Parables and The Epiphany: Mark 4, Matt 13 & Luke 13 - The Mustard Seed

1. Prayer
O God, you spoke your word
and revealed your good news in Jesus, the Christ.
Fill all creation with that word again,
so that by proclaiming your joyful promises
to all nations and singing of your glorious hope
to all peoples, we may become one living body,
your incarnate presence on the earth.
Amen.

2. theCHURCH
CALENDAR

3. Part 5: Matt 13, Mk 4, and Luk 13
PARABLES and the EPIPHANY

4. SOWN CAST
Mark 4 & Matthew 13 Luke 13
ACTION ACTION

5. SMALLEST
NOT
MENTIONED
Mark 4 & Matthew 13 Luke 13
SIZE SIZE

6. GROUND GARDEN FIELD
Mark 4 Luke 13 Matthew 13
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

7. VEGETABLE SHRUB TREE
Mark 4 Matthew 13 Matt & Luke
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

8. ‘With what can we compare the
kingdom of God, or what parable
will we use for it? Its like a
mustard seed, which, when sown
upon the ground, is the smallest
of all the seeds on earth; yet
when it is sown it grows up and
becomes the greatest of all
vegetables, and puts forth large
branches, so the birds of the air
MARK 4:30-32

9. Mustard seed is not, contrary to
what Jesus states, the smallest
of seeds; orchid and cypress
seeds are smaller. Moreover,
mustard seeds do not grow into
giant trees, (but despite all
interpretive options in this
regard)…We can all grant that
the seed is small, even
if we can’t agree on whether the
Bible is a scientific textbook and
therefore botanically
AMY-JILL
LEVINE

10. If there were multiple tellings
of the parable, the attempt to
find an original form is beside
the point. The differences…
are interesting, but they
don’t constitute a difference
of meaning. That the smallness
of the seed is mentioned in
Mark and Matthew and
assumed in Luke, changes
nothing
of the…intent.
KLYNE
SNODGRASS

11. Good storytellers, and Jesus
was certainly a good storyteller,
adapt their stories to their
audiences and to their
immediate circumstances.
Viewing Jesus as some sort
of automaton who had to make
each of his pronouncements
the same yesterday, today, and
forever robs him of his
humanity and his narrative
genius.
AMY-JILL
LEVINE

12. He put before them another
parable: ‘The kingdom of
heaven is like a mustard seed
that someone took and sowed
in his field; it 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.’
MATTHEW 13:31-32

13. He said therefore, ‘What is
the kingdom of God like?
And to what should I compare
it?
It is like a mustard seed that
someone took and cast in
the garden; it grew and became
a tree, and the birds of the air
made nests in its branches.’
LUKE 13:18-19

14. To speak of (this) parable
as demonstrating that great
outcomes arrive from small
beginnings is correct, but
banal.
To note what outcomes might
occur provides better
provocation.
AMY-JILL
LEVINE

16. • Both share utilitarian value
SHARED REALITIES

17. • Both share utilitarian value
• Both work in secrecy
SHARED REALITIES

18. • Both share utilitarian value
• Both work in secrecy
• Both serve life’s basic needs
SHARED REALITIES

19. • Both share utilitarian value
• Both work in secrecy
• Both serve life’s basic needs
• Both show how one life can
have impact beyond itself,
for the benefit of others
SHARED REALITIES

20. • The curative properties of
mustard is available to all, so…
POSSIBLE MEANINGS

21. • The curative properties of
mustard is available to all, so…
• God’s creatures adapt to
survive with whatever is
available, so…
POSSIBLE MEANINGS

22. • The curative properties of
mustard is available to all, so…
• God’s creatures adapt to
survive with whatever is
available, so…
• No seed is insignificant, for it
contains future life within it,
so…
POSSIBLE MEANINGS

23. • The curative properties of
mustard is available to all, so…
• God’s creatures adapt to
survive with whatever is
available, so…
• No seed is insignificant, for it
contains future life within it,
so…
• Yeast and bread dough, along
with mustard seeds, depict
POSSIBLE MEANINGS

24. 1. Some things just need to
be left alone; stop fiddling!
POSSIBLE LESSONS

25. 1. Some things just need to
be left alone; stop fiddling!
2. Sometimes we just need to
get out of the way; just
facilitate!
POSSIBLE LESSONS

26. 1. Some things just need to
be left alone; stop fiddling!
2. Sometimes we just need to
get out of the way; just
facilitate!
3. Sometimes we just need to
do what we can with what
we have, in the here-and-now;
work w/nature to provide for
us/ others; we don’t control
POSSIBLE LESSONS

27. God has provided the basics
of what we need, and invites
us to participate in the
process of supplying for our
needs, and
supplying the needs of others;
God is concerned with the
individual, yes, but as part of
the community of creation
WHAT does this PARABLE
REVEAL about GOD?

28. Closing Prayer
Divine Gardener,
you give growth to our seeds
and to towering forest trees;
you raise to abundant life that which seems dead.
Teach us to cultivate blessing and life instead
of violence and death, that we may walk
blamelessly, seeking you through reconciliation
with all of creation. Amen.