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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Theophylact of Ohrid
Or, any man receiving a grain of mustard seed, that is, the word of the Gospel, and sowing it in the garden of his soul, makes it a great tree, so as to bring forth branches, and the birds of the air (that is, they who soar above the earth) rest in the branches, (that is, in sublime contemplation.) For Paul received the instruction of Ananias (Acts 9:17.) as it were a small grain, but planting it in his garden, he brought forth many good doctrines, in which they dwell who have high heavenly thoughts, as Dionysius, Hierotheus, and …
Clement of Alexandria
The mode of His love and His instruction we have shown as we could. Wherefore He Himself, declaring Himself very beautifully, likened Himself to a grain of mustard-seed; and pointed out the spirituality of the word that is sown, and the productiveness of its nature, and the magnificence and conspicuousness of the power of the word; and besides, intimated that the pungency and the purifying virtue of punishment are profitable on account of its sharpness. …
Western Saints
Bede
A man took it and planted it in his garden. The man is Christ, the garden is His Church, always to be cultivated by His teachings and gifted with His gifts. It is well said that the same man who planted the seed also took it, because indeed the gifts which He bestowed on us with the Father from divinity, He also took with us from humanity, whence it is said, 'He received gifts among men.' And elsewhere Peter said, 'And having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are …
Bonaventure
And this knowledge in the fatherland is sublime and delightful, but on the way it ought to be humble and fervent, in designation of which he adds: It is like a grain of mustard seed. It is therefore likened to a grain of mustard seed, because it is small in size and great in power or fervor: in which it is intimated that our knowledge ought to be humble, according to that passage in Romans eleven: "Be not high-minded, but fear"; and twelve: "Not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think unto sobriety, and …
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