Matthew Chapter 13 (part 2)
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Matthew Chapter 13 (part 2 Christ’s Parables)
Matthew Chapter 13 (part 2 Christ’s Parables)
Intro: Just to recap, we studied the first half of this chapter, and Jesus’s parables in teaching the people in a way they could remember and it would stick with them,
We saw how these parables were fit for the way we should live, but also some would be depictions of the end times as well.
We are picking right back up with more of Christ’s parables, starting with the parable of the mustard seed.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
“kingdom of heaven” which can also mean “kingdom of God”, God’s people, the church, the body of Christ. All the same meaning.
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
A couple of things we need to make note of here,
Mustard seeds could grow into roughly 10 foot shrubs and were native to grow among the shores of Galilee where Christ was teaching here.
and where He says “the least of all seeds” this just means how small this seed actually was. We will see how mustard seeds were actually a common unit of measurement to depict the size of something through comparison.
We will see this comparison for faith in Matthew and Luke both chapter 17
and He tells us how it becomes the greatest among herbs and it becomes a tree. Representing this tiny seed growing into something great in size. What the goal for the children of God are in numbers right?
But I want us to look at the very last part of this parable.
“So that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”
There is something here that lot of people can easily miss interpret.
It is easy to read this verse as a great growth of the body of Christ, that starts the size of a mustard seed into a tree that is greater and produces the highest herbs. but given the context of all the parables Christ is giving us in this chapter both before and after this one,
this isn’t just an illustration for the body of Christ depicted as this great big size and quantity.
The parable of the wheat and the tares that we studied last Sunday paints a picture of corruption, and we are gonna see later in the lesson other parables describing corruption.
This parable here isn’t just the church growing into a great refuge for people all over.
The depiction of the parable here is that the mustard seed grows unnaturally large (which is good right? it represents the body of Christ), Mustard seed plants are more so shrubs than trees. For a mustard seed to grow into a great tree is very unnatural. And remember, God is supernatural meaning “the most natural”
The mustard seed growing unnaturally large is debatable but stay with me here,
the tell tell sign is from the birds nesting in the branches.
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
James just covered this parable last Sunday. the fowls devoured the seeds that fell to the wayside. the fowls representing the evil or corrupt ones.
Historically speaking John the Baptist sowing the seeds, crying that the kingdom of heaven has come, but the Pharisees keeping this from the people. Pharisees representing those fowls (fowls meaning birds) devouring the true word from the people.
And again we see this same thing explained in Mark.
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Same parable different scribe.
So seeing the context in which Christ speaks his parables, and uses birds as a depictions of evil or corrupt ones.
What this parable is telling us, is that when people are truly coming together to study and worship God’s word, that mustard seed will grow unnaturally huge, but also, it becomes a target or can become a nesting place for corruption and wickedness.
This is why we stand so firm in our little study church, because We aren’t here to put on a show and keep up with a roster with how many people come, we come here to gather in the name of Christ and study the living word. Worship is great and commanded. but at the end of the day, we are to study the word of God to better understand Him so that our day to day relationship with Him continues grow.
We aren't here just to put on a show in order to draw in multitudes, because a lot of times, just putting on a show will draw in those fowls of the air, leading to wickedness and sin.
But again, I think this parable is prophesying the greatness of the size of churches to come, but that can often lead to settlements for sin and corruption.
We’ve talked about it before, the church isn’t a business, it isn’t a sitcom, not a building,
but a gathering of God’s children in the name of Jesus, to study, worship, and build each other up with the gospel so that we can apply it day in and day out in our lives and reflect it onto others around us.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
We’ve covered it before, but if you want to see how the church or body of Christ should be, read
ACTS Chapter 2, Ephesians Chapter 4, and 1st Corinthians Chapter 12
But anyway, (not trying get on a side tangent here,) But the parable of the mustard seed, depicting great size in churches, but can also lead to refuge for corruption and wickedness.
Very important to remember these things, because this is Christ speaking here. These are warnings, Satan and his army will try to nest and corrupt whenever children of God gather in Christ’s name,
We have to recognize this and pay attention. That is why we always say, if anyone has any questions, comments, concerns PLEASE speak out, No one here will take offense to a question or correction in the word of God
We covered it in Matthew chapter 12, We are all brothers and sisters spiritually, We gather here unto ONE name, JESUS CHRIST, and it takes the entire Body to not stray off of the path He has set before us.
Next, the Parable of the Leaven
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
So Christ is using a simile of the kingdom of heaven, the body of Christ, like leaven that is hid into meal or dough, until the whole loaf was filled with leaven.
Leaven (or yeast) used to ferment and expand dough as it “rises”
Just like the parable of the mustard seed, it is easy to quickly say “see this parable is representing the growth of righteousness in the body of Christ, or the kingdom of heaven” “It just takes a little seed to be planted for it to grow into greatness” “a little bit of leaven to make the dough rise”
The kingdom of God is the meal in this verse not the Leaven. the Leaven took over the meal.
Remember like we talked about in previous chapters, you can’t twist the word of God for your own satisfaction.
This isn’t to comfort, it is to warn
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
This is Paul speaking to the church in Corinth
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
We will get here soon, but this is Jesus himself speaking, saying “BEWARE of the Leaven”
But one of the biggest pieces of evidence to back this verse in chapter 13
We will see this verse again soon because Passover is coming up in a few weeks,
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
We can go on and on with examples, but what does leaven represent over and over and over again, even from Jesus himself in other examples? wickedness, evil, corruption, principalities of darkness.
Christ isn’t giving us a parable of how great righteousness spreads.
This parable is giving us warning of how Satan works in the body of Christ. Just like the Leaven, Satan will try to hide corruption, and plant wickedness and sin unto those who are children of God gathering unto Christ’s name.
Living for Christ and walking the path He guides you on is what we are supposed to do, He will protect us,
but keep in mind Christ is telling us, there's a target on those who gather in My name name (Christ’s name). keep an eye out for those fowls of the air, or leaven that can corrupt the whole batch.”
True Christianity and coming together with one another as the body of Christ is NOT going to be a walk in the park.
I know James covered this last week, and papa references it constantly,
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Christ isn’t giving us and these people at the time these parables to comfort us.
He is EDUCATING saying “Satan is always at work, even though you gather in My name, he is constantly working and scheming for corruption”
We have went over it before, Christ isn’t teaching to pull us from trials and tribulations, He is teaching to prepare us THROUGH those trials, and, we can have peace by leaning on Him where we fall short.
Christ is our protector, but protection isn’t always Him holding the shield, Christ allows us to be tested,
He provided the sword and shield (the Bible). we gotta pick it up with our own hands and use it. That is the point of free will,
But anyway, getting long winded over one verse but this is a verse that is commonly misinterpreted.
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Matthew reiterating.
Why parables? Back in this time they didn’t have cameras, recorders, even scrolls to be handed out unto the people.
So Christ uses parables to help relate His words of wisdom to real life situations at the time for people to better understand and remember these teachings.
Jasmin is an elementary school teacher she can tell you better than I can, the best way to teach someone something is to compare it to their interests or something they are familiar with and it helps stick in their mind better.
This is what Christ is doing with His teachings here.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Christ referencing the fulfillment of old testament prophecy found in Psalms 78
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Remember He was on this boat speaking to the crowds on the shore creating sort of like an amphitheater.
He is now entering into what is believed to possibly be Peter’s house, where he was back in chapter 8 and 9.
His disciples came to Him asking him to elaborate on His parable from verses 24-30
Remember disciples being His students, They are asking to fully understand these things.
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
To sow meaning to literally scatter like we covered in the first half of this chapter,
But we are going to see in these next few verses how Christ takes His parable and describes what the metaphor is representing
Someone who scatters good seed is the Son of man, who is the Son of man? Jesus Christ.
Seed, which can be translated to Spermah Greek word 4690, those good seeds or good children of Jesus. Remember Cain and Abel from Genesis you'll see where this is leading.
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
So the field is the world, This world age we are living in right now.
Those good seed or Spermah, are the children of the kingdom of Heaven, Children of Christ
Those tares or bad seeds are the Spermah or children of the wicked one, who is the wicked one? Satan stated in this very next verse.
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The devil is the one that scattered the tares, planted those bad seeds or planted the wicked spermah WITH the good seed or good Spermah that corrupted the field,
What is the field again? This world age we are living in.
This again covering what we talked about earlier, Christs parables here weren’t to make you feel good, they were to educate and warn us of what has been and what will be. He is equipping His followers with the necessary tools we will need.
And going back to Genesis, studying the serpent seed being planted. Is this not exactly what Christ is explaining?
People all the time ask, “well how can Caine and Abel be twins”?
Cain and Abel were fraternal twins, two different seeds or Spermah that shared a womb or field at the same time.
Remember the wheat and the tares were planted each by two different people, but shared the field during the same growing period.
In order for the tares to corrupt the wheat, they had to share a field.
Again this has all been written from the beginning, what has been will be and just to give another witness.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Those good seeds, and those bad seeds. the wheat and also the tares.
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
When was the beginning? Genesis.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
So there we see again, if both Cain and Abel had the same father, which means they come from the same seed, then how can one be a wheat and one be a tare?
They weren’t of the same seed.
point black we see it right here, Cain was a tare, that bad seed planted by Satan to corrupt the good seed.
Abel who was wheat, that good seed, corrupted or killed by the bad seed.
So do we see how all of this ties together? This has been in place since the beginning. What has been will be. There was no apple, the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, that forbidden fruit was a euphemism.
But anyway
Lets go back and recap on how Christ taught it to begin with.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Enemy = Satan
Planted his bad seed with the good seed (again the same thing we saw with Cain and Abel)
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
The good and the bad.
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Gathering the Good and the Bad seed together at the same time.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
These last two verses in this parable that James went over last Sunday, just to recap, goes against pre tribulation rapture theory
Christ Himself saying that the good and the bad will be gathered up TOGETHER at the same time, THEN the tares or the bad seed will be bound and done away with.
So back to verse 40 where Christ is further explaining this parable to the disciples.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Again the world being this world age we are in now,
Done away with when the tares are gathered and perished.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
The son of man being? Christ
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Christ just giving the literal meaning of His parable to the disciples.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Again what Christ is saying going against pre tribulation rapture theory.
That word “then” being an adverb giving us indication on future tense of time.
After the children of iniquity are gathered and done away with is when the righteous will shine forth in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I love that Christ ends with “ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Also beginning these next few short parables,
in other words. If you can understand what I am saying you better pay attention.
Next are the parables of the treasure and the pearl.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Christ using the word “again” for these two parables to emphasize how valuable the kingdom of Heaven is and also the extreme and urgent measures we should all take at paying attention to these.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
Goodly pearls representing the kingdom of heaven.
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
These parables are short and sweet, but it really explains how our relationship with Christ should be.
It isn’t about the fact that the man purchased an expensive pearl.
But the fact that he was willing to sacrifice all that he had in order to secure the great pearl.
Reflect on that,
Ask yourself, would you sacrifice all that you have for your relationship with Christ?
All that we have is a blessing from Him anyway, He can take it away just as quick if not quicker than we received it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
There is that word again, Christ giving us a sense of urgency to remember.
Everyone know what a cast net is?
There is a trick to it, but you throw it out and slowly drag it in. it collects EVERYTHING on the way up.
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
Compare this to the end times like we just read, again Christ’s parables contradicting pre tribulation rapture theory
A cast net gathers all it will gather at the same time, good fish and bad,
then AFTER its pulled a shore will they be separated.
To prove even more so without any questions.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Again those parables of the end times. Giving us education and warning at what is to come.
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
Again, he who hath ears let him hear.
DO YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTAND.
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
The disciples are understanding these parables and starting to put two and two together,
And what Christ is telling them is that as a student and teacher of the word of God, it is important to understand and teach things of old and things of new,
Teach divine historical events, and divine prophecy that is to come.
Again coming from Christ, explaining what has been will be there is nothing new under the sun.
We already saw how the serpent seed back in the beginning with Cain and Abel ties into Christ’s teachings here, and what the end times will be a reflection of.
And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Christ has equipped his disciples with the knowledge and understanding they need to teach others the truth,
He goes back to his hometown in Nazareth
Remember he based his teaching in Capernaum but has now departed home to teach in those synagogues
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
Where did he get this knowledge from?
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
It is sad what is taking place here,
These people grew up knowing Jesus from His youth, they are even questioning “isn’t this the brother of so and so, ETC”
His teachings were so knowledgeable and wise but the fact they knew him from His youth, they had disbelief.
They didn’t have faith in Him, and therefore he didn’t perform mighty works unto them.
a couple of things to conclude this lesson,
Take note of what is taking place here with Christ in His hometown,
He is speaking the truth unto his hometown, yet they doubt him because they knew him growing up.
How often when we try to clean up our life choices and start striving to live by the word of God that a lot of our peers doubt it.
What, because I was wild growing up means I can’t be reborn through the word of God?
Not saying Christ was wild in his youth, but they knew him from his past, “Oh he’s just that carpenters son” That’s Mary’s boy.
What does that have to do with the fact that Jesus is speaking the word of God. He’s living it day by day.
Basically where I'm going with this is don’t be distracted by your past, or those who see you as the same person you once were,
Once you are reborn in the truth of God, our focus should be solely on our relationship with Christ and the upbringing of our families through the word of God, so that we can reflect His light onto others, again that’s why it is important for us as the body of Christ to support one another,
Don’t let your past self, or those who still see you as your past self distract you from your mission with Christ.
And I think that’s what we are seeing here to conclude this chapter, remember Jesus was raised in the flesh just like us, had siblings, a dad through adoption who was a blue collar man,
But when Christ is old enough to be accountable for himself, That’s when the rubber met the road with His ministry.
We saw how when he was 12 years old He had divine knowledge, but He really kicked off when he was of that age of accountability.
The same way we should be, when we become of the age of accountability, we are to leave are father and mother, and if we are taught the truth, we shouldn’t depart from it, no matter our past. That is Proverbs 22:6
Which should be passed down and should be the case for our children and our children's children.
But anyway
Reading and studying Christ’s parables, what has been will be, there is nothing new under the sun,
We see how He takes the new and the old and tie them together,
these parables are divine knowledge of what happened all the way back from the beginning,
and also a reflection of what is to come in the end times so he that hath ears let him hear,
meaning to PAY ATTENTION.
Matthew Chapter 13 (part 2 Christ’s Parables)
Matthew Chapter 13 (part 2 Christ’s Parables)
I just want to touch on pre tribulation rapture theory, and not believing in the serpent seed.
I’ve been told before, “you just don’t believe in it because the church you go to doesn’t teach it or vise versa.”
Like we’ve talked about at Thursday night Bible studies, debating the word of God isn’t about proving someone wrong,
It is about proving them right, and if there isn’t enough information written over something, how can we believe it, much less like we saw in this lesson how if Christ’s teachings clearly contradict it, how can we believe it to be true.
and on the other hand, if there is more than one witness and Christ clearly states for us to understand the new and the old, then how can you not believe something to be true.
