Luke 13:18-19
The Red Grocer
“18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
A few people have said to me, why are we going so slowly in our study of the Gospel of Luke? In response I say, ‘What’s your hurry? You got to finish up the study of the Bible to get your degree or something in this area?
I just see how awesome God’s Word is. Why rush? If you want a nothing meal, go to McDonald’s. If you want a nicely cook filet mignon then let us savor God’s great truth.
Today we are going to look at three verses where our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us about His Kingdom.
There is a popular grocery store around here by the name of ‘The Green Grocer’. In today’s study you will see that the successful growth is due not to a green grocer but to a red grocer.
Many bible teachers look at these verses as something great that is prophesized about His future church. I do not see these verses as complementary but sadly as a corruption. Have I now gotten your interest? So, let us take a look first at the other two Gospels which record this same teaching of our Lord Jesus.
Mark 4: 30 – 32, “30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Matthew 13:31-32, “31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
Now remember that our Master, Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ died and arose again. This happened around the year 29 AD because many scholars have dated our Lord’s birth around 4 BC not at 0 AD. He was 33 years old when our Lord went to the cross to pay our debts.
Now then almost 20 years had gone by since our King returned to Heaven. The apostle Matthew in around 50 AD put down on paper the words and actions of our Holy Lord. Look again at his version of what our Lord said regarding the kingdom, “31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
All of these versions as first seem similar but there are some major difference.
All three refer to the word of God regarding His Good News and He kingdom as a ‘Mustard Seed’. So, before we go deeper we want to clarify exactly what a mustard seed is.
The mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds. Our Holy Adoni Yeshua was speaking proverbially. That is, he wasn't making a statement of absolute fact but using a proverbial style of communication.
There are different kinds of mustard trees in Israel and the mustard seed was the smallest of all the seeds known there and used by those in Israel. Also, notice that our Lord Jesus says that when it is full grown it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds nest in it. There were many gardens in Israel with many types of plants, many of which were larger than the mustard plant. The olive tree for example, can grow to 20 feet or more. The mustard tree known as Salvadora persica has extremely small seeds and grows into a small bush. Brassica nigra is a mustard plant that grows to about 8 to 10 feet when mature and is probably the one Jesus was using for his illustration. Our Lord Jesus Who Created all things would have known that it wasn't the largest of garden plants because of the prevalence of larger plants. Therefore, He was not making a botanical statement of fact. Instead, he was drawing attention to the comparison of the "smallest" to the "largest" and using it to illustrate how the Kingdom of heaven will expand in the world from a very small beginning to a huge presence.
So, we see that our Holy Lord Jesus used the mustard seed in illustrations in the style of proverbs to illustrate a point and that he was not speaking in a scientifically accurate sense. He used as reference the things that the people were use to and could related with.
The growth at first observation may appear to be a good thing, and yet our Lord is pointing out that His church will become corrupted.
Matthew was the first one to write down what our Lord said. Please note that he said that the seed would be what? - sowed in his field’
We have previously studied our Lord’s Parable of the ‘sowing of the seed of His Word’ onto four soils right?
What was His field? You may say the whole earth which is true in which He clarifies in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13, “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.”
Now there are two principle descriptions which our Lord points out. This is the ‘branches’ and the ‘birds’
Mark wrote down his Gospel some 5 years after Matthews around 55 AD. Then Luke investigated and listed his findings around 62 AD.
Mark says that the birds will nest under the Mustard tree for shade. Matthew and Luke say that the birds will make their nests in the branches of the Mustard Tree.
So, how do we put all this now together? The mustard tree is really a large bush with no strong branches. It is a herbal bush.
Our Lord was pointing out how fast His church would grow and many found great peace in the beginning.
In the beginning of the church there were about 5 million believers in the Lord Jesus Christ around the turn of 100 AD.
We read of this great joy and excitement in the book of Acts 2:40-47, “40 And with many other words he [Peter] testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Then as the centuries progressed in just a short time period, evil men came into the church as the apostle Paul had warned in his second letter to his spiritual son Timothy as recorded in chapter 3, “3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. 10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.’
In the book of Revelation of Lord Jesus twice commented about these evil men who would come in and act like they have authority over the people using the lies that they were appointed as God’s representatives here on earth. Our Holy Ruler calls these evil men ‘Nicolaitans’. They are the laity that creped in as having received an apostolic succession. This is not in the bible.
Remember when our Lord taught us this the Gospel of John chapter 15, “4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
Can you see now where our Lord was leading in this Parable? It is His church. He is the vine where all purity stems from. The church had grown into an evil corruption where others found source not from the vine which is Christ Jesus our Lord, but from religious men [branches]. They had imposed their religious restraints on the children of God that resulted in all to come to and through them in order to somehow get to God. All the phony religious people had built their nests on branches that is of no value or strength.
There were though some that would like this abnormal and false tree to set up their home base or nest in. Who are they – The birds. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13 and in Mark and Luke we read that the birds are representative of Satan’s fallen angel team, “3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them…18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.’
So, what have we learned? Our Lord has pointed out that His Church will be infested by evil corrupters. Have you unknowingly be swept up by this phony representation of the real church of Jesus Christ? If so, then what does our Lord Jesus advise you to do?
He tells you in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 6, “16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”
Find yourself a good bible believing fellowship and realize that you can have a personal relationship with Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High. You do not have to go through some other person to seek our Heavenly Father. He Is not too busy to take time just for you.
,
