Mark 4:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,

NIV: It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.

NASB: It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is the smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil,

CSB: It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground.

NLT: It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,

KJV: 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:

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

Although the mustard seed isn't the smallest seed on the entire planet, it was the smallest seed Jews planted in their gardens at this time. Reference to the mustard seed as "the smallest" is a Jewish proverb. The seeds are about one to two millimeters in diameter, or about 1/16 inches. Our cultural equivalent would be to point out how a mighty oak tree is grown from a single acorn.

Pliny the Elder, in his book The Natural History, says of mustard that it germinates immediately upon being sown and it is "scarcely possible to get the place free of it." He also says that mustard relieves the sting of serpents and scorpions, neutralizes poisonous fungi, cures post-nasal drip, and helps with toothache, asthmas, epilepsy, and "hysterical suffocations." Although his enthusiasm for mustard's medicinal uses is certainly hyperbolic, since Pliny the Elder lived in the first century, we can assume that Jesus' audience held similar views.

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says that faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain. Here, as in the other proverbs of Mark 4, the seed can be seen as the gospel that is scattered amidst a crowd. In a way, it's also Jesus, Himself. He is rather plain looking (Isaiah 53:2). He is falsely considered an illegitimate son of Mary (Mark 6:3). And even His hometown has a bad reputation (John 1:46). But He obviously makes a big impact.

That Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as a man to die a man's death, is essential for the gospel. As the seed is sown in the ground, God becomes man. And like that seed, He has to die (John 12:24). The result for the piece of grain is a great harvest of more kernels (Mark 4:8). The result of Jesus' death is His resurrection and salvation for the world (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Mark 4:30–34 is a lesson from Jesus about the power of His message. Jesus is preparing His disciples to preach the gospel. He's talked about the different types of students they'll encounter (Mark 4:1–20, 24–25), the need for teaching (Mark 4:21–23), and the fact that they can't make anyone listen (Mark 4:24–29). Like the growth of the tiny mustard seed, the gospel will cause a great movement that will change lives across the world. Mark finishes the section with a reminder of how and why Jesus uses parables to teach (Mark 4:33–34). This account is also found in Matthew 13:31–32, 34–35 and Luke 13:18–19.

Jesus speaks in parables to the assembled crowd, giving them an opportunity to decide how much spiritual truth they want to absorb. The disciples, wanting to learn more, ask Jesus to explain the meaning of the parables He has taught. As Jesus explains these ideas, He demonstrates that a person's spiritual knowledge is based on their willingness to pursue truth. After describing Jesus' teaching in some detail, the Gospel of Mark describes how Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Mark 3 explores the different ways people react to Jesus' teaching and miracles. They either follow Him, use Him, hide Him, or destroy Him. In Mark 4, Jesus explains why people react the way they do. He uses parables to explain who is serious about learning from Him. The softer a person's heart is, the more truth God will reveal. Soon, the twelve will also spread Jesus' message, although they will not be responsible for the spiritual growth of those who believe. The following chapter returns to depicting Jesus' miracles, including two of His most famous.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.