Alfred Edersheim
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah • Appendix IX
Tender branch planted on a high mountain applied to the Messiah in the Targum on Ezekiel
The Tender Branch
Ezekiel described God planting a tender branch that grows into a great tree.
Old Testament
Ezekiel 17:22
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
New Testament
Matthew 13:32
He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants."
Why This Matters
Ezekiel described God planting a tender branch that grows into a great tree. Jesus used the same image — the kingdom starts small like a mustard seed and grows to shelter all. God's kingdom begins humbly but becomes immense.
Reflection
King eternal, let the promise in Ezekiel 17:22 fulfilled in Matthew 13:32 stir in me longing for Your return and the restoration of all things.
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