March 4, 2026
(Josiah Hall)
Matthew 13:31-35, 44-52 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
———————–
Today’s passages group together parables about the Kingdom. The first section (13:31–35) occurs between Jesus’ “parable of the weeds” and the interpretation of that parable which we considered yesterday. The second section occurs after the explanation of the “parable of the weeds.” Each parable teaches us something important about the nature of God’s kingdom.
Mustard Seed and Leaven (13:31–35)
Jesus compares the kingdom to two items known for their tenacious ability to spread throughout their environment: a mustard plant, which is technically a weed, and leaven. On the one hand, Jesus is using these images to describe the kingdom as something that starts out as small and innocuous but then spreads to great effect. On the other hand, the image of the mustard seed illuminates additional aspects of the kingdom. Throughout the ancient world and in Scripture (Daniel 4:12; Ezekiel 17:23; 31:6), powerful kingdoms were often compared to large trees, especially cedars. When Jesus incorrectly labels the mustard plant (which, again, is a weed) as a tree with branches, he is not demonstrating an ignorance of biological classifications, but is rather intentionally activating this image of kingdoms as trees. By comparing the kingdom of God to a garden plant, even one that can grow more than 6 feet high, instead of a glorious tree, Jesus is reminding us that his kingdom does not look the same as other kingdoms. God’s kingdom is not based on a powerful military, a particular form of governance, or being an economic powerhouse. Yet his kingdom will spread throughout the whole world and give rest to those who, like the birds in the parable, seek their rest in it. Just as leaven once it has been mixed into the dough will inevitably cause the dough to rise, albeit slowly, so God’s kingdom likewise will inevitably spread throughout the world. Even when its coming seems slow, we can be confident that God will bring his kingdom, for it depends on his rule and authority.
How Do We View the Kingdom? (13:44–50)
Matthew 13:44–50 presents three parables about how we view the kingdom. The first two compare the kingdom to an item of such great value that someone sells everything they own to gain possession of it. The comparison of God’s kingdom to something that we can possess should strike us as odd. It is absurd to sell all of one’s possessions to buy a single pearl, no matter how valuable, for the only return it can make is if it is resold. The parable’s point, rather, is to form our attitude towards being citizens of God’s kingdom—it is something worth making what are, from a human standpoint, disastrous financial decisions. We should be cautious about too quickly assigning the image of trading all we own for the kingdom to hyperbole. Instead, we should ask ourselves, “do I really see membership in God’s kingdom as a treasure more valuable than all of my possessions?”
Jesus then switches to a rather different image, that of a large dragnet, which was placed in the sea by a boat. Fishermen on the shore would then pull the net in, which would trap fish of all kinds, including many that were considered unclean by the Jewish people. As in the “parable of the weeds” we considered yesterday, Jesus is instructing us to recognize that the kingdom we see now remains a mixed bag of faithful and unfaithful members, though a time of future judgment is coming.
The Purpose of Parables (13:34–35, 51–52)
Lastly, our passage today contains two comments on the purpose of parables that add to Jesus’ remarks about their purpose in 13:10–15. Here, in vv. 34–35, Jesus reminds us that parables do not only conceal truth, they also reveal it. When Jesus asks the disciples if they have understood his parables (v. 51), their affirmative response should encourage us that, for those in Jesus’ kingdom, the parables reveal God’s plan, purpose, and grace. Jesus then instructs the disciples (and by extension us) to take that understanding of the kingdom and to share it with others as one might share a household treasure.
———————–
An audio version of each devotion will be posted on our church podcast “Life Together at CRPC,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.