The Smallest of the Seeds?

Matthew 13:31 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;

Matthew 13:32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches. 

Mark 4:26 He said, "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed on the earth [ground, farm land, soil],
Mark 4:27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn't know how.
Mark 4:28 For the earth [ground, soil, farm land] bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
Mark 4:29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest has come."
Mark 4:30 He said, "How will we liken the kingdom of God? Or by what parable will we compare it?
Mark 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth [ground, farm land, soil], though it is less than all the seeds that are on [in] the earth [ground, soil, farm land, land area], 

The claim has been made: "The seeds of the begonia and orchids are smaller.  But then the scribe would know that if he was inspired by a God."

The Greek word *pantwn* (translated "all" Strong's #3956) often means "all these" or "all those". It does not necessarily mean "all seeds" all over the planet earth. All forms of "pas" look to the context and evidence of circumstances for exclusion or inclusion. 

"There went out to him all the country of Judea, and all those [Strong's 3956] of Jerusalem. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins." (Mark 1:5) Does this mean that absolutely every person who lived in the country of Judea and in Jerusalem came to John and was baptized by him? Absolutely not. To make greater sense in English, this would be better rendered: "And there went to him those of all the land of Judea, and Jerusalemites. All these were baptized by him in the Jordan River, openly confessing their sins." In this the Good News Translation, although it is paraphrased, captures the sense by expressing it: "Many people from the province of Judea and the city of Jerusalem went out to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River." 

And then we have the example of the usage of ta panta in Hebrews 2:8, where Paul quotes Psalm 8 regarding mankind: "'You have put all things in subjection under his feet.' For in that he subjected all things to him [man], he left nothing that is not subject to him [man]. But now we don't see all things subjected to him, yet." What are the "all things" -- ta panta: the all -- that was subjected to mankind? Psalm 8:7 answers: "All sheep and oxen, Yes, and the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, And whatever passes through the paths of the seas." (See Genesis 1:26,28) 

I could give more examples, but one can check these in any good Bible Greek concordance. 

It is evident that pas is subject to inclusion or exclusion according the context or common evidence, as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:27 (this scripture is often confused with Hebrews 2:8, but if one studies what is said in the context of Hebrews 2:8 closely, we can see that the two are not speaking of the same thing). 

The Greek word from which "earth" is translated is Strong's #1093. This word in the Bible does not always refer to the planet earth itself. Strong gives its meaning as: "soil; by extens. a region, or the solid part or whole of the terrene globe (includ. the occupants in each application):" 

Thayer gives it these meanings: 

arable land
the ground, the earth as a standing place
the main land as opposed to the sea or water
the earth as a whole
the earth as opposed to the heavens
the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals
a country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of land,
territory, region
Thayer.

Jesus was not referring to seeds of the entire globe, as our modern thought as defined by modern scientific knowledge, might assume, but simply referring to the farming land with which his listeners were familiar. His listeners were from certain areas in and around Galilee.-- Mark 3:7-9; 4:1,10. 

Our conclusion is that Jesus, the Son of Jehovah, was speaking of all those seeds planted by the farmer in the land, in the environment, where he was, not of all seeds in the entire world. 

So the claim is made that mustard is a plant much like kale or chard, and is not a tree or shrub, as described in the Bible.

Again, we have one trying to define what is written in the scriptures by modern classifications produced by modern-day scientists, and then applying these modern-day classification back into the Bible, and then claiming that since Biblical terminology is different from modern-day classifications made by modern-day scientist, then the Bible is inaccurate.. 

Nevertheless, at dictionary.com, we find this listed under "mustard": 

Source: WordNet - 2.0, (c) 2003 Princeton University 

mustard
a plant of the genus sinapis, a pod-bearing, shrub-like plant, growing wild, and also cultivated in gardens. The little round seeds were an emblem of any small insignificant object. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament; and in each of the three instances of its occurrence in the New Testament (Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19) it is spoken of only with reference to the smallness of its seed. The common mustard of Palestine is the Sinapis nigra. This garden herb sometimes grows to a considerable height, so as to be spoken of as "a tree" as compared with garden herbs.

===== 

The word "nested" does not actually appear in the Greek; the Greek word would have been better translated "abide" as in Acts 2:26 (KJV), or even better as it is in Young's Literal Translation: 

Matthew 13:32  - which less, indeed, is than all the seeds, but when it may be grown, is greatest of the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven do come and rest in its branches.' 

Mark 4:32 - and whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.' 

Luke 13:19 - It is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did cast into his garden, and it increased, and came to a great tree, and the fowls of the heavens did rest in its branches. 

Furthermore, Jesus is giving a parable, using symbolisms, which can be interpreted as applying to the church as a whole. The kingdom of God [the true church] started out very small, with Jesus and his 12 disciples, and yet grows larger as a tree, under which even the fowls of the heavens, the sky, could rest. Earlier Jesus spoke of "fowls". (Mark 4:4,15) In the age to come, those who are members of the church enrolled in heaven will come as saviors to the world, and as being the God's Kingdom. the world will come to the church for life-giving knowledge. -- Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 2:2-4; Obadiah 1:21.

Ronald R. Day, Sr.