Topical Bible: Herbs: Each Kind of, Contains Its own Seed

◄ Herbs: Each Kind of, Contains Its own Seed ►

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In the biblical narrative, herbs are frequently mentioned as part of God's creation, reflecting the divine order and provision for life on earth. The concept that each herb contains its own seed is rooted in the creation account found in the Book of Genesis. This principle underscores the idea of reproduction and continuity within the created order, as ordained by God.

Creation and Divine Order

The foundational scripture for understanding herbs and their seeds is found in Genesis 1:11-12 : "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth vegetation, seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.' And it was so. The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good." This passage highlights the intentional design by God, where each plant, including herbs, is created with the ability to reproduce through its own seed, ensuring the perpetuation of its kind.

Symbolism and Usage in Scripture

Herbs in the Bible often symbolize growth, healing, and sustenance. They are mentioned in various contexts, from dietary laws to metaphors for spiritual truths. For instance, in Exodus 12:8, during the Passover, the Israelites were instructed to eat bitter herbs as part of the meal, symbolizing the bitterness of their slavery in Egypt. This use of herbs in religious observance underscores their significance in the cultural and spiritual life of the Israelites.

In the New Testament, herbs are used metaphorically to illustrate spiritual lessons. Jesus, in the parable of the mustard seed, describes the kingdom of heaven as a mustard seed, "which a man took and planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches" (Matthew 13:31-32). Here, the growth of the herb from a small seed to a large plant symbolizes the expansive and inclusive nature of God's kingdom.

Herbs in Daily Life and Law

The Bible also provides practical guidance on the use of herbs. In Levitical law, certain herbs were used for purification and healing. For example, hyssop is mentioned in Leviticus 14:4-6 as part of the cleansing ritual for leprosy. This reflects the understanding of herbs as not only sustenance but also as agents of physical and spiritual purification.

Furthermore, herbs are acknowledged for their role in diet and health. In Proverbs 15:17 , it is written, "Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred." This proverb highlights the value of simple, herb-based meals, emphasizing the importance of love and harmony over material abundance.

Theological Implications

The principle that each herb contains its own seed is a testament to God's providence and the inherent order within creation. It reflects the biblical worldview that God is the ultimate source of life and sustenance, providing for His creation through the natural processes He established. This understanding encourages a sense of stewardship and gratitude for the natural world, recognizing it as a gift from the Creator.

In summary, herbs in the Bible are more than just plants; they are integral to the narrative of creation, symbols of spiritual truths, and practical elements of daily life and worship. Their ability to reproduce through their own seeds is a reflection of God's wisdom and provision, ensuring the continuity and flourishing of life on earth.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 1:11,12
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: and it was so.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Mustard-Seed.
... smallest, it is by no means the largest of our herbs. ... Christendom and Christianity
are both supreme, each in its own place and according to its own kind. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/iii the mustard-seed.htm

The Germination of the Earth.
... owing to these successive accretions that each plant attains ... as well corn as vegetables,
herbs or brushwood. ... have their own origin and their own kind; image of ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily v the germination of.htm

Commendation of those who had Laid Aside the Practice of Swearing. ...
... the universe, nothing of this kind happens; but each thing remains held as it were
by a kind of bridle ... animals, and plants, and seeds, and herbs, that preserve ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily ix commendation of those.htm

Classification.
... Thus plants were classed according to size as Herbs, Shrubs, and ... It is obvious that
each Kingdom has its own ends and ... is whether they are of such a kind as to ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/classification.htm

Supposing Him to be the Gardener
... grew common wallflowers and saxifrages, and tiny herbs such as ... Here, kind gardener,
thy poor plant bows itself to ... Each little flower in the garden of the Lord ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 29 1883/supposing him to be the.htm

On the Words, and in one Holy Catholic Church, and in the ...
... Holy Day of salvation, ye shall come on each successive day ... V. 7: "a bird single
in its kind, which they say ... use only of bread, and salt, and herbs, and water ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xviii on the words.htm

La Brea
... trees, as they do here on herbs; size, which ... pay them completely for the hospitality
and kind treatment he ... of thinnest transparent white wax, with each a blush ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... crowded cities lived in these on pottage and wild herbs. ... universally well-spoken
of." To this kind of remark I ... you may pretend to confide in each individual as ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm

Mosaic Cosmogony.
... Nothing is said of herbs and trees which are not ... were simply natural days of
twenty-four hours each"that they ... less in degree, but similar in kind, to that ...
/.../temple/essays and reviews the education of the world/mosaic cosmogony.htm

Book Twelve the Mode of Creation and the Truth of Scripture. ...
... observable and known entities that it contains." Still another ... their waves will be
broken against each other"and ... has seed in itself after its kind when in ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book twelve the mode of.htm