Matthew 13:31

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field. ¹

Matthew 13:31 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 13:31

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying
As the former parable sets forth the condition of the Gospel church state until the end of the world; this expresses the small beginnings of it, and the large increase and growth of it, and its great usefulness to the saints.

The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a
man took and sowed in his field:
by "the kingdom of heaven" is meant, as before, the Gospel dispensation, or the Gospel church state, and the ministry of the word, and the administration of ordinances in it: by the grain of mustard seed, either the Gospel, or the people of God, or the grace of God in them; and by the man that took and sowed it, the Lord Jesus Christ; and by his field, in which he sowed it, the world, or his church throughout the world.

Matthew 13:31 In-Context

29 ‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’”

31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.

32 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

Cross References

• 1. (Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)