σίναπι, Matt. xiii, 32; xvii, 20; Mark iv, 31; Luke xiii, 19;
xvii, 6; a well known garden herb. Christ compares the kingdom of heaven
to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in the earth,
which indeed,” said he, is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown
is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of
the air come and lodge in the branches thereof,” Matt. xiii, 31, 32.
This expression will not appear strange,” says Sir Thomas Browne, if we
recollect that the mustard seed, though it be not simply and in itself
the smallest of seeds, yet may be very well believed to be the smallest
of such as are apt to grow unto a ligneous substance, and become a kind
of tree.” The expression, also, that it might grow into such dimensions
that birds might lodge on its branches, may be literally conceived, if
we allow the luxuriancy of plants in India above our northern regions.
And he quotes upon this occasion what is recorded in the Jewish story,
of a mustard tree that was to be climbed like a fig tree. The Talmud
also mentions one whose branches were so extensive as to cover a tent.
Without insisting on the accuracy of this, we may gather from it that we
should not judge of eastern vegetables by those which are familiar to
ourselves. Scheuchzer describes a species of mustard which grows several
feet high, with a tapering stalk, and spreads into many branches. Of
this arborescent or treelike vegetable, he gives a print; and Linnæus
mentions a species whose branches were real wood, which he names _sinapi
erucoides_. But whatever kind of tree our Lord meant, it is clear, from
the fact that he never takes his illustrations from any objects but such
as were familiar, and often present in the scene around him, that he
spoke of one which the Jews well knew to have minute seeds, and yet to
be of so large growth as to afford shelter for the birds of the air.
xvii, 6; a well known garden herb. Christ compares the kingdom of heaven
to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in the earth,
which indeed,” said he, is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown
is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of
the air come and lodge in the branches thereof,” Matt. xiii, 31, 32.
This expression will not appear strange,” says Sir Thomas Browne, if we
recollect that the mustard seed, though it be not simply and in itself
the smallest of seeds, yet may be very well believed to be the smallest
of such as are apt to grow unto a ligneous substance, and become a kind
of tree.” The expression, also, that it might grow into such dimensions
that birds might lodge on its branches, may be literally conceived, if
we allow the luxuriancy of plants in India above our northern regions.
And he quotes upon this occasion what is recorded in the Jewish story,
of a mustard tree that was to be climbed like a fig tree. The Talmud
also mentions one whose branches were so extensive as to cover a tent.
Without insisting on the accuracy of this, we may gather from it that we
should not judge of eastern vegetables by those which are familiar to
ourselves. Scheuchzer describes a species of mustard which grows several
feet high, with a tapering stalk, and spreads into many branches. Of
this arborescent or treelike vegetable, he gives a print; and Linnæus
mentions a species whose branches were real wood, which he names _sinapi
erucoides_. But whatever kind of tree our Lord meant, it is clear, from
the fact that he never takes his illustrations from any objects but such
as were familiar, and often present in the scene around him, that he
spoke of one which the Jews well knew to have minute seeds, and yet to
be of so large growth as to afford shelter for the birds of the air.