THE PARABLES OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND YEAST

Passage: Matthew 13:31-35

Key verse: 31

NIV

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast(A)(B)

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(C) a mustard seed,(D) which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”(E)

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(F) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour(G) until it worked all through the dough.”(H)

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.(I) 35 So was fulfilled(J) what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[b](K)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 13:33 Or about 27 kilograms
  2. Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

31 He put another parable before them, saying, (A)“The kingdom of heaven is like (B)a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. (C)“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in (D)three measures of flour, till it was (E)all leavened.”

Prophecy and Parables

34 (F)All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:[a]

(G)“I will open my mouth in parables;
    (H)I will utter what has been hidden (I)since the foundation of the world.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. God's kingdom is like a mustard seed (31-32)

The mustard seed is very small. The gospel message is also short and simple. But when the mustard seed grows, it becomes a tree so big that it can shelter the birds of the air. The gospel seed, when planted in a person's life, grows until the person is changed and his life becomes a blessing to the worl d. One person can also be a seed. Gospel workers are humble and seem to have no human power. But if a faithful man of God is planted in a nation or a campus he can be used by God to change a hard, materialistic campus or nation into a campus or nation under God.

2. God's kingdom is like yeast (33-35)

Yeast is a tiny enzyme. But when it is put into a small lump of dough, it spreads throughout until the lump becomes a large loaf. The gospel also has the power to permeate and transform a person's life

Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are working through one-to-one Bible study to change people and to change the nation. Grant one man of God for each campus of the world.

One Word: A mustard seed grows