Parable of the mustard seed - wikipedia Parable of the mustard seed This article is about the parable of Jesus. For the Buddhist parable, see Kisa Gotami. Etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable, from the Bowyer Bible. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is one of the shorter parables of Jesus. It appears in Matthew ( 13 : 31 -- 32 ), Mark ( 4 : 30 -- 32 ), and Luke ( 13 : 18 -- 19 ). In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, it is immediately followed by the Parable of the Leaven, which shares this parable 's theme of the Kingdom of Heaven growing from small beginnings. It also appears in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas ( verse 20 ). Contents 1 Narrative 2 Interpretation 3 See also 4 References 5 External links Narrative In the Gospel of Matthew the parable is as follows :... He set another man before them, saying, `` The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field ; which indeed is smaller than all 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 lodge in its branches. '' -- Matthew 13 : 31 -- 32, World English Bible In the Gospel of Mark : He said, `` How will we liken the Kingdom of God ? Or with what parable will we illustrate it ? It 's like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow. '' -- Mark 4 : 30 -- 32, World English Bible In the Gospel of Luke : He said, `` What is the Kingdom of God like ? To what shall I compare it ? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches. '' -- Luke 13 : 18 -- 19, World English Bible Interpretation The black mustard plant. The plant referred to here is generally considered to be black mustard, a large annual plant up to 9 feet ( 2.7 m ) tall, but growing from a proverbially small seed ( this smallness is also used to refer to faith in Matthew 17 : 20 and Luke 17 : 6 ). According to rabbinical sources, Jews did not grow the plant in gardens, and this is consistent with Matthew 's description of it growing in a field. Luke tells the parable with the plant in a garden instead ; this is presumably recasting the story for an audience outside the Levant. I. Howard Marshall writes that the parable `` suggests the growth of the kingdom of God from tiny beginnings to worldwide size. '' The Parable of the Leaven ( which in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke immediately follows ) shares this theme of large growth from small beginnings. As with the Parable of the Sower, which in Matthew and Mark occurs earlier in the same chapter, the man sowing the seed represents Jesus, and the plant is the Kingdom of God. The nesting birds may refer to Old Testament texts which emphasize the universal reach of God 's empire, such as Daniel 4 : 12. However, a real mustard plant is unlikely to attract nesting birds, so that `` Jesus seems deliberately to emphasize the notion of astonishing extravagance in his analogy. '' Other commentators have suggested that the birds represent Gentiles seeking refuge with Israel or the `` sinners '' and tax collectors with whom Jesus was criticised for associating. A few commentators view the birds negatively, as representing false teachers invading the church. Some have identified a `` subversive and scandalous '' element to this parable, in that the fast - growing nature of the mustard plant makes it a `` malignant weed '' with `` dangerous takeover properties ''. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History ( published around AD 78 ) writes that `` mustard... is extremely beneficial for the health. It grows entirely wild, though it is improved by being transplanted : but on the other hand when it has once been sown it is scarcely possible to get the place free of it, as the seed when it falls germinates at once. '' Ben Witherington notes that Jesus could have chosen a genuine tree for the parable, and that the mustard plant demonstrates that `` Though the dominion appeared small like a seed during Jesus ' ministry, it would inexorably grow into something large and firmly rooted, which some would find shelter in and others would find obnoxious and try to root out. '' See also Five Discourses of Matthew Life of Jesus in the New Testament Ministry of Jesus Mustard seed and mustard seed growing References ^ Jump up to : I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke : A commentary on the Greek text, Eerdmans, 1978, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 3512 - 0, pp. 561. ^ Jump up to : John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew : A commentary on the Greek text, Eerdmans, 2005, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 2389 - 0, p. 551. ^ Jump up to : Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans, 1997, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 2315 - 7, p. 526. Jump up ^ Richard N. Longenecker, The Challenge of Jesus ' Parables, Eerdmans, 2000, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 4638 - 6, p. 141. ^ Jump up to : Michael F. Bird, Jesus and the Origins of the Gentile Mission, Continuum, 2006, ISBN 0 - 567 - 04473 - 4, pp. 73 -- 77. ^ Jump up to : Ben Witherington, The Gospel of Mark : A socio - rhetorical commentary, Eerdmans, 2001, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 4503 - 7, pp. 171 -- 172. Jump up ^ Herbert Lockyer, All the Parables of the Bible, Zondervan, 1988, ISBN 0 - 310 - 28111 - 3, p. 188. Jump up ^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, translated by Harris Rackham, Loeb, 1950, Book XIX, Chapter LIV. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parable of the Mustard Seed. Jesus Historicity Chronology of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus Historical Jesus Quest for the historical Jesus portraits sources Josephus on Jesus Tacitus mention Mara bar Serapion letter Historicity Gospels race and appearance Life events Birth Nativity Mary Joseph Flight into Egypt Childhood Unknown years Baptism Temptation Apostles selecting Great Commission Ministry Sermon on the Mount Plain Prayers Lord 's Prayer Parables Miracles Transfiguration Homelessness Last Supper Passion arrest trial Crucifixion sayings on the cross Tomb Resurrection Ascension New Testament Gospels Matthew Mark Luke Gospel harmony Oral gospel traditions Life of Jesus in the New Testament Historical background of the New Testament New Testament places associated with Jesus Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament Culture Language of Jesus Bibliography Films Christianity Christ Christianity Christology Depictions of Jesus art Jesus in Christianity pre-existence incarnation Relics associated with Jesus Scholastic Lutheran Christology Second Coming Session of Christ Other views Brothers of Jesus Holy Family Jesuism Jesus in comparative mythology Christ myth theory Jesus in Islam Ahmadiyya Jesus in Scientology Judaism 's view of Jesus in the Talmud Master Jesus Religious perspectives on Jesus Criticism Parables of Jesus Canonical Gospels Barren Fig Tree Budding Fig Tree Counting the cost Drawing in the Net Faithful Servant Friend at Night Good Samaritan Good Shepherd Great Banquet Growing Seed Hidden Treasure Lamp Leaven Lost Coin Lost Sheep Master and Servant Mustard Seed New Wine into Old Wineskins Pearl Pharisee and the Publican Prodigal Son Rich Fool Rich man and Lazarus Scribe Sheep and Goats Sower Strong Man Talents or minas Tares Ten Virgins True Vine Tree and its Fruits Two Debtors Two Sons Unjust Judge Unjust Steward Unforgiving Servant Wedding Feast Wicked Husbandmen Wise and Foolish Builders Workers in the Vineyard Non-canonical / disputed Assassin Empty Jar Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parable_of_the_Mustard_Seed&oldid=839833143 '' Categories : Parables of Jesus Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bân - lâm - gú Català Deutsch Español Esperanto Français गोंयची कोंकणी / Gõychi Konknni Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית 日本 語 Português Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Tagalog தமிழ் 粵語 中文 13 more Edit links This page was last edited on 6 May 2018, at 00 : 12 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where was the parable of the mustard seed told
Answer: Matthew (13:31–32)