Jesus says mustard seeds are the smallest but they are not actually

Question

“It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:31‬ ‭

The mustard seed is not the smallest seed on the earth today, so how can this be reconciled with Jesus speaking the truth? Or was He wrong?

• Is it that mustard seeds were the smallest at the time but evolutionarily other seeds became smaller
• Is it a hyperbolic use of language opening the gateway to discredit many other sayings of Jesus as inaccurate
• Is the smallest harvestable seed, making it technically the smallest but not necessarily related explicitly in the text
• Is it something else, related to translation possibly

What is the explanation?

Answer 1

Parable as Teaching

³⁰ And He was saying, “How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what parable may we present it?— ³¹ as a seed of a mustard-plant, which when it is sown upon the soil is being smaller than all the seeds upon the soil. ³² And when it is sown, it goes-up and becomes larger than all the garden-plants. And it makes large branches so that the birds of the heaven are able to be nesting under the shade of it”. (Mark 4 DLNT)
³⁰ καὶ ἔλεγεν πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ ἐν τίνι αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν ³¹ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως ὃς ὅταν σπαρῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ³² καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ ἀναβαίνει καὶ γίνεται μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων καὶ ποιεῖ κλάδους μεγάλους ὥστε δύνασθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνοῦν

The mustard seed is used in a parable which is "the putting together of one thing along side of another by way of comparison or illustration." It can be an analogy:¹ In his commentary of Mark, D.E. Nineham explains the use and purpose of parables:

Parables were constantly used by the rabbis at and after the time of Our Lord, and the very numerous examples of their parables which have been preserved make it clear that they used them for the sole purpose of clarifying and driving home their teaching. When we observe the very close similarity of many of these rabbinic parables to Our Lord's - both in form and subject matter - it seems natural to suppose that he used parables in the same sort of way, and with the the same purpose, as the rabbis. That is to say, his general purpose in using parables was to make the truth as fully understood as possible; he may well have used parables, as the rabbis did, to provoke reflection and so bring his hears to a recognition of the truth.²

Obviously, the parable does not mean the kingdom of God is literally "like a mustard seed" regardless of the relative size. Rather, it is meant to teach something by way of comparison. The main point of the teaching is found in comparing the mustard seed and the plant it grows to the kingdom of God, not to other seeds.

The Intended Meaning of μικρός
"Smaller than" in the parable is from μικρός which may convey small in size. It is also the word used to mean "small" in age, quantity, rank, or influence. It is used to describe Benjamin:

We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; the one is no more, and the smaller one is with our father today in the land of Canaan. (LXX-Genesis 42:32 NETS)
δώδεκα ἀδελφοί ἐσμεν υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν ὁ εἷς οὐχ ὑπάρχει ὁ δὲ μικρότερος μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σήμερον ἐν γῇ Χανααν

Like the Greek μικρός, the Hebrew, קָטָן is used for small in size or age. It is possible Benjamin was the "smallest" as the NETS translated the passage, but that is the translator's speculation. Without question Benjamin was the youngest and the best reading of the passage understands age (i.e. youngest) is intended. A similar situation is found in the New Testament:

Whoever causes one of these little (μικρῶν) ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:42 ESV)

As with Benjamin, it is possible to claim Jesus is using μικρός to describe size. Yet the passage is universally taken as reference to age or maturity. In Mark μικρός is also used to describe a distance (cf. Mark 14:35) and a period of time (cf. Mark 14:70). Therefore, if one wants to reject the possibility Jesus is using hyperbole or a rabbinic approach in order to make a comparison, there are other meanings of μικρός which should be considered before reaching a conclusion Jesus was wrong or there is some contradiction in His teaching.

Literal Truth in the Parable
"Small as mustard seed" is a rabbinic expression for the smallest amount possible (Tractate Berakhot 31a).³ The mustard seed was an accepted way to describe the smallest amount which is significant (i.e. droplets of blood smaller than a mustard do not make a woman unclean).⁴

Mark opens Chapter 4 with the parable of the sower (4:1-8). After explaining the purpose of parables (4:10-25), Jesus tells another parable of how a seed grows (4:26-29) before ending with the mustard seed. Here is a comparison of the seeds and soils in the three parables:

Parable         Soil             Seeds
Sower           Different soils  Same seed
Growth          Same soil        Same seed     
Mustard seed    Same soil        Different seeds

In the preceding parables, the focus is on a harvest from a single type of seed sown. In the last parable other seeds sown in the same soil are compared. The mustard seed does not result in a harvest; rather it produces shade which allow birds of heaven to nest.

The mustard seed can rightly be understood as the least significant seed to be sown in a garden. Not only is there no harvest, it grows up to shelter birds who, based on the other parables, will be a detriment to the garden. From the perspective of a planting a garden, the mustard seed ranks last among all seeds because there is no reason to want a mustard plant in the garden.⁵

---

<sub>1. D.E. Nineham, The Gospel of St. Mark, The Seabury Press, 1963, p. 126
2. Ibid., p. 128
3. Rabbi Barney Kasdan, Matthew Presents Yeshua, King Messiah, Lederer Books, 2011, p. 140
4. Smaller drops of blood are possible and do exist but they don't "matter" for this purpose.
5. The smallest known seed is of an orchid but even they would be more desirable than the mustard plant. They are attractive and do not provide a place for birds to nest.</sub>

Answer 2

When someone says "I was at the party last night and everyone was there", and then a questioner objects "No, 7 Billion people weren't there", then the objector is being argumentative, and everyone (see what I did there) immediately realizes this, because "everyone" refers to people in a given social circle who could reasonably be expected to apply in that situation, not all people everywhere on earth, or even people living on other planets in the universe that we don't know about, or perhaps in other universes, etc.

If you think I am being absurd, then that's the point -- you have to have a well-defined 'universe' over which 'all' runs as a quantifier, and that universe will be taken from the context of the discussion. Note that this is not considered to be an exagerration, it is just how language works.

The universe of a reader in Brazil somewhere is not going to be the same as a listener to Jesus in first century palestine. In fact, if you read carefully, you'll find other examples where only jews were included in 'all', even though they lived among non-jews, as that was the relevant 'universe' of people that was being discussed in that context. At other times, 'all' can refer only to adult men, or levites, etc.

All of this is obvious. Do we need to go back and understand how language works or will we continue to be confused at every turn? Language exists in order to express ideas. Exegesis means trying to understand what those ideas are, rather than trying to find fault with how those ideas are expressed.

But when people ask these questions of the Bible, these basics are often thrown out the window. Please don't do this if you are seriously investigating the Bible, trying to do honest exegesis in order to understand what it says.

Back to the topic at hand, the Greek here is more literally translated as "the smallest of all the seeds that are [on|in] the ground".

So there is an ambiguity even in the greek as the word γῆ can mean both "ground, earth (as in soil)", and "(planet) earth".

Thus "all" has to be understood in the context of the seeds regularly available to the hearers that he was addressing, and moreover those seeds that they were in the habit of cultivating -- e.g. putting in the ground -- not all possible seeds including the orchid seeds that grow in the jungles of Brazil (which are the smallest known seed).

Now why the mention of "ground" -- here the point is that the seed has to fall into the ground, a symbol of death, before it can bring forth new life that is so great that much larger animals take shelter in its branches, and even the birds of the air -- that are the enemies of the seed because they eat it (mustard seed is a favorite of birds) -- take shelter in the leaves of one who sacrifices what he has and is planted into the ground. God will reward even the little bit of faith with a mighty new life, if only it is planted into the ground.

Answer 3

There is no reason for the two phrases ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, to have different meanings in Mark 4:31. Thus, translations which translate them the same appear to be more accurate. In English (but definitely not for the Hebrew) the tendency is to avoid redundancy. But if translated with different words, these two same phrases in the same verse should have the same meaning.

“It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.” (Mark 4:31–32, NASB1995)

Translated differently, but same meaning:

It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground.  And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade.” (Mark 4:31–32, HCSV)

Translation that eliminates redundancy:

It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:31–32, NIV84)

The King James Version does translate both phrases the same:

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:  But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. (Mark 4:31–32, KJV).

So, if earth means ground in the first phrase, why doesn't it mean ground in the second?

Jesus' illustration in his parable was based on vegetable gardens of his audience, not on all the seeds in the world. It is also worth noting that the New Testament authors used κόσμος for world while γῆ for the planet less often than the the LXX. The LXX used κόσμος less often for world.

Answer 4

Botanically, with modern research, the mustard seed is obviously not the smallest seed. [Orchids and vanilla plants have smaller seeds.] Christ's statement about the mustard seed being the smallest can be understood in various ways that are compatible with the text:

• The mustard seed is the smallest seed compared to the size of the tree
• It is the smallest seed of the commonly farmed, edible crops
• It is the smallest of the seeds planted in soil to produce a tree

As with many of the common agrarian statements in the Bible, we must allow some latitude and degree of literary license for the ancient world views (their approach to the natural world was very different from ours).

Answer 5

There's at least one more and simpler option: The gospel was probably written around 70 CE, at a time when not a single person could know which seed, plant, or animal was the smallest or largest on earth. The author choose the example of a mustard seed to the best of their knowledge.

Answer 6

The metaphor of the mustard seed may have been proverbial. This excerpt was used in another discussion on this forum and seems relevant here as well:

What does a mustard seed grow into?

Thus, as regards the first of these two Parables, the seed of the mustard-plant passed in popular parlance as the smallest of seeds. In fact, the expression, ‘small as a mustard-seed,’ had become proverbial, and was used, not only by our Lord, but frequently by the Rabbis, to indicate the smallest amount, such as the least drop of blood, the least defilement, or the smallest remnant of sun-glow in the sky. (Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus)

The contrast between the small size of the mustard seed and the large size of the fully grown shrub conveys the idea that the kingdom of God grows exponentially from that which is small and humble. Use of the superlative is consistent with other verses that echo a similar message:

• “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” (Lk 9:48)
• So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Mt 20:16)

Answer 7

A possible way to look at it is the use of language as compared with Genesis.

We read:

“It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬ ‭NKJV

Cf. With:

“And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭NKJV

‬‬It seems that Jesus was speaking locally (Israeli soil):

a mustard seed, κόκκῳ (kokkō)-

which ὃς (hos) -

is ὂν (on) -

the smallest μικρότερον (mikroteron) -

of all πάντων (pantōn) -

seeds σπερμάτων (spermatōn) -

sown σπαρῇ (sparē) -

upon ἐπὶ (epi) -

the τῆς (tēs) -

earth γῆς (gēs).

The last term has the definition of:

Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

Extended definition:

Gloss: earth, world, country, region; land, ground, soil

Definition: earth, soil, Mt. 13:5; Mk. 4:8, et al.; the ground, surface of the earth, Mt. 10:29; Lk. 6:49, et al.; the land, as opposed to the sea or a lake, Lk. 5:11; Jn. 21:8, 9, 11; the earth, world, Mt. 5:18, 35, et al.; by synec. the inhabitants of the earth, Mt. 5:13; 6:10; 10:34; a land, region, tract, country, territory, Mt. 2:20; 14:34;by way of eminence, the chosen land, Mt. 5:5; 24:30; 27:45; Eph. 6:3; the inhabitants of a region or country, Mt. 10:15; 11:24, et al.

Source: https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/ge-0

Mark 4:31 doesn’t say: “is smaller than all the seeds on all the earth.”

Rather, Mark 4:31 says: “is smaller than all the seeds on earth”.

There are other scriptures besides Genesis 1:29 that can qualify for a more broad & narrow description.

“For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭15‬ ‭

The text indicates the “face of the whole earth” … “the land was darkened” … then Moses writes: “throughout all the land of Egypt.”

In a broad sense it would appear that the locusts were covering the entire earth (all 7 continents, possibly) but the narrow qualifier mentions it was “throughout all the land of Egypt”.

It may be in Mark 4:31 that Jesus meant all the earth in terms of the region of Israel, not in terms of the entire world, for Jesus came to speak that which God the Father wanted Him to speak, and God cannot lie:

“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.” ‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭49‬

Answer 8

I propose that Jesus wasn't even talking about a mustard seed. Ever wonder why the mustard tree is never mentioned in the Old Testament? Ever wonder why the cedar is never mentioned in the New Testament? The cedar was important in the Old Testament and I think Jesus was talking about it. Compare what he says about the mustard seed in Mark 4:30 to Ezekiel 17:22 (KJV):

Mark 4

³⁰ And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? ³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: ³² But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Now consider what Ezekiel says about the CEDAR:

Ezekiel 17 (KJV)

²² Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: ²³ In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.

I haven't been able to find any info on this great "mustard" tree and would welcome any. Would it be impossible to believe that Christ was talking about the Cedar which was prevalent in ancient Israel, used medicinally, and also in priestly rituals?

Answer 9

It has a rhetorical and contextual significance, not absolute and ontological; and in the light of this rhetorical-persuasive aim, must have had a contextual validity for the listeners: it could mean “the smallest seed among the seeds used in agrarian economies by Palestinian pheasants.”

It is the same if I say to my colleagues: “The ping-pong ball is the smallest of all, but still the fastest”, I will not put here an absolute ontological sense in the “smallest”, but will consider the context that my listeners think not about balls in general, but about balls used in sports known to them and myself - football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, handball, golf, baseball, waterpolo, softball, ok + padel, racquetball, squash and pool/billiard. If my listener would have retorted that “ping-pong ball is not the smallest for there are balls not used in sports that are even smaller”, I would have killed this guy for being a nerd and be honored by the subsequent generations for benefitting the mankind by making it one nerd lesser! :)

Answer 10

The mustard tree of the Middle East, Africa, and India is Salvadora persica, not the smallish plant with the large yellow seeds we get mustard from, which is Sinapis alba. Salvadora persica typically grows 6-7 meters in height, and has small, red fruits, which means the seeds are even smaller. It was likely the smallest seed in the area which produced the largest comparative full-grown plant, which is the point Jesus was making - if you have even a tiny fraction (the size of a mustard tree seed) of the faith that is possible to have (the size of a mustard tree) you can move mountains.

• Wikipedia: Salvadora persica
• National Library of Medicine: Salvadora persica

Answer 11

Virtually nothing Jesus is quoted as saying in the Gospels is beyond what a well-educated person of his time and place would believe on most subjects - botany, biology, astrophysics, chemistry, and so on.

Rather, in terms of what he says, his insight is in morality and spirituality.

I don't know if there was an error in transcription, interpretation, if it was hyperbole, whether it was a trope, whether he had a mistaken botanical belief, or what have you. However, I do know that none of that really matters to what the Gospels are really about.

Answer 12

Never mind that it's nowhere near the smallest seed, another fact is that it grows into a flimsy weed, not a large tree. If a bird even lands on it, the thing will just topple over. This parable is so often interpreted as an allegory, losing its entire meaning. The audience of the time would have known exactly what Jesus was doing. He was agitating them with an obvious parody of Ezekiel 31, challenging their ideas on the Kingdom of Heaven.