Mustard & Leaven (13:31-35)

The Gospel According to Matthew
Jesus for President (Part 39: Mustard & Leaven)

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

Interpretation #1
God placed his church in the world. It was supposed to be small, but pungent. What it turned into, however, was a big ugly institution in which Satan made his home.

Interpretation #2
God placed his church in the world. It was expected that God’s Kingdom would come boldly and obviously. This parable explains that the Kingdom would actually begin very humbly, but would indeed become great in time.


33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Interpretation #1
Yeast is a corrupting agent. Sinful people have thoroughly corrupted the fellowship of the church.

Interpretation #2
The Gospel has the capacity to change the entire world, but it does so slowly and from the inside out.


2 Weeks: Treasure, Pearl, Net (13:31-35)