Matthew 13:31,32 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Another parable put he forth— The former parables relate chiefly to unfruitful hearers; these that follow, to those who bear good fruit. In the present parable our Lord shews, that notwithstanding the gospel appeared at first contemptible, by reason of the ignominy arising from the crucifixion of its Author, the difficulty of its precepts, the weakness of the persons by whom it was preached, and the small number and mean condition of those who received it; yet having initself the strength of truth, it would grow so great as to fill the earth, affording spiritual sustenance to persons of all nations, who should be admitted to it, not in the quality of slaves, as the Jews imagined, but as free-born subjects of the Messiah's kingdom, enjoying therein equal privileges with the Jews. This sense of the parable is the more probable, as our Lord seems now to have had his eye on Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel 4:10-12 in which the nature and advantages of civil government are represented by a great tree with spreading branches, fair leaves, and much fruit. This parable was well calculated to encourage the disciples; who, judging of the Gospel by its beginning, might have been apt to fall into despair, when, instead of seeing it preached by the learned, countenanced by the great, and instantly received with applause by all, they found it generally opposed by men in high life, preached only by illiterate persons, and received by few besides the poor. These, certainly, were melancholy circumstances according to outward appearance, and what must have given great offence: yet in process of time they became strong confirmations of the Christian religion. The treasure of the Gospel was committed to earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might appear to be from God. The phrase, the least of all seeds, is a figure frequently used in common discourse, and signifies one of the least; or the least of all those seeds with which the people of Judaea were then acquainted; so small, that it was proverbially used by the Jews; to denote a very little thing. "The globe of the earth, say the rabbies, is but a grain of mustard-seed, when compared with the expanse of the heavens." See ch. Matthew 17:20. The term tree is applied bybotanists to plants of the larger kind, which grow to the magnitude of shrubs; and for that reason are termed plantae arborescentes. The Talmud mentions a mustard-tree, or at least what the Orientals comprehended under the species of the sinapi, so large that a man might with ease sit in it; and another, one of whose branches covered a tent. It is certain, that we should be much mistaken, if we judged of vegetables or animals in the Eastern or Southern countries, merely by what those of the same species are with us. The word κατασκηνουν, rendered lodge, signifies, "They find shelter, and pass their time there." See Tremellius and Lightfoot's Hor. Heb. on the place.