Ezekiel 17:22-24

22 Thus says the Lord God: I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit and become a noble cedar. Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind. 24All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord. I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.

Mark 4:26-34

26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30 He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. 

Introduction

New immigrants to Australia surely provide hours of entertainment to true blue, dinky die, fair dinkum, yocal local Aussies. For example:

·      An immigrant’s terror at all the different things that kill you in country Australia.

·      Bringing a plate to a bring-and-share function because you were asked to “bring a plate” and feeling silly because your plate is empty.  

·      Scratching your head and trying to translate the untranslatable such as this: “pass my sunnies would ya. I gotta make tracks cos I’m meeting the rellos for brekkie at the maccas near the servo”. Even writing this down has caused by spell check to melt down in a hissy fit.

When my family and I first arrived in Australia, it was our gardening habits that amused the locals. We had created a garden bed around what we thought were the most beautiful ferns. The Aussies were in hysterics. Turns out our “ferns” were hated bracken that farmers spent hours trying to be rid of. Besides nurturing the bracken, we were delighted with the arum lilies that we tended with much care. In South Africa these arum lilies are sought after expensive plants. In Australia they are such a dangerous, noxious weed, they are illegal to grow. Even having them on your property could cop you an outrageously expensive fine.

In reflecting on these early experiences, the number one lesson to learn is the importance of understanding context. Context determines meaning. In one context, a flower is highly treasured, in another context that same flower is so noxiously dangerous it can totally destroy one of the world’s most unique biodiversity hotspots.  We can apply this lesson to reading scripture – context determines meaning.

Context of Mark 4: 26 -35

Besides the narrative context of a Biblical passage, we also pay attention to the geographical, economic, historical and political contexts.

Narrative and geo-politcal context

Jesus precedes the parable about the seed growing by itself with the parable of a crop that produces an overabundance (Mark 4.1-9). The crop is out of control.  The story is dangerously and politically subversive. With such a bumper crop, any tenant farmer can pay off the entirety of his debt and have wealth left over. Jesus is threatening the basis of the serf economy of this time. Through this parable Jesus is announcing the good news of the kingdom – the cancellation of debt and the freedom of people – the day of jubilee.

For first century middle eastern Galilean subsistence farmers, mustard is noxious plant (Mark 4.30-32).  Mustard seed is so invasive it is banned from gardens by rabbis because it would take over. Why on earth would anyone plant a mustard seed? It would be the equivalent of a Northern Rivers macadamia farmer planting lantana or alligator weed.  

The flavour of these stories is anarchy. Jesus is comparing the kingdom of God to wild, untamed, out of control growth of both good and bad seed – all of which are embraced. The grain harvest is as feral as the mustard seed harvest, and neither can be controlled, and both are abundant.

Biblical context

The parable of the seed that grows all by itself and no one knows how, and the mustard seed evoke memory from different aspects of the biblical context including Ezekiel, Moses, Exodus and Abraham and Sarah our spiritual ancestors.

Mark uses the parable from Ezekiel in telling the story of the mustard seed. The small sprig planted by Yahweh will bear fruit and the branches will shelter birds in Ezekiel 17.22 as they do in Mark 4.30-32.

In Ezekiel the tree metaphor is two edged: while it refers to the shelter offered by trees (as in Ezekiel 17.22). The tree image also criticises political empires. In Ezekiel 30 God will cause the imperial trees to be cut down, “and upon its ruin will dwell the birds of the air” (Ezekiel 31.4). In Ezekiel 30 and 31 the empire of Egypt will fall. In Mark 4 the empire of Rome and temple religion will fall.

Mark also evokes memories of the Exodus people, runaway slaves, feasting on Manna as it rained down from heaven. The lavishness of the crops described in the parables of Mark 4 point to the abundant provision of God for God’s people in the wilderness of the desert after fleeing Pharoah’s Egypt.

Mark’s Gospel is a manual on political resistance, a “how to” guide for resisting empire. In today’s terms Mark’s manual on effective far-reaching discipleship translates well for those critiquing colonial exploitation, capitalism, racism and oppressive economies that privilege the wealthy by stealing from the poor. In times of fatigue, when hopeful optimism turns to depressing cynicism, Mark’s parables advocate patience, and instil courage and hope. When faced with the powers of oppression Mark’s Gospel inspires faith over anxiety and the keen reminder that the small acts of resistance yield abundant dividends.

Mark’s parables in the context of 21st century Alstonville Anglicans

In our context we may not be faced with the oppressive onslaught of a Roman empire and a corrupt religious institution exploiting the vulnerable. However, Mark’s message of hope against darkness and that the small acts of light are stronger than any darkness, does sustain us. Current struggles that we may be concerned about include the looming climate catastrophe and the struggle for women’s dignity, safety and full personhood in a time when domestic violence against women has never been higher. This week a report was released that indicates that domestic abuse is higher in the Anglican church than the national average. Clearly there is something about the culture, patriarchy and explicit and implicit messages of our Anglican churches that breed a violent environment. It is normal when working for positive transformation to feel despondent. At these low times Mark’s message about the effectiveness of the mustard seed inspires our faith, our imagination, our patience and our endurance as we partner with God for a world of mercy and justice.

On a personal level some may be weighed down by illness, mental health issues like depression or anxiety, grief or loneliness. The journey to full flourishing health and healing takes courage and energy. There may be times when we feel that the struggle to be whole is too overwhelming for us. We may be tempted to give up and give in. Again, Mark’s parables reach into us, reminding us that it is more common than we realise to feel despondent. In moments when we feel our efforts are too small we remember the power of the mustard seed that yields an abundance and kind shelter to others despite its small beginning. Our small efforts work in the long run. We can choose faith over anxiety, creativity and imagination over negativity and patience over apathy.

I conclude with three sentences written on the wall of a Jewish concentration camp in Cologne during World War 2.

I believe in the sun when there is no sunshine.

I believe in love even when there is no one around.

I believe in God even when God is silent.