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The Parable of the Mustard Seed
The presence of a mustard tree in the middle of a field was certainly a strange image to Jesus’ listeners. Who would want birds perching where one was trying to grow food? Jesus was comparing the kingdom to a giant shrub or weed that starts tiny but grows and takes over the garden. The image of yeast was equally strange to Jesus’ listeners. Yeast was a symbol for sin and had to be completely removed from the house before the Festival of the Passover.
The comparison of the kingdom with something that was symbolically negative would have been shocking. Rather than pretty images, these were disturbing metaphors for the completely unlikely and subversive way God’s kingdom actually works.
When have you seen God work in an unexpected way?
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About this Plan
Experience the Bible through the eyes of a first-century disciple by exploring the cultural, religious, and historical background of the Bible. This 21-day reading plan is built from the NIV First-Century Study Bible. These daily readings will allow you to understand the teaching of Jesus in its original cultural context, bringing Scripture to life by providing fresh understanding to familiar passages.
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