The Mustard Seed

I was surprised by the intrusion of the mustard seed into your musical criticism, said Pliny the Elder. But I suppose I was supposed to be. Did you finally manage to get it out from between your teeth?

Yes, but not until I got home at the end of the day, I said. There is nothing as efficacious as dental floss.

True, agreed Pliny, but to return to the parable of the mustard seed.....

Parable?

You meant it as a parable, did you not? A story to illustrate the dual nature of surprise?

I did, but is it a parable if it's something that really happened?

That all depends on the telling. Jesus had a parable about a mustard seed, so I've heard.

Oh yes I know that one. Consider the mustard seed. It's very small but it grows into a large tree that birds can shelter in. It's supposed to represent the Kingdom of Heaven.

But a mustard seed doesn't grow into a large tree! It grows at best into a middle-sized bush.

That's a good point. Whatever was Jesus thinking of? Perhaps he was remembering a time he had one stuck between his teeth.