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Matthew 13:31-35

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Parables of the Kingdom, and we are looking at seven parables of Jesus from Matthew 13. So far, we have looked at two parables – the parable of the sower and the parable of the weeds. Today we will look at two more – the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. (Read Matthew 13:31-33 and pray.)

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We are looking at two parables together this morning, and that’s because these two parables go together. They are a pair of parables, or you could even call them twins. These are not the only twin parables or stories presented in the Bible. Other examples include the parables of the treasure and the pearl, which we will look at next week. There are also the cupbearer and the baker’s dreams in the book of Genesis, and Pharaoh’s two dreams of the fat and the skinny cows that come soon after.

The twin parables when we meet them are not exactly the same, but rather they work together and help to interpret each other. I like what one person says about them: “One should not assume that parable twins are necessarily identical. They may well be fraternal twins and make similar but not identical points.” (Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent, p. 219)

The parables we will be looking at today are not fully developed stories but rather simple analogies. Jesus is telling us that the kingdom of heaven is like what happens with the mustard seed and the yeast in these parables.

And in doing so, he brings a message of hope following the losses and the setbacks of the previous two parables. Think about it. In the parable of the sower, only one out of the four seeds actually grows. In the parable of the weeds, an enemy sows weeds among the wheat. But the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast assure us that despite all obstacles, God’s kingdom will grow.

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast answer the question: How can the kingdom of heaven already be here when it seems so small or is growing so slowly? And the answer is that the kingdom of heaven has small beginnings but yields remarkable results.

And that is good news for us. Because we may feel small or insignificant. We may wonder if what we do for God even matters. But our smallest efforts all count because we are part of something bigger. We are part of the kingdom of God. So, let’s look at these two parables together.

I. The parable of the mustard seed (31-32)

First, let’s look at the parable of the mustard seed. Look at verses 31-32 with me:

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

   A. God’s kingdom starts small (31)
      – Luke 12:32; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

So, what is the kingdom like according to this parable? The first thing we learn from the parable of the mustard seed is that God’s kingdom starts small. Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.” (Matthew 13:31)

Now, the mustard seed is not the smallest seed in the world, although it is the smallest seed commonly planted in Israel. A mustard seed is only one millimeter in diameter. It takes about 750 seeds to equal one gram. A gram is one twenty-eighth of an ounce, so we multiply 750×28, and it takes about 21,000 mustard seeds to make an ounce. And Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like one of these tiny mustard seeds which a man takes and plants in his field.

God’s kingdom starts small. Now that should seem strange to us, because God is so big. And I am sure it seemed strange to the disciples, too. Here was Jesus proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven had come. Wow, that must be something really big, right? But they look around, and what do they see? It’s just them and Jesus traveling around and teaching the people. Jesus and a bunch of unschooled fishermen. They must have felt pretty insignificant compared to the power of Rome with all its legions of soldiers.

But that’s okay, because God’s kingdom starts small. God is not interested in flash or show. God is interested in changing people’s hearts and lives one person at a time. God doesn’t seek out the brightest and the best, but he seeks out sinners who know they need a Savior.

Paul wrote to the church of the Corinthians: “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) At another time Jesus turned to his rag-tag bunch of disciples and said to them, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

God’s kingdom starts small. It has humble beginnings. I am sure most people didn’t give the disciples a second glance. I imagine there are probably people all over this region who don’t give the church a second glance. But that’s okay. God’s kingdom seems unimpressive at first, but that’s only because it doesn’t come all at once. God’s kingdom starts small.

   B. God’s kingdom will grow surprisingly large (32)
      – Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6; Daniel 4:12

But there’s a second part to the parable. God’s kingdom may start small, but it will grow surprisingly large. We read in verse 32: “Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:32)

This image of a tree with the birds of the air resting in its branches is a common image for a kingdom in the Old Testament. (Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6; Daniel 4:12) So yes, the mustard seed is a very tiny seed, but it grows into a very large plant. And that’s why Jesus used it for this parable. God’s kingdom starts small, but it will grow surprisingly large.

II. The parable of the yeast (33)

And then Jesus says something very similar with the parable of the yeast. Look at verse 33 with me next:

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33)

Some people find this parable confusing because yeast is often used in a negative sense in the Bible as a symbol for sin or hypocrisy. (Matthew 16:6; 1 Corinthians 5:6-7) However, there are also positive uses of yeast in the Bible (Leviticus 7:13, 23:15-18), and the same symbol can be used in different ways in Scripture. For example, the symbol of a lion is used in Scripture to represent both Satan and Jesus. (1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 5:5)

And so, although some people interpret this parable in a negative way, I believe that the yeast is meant as a positive symbol in this parable. Remember, this parable is a twin with the parable of the mustard seed, which means they both have to do with the same thing. In both parables Jesus is teaching us about the surprising growth of the kingdom.

   A. God’s kingdom remains hidden at first (33a)

And just as the parable of the mustard seed teaches us that God’s kingdom starts small, the parable of the yeast teaches us that God’s kingdom remains hidden at first. Look at the first part of verse 33 with me now: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour.” (Matthew 13:33)

This “large amount” is specified as three measures of flour in the original language, which was a common amount used when making bread. It is the same amount that was used in the Old Testament by Sarah, Gideon and Hannah when they were making bread. (Genesis 18:6; Judges 6:19; 1 Samuel 1:24) It is still a large amount and would make enough bread for about a hundred people or enough to feed your family and servants for several days.

The important thing about the yeast or leaven in this parable is that it is such a small amount compared to the flour and that it remains hidden at first. You can’t see the yeast in the flour at first, but it is still there, and it is the yeast that gives the bread the potential to grow. So that’s the meaning from the first part of the parable of the yeast. God’s kingdom remains hidden at first.

   B. God’s kingdom will spread through the whole earth (33b)
      – Matthew 5:13; Matthew 6:10

But there’s a second part to the parable, just as there was a second part with the parable of the mustard seed. Yes, God’s kingdom remains hidden at first, but it will spread through the whole earth. Look at the rest of verse 33 now: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33)

This reminds of an old I Love Lucy episode on television where Lucy puts too much yeast in the bread and ends up baking a huge loaf of bread that just keeps coming and coming out of the oven. The yeast remains hidden at first, but it is working away on the bread, spreading through the whole batch of dough.

In the same way the Bible teaches us that God’s kingdom will spread through the whole earth. Jesus told his followers in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13) Just like the yeast, the salt is a picture of Christian influence in the world. As Christians we are to share the gospel far and wide. And we are to allow God’s Spirit to make us more like Christ so that we can be a witness to those around us as believers living a new life in Christ transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) God’s kingdom may start small, and it may remain hidden at first, but we are to pray that God’s kingdom will come to earth and that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The parable of the yeast is a very simple illustration of the kingdom. A small amount of yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough. In the same way, God’s kingdom remains hidden at first, but it will eventually spread through the whole earth.

We can certainly see this with the worldwide spread of the gospel. Christianity began with twelve ordinary disciples following Jesus around a small piece of land in the Middle East and has now grown to penetrate every country in every continent on the earth. There are still unreached people groups within many of those countries, but the gospel continues to go forth and God’s kingdom continues to grow.

If only the disciples could see the church today, how far the gospel has gone since those small beginnings 2,000 years ago! I believe they can see it, they are overwhelmed by it, and they are giving praise to God even now as his kingdom continues to expand.

III. More thoughts on Jesus teaching the crowds with parables (34-35)

Matthew closes out these twin parables with two more thoughts on Jesus teaching the crowds with parables.

   A. Jesus used simple stories to teach about the kingdom (34)

First, he emphasizes once again how Jesus used simple stories to teach about the kingdom. Look at verse 34 which says:

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. (Matthew 13:34)

Jesus loved teaching through parables, and at least on this occasion he did not say anything to the crowd without using a parable. He used these simple stories from everyday life to teach these important truths about the kingdom.

Not everyone understood them at the time, including his own disciples. He had to explain the parables to them later. But no matter. The parables stuck in your head and made you think and reflect on what Jesus was teaching about the kingdom.

   B. In doing so he fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (35)
      – Psalm 78:2

Jesus taught the crowds with parables, and in doing so he also fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Look at verse 35 with me now:

So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:35)

Matthew is quoting Psalm 78:2 from the Old Testament in this verse. Jesus taught the people with parables in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus was teaching them things hidden from the creation of the world.

In the parables Jesus reveals things about God’s kingdom that no one understood before. No wonder we should read these parables and marvel! Do you want to know what God’s kingdom is like? Read Jesus’ parables of the kingdom!

CONCLUSION: I love these two parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. God’s kingdom starts small, but it will grow surprisingly large. God’s kingdom remains hidden at first, but it will eventually spread through the whole earth.

It is so easy for us just to look at our own small part in God’s plan and feel discouraged. But we need to remember that we are part of a huge movement of God that is reaching the nations with the gospel. The kingdom of heaven arrived with Jesus, spread to the disciples and continues to grow throughout the world. Eventually God’s kingdom will come in its fullness when Christ returns. Together these two parables teach us not to be discouraged, but to continue working and praying together for God’s kingdom.

One day Christ will be revealed, and his kingdom will come in all of its glory. All that is wrong will be made right, and all wickedness and evil will be judged. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And on that day, we will marvel at how God’s kingdom has grown. From Christ’s humble beginnings in Bethlehem, to his death on the cross, to his exaltation in heaven, to his glorious return – like a seed growing to harvest, like the yeast working its way through the dough, God’s kingdom will fill the whole earth. And together we will praise our great God and King forever and ever.

© Ray Fowler

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