📖 Biblical Definition
Christ's parable of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19): the kingdom is like a mustard seed, smallest of all seeds, which when sown grows into a tree — and the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches. The same image of faith: if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove (Matt 17:20).
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
MUSTARD SEED, n.
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A scriptural parable of Christ; the kingdom of heaven likened to a mustard seed.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 13:31 — "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field."
Matthew 13:32 — "Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree."
Matthew 17:20 — "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove."
Mark 4:32 — "It groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity expects the kingdom to arrive at marketing scale; Christ said it starts as a mustard seed.
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Christ's mustard-seed parable rebukes two modern Christian intuitions. First, the assumption that the kingdom must arrive in visible mass and impressive scale — megachurches, viral campaigns, mass conversions. Christ says it starts smaller than that. Second, the assumption that small means insignificant — the small church, the obscure mission, the unnoticed prayer meeting. Christ says small grows into great.
The smallest seed becomes the greatest herb. This is also true of personal faith. The trembling, mustard-seed-sized faith of a discouraged saint, applied to a mountain, moves the mountain. Do not despise the day of small things. Plant the seed; trust the One who grows it; the birds will come and lodge in its branches.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek roots below.
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G2848 — kokkos — seed, grain
G4615 — sinapi — mustard
Usage
"Modern Christianity expects kingdom marketing scale; Christ said it starts as a mustard seed."
"Small does not mean insignificant; the smallest seed becomes the greatest herb."
"Plant the seed; trust the One who grows it; the birds will come and lodge."