[sinapi]; Brassica nigra. 6'
The old Testament remains silent about the mastard, but Christ refers to it twice. In Mark4:30-32 He compares the kindom of God to a "grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: but when it is sown, it groweth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it." The Greek sinapi is correctly translated as mustard, and is the old genus name for the species found in the Holy Land. Another text [Matthew 17:20} refers to "faith as a grain of mustard seed."
The black mustard is likely the species Christ had in mind, for it developes into a greatly branching herb over six feet tall at times. It not only grows wild in Palistine, but people plant it as a garden herb. In early spring they eat the curly, basal leaves as green. Then, when the main stalk shoots up, showy, four-petaled, yellow flowers cover all the branckes. They mature into slender, clasping seed pods filled with small, black seeds not much bigger than pepper. One can either grind or use them whole as dressing or flavoring. An oil expressed from the seeds acts as a mild laxative. The seeds are also a main ingredient in p;aster used to relieve pain.
The mustard family contains many other plants that are familiar stock in trade for the greengrocer: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, turnips, beets and cress. Other members, such as wallflowers and alyssum show up among our ornimentals and also quite a few, such as field mustard, tumbling mustard, and shepherds purse, are just plain weeds in our fields.
And our Creator made them all....Praise the Lord.
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charlene
