Jesus' parables point to the value of faith in God

March 19, 2001

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April 15 Lesson

Jesus' parables point to the value of faith in God
___Matthew 13:24-46; 28:1-6
___^13:24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
___²⁷"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?'
___²⁸"'An enemy did this,' he replied.
___"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
___²⁹"'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. ³⁰Let 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.'"
___³¹He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³²Though 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." ...
___³⁶Then 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."
___³⁷He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,³⁹and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
___⁴⁰"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The 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. ⁴²They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. ..."

___By Carolyn Ratcliffe
___One of the most exciting times of my childhood was listening to people older than me tell stories about their lives. We would gather together around the fire at family gatherings and listen to my grandparents speak of traveling in horse-drawn wagons or of the events they experienced during World War I or tales of survival in the Great Depression. Those were wonderful times, and I still remember every delightful account they related to us, stories that have never been forgotten.
___The story
___Story is a form of communication that is easily remembered. Jesus, the master story- teller, used this form of communication, specifically a form called parables. The Greek word for parable is "parabole" which carries the meaning of "setting side by side" or comparison. This Greek word is used to translate the Hebrew word "mashal," which is a kind of figurative language. In a mashal, the meaning is not necessarily immediately apparent but is meant to coax the mind into the insight contained in the statement. Many of the parables of Jesus coaxed the minds of his hearers as they appeal to our minds today.
___Jesus and his parables
___When asked why he taught in parables (10:17), Jesus answered that he taught the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. While these mysteries or secrets are revealed in the parables, Jesus says there will be those who see and hear without understanding the spiritual nature of the kingdom. Spiritual understanding is not by human intellect or insight but comes from divine revelation. Jesus stresses the sovereignty of God, but he does not negate the importance of individual human response. Jesus then quotes a passage from Isaiah 6:9-10 to make his point. For Jesus, those who see, hear and understand are blessed because they are witnesses to what has been promised for centuries.
___Caution should be used when interpreting what Jesus is saying in the parables. For hundreds of years, the early church allegorized the parables. Some of the allegorizations were quite elaborate but did not maintain the original meaning of the story. It is probably better to read and understand the parables in a plainer sense. The reader should read the parable in light of the times in which Jesus spoke them, determine their meaning in the context of the culture, and then apply their meaning to the contemporary world.
___Jesus and the parable of the soil
___Matthew 13 contains seven or eight parables (depending on how one classifies verse 52) spoken by Jesus and grouped by Matthew into a collection. This collection begins the third of the five great discourses contained in the book of Matthew. It follows the teachings and laws regarding what kind of life is to be lived in the kingdom (Matthew 5-7), and the teachings on the cost of discipleship and the fact of rejection (Matthew 10). Matthew locates the collection of parables here possibly as an answer to "this generation" (12:39) who rejected Jesus or, perhaps, to further develop what it means to accept or reject the kingdom.
___This collection is generally called "parables of the kingdom" because they deal with the kingdom of God. Jesus is not concerned with telling his hearer what the kingdom will be like at its final consummation but is interested in God's rule in the here and now of people's lives. Jesus knew God's kingdom was coming about in and through him. Therefore, now is the time for all people to reject or to accept. The kingdom parables present what God is doing in the world, as well as, a call for decision. These parables conceal, reveal and coax in the sense of the Hebrew mashal.
___Jesus begins with the parable of the sower and the soils. While many interpretations of this parable concentrate upon the soil as the hearers of God's word, it is interesting to suggest the sower may have been the point of Jesus' story in the context of the first hearers. If this is the case, then the point of the parable is the sovereignty of God. God alone produces the harvest regardless of any setbacks the believers might experience. The point is as we face opposition in our efforts to spread the word about the kingdom of God, we must still plant. We are called to spread the word of the kingdom; God produces the harvest.
___However, on the other hand, the parable may well be a warning about hearing the word of God without understanding what is heard. Certainly the interpretation of the parable that follows in verses 18-23 suggests the different soils equal various receptions of the word of God.?Perhaps here is a warning that hearing the word of God is not enough. Many people hear about God yet are so involved with the world and its cares they cannot understand the eternal importance of that word or appropriate it into their lives. Yet we as sowers must continue to spread the gospel expecting the harvest, while at the same time realizing the freedom of the hearer to accept or reject the working of the Spirit.
___Judgment belongs to God
___The parables of the tares (vv. 24-30) and the net (vv. 47-52) carry a similar teaching in the context of rejection. Not only will God sow the righteous (those who accept), the enemy will sow the unrighteous (those who reject). However, God is the only one capable of making that judgment, and he will make that judgment when the time is right. While the evil powers seek to destroy the kingdom of God, they will be fully exposed and dealt with when the time of the final judgment comes. Perhaps we can carry away with us the idea that we are not responsible for making decisions concerning whether or not a person is truly a Christian, but we are responsible for spreading the word about God's plan for saving humanity. God alone determines the true believers.
___The kingdom starts small but is precious
___Matthew includes four more parables in this collection. The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the leaven deal with the growing of the kingdom, emphasizing God's action, and are addressed to the crowd. The parables of the treasure and the pearl are addressed to the disciples and emphasize humanity's response to the kingdom. In the case of the first two, Jesus addresses the crowd in the language of the practical, everyday world. God, the sower, has initiated his kingdom in Jesus, an action in the world that is as small as a mustard seed and is hardly noticed. Furthermore, the action is as hidden as leaven when it is kneaded into a large lump of dough. In both cases the kingdom grows quietly and unnoticed, the mustard seed into a tree and the dough into a loaf of bread large enough to feed a large festive occasion (notice the three measures of flour, which is approximately 50 pounds). These two parables suggest God is at work, and his kingdom is growing even though the human eye cannot perceive it and at the end will be a messianic banquet.
___Human response to God's activity is addressed in the parables of the treasure and the pearl. The treasure of God's kingdom is hidden, buried and must be discovered. Once discovered, it is worth everything. Likewise, the pearl of God's kingdom is of great value. God's kingdom is a gift of great value, and these two parables illustrate the true value of knowing God.___
___God's gift of the kingdom
___As we approach Easter, we must realize the resurrection is a gift of God and part of his announcement of his kingdom. We, like the readers of the Gospel of Matthew, have the advantage of understanding Jesus' parables on this side of the cross and of the resurrection. The story of the inauguration of the kingdom of God does not end with the death of Jesus; a new era begins with his resurrection. The parables of Jesus are understood in a new light. It is the risen Lord who brings meaning to his words and understanding to his messiahship. The resurrection confirms his ministry of inaugurating the kingdom of God.
___The emphasis in Matthew 28:1-6 is, once again, the activity of God as it was in the parables of Jesus. It must be understood that Jesus was dead in every human way on Good Friday, and God raised him on Sunday. The Greek verb translated "raised" in verse 6 should be taken as a passive--"He has been raised." The empty tomb, the dazed guards, the angels are all part of the activity of God demonstrating his power. Just as Jesus, in his parables, illustrated the activity of God, God sows the mustard seed. God separates the tares from the wheat, the kingdom is God's kingdom either accepted with joy or rejected, and the pearl and treasure symbolize the unmatchable value of God's kingdom. Jesus illustrated God's redemptive activity in his death and resurrection. Jesus, the Son, paid the ultimate price of obedience; God, the Father, raised the Son as confirmation of his messiahship. These events are the "pearls" of God's kingdom, with value beyond counting.
___For the Gospel of Matthew the new era has begun. It is an era in which the disciples of Jesus are to go into all the world and proclaim the risen Jesus, who is the very Son of God, the Messiah and Savior. This mandate not only addresses the readers of Matthew's day, but reaches down through the centuries to touch us today in a very profound way. The mandate is not an option but a responsibility and a response for God's gift of the kingdom.

For thought and discussion
___ How effective do you think Jesus was as a storyteller? Do you think the parables were clear enough for his hearers to understand what he was teaching? Why do you think the disciples asked Jesus why he was teaching in parables?
___ Have you ever tried to determine if someone was a Christian or not? Do you think we ever judge others? What is the proper attitude of a Christian concerning the spiritual condition of others?
___ What do you think the term "kingdom of God" means?
___ How would you explain the resurrection of Jesus to someone who does not believe it actually happened? Do you think your explanation proves difficult in our scientific world?
___ How do you see the relationship of the resurrection to the cross?
___ If you could imagine yourself in a time before the resurrection, how do you think you might understand the parables of the kingdom of God over and against how you understand them now?

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