Parables

Sermon on Matt. 13:24-58

Introduction to this section:

This parable follows on the heels of the parable of the sower. Jesus seems to have used agricultural stories a lot since this was daily part of their life.

In the previous parables there are four kinds of people represented. In this parable Jesus makes it clear that in the big picture there are only two kinds of people. The bad and the good.

If you look through the parables there is one main subject of the parables. Can anyone tell me what it is?

The Kingdom of God was what Jesus’ ministry was about. From the very beginning we see John the Baptist announcing that the Kingdom of heaven is near! The Jews were looking for a physical kingdom. A Messiah that would overthrow the Romans and make Israel a nation again. Jesus, however, had a different kingdom in mind. The bulk of his teaching is about the kingdom. Whether it is about the kingdom itself or about how kingdom subject will live.

The overarching theme is not just the kingdom but the triumph of the kingdom.

One of the things we see in this parable is that the kingdom of heaven should not be using force to advance it’s kingdom.

Vs 24

The word “another” indicates another of the same kind. Jesus is telling a parable of the same kind as the one he just told.

“good” useful seed

Vs 25

The word “but” is a term of contrast. While the man who planted the good seeds actions were honorable, the actions of the enemy are underhanded and deceitful.

Apparently this practice was fairly common during this time. The Romans had to make a law against d

oing this.

Vs 26-27

The type of weeds that were sown were likely a type of weed called darnel. It looked very similar to wheat, until the wheat matures. When the wheat matures the wheat turns more of a golden color while the darnel remains green.

This was a powerful metaphor because, in biblical times, farmers would have understood the nuisance and danger of darnel contaminating their wheat fields.

The darnel would have been hard to tell apart from the wheat until the wheat matured and bore fruit. In a similar way we can know who is real by the fruit that they bear.

The slaves asked a very logical question. How did the bads seeds get there if he only planted good seed. When you think about it this could be an argument against Calvinism. In Calvinism, it is ultimately God who plants the bad seeds too.

Vs 28

The Master explains that an enemy has done this. The slaves offer what seems like a reasonable suggestion. They figured that they could tell the difference well enough to get the job done. The problem is that if they had done this they would have likely left some of the bad ones and pulled up some of the good ones. This is what the master says in the next verse.

Vs 29

The problem with doing this could have led to some of the good wheat being uprooted. One might ask why the Master would care about a few plants getting uprooted. We have to remember that God is a good master who cares for everyone of his children. This is exactly why there should not  be a union of church and state. In the time of the reformers there were people who thought that they could do this. The problem was that many true believers were killed as a result.

Vs 30

Vs 31-33 Two parables on the Kingdom’s growth.

These parables are a contrast between what Jesus and his disciples would have experienced at the time to what the future of Christianity is.

A mustard seed is not technically the smallest seed around. This would have been likely the smallest seed that they would have planted around that time.

In size of seed to finished product this is one of the largest in the world.

Precept Austin

Mustard (4615)(sinapi) refers to the mustard plant, an herb or shrub with extremely small pungent seeds. BDAG says "The precise species cannot be determined, and some may grow to a height of three or more meters." (some reports up to 15 feet tall!) Several writers feel the plant Jesus describes is Sinapis nigra (aka Brassica nigra) but we cannot be dogmatic and we really do not need to know in order to understand the main point of the parable. The expression kókkon sinápeōs (kókkon = grain), a grain of mustard seed, is a proverbial phrase meaning the least, the smallest particle (referring to "small" faith =

The ministry of Jesus started out in a small town with a couple of untrained fisherman as disciples. Yet today Christianity is still being spread around the globe. Here we can see in a small way how the kingdom grows. Obviously the kingdom will one day take over everything. Then will be the fulfillment of these parables.

John Phillips makes an interesting comment of how the disciples may have reacted to the kingdom beginning as a mustard seed –

Imagine the astonishment of the disciples when they heard that! The Lord was about to describe the kingdom of God. They had visions of a global empire. They doubtless pictured an ivory palace, a majestic throne, a glittering court, ambassadors from earth's remotest bounds waiting in long lines for an audience, and an invincible army at the command of a powerful, magnificent king. They waited eagerly for the Lord's description of such a kingdom, one in which they would be high ministers of state. Then came the shock. "The kingdom of God," He said, "is like a grain of mustard seed." They must have stared blankly at Him in astonishment. A grain of mustard seed? Why, that was nothing! You could hardly see it; it was so small and insignificant. Ah! But it had life! It would grow! The point of the parable lies in the contrast between the size of the seed when it is sown and the size of the plant when it is grown. In each case, the Lord used hyperbole for emphasis. The kingdom of God seems small and insignificant in men's eyes. In the Lord's day, such was the people's contempt for it that they murdered its King. But when it is fully grown, when it reaches its full potential, they will be awed by it then!

We are in some way sheltered from this because of lip-service to Christianity in America. Many people today would claim to be Christians but do not show it by their lives. In other parts of the world, however, where persecution is happening and believers are forced to stay hidden this parable no doubt takes on much more meaning. Even when it seems like the Kingdom of God is not prevailing, in the end it will be the only Kingdom to survive.

This is comparable to the vision Nebuchadnezzar had of the statue being hit by a stone. The stone crushes the statue and then becomes “a mountain that filled the whole earth.”

Daniel explains this vision to the king in this way.

Daniel 2:44 (ESV) — And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

Vs 33

This is another parable that shows how the kingdom will grow.

This would have been about 15 gallons of flour. This was not for one loaf of bread but rather for a banquet. Jesus is showing that a comparably small amount of leaven can feed a whole village.

Vs 34-35

Matthew again interrupts the parables to mention how Jesus only spoke to them in parables.

Jesus refused to speak to the crowds except with parables. As Connor pointed out last time, This was in some ways an act of Mercy. Those who would have rejected plain teaching are ignorant of the meanings of the parables. This is Jesus way of teaching his words only to those who are willing to listen. While it is an act or mercy, I also think that it is an act of Judgement. Since they would not listen to the clear words of Jesus, he turns to parables.

Jesus quotes Psalm 78:2

Psalm 78:2 (ESV) — 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

This might seem weird because he specifically quotes a “prophet,” however There are prophesies in the Psalms.

The gospel is a mystery, Not a mystery in the sense that we think of mysteries. Rather this is something that was once hidden but is now being revealed. The Jews in the Old Testament did not understand how the kingdom of God would work. Peter makes this clear in

1 Peter 1:10–11 (ESV) — 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

Even the prophets who prophesied these things did not understand how it would work.

Verses on the mystery of the gospel

Romans 16:25 (ESV) — 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages

1 Corinthians 2:7 (ESV) — 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

Vs 36-43 The Parable of the Weeds Explained

Jesus explains this parable to his disciples. I am thankful that he explained this parable because it makes my job easier. I don’t even need to study! I find it sobering that even with Jesus’ clear explanation people have fit their own interpretations into it. Jesus calls the field “the world,” yet many people today even still like to think of the field as the church.

John Calvin explains it away like this.

It is an appropriate comparison, when the Lord calls the Church his field, for believers are the seed of it; and though Christ afterwards adds that the field is the world, yet he undoubtedly intended to apply this designation, in a peculiar manner, to the Church, about which he had commenced the discourse.

This is very erroneous. We can not just put words into Jesus’ mouth.

I don’t know if this is helpful but I put together a version of this parable that switches out all the terms of the parable with the ones that Jesus explains

The Kingdom of Heaven is like the Son of Man who sowed the sons of the kingdom in the world; but while men slept, the devil came and sowed the sons of the wicked one among them and went his way.

But when the sons of the kingdom had sprouted and produced fruit, then the sons of the wicked one also appeared. So the angels came and said to the Son of Man, ‘Lord, did You not sow the sons of the kingdom in the world? How then does it have the sons of the wicked one?’

He said to them, ‘The devil has done this.’

The angels said to Him, ‘Do You want us then to go and gather them up?’ But He said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the sons of the wicked one, you also uproot the sons of the kingdom with them. Let both grow together until the end of the age, and at that time, I will say to the angels, “First gather together the sons of the wicked one and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the sons of the kingdom into my kingdom.”’

Not perfect but maybe it helps us get a clearer idea of what he is saying.

Vs 40

The parallel of fire is not figurative, the judgement of the wicked will result in the wicked being cast into the fire!

Even though for awhile it may look like the weeds are overpowering the wheat, when the end comes the wicked will be uprooted and cast in the fiery furnace. This should give hope to Christians. In the end Jesus will sort out the righteous from the wicked.

This is a major theme throughout Jesus’ parables about the kingdom.  Judgement is coming on the wicked. While it may seem hopeless at times, God’s kingdom will prevail.

This reminds us of what John the Baptist said

Matthew 3:12 (ESV)

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

As Christians therefore we are not to use force and to “weed” out unbelievers from the world. Because we can not judge like God does it will result in “wheat” getting weeded out as well.

MacArthur points out that

"Every time the church has presumed to do that it has produced an ungodly bloodbath. When the fourth-century Roman emperor Constantine required every person to make a profession of faith in Christ on pain of death, he succeeded in killing many true believers who refused to submit to his spurious brand of Christianity. During the Crusades of the Middle Ages, unbelievable brutality was committed against non-Christians, especially Muslims and Jews, in the name of the Prince of Peace. During the inquisitions in reaction to the Protestant Reformation, countless thousands of Christians who did not submit to the dogma and authority of Roman Catholicism were imprisoned, tortured, and executed.....In the present age, believers are not God’s instruments of judgment and destruction but of truth and grace. Toward unbelievers we are not to have hearts of condemnation but of compassion. The church is called to preach and teach against sin and all unrighteousness, but, in doing that, its purpose is not to judge but to win souls, not to punish but to convert sons of the evil one into sons of the kingdom."

“They will gather out of his kingdom” this implies that when his kingdom comes it will be a renewal of the earth.

Vs 41

In the final judgement, those who are cast into the fiery furnace are those who are stumbling blocks and those who break God’s law (those who commit lawlessness).

Jesus mentions hell more than any other person in the Bible. The fiery furnace indicates a place of eternal torment. The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” shows the deep state of torment that hell will have.

Weeping (wailing) speaks of emotional distress and gnashing of teeth speaks to physical distress. Have you ever wept uncontrollably? Have you ever gritted your teeth in pain or torment?

This phrase is used 7 other times in the Bible. Every other time it is used by Jesus in reference to the final Judgement. Sometimes it is fire and sometimes it is outer darkness. Either way it is a picture of the suffering of hell.

Vs 43

Lest you get too depressed we will move on to the next verse. In contrast to the punishment of the wicked. The righteous will “shine like the sun.”  This brings to mind Philippians 2:15

Philippians 2:15 (ESV) — 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

I believe this is a reference to the glory of God. Just as Moses’ face glowed when he glimpsed God’s glory so will we reflect God’s glory in the eternal kingdom. When we can “see him face to face.”

Philippians 2:14–15 (ESV) —  Do all things without grumbling or disputing,  that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

While the unrighteous are glowing with the flames of eternal torment that show God’s justice and hatred towards sin, the righteous will be radiating the glory of our compassionate and loving Father.

Jesus says “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” a lot. This is his way of inviting those who really want to listen and learn to dig in and understand more of what he means

Vs 44-46 The Parables of the kingdoms value

The parables illustrate the value of the kingdom.

Back in these times there were no banks or safehouses. If you wanted to keep your money safe a good idea was to bury it (compare the parable of the talents). What happened here seem to be that the treasure was forgotten and left to be found by someone else.

MacArthur commenting on the ethics writes "In the first place, it is obvious that the treasure was not hidden by the present owner of the field and was unknown to him. Otherwise, he would have retrieved it before he sold the field. The man who bought the field obviously knew the owner was not aware of the treasure or he would not have offered to buy the field, knowing the treasure would not be included in the deal. In the second place, rabbinic law provided that “if a man finds scattered fruit or money, it belongs to the finder.” If a person came across money or other valuables that were obviously lost and whose owner was dead or unknown, the finder had the right to keep what was found. In the third place, the basic honesty of the man is testified to by the fact that, had he been dishonest, he would simply have taken the treasure without any thought of buying the field. But he did not even use part of the treasure to buy the field; rather, he sells all that he has, and buys that field."

The value of this treasure is enough that this guy sells everything he has to buy this field.

This is similar to the parable of the pearl of great price. The kingdom of heaven may cost us something in this life, but it is worth far more than anything we will ever be able to pay.

MacArthur says "we can learn at least six valuable lessons about the Kingdom of Heaven, and therefore about salvation:

The Kingdom of Heaven must be personally appropriated,

The Kingdom of Heaven is priceless,

The Kingdom of Heaven is not superficially visible,

The Kingdom of Heaven is the source of true joy,

The Kingdom of Heaven may be entered from different circumstances

The Kingdom of Heaven is made personal by a transaction."

Precept Austin

Historical context again is important to understand this parable. In Jesus' day pearls were one of the most highly valued gems in the society and were even purchased as investments. A merchant would look for high quality pearls to purchase and/or sell to others as an investment, much like we would do with diamonds today. In that day pearls were more valuable than diamonds.

This guys family members probably thought that he was stupid, selling everything for one little pearl. This beautiful pearl was worth more than everything he owned. That is how the Kingdom of heaven should be for us. We should be willing to give up everything, even our lives, for the sake of the kingdom.

25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Vs 47-50 The parable of the Fish

This reiterates a lot of what the parable of the weeds was talking about.

The imagery of a net is familiar to us (at least to us Alaskans).

The good fish get put into the containers but the bad fish get thrown away.

Jesus repeats nearly word for word some of the ending of the parable of the weeds.

Vs 51-52

 In these verse Jesus ask the disciples if they understand these. They respond affirmatively.

Jesus accepts their answer and tell them this.

I believe that Jesus is telling them that they should not throw away the old truths they have learned. Instead they are to discern between the good treasures and the old treasures.

The word translated “bring out” means “to scatter” or “to bring forth passionately.

Vs 53-58

Jesus returns to his hometown and teaches them there. Instead of accepting him the people get offended. There is a saying “familiarity breeds contempt” I believe these people were so used to knowing Jesus as just another member of their community that they were not willing to take a second look.

They bring up the fact that he has brothers and sisters here. It is almost like they are saying “He is just a man, and a carpenter at that. Why would we listen to him?”

He did not do mighty works there because of their unbelief.

This does not mean that Jesus’ power was diminished. It has been suggested that perhaps people were refusing to even come to him because they did not believe.