“Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth. But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Far and near the mustard lifted itself above the grass and grain, waving its branches lightly in the air. Birds flitted from twig to twig and sang amid its leafy foliage. Yet the seed from which sprang this giant plant, was the least of all seeds. At first it had sent up a tender shoot; but it was of strong vitality, and grew and flourished till it was of large proportions, and the birds lodged under its shadow. {2SP 245.3}

"Hvad skal vi sammenligne Guds rige med, eller hvad for en lignelse skal vi bruge om det? Det er som et sennepsfrø; når det lægges i jorden, er det mindre end alt andet frø på jorden, men når det er sået, vokser det op og bliver større end de andre urter og får store grene, så himlens fugle kan bygge rede i dets skygge." (Mark 4,30-32) Nær og fjern hævede sennerpsplanten sig over græsset og kornet og bevægede sine (246) grene i luften. Fuglene fløj fra gren til gren og sang mellem bladene, og dog var det frø, som denne kæmpe plante voksede op af, mindre end alt andet frø. Det havde først frembragt en svag spire, men den var fuld af liv og voksede og udbredte sig, indtil den blev så stor, at fuglene kunne bygge rede i dens skygge.