Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 13:19
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.
19. waxed a great tree ] Omit great with , B, D, L, &c. The points of comparison are the sudden, secret growth, and the immense development of the kingdom of God. The mustard seed was colloquially spoken of by the Jews as ‘the smallest of all seeds,’ and it grew into a herbaceous plant, as tall as a horse and his rider (Thomson, Land and Book). the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of if
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is like a grain of mustard seed,…. Both for its smallness at first, and its after increase; wherefore both the Evangelists Matthew and Mark observe, that it “is the least of all seed”: which is true of the ministry of the Gospel, of the Gospel church state, and of the grace of God in the hearts of his people:
which a man took and cast into his garden; the Ethiopic version renders it, “and sowed in his field”, as in Mt 13:31 though mustard used to be sowed in gardens as well as in fields. x Says R. Simeon ben Chelphetha, I have one stalk of mustard seed,
, “in my garden”: so y Buxtorf translates it. And by the place in the text, where this seed is cast, may be meant, either the “field” of the world, where the Gospel is preached, and churches are raised; or the “garden” of the church, where the word and ordinances are administered, and in the hearts of the members of it, the grace of God is implanted and increased; see So 4:12
and it grew and waxed a great tree, which may design the spread of the Gospel in the world, the flourishing state of the church of Christ, and the growth of grace in the hearts of believers.
And the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it; the Syriac version reads in the singular number, “the fowl of the air”; not Satan, and his principalities and powers, which devour the seed sown by the wayside; nor the angels of heaven; but rather gracious men on earth, who sit under the shadow of a Gospel ministry with great delight; and “make their nests”, as the Persic version here renders the words, and take up their residence in Gospel churches;
[See comments on Mt 13:31],
[See comments on Mt 13:32],
[See comments on Mr 4:31],
[See comments on Mr 4:32].
x T. Hieros. Peah, fol 20. 2. y Lex. Talmud. col. 823.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A grain of mustard seed ( ). Either the sinapis nigra or the salvadora persica, both of which have small seeds and grow to twelve feet at times. The Jews had a proverb: “Small as a mustard seed.” Given by Mark 4:30-32; Matt 13:31 in the first great group of parables, but just the sort to be repeated.
Cast into his own garden ( ). Different from “earth” (Mark) or “field” (Matthew.)” , old word for garden, only here in the N.T. and John 19:1; John 19:26; John 19:41.
Became a tree ( ). Common Hebraism, very frequent in LXX, only in Luke in the N.T., but does appear in Koine though rare in papyri; this use of after words like ginomai. It is a translation Hebraism in Luke.
Lodged (). Mark and Matthew have infinitive of the same verb, to make tent (or nest).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
His garden. Properly, as Rev., his own [] where he could personally observe and tend it.
Great tree. The best texts omit great.
Birds. See on ch. Luk 9:58.
Branches [] . See on Mr 11:8.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “It is like a grain of mustard seed,”(homoia estin kokko sinapeos) “It is similar to a grain of mustard,” so small in size that it was commonly used as a proverbial comparison for anything exceedingly small, Mat 13:31-32; Mar 4:31.
2) “Which a man took, and cast into his garden;” (hon labon anthropos elaben eis kepon heautou) “Which a man took and cast or sowed in his garden,” or “field,” as expressed Mat 13:31, a place of planting for growth and reproduction. That man was Jesus Christ. The mustard seed is the church, as an institution, a mystery hidden from those of former ages, but now made known, Rom 16:25-26; Eph 3:3-10.
3) “And it grew, and waxed a great tree;” (kai euksesen kai egeneto eis dendron) “And it grew and came to be a tree,” very large, exceedingly expansive in size, above what normally is expected of so small a seed. It sometimes grows to be from ten to twelve feet high, as high as a man on horseback, Mat 13:32. It is durable to resist wind, storms, and the sun.
4) “And the fowls of the air,” (kai ta petina tou ouranou) “And the birds of the heaven, the lower heaven,” where the clouds float and the birds fly, Mat 13:31. These birds, fowls, represent religious fowls that seek to find refuge in the branches of the Lord’s church under her cover, Mat 7:15; Mat 7:22-23.
5) “Lodged in the branches of it.” (kateskenosen en tois kadois autou) “Lodged in its branches,” came to light and roost among the limbs or branches, for shade, nesting, and shelter, Luk 9:58; Mar 4:32. They represent those who come to the church, only for the benefit they can get from it, in carnal ways. They creep or sneak in, unawares or deceitfully, Jud 1:4; 1Jn 4:1-2; Act 10:28; 2Pe 2:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
“It is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his own garden, and it grew, and became a tree, and the birds of the heaven lodged in its branches.”
Jesus then pointed out that it was like a grain of mustard seed, the smallest seed known to the farmers of Palestine. Yet when a man sowed this tiny seed it grew until it became a large bush, sometimes even up to twelve feet (four metres) high, so large that the birds, who loved the small black mustard seeds, could come and lodge in its branches (compare especially Eze 17:22-24, where a sprig planted in Israel will grow until it is a blessing to all the world so that the birds nest in its branches; and Dan 4:21 where the birds represented captive nations). Of all the herbs it was a phenomenon. No other herb grew like it. Thus the Kingly Rule of God would grow from small beginnings (Luk 12:32) by the spreading of the word, becoming larger and larger, and would reach out even to other than Jews as ‘the birds of the air’ gathered on its branches to partake of its blessings.
‘Garden.’ In Mat 13:31, in a different context, the mustard seed was sown in ‘the field’, i.e. the countryside. That the latter did happen is supported in Rabbinic sources. This would suggest that in Palestine there were different agricultural approaches towards the growing of mustard ‘trees’ from seeds, which is quite likely, for they were herbs. They could thus be grown in the countryside, or in gardens. There is thus no need to require a Gentile environment because of the use of ‘garden’, although it is always possible that Luke is translating in accordance with the general custom of his readers in growing mustard bushes.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 13:19. A great tree; A great plant, or shrub; another of the evangelists calls it , the greatest among herbs. See Mat 13:32.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Ver. 19. See Mat 13:31 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 13:19 . , garden, more exact indication of place than in Mt. and Mk. , a tree; an exaggeration, it remains an herb, though of unusually large size.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
into. Greek. eis. App-104.
waxed = became into (Greek. eis).
great. Omit [L] T [Tr. A] WH R.
fowls = birds.
the air = the heaven. Singular. See notes on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.
lodged = nested. Greek. kataskenoo. Occurs four times: here; Mat 13:32. Mar 4:32, Act 2:26.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 13:19. , garden) which is enclosed. Comp. in connection with the same thought, hid (), Luk 13:21.-[ , and it grew) You have instances in point in Luk 13:13; Luk 13:17.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
like: Mat 13:31, Mat 13:32, Mat 17:20, Mar 4:31, Mar 4:32
cast: Son 4:12, Son 4:16, Son 5:1, Son 6:2, Son 8:13, Isa 58:11, Isa 61:11, Jer 31:12
and it: Psa 72:16, Psa 72:17, Isa 2:2, Isa 2:3, Isa 9:7, Isa 49:20-25, Isa 51:2, Isa 51:3, Isa 53:1, Isa 53:10-12, Isa 54:1-3, Isa 60:15-22, Eze 17:22-24, Eze 47:1-12, Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35, Dan 2:44, Dan 2:45, Mic 4:1, Mic 4:2, Zec 2:11, Zec 8:20-23, Zec 14:7-9, Act 2:41, Act 4:4, Act 15:14-18, Act 21:20,*Gr: Rom 15:19, Rev 11:15
and the: Eze 31:6, Dan 4:12, Dan 4:21
Reciprocal: Luk 17:6 – as
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
See the comments on Mat 13:32 for the present verse.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
13:19 {5} 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.
(5) God begins his kingdom with small beginnings so that its growth, which is not looked for, may better set forth his power.