The Mustard Seed Parable as Satire and Parody

The parable of the mustard seed is one of the most well known of Jesus' parables of the Kingdom of God.  Simply put, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed, which Jesus says, is the tiniest of seeds, but when fully grown, becomes a mighty tree that provides shelter for birds

This parable is a parody of a very well known and well worn motif that was used in speeches by Jewish politicians and rabbis in Jesus' day.  The motif compared Israel to a tiny seed, and went on to say that one day Israel would grow to become like the cedars of Lebanon, which was a species of tree in ancient Israel that was huge and majestic.  The cedars of Lebanon were commonly exported, often without Israel's consent, by foreign kings to build temples.

In order to get the satire of Jesus' parable, we would have to be familiar with what a mustard seed grows into in Israel.  A mustard seed grows into a weed.  The weed is, in fact, short, stocky, and sort of silly looking.  Jesus' parody of Israel's well known motif would have been highly shocking and offensive to his listeners.  Israel always dreamed of having a Kingdom of their own, where God would restore the glory of David and Solomon.  Now this Kingdom is being compared to a weed.

For Jesus, and other teachers' in Jesus time, the Kingdom of God represented a vision of God's vision for the world, and a reflection about how God wants us to treat one another.  The measure of our life, God says, is about whether we are living as servants of one another and showing mercy, compassion, and love of neighbor.  Notice that Jesus' perception of the mustard plant is a positive one.  The mustard plant is recognized for its propensity to provide shelter.  The mustard plant is not perceived negatively because it does appear to have the glory of the Cedars of Lebanon.

If we are truly God's people and living in God's reign, we will evaluate our own value based upon our propensity to serve the interests of our neighbor and to promote mercy, compassion, and love of neighbor.  To the outsider who does not know God, the way that we live might appear analogous to how a casual observer would see the mustard plant.  Similarly, to God's people, what would be notable to the world would only be notable to God's people to the extent that it demonstrates servant-hood.

As always, we remember the example of Jesus, who the world would have seen only as a Jewish Mediterranean peasant who lived as an itinerant.  To God's people, Jesus represented the full glory and majesty of God by living as a servant and ultimately giving his life for the salvation of the world.