He proposed still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of plants and becomes a tree large enough for the birds to come and make nests in its branches." And he offered them yet another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until it was completely leavened."

Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables. Indeed he never spoke to them except in parables. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."