NOTES for Luk 13:18-35
18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? |
19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. |
20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? |
21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. |
22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. |
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, |
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. |
25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: |
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. |
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. |
28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. |
29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. |
30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. |
31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. |
32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. |
33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. |
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! |
35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. |
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The Kingdom of God, the presence of Christ in our life, is often imagined as something great and bright, something impossible to miss. But in the parable of the mustard seed the Lord Jesus gives us a completely different image. The seed of the mustard tree can barely be seen with the naked eye. It is so small that it is unnoticed by an outsider, and often even by its owner.
That is, the Kingdom has already been given to us as if in potential, in the form of a tiny seed. It does not look like a great tree, like the tangible presence we long for so much. And yet, just as genetically the seed and the tree are one and the same organism, so the small particle of the Kingdom that each of us has and that must grow is the same Kingdom that appeared in its fullness in the person of Jesus.
Readings for 12 August 2025
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