mustard seed. A man sowed it in his field. Now this, indeed, is the least of all seeds. However, when it is grown, it is the largest among all the herbs. It grows like a tree so the birds of the air can come and lodge in its branches. Another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven. A woman took a little, hid it in three measures of meal and, at last, all was leavened. All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitude. Thus it might be fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went inside. His disciples came in and asked Him to explain the parable of the tares in the field. Jesus said, He who sows the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are the angels. As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so it will be at the end of this world. The Son of man will send forth His angels. They will clear His kingdom of all that offends and does iniquity. They will cast it into a furnace. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine as bright as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man discovers it, he buries it again. Then, joyfully, he goes and sells all he has in order to buy that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of good pearls. When he finds even one pearl of great price, he gladly sells all he has to buy it. And the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea to gather every kind of fish. When it was full, they drew the net to shore. The good they gathered into vessels. But they cast the bad away. So it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and sever the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace. Jesus asked, Have you understood all these things? They said, Yes, Lord. Then He said, Therefore, every scribe who is instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth, out of his treasure, things both new and old. Jesus went into His own country. He taught in the synagogue. The people were astonished and said, Whence has He this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is His mother not called Mary and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? Are His sisters not here with us? Where did this man get all this? They were offended by Him. Jesus told them that a prophet is not without honor except in His own country and in His own house. He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.