Who are the birds in Jesus' mustard seed parable?

The transformation of a tiny mustard seed into a giant bush in one of Jesus' parables draws attention to the continually expanding aspect of God's Kingdom.
The birds in that mustard seed parable are more than "window dressing." They may be making clear that the Kingdom of God is open to all.
Leo Hartshorn says Jesus' mustard seed parable depicts "a handful of disciples becoming a worldwide church." The visual of the birds helps make that point clear.

Missions: The Heart of God

"Though [a mustard seed] is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches." -- Matthew 13:32

Matthew 13 contains half a dozen of Jesus' parables about the Kingdom of God. Jesus opens with the parable of the sower. Then, He talks about an infestation of weeds, a mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure, a precious pearl, a fishing net, and a homeowner.

To explain the mustard seed parable, Leo Hartshorn uses only eight words: "A handful of disciples become a worldwide church." That the Kingdom of God is going to be large is without question a central point of the mustard seed analogy. There is, however, one detail in it that gets little attention: the birds.

The transformation of a mustard seed into a giant bush presses home the Kingdom's organic, continually expanding aspect. What those birds symbolize is that the Kingdom is open to all. Unfortunately, people sometimes see the bird only as "window dressing" or simply an indication of how big the bush is.

Sadly, if that's all we think about when Jesus mentions the birds, we miss the point of the birds. Here, as in a similar scenario in Ezekiel 17, birds represent various people groups. Jesus mentioned birds to say that the Kingdom is not just for "my kind" of people (those who think, act, and speak just like me). The Kingdom is for all kinds of birds!

Bird watchers say that the land of Israel is a paradise for them. Indeed, it is. In that fairly small area -- 70 miles wide and 270 miles long -- more than 400 species of birds have been sighted. That is because the area where Jesus lived and ministered is a main bird migration route to and from Europe and Asia to the north and Africa to the south.

In light of that, the "birds of the air" (wording of the King James and English Standard versions) surely means more than a few sparrows or starlings. Palestine had 70 indigenous bird species. With those different kinds of birds around, plus all the migratory fowl passing through, isn't there a chance Jesus was trying to get us to think about how welcoming the Kingdom of God is?

So, the birds may well illustrate that the Kingdom is beckoning to all peoples. Where the KJV speaks of "perching," translations like the New Living and New American Standard use "nesting." The Kingdom is, therefore, to become a "home." "Nesting" means that the Kingdom of God we proclaim is inviting and attractive.

The open arms portrayed in the mustard seed parable brings to my mind words I have sung often: "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white . . ."

Isn't it wonderful that we get to point every one of those different "birds" (peoples of the world) toward that extraordinary tree called the Kingdom of God?

Reflection Questions

How does Jesus' mustard seed parable communicate something important about the Kingdom of God? What does the decription of a flock of birds contribute to this message?
In what ways do the birds in the parable represent the universality of the Kingdom of God? What does this mean for people from all backgrounds and cultures?
How can the concept of "nesting" in the Kingdom of God create a sense of home and belonging for people of all backgrounds? How can this be applied in our lives and communities?
How can churches use the mustard seed parable and its imagery of the Kingdom of God as an impetus to reach out to people from different cultures and backgrounds and invite them into the Kingdom?

-- Howard Culbertson,

How Parables Can Help Us

This blog on a world missions Bible passage is one of more than three dozen in the "Heart of God" series published in Engage magazine. That series looks at what the Bible says about world missions.

Afterword: What do the birds in Jesus' mustard seed parable represent?

Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed, which is very small. However, it can grow into a large tree, providing shelter for birds. What do those birds represent? Here are five possible interpretations:

Some people suggest that the birds represent Gentiles or nations outside of Israel. Just as the mustard seed grows into a large tree, ao the Kingdom of Heaven expands beyond the Jews to include people from all nations.
Another interpretation is that the birds represent believers finding refuge and shelter within the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as the branches of the mustard tree provide shelter for birds, so the Kingdom of Heaven offers protection and refuge for believers.
Others say the birds may represent missionaries and evangelists who find support and shelter within the Church as they seek to carry out the Church's mission to spread the Gospel worldwide.
Some take the birds mentioned in the parable literally. They say that Jesus mentioned them just to illustrate the idea that the mustard plant grows into a large tree that provides shelter and sustenance for various creatures, including birds.
Other people say that the birds represent God's providential care. Just as God provides for the birds of the air (as mentioned elsewhere in the Bible), in this interpretation, the birds finding shelter in the mustard tree may signify that God cares for and provides for all creatures.

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