Matthew 13:32

Mat 13:32. Ὃ, which) sc. seed: for κόκκος (grain) is masculine.—μικρότερον, the least) i.e. not absolutely, but in the proportion which the seed bears to the plant. It was a well-known kind of seed, used proverbially; see ch. Mat 17:20.—σπερμάτων, of seeds) The world contains various seeds of wisdom, power, and virtue; the Christian faith has surpassed them all, having been propagated through the whole world. The kingdom of heaven is like a grain; and so is the whole of Christianity, faith, etc. These things may be variously expressed. The faith here intended is that of all those believers, who embrace it before others: the others are those who believe afterwards—nations, kings, etc.—μεῖζον—λαχάνων—δένδρον, greater herbs—tree) two classes of vegetables. Tremellius,[628] on this passage in the Syriac Version, adduces examples of such immense trees.—It became a tree, one may say, in the time of Constantine.[629]—τὰ πετεινὰ, the birds) see Eze 17:23.—κλάδοις, branches) sc. widely spreading.

[628] EMMANUEL TREMELLIUS was born in the sixteenth century at Ferrara, of Jewish parents. He rendered himself master of the Hebrew language, and secretly embraced Protestantism. He became Professor of Hebrew at Heidelberg, from whence he went to Metz, and thence to Sedan. He made himself known by his Latin Version of the Syriac New Testament. He died in 1580.—(I. B.)

[629] The kingdom of Christ is being extended now throughout the whole world.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_13:32. Ὅ] refers to κόκκος σινάπ., and owes its gender to the fact of its being attracted by the neuter following; Winer, p. 156 [E. T. 217 ff.].

μικρότερον] not instead of the superlative; see, however, on note Mat_11:11. But, inasmuch as this is a proverbial expression of a hyperbolical character, little need be made of the fact that seeds of a still more diminutive kind are to be met with; comp. Mat_17:20, and Lightfoot. Satis est, in genere verum esse, quod dicit Dominus, Erasmus.

τῶν λαχάνων] than any other vegetable.

ὅταν δὲ αὐξ. κ.τ.λ.] but when it shall have grown, portrays the extraordinary result that follows the sowing of the tiny little seed. The astonishing nature of such a result is still more forcibly brought out in Luk_13:19 by means of δένδρον μέγα.

κατασκ.] dwell. The interpretation of the word as meaning to build nests (Erasmus) is not general enough; comp. note on Mat_8:20.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 13:32 . ὃ , neuter, by attraction of σπερμάτων , instead of ὃν in agreement with κόκκῳ , masculine. μικρότερον , not less perhaps than all the seeds in the world. An American correspondent sent me a sample of the seeds of the cotton tree , which he thinks Christ would have made the basis of His parable had He spoken it in America. μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων , greater than (all) the herbs . The comparison implies that it too is an herb. There would be no point in the statement that a plant of the nature of a tree grew to be greater than all garden herbs. This excludes the mustard tree, called Salvadora Persica , to which some have thought the parable refers. δένδρον , not in nature but in size; an excusable exaggeration in a popular discourse. Koetsveld remarks on the greatly increased growth attained by a plant springing from a single seed with plenty of room all round it ( De Gelijk. , p. 50). ὥστε here indicates at once tendency and result, large enough to make that possible, and it actually happened. The birds haunted the plant like a tree or shrub. Mark refers only to the possibility (Mar 4:32 ). κατασκηνοῦν ( cf. κατασκηνώσεις , Mat 8:20 ), not nidulari , to make nests (Erasmus), but to “lodge,” as in A. V [82] The mustard plant is after all of humble size, and gives a very modest idea of the growth of the kingdom. But it serves admirably to express the thought of a growth beyond expectation . Who would expect so tiny a seed to produce such a large herb, a monster in the garden?

[82] Authorised Version.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which indeed is the least of all seeds--not absolutely, but popularly and proverbially, as in Luk 17:6, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed," that is, "never so little faith."

but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs--not absolutely, but in relation to the small size of the seed, and in warm latitudes proverbially great.

and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof--This is added, no doubt, to express the amplitude of the tree. But as this seed has a hot, fiery vigor, gives out its best virtues when bruised, and is grateful to the taste of birds, which are accordingly attracted to its branches both for shelter and food, is it straining the parable, asks TRENCH, to suppose that, besides the wonderful growth of His kingdom, our Lord selected this seed to illustrate further the shelter, repose and blessedness it is destined to afford to the nations of the world?

The Leaven (Mat 13:33).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds] That is, of all those seeds which produce plants, whose stems and branches, according to the saying of the botanists, are apt δενδριζειν, arborescere, to grow into a ligneous or woody substance.

Becometh a tree] That is, it is not only the largest of plants which are produced from such small seeds, but partakes, in its substance, the close woody texture, especially in warm climates, where we are informed it grows to an almost incredible size. The Jerusalem Talmud, tract Peah. fol. 20, says, "There was a stalk of mustard in Sichin, from which sprang out three boughs; one of which, being broken off, served to cover the tent of a potter, and produced three cabes of mustard seed. Rabbi Simeon ben Chalapha said, A stalk of mustard seed was in my field, into which I was want to climb, as men are wont to climb into a fig tree." See Lightfoot and Schoettgen. This may appear to be extravagant; and it is probable that, in the case of the three cabes of seed, there is considerable exaggeration; but, if it had not been usual for this plant to grow to a very large size, such relations as these would not have appeared even in the Talmud; and the parable of our Lord sufficiently attests the fact. Some soils being more luxuriant than others, and the climate much warmer, raise the same plant to a size and perfection far beyond what a poorer soil, or a colder climate, can possibly do. Herodotus says, he has seen wheat and barley in the country about Babylon which carried a blade full four fingers-breadth: and that the millet and sesamum grew to an incredible size. I have myself seen a field of common cabbages, in one of the Norman isles, each of which was from seven to nine feet in height; and one in the garden of a friend, which grew beside an apple-tree, though the latitude of the place is only about 48 deg. 13 min. north, was fifteen feet high, the stem of which is yet remaining, (September, 1798.) These facts, and several others which might be added, confirm fully the possibility of what our Lord says of the mustard-tree, however incredible such things may appear to those who are acquainted only with the productions of northern regions and cold climates.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(32) The least of all seeds.—The description is, of course, popular, and need not be pressed with micro scopical exactness.

The greatest among herbs.—More literally, greater than the herbs—i.e., belonging to a higher order of vegetation.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32. the least of all seeds] Not absolutely the least, but least in proportion to the plant that springs from the seed. Moreover the mustard seed was used proverbially of anything excessively minute.

lodge in the branches] i. e. settle for the purpose of rest or shelter or to eat the seeds of which goldfinches and linnets are very fond (Tristram, Nat. Hist. of Bible, p. 473). Lodge, literally dwell in tents. If we think of the leafy huts constructed for the feast of tabernacles the propriety of the word will be seen. The mustard plant does not grow to a very great height, so that St Luke’s expression “waxed a great tree” must not be pressed. Dr Thomson (Land and Book) mentions as an exceptional instance that he found it on the plain of Akkar as tall as a horse and its rider.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude,.... In the hearing of his disciples, whilst in the ship, the multitude being on the shore,

in parables; in the four foregoing ones,

and without a parable spake he not unto them: not that he never had preached but in a parabolical way unto them, or that he never did afterwards use any other way of speaking; for it is certain, that both before and after, he delivered himself plainly, and without figures: but the meaning is, that in that sermon, and at that time, he thought fit to make use of no other method, as appears from the many other parables he afterwards delivered; and though he explained the meaning of some of them to his disciples, at their request, yet he dismissed the multitude without any explication of them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Ver. 32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds] That is, one of the least (μικροτερον), for there is as little or less than it, as poppy seed, &c. Cypress seeds are said to be so small, that they can hardly be seen asunder; and yet of them grows so great and tall a tree, Nusquam magis tota natura quam in minimis, saith Pliny. {a} Tremellius testifieth, that things almost incredible are related of the wonderful growth of the Jewish mustard seed. Maldonate also telleth us, "that in Spain he had seen little woods of mustard seed trees; and that the bakers therehence fetch fuel to heat their ovens, and do other offices." The word of God (a thing worth observation, saith a modern divine) is in the gospel compared to mustard seed; which (as one gathereth out of Pythagoras) of all seeds is most in ascent, taketh deepest root, and being mixed with vinegar is sovereign against serpents. Right so the word of God worketh effectually in us, begets an ascent in our affections, lays in us a sure foundation, and though it touch us sharply as vinegar, yet is a most powerful preservative against that old serpent.

{a} Cupressi semina adeo sunt minuta, ut quaedam oculis cerni non possint, et tamen in iis tanta est arbor, tamque procera. Plin. xi. 2.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The least of all seeds. That is, it is one of the least seeds; but in hot countries it is observed to grow to a considerable height, and to become a bush or a little tree. (Witham) --- The gospel of Christ, compared in this verse to the grain of mustard seed, has indeed little show of grandeur and human greatness. St. Paul calls it a scandal to the Jew, and a stumbling block to the Gentile. But Jesus Christ here assures us, that when it has been spread and promulgated by his ambassadors, viz. the apostles, it shall surpass every other mode of instruction both in fame and extent. (St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Augustine)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

32. Least of all seeds — The point of the parable is to exhibit the contrast between the smallness of the Gospel beginnings and the greatness of the result. The mustard was the least of seeds that produced the genuine tree. Greatest among herbs — Though a tree in size, it was a herb by proper classification. Birds of the air — This is added to complete the image of a goodly tree; but it is also a sweet illustration of the character of the Church, as a refuge and a protection for the souls that resort to her shadow. See Eze_17:23 : “Under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing.”

This parabolic image of the growth of the kingdom of Christ is beautifully parallel to many passages in the Old Testament, where the rise and expansion of kingdoms are compared to the growth of a stately tree. (Dan_4:10-12; Eze_31:3-9.) It is also strongly accordant with the image in Dan_2:34-35, of the kingdom of God, which at first was a small stone, but finally became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. And this last image describes the growth of the kingdom, as being completely universal, more explicitly even than our Lord’s simile here of the mustard spreading its branches.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which indeed is the least of (is less than, Revised Version) all seeds; i.e. all those ordinarily sown in Palestine then. Instances of the proverbial use in the Talmuds of the size of a grain of mustard to express something very small, may be seen in Levy, s.v. ldrj. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs; it is greater than the herbs (Revised Version); i.e. than those which are usually called lacana . And becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air. There is not necessarily any connotation of evil about these (cf. vers. 4, 19); the thought is simply that those who are naturally outsiders are glad to come under cover of this tree. Compare, for both thought and language, Daniel"s description of the empire of Babylon, (Dan_4:12, Dan_4:21) and Ezekiel"s prophecy of the kingdom of Judah. (Eze_17:23) Come and lodge in the branches thereof. Lodge (kataskhnoin); Mat_8:20, note. In Palestine the goldfinches and linnets settle on the mustard in flocks (Tristram, "Nat. Hist. of Bible," p. 473, edit. 1889).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The least - That is, one of the least: a way of speaking extremely common among the Jews. It becometh a tree - In those countries it grows exceeding large and high. So will the Christian doctrine spread in the world, and the life of Christ in the soul.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

32. Which, indeed, is the least of all seeds. The least of all the field or garden seeds sown in Palestine. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs. All herbs cultivated in the fields or garden of Palestine. Dr. Hooker measured a mustard-plant in the Jordan Valley ten feet high. Thus, the kingdom, from an insignificant beginning, grows to a mighty magnitude.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

32. μικρότερον πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων. Not absolutely the least, but least in proportion to the plant that springs from the seed. Moreover the mustard seed was used proverbially of anything excessively minute.

κατασκηνοῖν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ, i.e. settle for the purpose of rest or shelter or to eat the seeds, of which goldfinches and linnets are very fond. (Tristram, Nat. Hist. of Bible, p. 473.) κατασκηνοῖν. Literally, dwell in tents. If we think of the leafy huts constructed for the feast of tabernacles the propriety of the word will be seen. The mustard plant does not grow to a very great height, so that St Luke’s expression ἐγένετο εἰς δένδρον [μέγα] must not be pressed. Dr Thomson (Land and Book) mentions as an exceptional instance that he found it on the plain of Akkar as tall as a horse and its rider.

κατασκηνοῖν. For the infinitive termination see Winer, p. 92. Cp. the contraction χρυσόει = χρυσοῖ, though in infin. generally χρυσόειν = χρυσοῦν, also the Pindaric forms ἔχοισιν for ἔχουσιν, &c. δίδοι for δίδου. (Donaldson’s Pindar, de Stilo Pindari, p. liv) and the Thessalian genitive form is -οι for -ου (Papillon, Compar. Phil. 112 note).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32.] Third parable. The grain of mustard seed. Mar 4:30-34.Luk 13:18Luk 13:18, Luk 13:19. On the connexion of this parable with the two last, Chrysostom observes (Hom. in Matt. xlvi. 2, p. 483), ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ σπόρου τρία μέρη ἀπόλλυται, καὶ σώζεται ἕν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ πάλιν τῷ σωζομένῳ τοσαύτη γίνεται βλάβη, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσι ‘καὶ τίνες καὶ πόσοι ἔσονται οἱ πιστοί;’ καὶ τοῦτον ἐξαιρεῖ τὸν φόβον, διὰ τῆς παραβολῆς τοῦ σινάπεως ἐνάγων εἰς πίστιν αὐτοὺς καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι πάντως ἐκταθήσεται τὸ πρᾶγμα.

The comparison of kingdoms to trees was familiar to the Jews: see Dan 4:10-12, Dan 4:20-22: Eze 31:3-9; Eze 17:22-24: Psa 80:8-11.

32. μικρότερον κ.τ.λ.] less than all, not for the superlative. The words are not to be pressed to their literal sense, as the mustard seed was a well-known Jewish type for any thing exceedingly small.

The mustard tree attains to a large size in Judæa. Lightfoot quotes (Hor. Hebr. in l.) Hieros. Peah. fol. 20. 2, ‘Caulis erat sinapis in Sichin, e quo enati sunt rami tres; e quibus unus decerptus co-operuit tentoriolum figuli, produxitque tres cabos sinapis. Rabbi Simeon ben Chalaphta dixit, Caulis sinapis erat mihi in agro meo, in quam ego scandere solitus sum, ita ut scandere solent in ficum.’

This parable, like most others respecting the kingdom of God, has a double reference—general and individual. (1) In the general sense, the insignificant beginnings of the kingdom are set forth: the little babe cast in the manger at Bethlehem; the Man of sorrows with no place to lay His Head; the crucified One; or again the hundred and twenty names who were the seed of the Church after the Lord had ascended; then we have the Kingdom of God waxing onward and spreading its branches here and there, and different nations coming into it. “He must increase,” said the great Forerunner. We must beware however of imagining that the outward Church-form is this Kingdom. It has rather reversed the parable, and is the worldly power waxed to a great tree and the Churches taking refuge under the shadow of it. It may be, where not corrupted by error and superstition, subservient to the growth of the heavenly plant: but is not itself that plant. It is at best no more than (to change the figure) the scaffolding to aid the building, not the building itself. (2) The individual application of the parable points to the small beginnings of divine grace; a word, a thought, a passing sentence, may prove to be the little seed which eventually fills and shadows the whole heart and being, and calls ‘all thoughts, all passions, all delights’ to come and shelter under it. Jerome has a comment on this parable (in loc.) too important to be passed over: ‘Prædicatio Evangelii minima est omnibus disciplinis. Ad primam quippe doctrinam, fidem non habet veritatis, hominem Deum, Deum mortuum, et scandalum crucis prædicans. Confer hujuscemodi doctrinam dogmatibus Philosophorum et libris eorum, et splendori eloquentiæ, et compositioni sermonum, et videbis quanto minor sit cæteris seminibus sementis Evangelii. Sed illa cum creverit, nihil mordax, nihil vividum, nihil vitale demonstrat, sed totum flaccidum, marcidumque et mollitum ebullit in olera et in herbas quæ cito arescunt et corruunt. Hæc autem prædicatio quæ parva videbatur in principio, cum vel in anima credentis, vel in toto mundo sata fuerit, non exsurgit in olera, sed crescit in arborem.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(LM) 32. Which indeed is less than all seeds. But when it has grown it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in its branches.] Mk. has: “Which when it is sown upon the earth, though it is less than all seeds which are upon the earth, and when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and makes great branches, so that the birds of the heaven are able to lodge under its shadow.”

ὃ μικρότερον μέν ἐστιν] Mt. simplifies Mk.’s harsh construction, ὃς—μικρότερον ὄν. He also avoids the repetition of ὅταν σπαρῇ and ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.—κατασκηνοῖν] cf. Psa 104:12.—ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ] Mk. has ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ. Both expressions are used of birds in connection with trees. For ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ, cf. Eze 17:23; and for ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ, Dan 4:18 Th. The latter phrase expresses more suitably here the size of the tree.

Mt. and Lk. have several agreements in this parable as against Mk.; cf. ὁμοία ἐστίν. Mt. Lk. ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔσπειρεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ, Mt. = ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔβαλεν εἰς κῆπον ἐαυτοῦ, Lk. αὐξηθῇ, Mt.=ηὔξησεν, Lk.; δένδρον, Mt. Lk.—ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ] So far as Mt. goes, these variations from Mk. might be easily explained as editorial revisions of Mk.’s text. But his omission of Mar 4:26-29, combined with these variations and with the fact that the interpretation of the Tares does not immediately follow that parable, but comes later, after other parables in vv. 36-43, suggests that he borrowed the whole section 24-52 (excepting v. 34) from the Logia. In that case, when he came to Mar 4:26 he turned to his other source for all that follows down to v. 52. His variations from Mar 4:30-32 are then due chiefly to the fact that this parable stood in the Logia in a form which differed from that of Mk. Lk. at 8:18 omits Mar 4:26-34, but has the parable of the Mustard Seed combined with that of the Leaven later in his Gospel at 13:18-21. He probably, therefore, borrowed them from a non-Marcan source, which may have been the first Gospel, or a source which contained these two parables in the same order and largely in the same language as the Logia.

The parable seems to describe the future propagation of the word or doctrine of the kingdom. Starting from small beginnings in the teaching of Christ, it will spread rapidly and win many adherents.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.