June 15, 2025
Luke 13:18–21 ESV
He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
Discussion Questions:
How does Jesus in verses 18 and 19, using the grain of mustard seed, describe the kingdom of God?
In verses 20 and 21, what does the illustration of the leaven and the measures of flour reveal about the kingdom of God?
Discussion Summary:
Verses 18,19: The kingdom of God as begun in Jesus’ ministry would grow over the centuries until eventually it fills the earth (Isaiah 61:11; Habakkuk 2:14) Many of the symbols of this parable can be found in Ezekiel 17:22-24.
There is also a negative perspective of this parable. The kingdom of God as begun in Jesus’ ministry was corrupted over time and became powerful and aligned to the kings of this world as Christendom. This can be found in Matthew 13:24-30.
Verses 19,20: The Kingdom of God starts small and grows through a hidden, transformative process. This can be seen in a positive way through the lives of Christians (Colossians 3:3). This can also be seen in a negative way when leaven is viewed as sin (1 Corinthians 5:6,7; Luke 12:1). Revelation contrasts the pure virgin church of Revelation 12:1 to the great harlot of Revelation 17:1-6.
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