A Mighty Mite

The innocent-looking yellow flower hiding this fiery temper can easily be mistaken for rapeseed, or colza. Mustard and rapeseed both belong to the family Cruciferae, said to contain up to 4,000 species, about 40 of which are mustards. The most widely used are white mustard (Brassica hirta), Indian or brown mustard (Brassica juncea), and black mustard (Brassica nigra), which gives off a particularly virulent essence capable of causing blisters on the skin.

When growing wild, black mustard thrives on stony ground and alongside paths and rivers in Africa, India, and Europe. It also flourishes on the green hillsides of the Sea of Galilee, in Israel. When properly cultivated, it matures rapidly and can grow to the point of attaining “in the Orient, and sometimes even in the south of France, the height of our fruit trees.”—Vigouroux’s Dictionnaire de la Bible.

Surprisingly, the black “mustard grain” itself is exceedingly small. In Jesus’ day it was the tiniest of the seeds commonly sown in Israel. (Mark 4:31) It has a diameter of about one twentieth of an inch [1 mm], justifying its use as the smallest unit of measure in the Talmud.—Berakhot 31a.

The striking contrast between the tiny mustard seed and the large full-grown plant added meaning to Christ’s teaching about the growth of a “kingdom of the heavens” that came to provide lodging for the birds of the heavens. (Matthew 13:31, 32; Luke 13:19) Christ also used a stimulating illustration to highlight how far even a minute amount of faith will go, stating: “Truly I say to you, If you have faith the size of a mustard grain, . . . nothing will be impossible for you.”—Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6.

A Modest Plant of Many Uses

The imposing pots that once decorated pharmacies contained mustard powder for therapeutic use. In view of its properties in counteracting scurvy, no Dutch ship put to sea without some in its hold. Mustard was used in baths or as a poultice.

The leaves of the white mustard plant are eaten in salads and also still serve as silage. The edible oil extracted from the seeds does not easily turn rancid. In Asia it supplements industry with fuel for lighting and also flavors many a dish.

This humble country flower has found its way into several proverbs. In Nepal and India, to “see mustard flowers” means to be dazed after a shock. In France, to “get mustard up your nose” means to get angry. Whatever form it takes—flower, condiment, seed, oil, or powder—mustard can put spice into your life.