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Commentaries
English
Mark
  
f) The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30-34)
30Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?31It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;32but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”33And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.34But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.


The spiritual kingdom of God is the greatest power in this and the other world, for the will of the Holy One flows in it, and the stream of his Spirit is directly emanated from him, creating, arranging, and refreshing a new life in the midst of death, as had happened in the beginning of creation. No evil power can overthrow the kingdom of God, for this kingdom, which consists of an everlasting spiritual life, is not built on airplanes, tanks, earthly houses, or destructive hatred. The atmosphere of this kingdom is joy, self-denial, and straightforwardness in the divine power. There is nothing in our world more beautiful than the presence of God in the hearts of men.
Jesus was a normal man, filled with the Spirit of God. He was the beginning of the kingdom of God on earth. He did not look up at the famous politicians and generals, and intelligent philosophers, for they all died without knowing him who was born of the Spirit. When the divine King became in their hands, they killed his body with contempt. But his spiritual kingdom spread with great power, for the Spirit of Christ can never die. He is the mystery and the essence of his kingdom.
He compared his kingdom to a mustard seed, one of the least of all seeds, which can hardly be seen. But when sown it grows up without any noise until it precedes all other plants and becomes a great tree, bearing leaves and fruit, and allowing the birds of the air to shade themselves under its leaves.
Today, the branches of the kingdom of God are spread to all nations, offering all people openness, help, and salvation. Not only the branches and leaves, i.e. believers enjoy the blessings of this kingdom, but also the other creatures outside this large tree take help and good fruits out of it, as different cultures, philosophies, and parties derived benefit from Christ and were affected by his motives without following him. Those may be compared not to the original branches of the large tree, but to the birds, which only temporarily carry its leaves with their pecks. Are you like a bird, which shades itself under the large tree of God, and then flies away, or have you become a branch in this spiritual large tree, bearing its delicious fruit?

Prayer
O Father, we thank you because you planted the large tree of your love in our dry, wicked land, forgave us our sins, and made us blooming branches in this great tree. Establish us in your Son that we may bear today the fruit of his Spirit, and not resemble the birds, which seek help for a moment and then fly away and leave you. Amen.
Question
Why is the kingdom of God greater than all doctrines?