Rethinking The Parable Of The Mustard Seed: Studies in Mark, Pt. 73
So, I ventured back into Mark’s Gospel a couple of days ago—something that, as of late, I've not been able to do as often as I'd like to. The story I began reading was what is commonly referred to as “The Parable of the Mustard Seed” (Mk. 4.30-34). After I read this story, I remembered one that came just a few verses before it because it shared a lot of the same imagery: “The Parable of the Seed & Soils” (or, as it is also referred to “The Parable of the Sower”…even though it’s not about the sower!!!). This story and Jesus' explanation of it can be found at Mk. 4.1-20. Anyway, a few things had struck me when reading the mustard seed narrative: 1) The mustard seed story is only a few verses after the soils & seeds story, so much so that, Mark leads readers to believe that Jesus tells both stories in one sitting—on the boat, 2) Both stories use the images of birds, seeds and soils, 3) Both stories are parables, 4) Both stories have something to say about the Kingdom o...