Faith and Mustard Seed

 Faith and Mustard Seed

 

Sadly, one of the issues with some “Modern translations” of the Bible is that they get some things wrong and because people sometimes don’t use logic there can be confusion.  For instance, Matthew 17:20.

In the NIV this verse says He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

 

Now let us look at this logically.  The verse says because you have so little faith but then says if you have faith as small as a mustard seed nothing will be impossible.  This makes no sense especially seeing how mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds.  Also, you will never find Jesus complimenting someone’s little faith, actually every mention of Jesus speaking of little faith it is a gentle rebuke.

 

Now let us look at a more reliable translation. 

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  NKJV

 

Now this makes more sense, doesn’t it?  For further explanation of why the second version is a more accurate translation we need to exam it in the context of the rest of scripture.  Let us go back and look at what Jesus has said about the mustard seed earlier.  

 

Matthew 13:31-32

³¹ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, ³² which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

 

In these 2 verses we see a couple of key points.  Mustard seed, though it is the least of all seeds, when it is planted grows into something that is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree large enough for birds to make nests in.  

 

So, when we put Matthew 17:20 into proper context of Matthew 13:31-32 we can see that faith may start small but is never meant to stay small.  It is meant to be planted into God and when we plant that faith in Him it GROWS and becomes great. Great enough to move mountains and where nothing is impossible for us.  

 

If our faith is still the size of a mustard seed THERE IS A PROBLEM.  As a farmer if I planted seed and it didn’t grow there were only two reasons.  Either the seed was bad or it was planted in the wrong place.  As a believer the problem isn’t the seed so it must be where it was planted.