Parable of the Mustard Seed size." The Parable of the Leaven (which in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke immediately follows) shares this theme of large growth from small beginnings. As with the Parable of the Sower, which in "Matthew" and "Mark" occurs earlier in the same chapter, the man sowing the seed represents Jesus, and the plant is the Kingdom of God. The nesting birds may refer to Old Testament texts which emphasize the universal reach of God's empire, such as Daniel 4:12. However, a real mustard plant is unlikely to attract nesting birds, so that "Jesus seems deliberately to emphasize the notion of
Parable of the Strong Man will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. (, NIV)</poem> It has been suggested that "Beelzebul" means "house of Ba'al," and that the image of the strong man's house was originally a wordplay on this. In the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, which does not have the context of the Beelzebul controversy, the parable has been interpreted as merely suggesting that "shrewd planning and careful strategy" are necessary in order to accomplish one's goals. Parable of the Strong Man The Parable of the strong man (also known as the parable of the burglar and the