decimating rival faith, as would ultimately happen when Christianity spread. The parable of the leaven rather literally expands on the idea in Matthew 13-33 and Luke 13:20–2. Here a woman baking adds a little unleavened (fermented and old ) dough to her fresh flour and overnight the two become indistinguishable as the fermentation process spreads. It creates sourdough bread. Here again there is a little faith bringing in the big strong kingdom. It might actually just mean cross-contaminated flour that needs to be disposed of if sourdough wa not what the baker wanted. Arthur Chappell