Mustard

The mustard plant of the New Testament parables is generally identified as Sinapis nigra, black mustard, a shrub-like annual herb that grows commonly in Galilee and throughout the Holy Land. Its seeds are among the smallest used in Palestinian agriculture, yet the plant can grow to a height of eight to ten feet in favorable conditions, large enough for birds to nest in its branches. Jesus used the mustard seed in two distinct but related parables. In the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matt. 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19), the kingdom of heaven is compared to a mustard seed that grows from the smallest of seeds into the greatest of garden plants, illustrating the vast and surprising growth of the kingdom from its humble beginnings. In the saying on faith (Matt. 17:20; Luke 17:6), Jesus tells his disciples that faith even as small as a mustard seed would be sufficient to move mountains — emphasizing quality of trust over quantity.