Here Matthew collects a series of parables, like the previous one on "the sower", all related to the kingdom of heaven. (This passage continues the "Parabolic Discourse".)
Matt 13:24-30
Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
"The owner's servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
"`An enemy did this,' he replied. The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
"`No,' he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
"The owner's servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
"`An enemy did this,' he replied. The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
"`No,' he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
Matt 13:31-33
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 your 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 perch in its branches."
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 your 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 perch in its branches."
He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."
In each of these the kingdom of heaven is small and unnoticed, at least at the beginning.
According to the footnotes to the New International Version (NIV) the Greek translated "large amount" was, in Greek, three satas which was "probably about 1/2 bushel or 22 liters".
Matt 13:34-35
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."
Jesus had a reason for speaking in parables; he was not trying to be easy to understand and follow, but demanding commitment and thought. (Not a bad idea for us educators today....)
The quote in verse 35 is from Psalm 78:2.
Jesus's parable on the "sower" (recorded at the beginning of chapter 13) has disturbed his followers.
Matt 13:36-43
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
"He who has ears, let him hear."
Part of the parable has a direct analogue in the world around Jesus and Jesus lays out those analogies.
The kingdom of God is serious, with serious consequences and choices. (Not something I am particularly eager to hear!)
Matt 13:44-50
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The kingdom of God is precious, valuable, worth more than anything we can offer in the short term. Most of my life some aspect of this has sunk in ... and I am grateful for this lesson.
There is going to be an "end" (of this age) possibly far down the road.... and apparently a final separation and destruction?!
Matt 13:51-52
"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.
"Yes," they replied.
He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
I think the disciples are lying when they say, "Yes"!
"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.
"Yes," they replied.
He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
I think the disciples are lying when they say, "Yes"!
Matt 13:53-58
When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Jesus's hometown is unwilling to believe the Messiah could be the boy they knew as a child. What does this say about Jesus's childhood? Or the hometown's worldview?
Isaiah 53 might be relevant here, as it gives an (unattractive) picture of the suffering Messiah.
I agree that the parable of the wheat and tares is a caution against religious judgements, but I also think it is a warning to all of us to search our hearts to make sure we are sincerely trying to follow Jesus. My capacity for self-deception is sadly quite high.
ReplyDeleteOne personal story: shortly after I became a believer, the pastor of the church I grew up in preached on vs. 24-30. He proposed a few possible interpretations, none of which were as terrifying as the interpretation Jesus made in vs. 36-43. When I asked him about it after the service he stated that Jesus could not have meant what he said in 36-43 so he ignored that interpretation. I was angry at the time, and I still think this was a grave mistake on his part. We may not like what we read, and we may have great difficulty understanding what we read (and we need to be humble about our approach to scripture), but we should never just ignore the parts that we find inconvenient.
Yes, agreed.
ReplyDeletePart of the challenge to reading the Bible is to let it speak and not attempt to "correct" or "sanitize" it by imposing our own cultural wishes onto it. As someone else has said, the so-called "hard sayings" of Jesus should be read more, simply because they are "hard" and unsettling!
As I observe "Christian" culture (here in the southern US), I see a desire by the white middle class to rewrite the teachings of Jesus. One can do that, of course, but then you no longer have the teachings of *Jesus*. (I'd say more but I'd detour into some fruitless comments about current US politics and the "religious right"! Oops.)