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Copyright © 2017 by Mike Mazzalongo

ISBN: 978-0-69236-818-3

BibleTalk.tv
14998 E. Reno
Choctaw, Oklahoma 73020

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977,
1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.
(www.Lockman.org)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 4

2. TYPES OF PARABLES ON THE KINGDOM 12

3. PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST 19

4. PARABLE OF THE BRIDESMAIDS AND TALENTS 26

5. PARABLES OF: HIDDEN TREASURE, PEARL AND DEBT 34

6. PARABLE OF THE SOWER AND THE SEED 41

7. PARABLE OF WHEAT AND TARES 50

8. PARABLES OF: SEED, MUSTARD SEED AND WORKERS 55

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1.
INTRODUCTION
If you were to take all of Jesus' sermons and teachings together and
study them for a particular style or theme you would learn that the
central theme in His preaching, especially as recorded by Matthew, Mark
and Luke, was the idea of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus spent much of His time talking about the coming, the preparation
for, the nature of and the make up of the kingdom.

It seems Matthew used the term kingdom of heaven because Jews had
been trained to think in terms of heaven as a spiritual dimension. Mark
uses the term kingdom of God because his Gentile readers could more
easily identify with this idea since they had no concept of heaven.

Jesus used the word kingdom throughout His ministry and 13 of His 43
parables begin with the words, "The kingdom of heaven is like…"
Obviously if Jesus gave so much importance to the subject of the
kingdom and our involvement in it, we should be familiar with His
teachings on it.

This is the basic reason for this book - to become more familiar with the
kingdom by understanding some of Jesus' major teachings on the
subject. Before we begin, however, let us take a look at some "Kingdom"
history and background in order to put these teachings into context.

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE KING AND KINGDOM IDEAS
FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Theocratic Rule
The book of Genesis tells us that society was originally designed to co-
exist in peace with extended families sharing the limitless resources of a
perfectly balanced creation, all under the loving care and presence of
God. There were no human rulers of any kind. The only present
authority was God and His word.

With the advent of sin, a new level of authority was instituted within the
family structure: the husband was to have authority over his wife.
However, no authority for society in general was yet established. After
the flood (Genesis 9) God gave to society the authority to police itself
and execute justice for crimes (life for a life, Genesis 9:6) in order to
provide order in a new and sinful world. The first human ruler who
appeared at this point in time was self-appointed.

In Genesis 10:10 we read that Nimrod formed and reigned over his own
kingdom and was probably the instigator in building the Tower of Babel.
This is the first instance in the Bible of a human king and kingdom.

The word "king" is translated from a root word in the Greek which
means ruler, and the word kingdom comes from a variation of that word
which refers to the geographical area over which that ruler rules. The
sinful world, after the flood, had gotten to the point that it rejected God's
rule and began to appoint themselves as rulers and kings.

After the great flood during Noah's time and with the selection of
Abraham to begin forming a new people who belonged to God, there
was a return to family rule with God as guide and protector. As the
nation of Israel formed the 12 tribes descended from Jacob we see that,
contrary to pagan nations, the Jews still maintained the tribal leaders as
the highest form of authority under the direction of God's influence and
presence in their lives. Although they came into contact with pagan
kings, the Jews remained without a king for over two centuries after
they entered the Promise Land. Up until this time they lived under

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theocratic rule (God ruled them directly through the prophets, judges
and the Law of Moses).

Human Kings
Once settled in the promised land and while still carrying on military
campaigns against border enemies, a movement began to have a man
serve as king over the people of Israel. This was against God's will but
He nevertheless permitted the people a change in system and warned
them that they would regret it. The Bible records the sad experience that
the Jews had with earthly kings:

• Saul went mad and died in disgrace.

• David was a great king but disobeyed God with terrible sins and
consequences.

• Solomon built the temple but became unfaithful and led the
nation into idolatry.

• The kingdom was divided after Solomon's death.

• The Northern Kingdom was totally destroyed because of its

idolatry (approx. 700BC).

• The Southern Kingdom was also destroyed and carried off into
exile for the same reason but was allowed to return to
Jerusalem and rebuild after 70 years of exile (approx. 600BC).

• Only a small portion of the Southern Kingdom remained under

the rule of the Roman Empire when Jesus was born to Mary.

God's Relationship with the Kings

The idea that God is a king or has a kingdom is not apparent in the early
portions of the Bible. The image of God's relationship and position with
earthly kings and His own stature as king, as well as the entire idea of a
spiritual kingdom is developed very slowly by the different writers of

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the Old Testament. This is because God does not reveal a concept that
people have no way of relating to or understanding. This gradual
development of knowledge is called progressive revelation. Progressive
revelation takes place when God slowly reveals a concept, one piece at a
time, over many years, through different writers. The kingdom of God
was such an idea that was revealed slowly to mankind through
progressive revelation.

We know that human kings were subject to God and feared Him
(Genesis 20:1-7). For example, Abimelech, king of Shur, feared God's
wrath when he unknowingly took Abraham's wife into his harem. We
also see the Pharaoh resist God's judgement and finally give in when
God destroys the first born in Egypt prior to the Jews being released
from captivity.

However, the direct relationship between God and a king begins with
Saul, the first king of Israel. We see that God chooses and establishes
kings. I Samuel 8:5-7 says that although God permitted it, He recognized
that the people had chosen a human king instead of remaining with Him
as their king. This is the first reference to God as a king, and later on
there will be a mention that He has a kingdom as well. It took a long time
before the idea that God as king with a kingdom was introduced into the
Jewish mindset.

MAN AS DIVINE KING

At that time there also existed the idea that a human could be a divine
ruler of sorts. The Egyptians may have been the first to combine the idea
that the king was a descendant or product of the gods and therefore
divine (Sun Kings). This may have been why Pharaoh resisted Moses
seeing him as an equal descendant of the gods and simply a rival to be
defeated.

The Greeks revived this idea for Western civilization with Alexander the
Great, and from there this concept was borrowed by the Romans.
Augustus Caesar (63BC-14AD) saw his role and person as an incarnation
of the gods and thus began emperor worship throughout the empire.

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When Christians confessed Jesus as Lord (Divine King) this was seen as
defiance and eventually brought about the persecution of the church.

The idea of the divine human king did not survive in the West after
Rome fell but continued in the East (Shinto-Japan). In the Jewish world
we see the idea of God ruling as a divine king in heavenly places. David
describes God in this role in Psalm 47:2-3; 101:1.

The earliest direct reference in Judaism to the title king being used for
God is in the 8th century by Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 6:5). By this time,
in the Jewish mind, the idea that God was the king who ruled over all
kings was firmly fixed (1,200 years from Abraham to Isaiah).

From this point the ideas of the divine king taking on a human form and
dwelling among men, inviting them into His divine kingdom will be
processed by several other prophets over another eight centuries.

THE KING AND THE KINGDOM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

After Isaiah, the prophets Zechariah and Obadiah began to describe the
Messiah as a charismatic ruler (king) who would appear and renew the
golden period of Jewish history (Solomon's reign). This leader would
rule from Jerusalem. He would purify the nation, save it from its enemies
and have sovereignty over all the nations.

It was this kind of prophesy (a Redeemer and Savior to come in the

future) that stirred the hopes of the nation.

These prophets filled out the description of the "one to come" spoken of
before but not well pictured. Daniel picked up and developed this image
further in Daniel 7 by giving an exact historical time when this person
would come. In Daniel 7 he describes the rise and fall of four world
kingdoms and then the establishment of a fifth kingdom (spiritual in
nature and greater than the previous four). Daniel, however, adds two
important ideas to the ones already mentioned:

1. The Messiah would be a divine king, not just a human ruler.

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 2. He would rule not only by Himself but with his people. These
people would constitute a divine kingdom.

The concept of the Messiah as divine king ushering in a special kingdom

to rule over all other kingdoms was finally expressed in its fullness by
Daniel. This set the stage for the last two prophets to speak about the
kingdom of God:

1. John the Baptist

When John comes along the people are anticipating a king who will
purify, save and exalt the Jewish nation over its enemies. John's initial
preaching falls in line with their expectations. Repent and be baptized to
purify yourselves and be ready, for the kingdom is coming. The people
responded to him and this recognizable message.

John also announced the divine aspect of the kingdom by speaking of the
Holy Spirit and how the One to come would baptize the people with Him.
One idea that had not yet been developed, and caused some confusion
for John and the people concerning the kingdom, was that the king and
kingdom were two different things. They also believed that there would
be great political change when He came.

2. Jesus the Messiah

When Jesus finally arrives, He follows John's preaching about the
kingdom but He tells them that the kingdom has arrived. The deduction
is that if the kingdom has arrived then the king (Messiah) is here too.

At first, with His miracles and teachings, the people want to see Him as
the king to come, but when the political changes don't happen they
reject Him and are confused. Jesus is the one who develops fully the
concept of the kingdom only partially described throughout history by
the different prophets:

• He explains that the kingdom is not earthly but spiritual in

nature.

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 • He explains that the divine king is at the center of the kingdom,
not above the kingdom like human kings.

• He tells them that the kingdom is made up of the king and those
who are united to Him by faith, not culture.

• He explains that the kingdom has a:

o Past - prophesied and hoped for.

o Present - Jesus manifests its king and provides an

earthly dimension for it - the Church.

o Future - At the end of the world all aspects of the

kingdom (earthly/heavenly) will merge into one.

His parables on the kingdom, which we will study, describe the nature
and tension between the present condition of the kingdom and its future
consummation when He returns.

KINGDOM THEOLOGY IN POST NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

A lot of what we think about the kingdom of God today is based on
various theological ideas that were developed after the New Testament
was written.

Catholic thought formed by Augustine (4th century) was that the

kingdom and the church were exactly the same thing. They saw the
kingdom as a spiritual monarchy where the Pope was ordained as head
of the church, and the church ruling different parts of this Kingdom. This
is why Popes and Cardinals dress like kings or royalty. For Roman
Catholics, the hierarchy of the kingdom was stressed.

Protestants – Reformers. The Reformation leaders emphasized the

spiritual aspects of the kingdom (Luke 17:20, "Kingdom is coming with
signs not to be observed"). The kingdom was not manifested in strict
hierarchy as Catholics saw it, but in the work of the Holy Spirit among
the believers. The transformation of lives is the sign for believers.

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Charismatics carry this idea to extreme; tongues and miracles become
the sign for a true believer.

MODERN THEOLOGY
Those who espouse what has been called the "Social Gospel" see the
kingdom displayed as the presence of God making the world a better
place to live.

My task in this book will be to examine the parables of Jesus about the
kingdom and try to see it as He explained it. We begin with Jesus at the
center; add the church in His image; complete the picture with the end
of the world where the kingdom (only described in parables) will
manifest itself in complete fullness. Complete fullness will be God,
Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, angels and the spiritual world
completely integrated forever.

Hopefully, our study of the Kingdom parables will help us understand

the difference between where we are now (the present state of the
kingdom) and where we will be in the future (the final consummated
state of the kingdom).

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2.
Types of Parables
on the Kingdom
Before going on to study the Kingdom parables I think it would be
helpful to explain what a parable actually is. A parable is a story-telling
or teaching device. The word parable comes from a Greek word that
means to lay beside or to place alongside. The point is that in a parable
you place a story or an idea (which is simple to understand) alongside a
story or an idea that is complex or hidden. The simple story mirrors the
complex one in order to make it understandable.

In Jesus' case He would lay everyday stories that were easily visualized
by the people He was teaching, alongside principles and concepts in the
spiritual world, which could not be seen. His parables, using earthly
objects and human situations, mirrored spiritual realities in the
heavenly dimension.

In the New Testament Jesus spoke 43 parables. Of these, 13 were about

the kingdom of heaven and were divided in the following way:

• 5 agricultural examples
• 4 examples concerning money
• 2 situations involving feasts
• 1 fishing story
• 1 example using cooking as its basis

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These examples for parables were not only easy for the people of that
time to understand, they were also adaptable to every culture and age.
Every disciple, regardless of time or place, can relate to and learn from
Jesus' parables about the kingdom. Let us begin, then, with two parables
that use different images to make fundamental points about the
kingdom.

THE KINGDOM IS LIKE… LEAVEN

He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is

like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of
flour until it was all leavened."
- Matthew 13:33

And again He said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of

God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three
pecks of flour until it was all leavened."
- Luke 13:20-21

HISTORY OF LEAVEN
Leaven was an important idea in Jewish life because bread was a main
food item and leaven, aside from its use in making bread, was also used
as a religious symbol. At that time, leaven was produced by mixing
various plants or kernels of grain together and allowing them to
ferment. In bread-making, leaven was usually a piece of dough left over
from a previous batch of bread and left to ferment before adding flour.

The expression "hidden in the flour" means to add flour.

Three "pecks" of meal was about a bushel (56 lb), which was a normal
batch of bread and baked products.

In the Old Testament, leaven was prohibited during the feast of the
Passover (Exodus 23:18; 34:25).

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Symbolically, leaven represented decay and impurity, and so an effort
was made to avoid it during special feasts and offerings. In the New
Testament Jesus used leaven as a symbol of corrupting influence as seen
in the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders.

And Jesus said to them, "Watch out and beware of the leaven
of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
- Matthew 16:6

The New Testament writers also used leaven as a symbol for corruption
and evil influence (I Corinthians 5:6). When Jesus gives this parable,
however, He does not use leaven as a symbol for corruption as had been
done in the past. He compares the kingdom to the simple and common
task of making bread. The leaven in the flour mixed together makes it
rise, influences its growth, causes it to change its look and taste, and
eventually prepares it for its final purpose: to be eaten, to provide life.

This simple and recognizable image is placed alongside the kingdom,

and the reader is left to conclude that the kingdom is like leaven. The
kingdom in the world is like leaven in the bread. It begins as something
that is sour and dead (the cross of Christ; the humble death in baptism
of every believer). When added to the world it influences its direction
and growth, causes it change its look and taste and prepares it for its
final purpose: the coming of the Son of God to judge the world.

No one parable teaches us everything about the kingdom; each one gives
us one or two pieces of the puzzle. For example, the parable of the
leaven gives us specific information about the kingdom:

1. The Kingdom is something that changes and evolves.

We dwell in a kingdom that is in the process of change, so we
must be prepared to change and grow as well.

2. The Kingdom affects everything else.

The kingdom is not isolated; it is not a monastery or a bubble in
which we live excluding everyone who is not within.
The kingdom affects everything around it, everything that

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 comes into contact with it changes for the good (conversion) or
for the bad (rejection of Christ).

3. There will be an end.

Just as the bread reaches its final stage and purpose, so does the
kingdom. Other parables are left to give information about what
that end will be; this one only states that there will be an end.

The Kingdom is Like… A Dragnet

47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the
sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled,
they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered
the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.
49 So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth

and take out the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will
throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Matthew 13:47-50

Fishing was a main occupation of these times and commercial fishermen

would use large nets to harvest fish for selling at the market. The
dragnet was the largest of nets weighted below and with corks on top. It
covered about half a mile of water and picked up everything in its path.

In the parable the net is full and taken to shore where the fishermen
would begin separating the edible, saleable fish from the worthless fish.
The edible would be placed in containers to keep fresh in order to
transport. The inedible were simply thrown away. The people of Jesus'
day, especially around Galilee, had seen this happen all of their lives.

In this parable Jesus goes ahead and actually takes the comparison one
step further in order to reveal the similarities that exist in the spiritual
realm. He explains that this parable points to the end of the world and a
time of judgement. Since He said that the kingdom is like a net thrown
out to catch fish, the judgement here refers to the people, who are in the
kingdom, the ones who have been taken in the net.

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We know that the "net" is the gospel, which is cast out into the world
bringing in all kinds of fish (people) into the kingdom. Jesus says that at
the end of the world the angels will separate the true disciples (good
fish) from the false disciples (bad fish). Angels do this – Matthew 25:32.
The good go into the containers (the many rooms of the Father's house),
the bad will be thrown away (into the darkness with bitter weeping).
This parable about the kingdom teaches some very different lessons
than the one regarding leaven. They do not contradict each other; they
complement each other by adding more detail.

From the dragnet parable we learn:

1. All kinds of people are brought into the kingdom. We know now
that the gospel is the means to draw all people into God's kingdom.

2. There is good and bad in the kingdom. People say, "I'm not going to
that church because there are hypocrites there." They think that the true
church is the perfect church. Jesus teaches that all kinds of people find
their way into the kingdom - for a while.

The net brings all in. The requirements to be a member of the church
allow for even insincere or evil people to be included if they want to. We
ought not to be surprised or discouraged when we see someone naming
the name of Christ but not acting like a Christian - Jesus said this would
be normal.

3. The kingdom will be purified. When Jesus returns, not only sinners
and disbelievers will be judged. God, through His angels, will remove all
those from the church who don't belong there. We can fool society, we
can fool the brethren, we can even fool ourselves - but we cannot fool
God. God knows who are the true disciples and He will keep only these
in the end. Of course, this is a warning to everyone at various levels:

A. For those who are not in the kingdom. Jesus spoke this parable, not
to disciples, but to the crowds who came to hear Him speak. He made it
clear to all that there was to be a dividing line between those who were
in and those who were out (not all the fish in the sea were in the net).

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Christianity is both inclusive and tolerant. Anyone can become a
Christian and all Christians are to be patient and loving even in the face
of another's weakness. But Christianity has boundaries set by God (the
One who is allowed to do so and whose boundaries are always right and
just). For example, God is the one who set the boundaries for marriage
(Genesis 2:24) and no human court (e.g. U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on
same-sexy marriage) can overturn His decision. Christians simply reflect
what those boundaries are, they don't invent them!

Another set of boundaries set by God can be seen in the gospel message
itself:

• If you believe and respond to it in faith - you're in the kingdom.

• If you disbelieve or refuse to respond - you're out of the

kingdom.

He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but
he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
- Mark 16:16

This is not intolerance or bigotry, it is God's boundary and those who

follow Him also hold to the boundary He has established. Jesus
demonstrates the idea of boundary in this parable; some are in the net,
others are not. It is possible therefore to be left out if we so choose.
Another warning:

B. Those in the kingdom. To those in the kingdom, but there in name

only not in the Spirit (i.e. I'm a Christian but bear no fruit). Jesus warns
these that they will not escape judgement. Some people think they can
hide in the church. They believe that they can have just enough religion
to keep them saved while still enjoying the world. This parable warns
that there will be a sorting out within the kingdom in order to clean out
the hypocrites and the dead wood. Jesus wants to offer God a "living"
church, a kingdom alive in Christ when He comes. For this reason, those
who are really of this world and insincere in their Christianity will be
removed.

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Finally, a word of encouragement:

C. To the true citizens of the kingdom. For those who know Christ;
obey Christ; trust completely in Him; are faithful to the kingdom;
growing in the kingdom - there is the promise of a better place. They will
be kept for rooms in the mansion of the Father. Each of us has to
determine where we are and where we need to be - this is the invitation
or message of this parable.

• For some it may be the initial step of repentance and baptism to

enter into the kingdom.

• For others it may be a recommitment and renewal to a deeper

and more faithful discipleship with God to remain in the
Kingdom.

• For most, this parable should be an encouragement to continue

following the Lord as they have been; knowing that the reward
is sure because the Lord who promises it is faithful to the
citizens of the kingdom.

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3.
Parable of the Wedding
Feast
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave
a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call
those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they
were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying,
'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared
my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all
butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding
feast."' But they paid no attention and went their way, one to
his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his
slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was
enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those
murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves,
'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not
worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as
you find there, invite to the wedding feast.' Those slaves went
out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both
evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner
guests.
"But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he
saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and
he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without

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 wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. Then the king
said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him
into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are
chosen."
- Matthew 22:2-14

In this parable there is the story itself and then the true meaning of the
story as it relates to the "kingdom."

THE STORY
That a king would invite guests to a wedding feast for his son and that
the invited guests would refuse to come for such poor excuses is almost
unbelievable. For example, imagine refusing an invitation to the White
House for dinner because you need to have the oil in your car changed.

That the guests would actually mistreat and kill the king's messengers is
beyond belief. This would say that:

• They did not respect the king.

• They were not afraid of him or even loved him.
• They were very foolish.

That the king would send his army to destroy these people is justified
under the circumstances, no one would argue with this. The story
becomes a little strange when the king invites the common people to fill
the place of the invited guests. For those listening to this parable in the
first century it would seem very strange for anyone to treat the king in
the way the people did in this story. It would seem even stranger for a
king to then invite common people to his table. Kings did not do this in
those times. On the contrary, they stayed away from common people
and slaves as much as possible. The story even has a surprise ending as
the king ejects one of the guests from the feast because of improper
attire.

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The wedding garment (wedding clothes) was a set of clothing provided
by the host to his special guests in order to spare them the expense of
purchasing a new set of clothing for the occasion. At that time good
clothing was expensive and hard to come by, especially for common
people. Royal weddings were often made more opulent and grand when
the king himself provided not only food and drink for the occasion but
also a new set of clothing for each of his guests.

In the parable the common people were invited, therefore it was natural
that the king provide them with the proper garments to sit at the royal
table. It would not do for them to attend the feast in their regular attire.
The story tells us that when the king entered to examine the feast for his
son, one person had neglected to put on the garments graciously
provided for him. The original guests insulted the king by not
responding to his invitation, now this guest insults him by wearing his
old clothes (or his own clothes) rather than the special garment
provided by the king. The story ends with the just punishment of the one
who was at the banquet table but whose heart and spirit was not right
for the occasion.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

I said that parables are stories that mirror unseen realities. In this
parable the unseen reality is God's relationship with Jesus, and the
Kingdom He came to establish. Before this parable was spoken Jesus had
made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem but had not been welcomed
by any of the Jewish leaders. As a matter of fact, the next day He was
confronted and rejected by them. This parable is largely in response to
their (and by extension the Jewish nation's) eventual rejection of Him
and His gospel. With this information as the key (Jesus as the Messiah is
always the key) we can lay this parable alongside Israel's rejection of
Jesus and see what God says about the kingdom.

1. The experience of the kingdom of heaven is like a feast with the

king. A joyful experience with God.

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 2. God invited the Jews to be part of this experience, but they
repeatedly rejected the messengers who invited them
(prophets) and ultimately killed some (John the Baptist).

3. The rejection of the Son is the rejection of Jesus, which was

eventually carried out by crucifying Him without just cause.

4. In response to this God sends His army to destroy those who

rejected and executed His son (The Roman army laid siege and
destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its people in 70 AD).

5. The king now invites the common people (Gentiles) to come to

the feast (kingdom/heaven) through the Apostles (messengers).
All were welcome, all could come to the feast.

6. The king provides the wedding garment (the garment is the

righteousness of Christ obtained through faith expressed in
repentance and baptism - Galatians 3:26-27). This garment
(righteousness) enables the guest to be in the king's presence.

7. One guest enters in but on his own terms, without the robe
(some want to be followers of Christ on their own terms -
without following or obeying the gospel).

8. The king removes the guest without the wedding garment (God
will judge all those in the church and remove those who are
there under false pretenses. This same point is made in the
parable of the fish and net).

9. His final word – "Many are called but few are chosen" has been
troubling and difficult to interpret.

In order to understand this phrase, we need to keep it in context of the

parable and what the parable is explaining. This refers to those who will
or will not come into the kingdom. Many are called (actually, all are
called through the gospel of Jesus), and many are given the chance to
enter in (they hear the words and know what they must do) but they

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refuse the invitation (do not obey the gospel). They have been called but
they do not answer.

Those who answer, however, become the "chosen". The words called
and chosen are both adjectives in the original Greek, they modify or
describe nouns. For example, the "called" are many; there are a great
number of them. The "chosen" are few; not many answer the call. If you
answer the call (come to the feast, put on the robe / believe in Jesus/ put
Him on in baptism) you become one of the chosen. Answering the call
makes you one of the "chosen ones" of God. If you do not answer the call
(do not come to the feast or sneak in without the proper cover) you
become the many who are on the road to destruction (the lost).

Calvinists have often used this verse as a proof-text for their version of
the doctrine of election. The idea is that man does not have the spiritual
insight to respond to God's offer of forgiveness - he is too corrupted, too
morally blind. The result, therefore, is that God is required to choose
some to be saved and others to be damned because man is helpless to
make the decision on his own. For this way of thinking, the many called
and few chosen are those who are chosen or rejected by God for the
purpose of salvation.

The Bible does teach the doctrine of election, but not in the way that it
has been taught by Calvinists. Let me explain:

Although man has been weakened by a sinful nature, he still has the
ability to exercise his free will, and in doing so often does not make the
right choices. However, man can still choose to believe and obey God's
directions (e.g. Abraham chose to follow God to Canaan). Other
examples of Bible characters who exercised their free will to choose
include Moses, who reluctantly chose to go back to Egypt; Joshua who
famously challenged the people to, "Choose this day whom you will
serve.." Joshua 24:15; and one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus
chose to ask for forgiveness while the other did not. Every presentation
of the gospel in the New Testament challenges people to obey or not. We
see that some do (the 3000 on Pentecost Sunday - Acts 2) and some do
not (King Agrippa - Acts 26:26-30), some fall away and come back (John

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Mark - Acts 13:13), and then there are some who fall away and choose to
remain unfaithful (Demas - II Timothy 4:10).

God also chooses, but He does not choose which person will be saved or
will be lost. God only makes one choice regarding salvation: He chooses
who will save man, and in this regard He chose Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:4).
It is in this way that Jesus becomes the chosen one (Luke 23:35).

Jesus, on His part, makes only one choice as well concerning salvation:
to accept or not the cup of suffering. He does so in the garden by saying
to God, "not my will but Thy will be done" (Luke 22:42). He made the
choice to die for our sins.

We also make only one choice concerning salvation: to believe and obey
Jesus or to reject Him - the same choice the Jews and Gentiles had in the
first century. When we choose Christ we then become the "chosen" of
God. Many are called by the gospel, but not many respond to it, and for
this reason only a few become the chosen.

SUMMARY
What, therefore, have we learned from this parable concerning the
kingdom?

1. In its fulfilled state it will be a glorious, royal, enjoyable and happy

experience - much like a wedding feast. This image helps us to
understand and be patient when the kingdom in its present form has
flaws, requires effort and is oppressed from many sides.

2. There will be a joining, an integration that will take place, like a

wedding. In other words, the kingdom of heaven on earth (the church)
will be perfected and glorified by the Holy Spirit, and then joined to
Christ and the kingdom as it exists in heaven. This will take place when
Jesus returns at the end of the world (I Thessalonians 4:16-18).

3. All are welcomed to enter in (many are called). Some received a

special invitation (the Jews), some were called in a general way (by

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hearing the gospel) but all have been invited to the same feast. The same
kingdom is open for all.

4. You must be dressed for the occasion. God is the one who provides
the covering for us (Christ), but we must put the garment on if we wish
to remain. God offers salvation through grace (forgiveness is free, we
cannot buy it, make it or earn it), and we must receive it by faith. The
Bible tells us that our faith in Christ is properly expressed by confessing
His name, repenting of sins and being baptized in water (Acts 2:37-38).
This is how you put on the wedding garment (Galatians 3:26).

5. Those who refuse the invitation and those who do not accept the
invitation in the proper way will not be welcome at the feast. This is the
only feast because there is and will only be one kingdom.

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4.
Parable of the
Bridesmaids and Talents
The parable of the Bridesmaids or Foolish Virgins and the one that
follows it, the parable of the Talents, are both looking forward to the
time when the kingdom of God on earth will end. They refer to the
reckoning or sorting out that will take place before the kingdom on
earth is joined to the kingdom in heaven. Each point to this time but
have different things to teach us about life in the kingdom and the
judgement that will come at that time.

PARABLE OF THE BRIDESMAIDS

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins,
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when
the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but
the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now
while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and
began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the
bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins
rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent,
'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the
prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and
you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for

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 yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the
purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready
went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.
Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up
for us.' But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know
you.'
- Matthew 25:1-12

THE STORY
There were three stages to Jewish weddings.

• The engagement - when the families agreed on the marriage

and a formal arrangement was arrived at by the fathers of the
couple.

• The betrothal - a ceremony was held in the home of the bride's

parents where mutual promises were made by each party and
gifts were given by the groom to his future wife (dowry paid).
The betrothal was a serious commitment in that if the man died
before the wedding the woman would be considered a widow,
and breaking a betrothal was equal to divorce. For example
Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, required a bill of
divorcement to annul his betrothal to Mary.

• After a year or so the marriage took place at a feast usually held

in the groom's home or place of his choosing. Normally the
bridegroom, surrounded by his friends, went to retrieve the
bride at her home. The bride, dressed in her best, would
sometimes be carried in a basket, with friends and family
around her, as a long procession carrying lamps and torches
would light the way to the bridegroom's home for the wedding
feast. Once the feast was over, the guests would leave and the
couple would remain in their new home.

Jesus describes a group of young girls who would be part of this kind of
procession, and as part of it would light the way and ultimately go into

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the groom's home to celebrate the wedding. There is a delay in the
bridegroom's coming and all fall asleep, but suddenly an advance person
appears to alert them that the procession is coming.

Some of the maids did not bring enough oil to restart their lamps or
torches for the final joyful procession. These try to borrow oil from the
others but are refused and told to go out in order to find some at the last
minute. The maids who are ready with their lamps are eventually
brought along to the feast, and when all are present the door is closed to
guard against any uninvited persons entering the house. The other
maids arrive later and are not only denied entry, they are not even
recognized by the groom.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

Before speaking this parable Jesus prophesied about the eventual
destruction of Jerusalem. With this parable He makes a reference to the
end of the Jewish nation as well as the end of the world when He will
return. Remember that parables were directed at those in the kingdom,
so this is a warning and teaching for those who are already believers. He
is saying that if they are in the kingdom there are things they have to
watch out for:

1. There will be an end to the kingdom as it now exists on earth.

The end of the Jewish nation was brought about by the
destruction of Jerusalem (by Rome in 70 AD). The end of the
kingdom on earth will be an assimilation (a marriage between
the bride / Church and the groom/Lord when He comes).

2. The end of it will come suddenly. We know who we are waiting

for and what will happen when He returns, but we do not know
when He will return.

3. Everyone in the kingdom will be responsible for themselves.

This is the key idea in this parable. We are in the kingdom
because of God's grace but must faithfully remain in the
kingdom in order to be saved. In the end there will be no time to

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 make things right or restore oneself to faithfulness after Jesus
returns.

4. Once the union is made, it is permanent. Judgement will not be a

time for discussion and appeals because those who truly belong
to Christ will be with Him, and those who do not belong will be
apart from Him permanently.

The parable of the bridesmaids is an encouragement to those in the

kingdom to be patient while they wait for the Lord: and for others who
are in the kingdom but are running out of oil (running out of God's grace
because of neglect, unfaithfulness, laziness, sin, etc.) to be careful that
they do not get caught dry when He comes.

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

"For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called
his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one
he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each
according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
Immediately the one who had received the five talents went
and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the
same manner the one who had received the two talents gained
two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and
dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and
settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five
talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master,
you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more
talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful
slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in
charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
"Also the one who had received the two talents came up and
said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have
gained two more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done,
good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I

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 will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of
your master.'
"And the one also who had received the one talent came up
and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where
you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the
ground. See, you have what is yours.'
"But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy
slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather
where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my
money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received
my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent
from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will
have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even
what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the
worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Matthew 25:14-30

THE STORY
The story here is fairly straightforward and easily understood by any
culture or generation. A wealthy master entrusts a sizable fortune to his
slaves to trade with and manage while he goes away for a long time on
some undisclosed journey. A talent was not a specific aptitude or coin,
but rather a measure or a weight of money. Sometimes the talent
consisted of minted coins or bars of gold and silver.

Each slave receives a different amount based on the perceived skills that
the master believes each possesses. The point, however, is that each has
enough to do something in order to make a profit. After a long absence
the master returns to settle accounts. The first two slaves come forward
eagerly to report that they have doubled their master's money (different
sums, same success).

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As a result they are each rewarded with a larger scope of responsibility
as well as a closer relationship (more trusted, intimate) with their
master. For a slave this was a great privilege.

The third slave, who had received the one talent, hid it in the ground. He
incurred no risk (would not lose it in the market, no one could steal it,
no depreciation) and followed the path of least resistance. When
confronted by the master to explain why he did this (note that the other
two immediately showed results and made no excuses) he blamed the
master. The slave explained that he acted in the way he did because the
master was hard and unfair.

The master denounces him as wicked (because he blames his evil on the
good master) and lazy (because this is why he did nothing, he was lazy).
He also tells him that if it was true that he was hard and unfair, what he
should have done was put it in a place that was both safe and slightly
profitable, like a bank.

This, of course, would have required thought and effort; something lazy
people hate to do. The surprise comes when he gives the talent to the
most successful servant to now use, and the lazy slave is cast out to be
punished.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

This parable, like the one for the Bridesmaids, refers to the people in the
kingdom and the return of Jesus. However, this is where the similarity
ends. In the parable of the talents the Lord is teaching that everyone in
the kingdom has received a blessing of some kind that is to be used for
God's profit. There are a variety of blessings:

• Health - Position - Spiritual Gifts

• Intelligence - Wealth - Opportunity
• Charisma - Natural skills - Beauty
• Leadership - Wisdom - Success

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The parable teaches that when Jesus returns, each one will be held
accountable for what they have done with these. Unlike the parable of
the bridesmaids, this story focuses on the reckoning that will come for
those within the kingdom.

We know that those who reject Christ are condemned (Mark 16:16), but
in these parables Jesus wants to show how He will weed out those who
confessed His name and associated with the kingdom but will not be
allowed to remain when He returns. Concerning His return and the
reckoning with the kingdom itself, this parable teaches us that:

1. God will look for results, not excuses. We have been saved to
serve, to bear fruit, to confess and follow Christ, and when He
returns it will be obvious to Him who has and who has not been
profitable.

2. Everyone has a different talent(s) but we all have the same

responsibility. When He returns it will be obvious who has
invested it in the world, who has invested it in themselves, who
has buried it through neglect and who has made a spiritual
profit. At the end, when He comes, we will not be able to blame
someone else for our failure to bear fruit in the kingdom.

3. Some will rejoice and some will weep. Like the parable of the
bridesmaids, the prepared ones went into the feast and the
unprepared ones were left out.

In this parable the fruitful ones are allowed to stay with the master,
rejoice in his presence and are given even more responsibility. Paul says
that when Jesus comes the church will judge angels and sit at the right
hand of God ruling with Him (I Corinthians 6:13; II Timothy 2:11); this is
an important responsibility and opportunity to experience great joy,
certainly more than what we have now.

On the other hand, those who are unfruitful will no longer be able to
remain in the presence of their Lord. The unbelievers are never in the
presence of the Lord. However, disobedient, lazy, sinful Christians are,
for a while, in the presence of the Lord. Jesus says that this will end

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when He returns and the consequences will be suffering (gnashing of
teeth) and regret (I should have…).

Jesus reinforces the warning to disciples in the kingdom that before the
kingdom on earth is brought up to be with the kingdom in heaven there
will be a reckoning, and Christians need to be ready and fruitful.

SUMMARY
Some worry that they are not ready, others that they are not fruitful
enough. The idea is that if you are faithful and fruitful in the name of the
Lord, you are ready. Continue to use your talents in service to the Lord
as you have opportunity, and you will always be ready.

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5.
Parables of: Hidden
Treasure, Pearl and Debt
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the
field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he
goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking

fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he

went and sold all that he had and bought it.
- Matthew 13:44-46

Here again the stories are obvious and easy to understand.

1. In the parable of the treasure, the man working in a field is

probably a hired worker or someone sub-contracting the land
for farming, or someone assessing land for a purchase. He finds
a treasure by accident. It is so precious that he sells all he has in
order to buy the field and become the legal owner of the
treasure.

2. In the parable of the pearl, the person is a merchant who is

deliberately seeking fine pearls. Like all precious jewelry it
requires knowledge and training to spot and evaluate the true
worth of these items - especially pearls. In his search he finds
not only a good pearl, but one of such exceptional beauty and
value that he sells all that he has in order to own it.

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These stories are basically the same except one person finds a treasure
by accident and the other is actually looking for it. However, both find
treasures and both give up all they have in order to posses the treasure
they have found. Simple stories with happy endings, but for those who
were listening with an ear to understand, a few more facts about the
kingdom were revealed:

1. The Kingdom is not Obvious to Everyone.

Sometimes you find it without expecting to. For example, someone
shares the gospel with you or, in a moment of difficulty, you find the
Lord. Perhaps you read the Bible or some other book that leads you to
Christ. Sometimes you go through a long period of searching going from
one church to another and spend time praying for God to lead you. Many
talk to people about religion or spiritual things looking for … truth, God,
whatever. The kingdom is there but most people are oblivious to it.

They see a field, not the treasure. They see clams, not pearls. They see
religion and church buildings, but not the living Christ.

2. The Kingdom is Worth Everything You Have.

Note that both persons liquidated everything they had in order to
possess the treasure, the pearl. They did this in order to become
wealthier than they already were. The kingdom is like that. In order to
enter in you need to leave everything behind.

• Your former beliefs for exclusive faith in Christ.

• Your former goals and dreams for the goal of heaven and
righteousness.

• Your sins and worldly pleasures in order to maintain fellowship

with the Holy Spirit.

However, whatever you leave behind (good or bad) the Lord will bless
you one hundred times over in the kingdom. The kingdom provides
peace, joy, confidence in salvation, freedom from death and

35
condemnation, and most importantly the sweet experience of knowing
and serving the Lord. The kingdom is not obvious to everyone but if you
find it, it is worth giving up your life to possess it.

THE PARABLE OF THE DEBT

This parable was spoken at a time when the Apostles were keenly
interested in life within the kingdom. They were grappling with Jesus'
teaching about the kingdom and for the most part believed that the
kingdom Jesus spoke of was to be some kind of earthly domain. This
matched the common hope that the Messiah would usher in a golden
period of power and prosperity for the entire Jewish nation.

Up to this point the Apostles saw themselves as co-rulers with Christ in

an earthly kingdom that resembled the worldly kingdoms that existed at
that time. This is why a little before this parable they ask Jesus who
among them would be the greatest in His kingdom (they desired
position and honor from men). Of course, Jesus answers them by saying
that the greatest in the kingdom are the least, those who are like
children.

After this, the Lord describes another characteristic of those who are in
His Kingdom, the ability to forgive and the need to maintain unity by
being reconciled to brothers we offend or who offend us. At this point
Peter, wishing to show that he is leadership material for the kingdom,
asks a question about forgiveness. That question sets the stage for the
parable about the debt in Matthew 18:21-22,

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but

up to seventy times seven.

In Jewish culture the maximum number of times you needed to forgive,

if asked, was three. Peter, wanting to show he had potential to be a
leader in the kingdom, says that he is prepared to forgive seven times.
Jesus responds that forgiving a limited or set number of times is

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forgiveness according to rules and law; in the kingdom forgiveness is a
natural characteristic (70x7= infinity). As many times as required and as
much forgiveness as needed, this is how much you offer. Jesus then gives
this parable to demonstrate the magnitude of forgiveness available in
the kingdom and the attitude one must have as a citizen who dwells
there.

23For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to

a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When
he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand
talents was brought to him.

A slave in a high stewardship position has made bad investments or lost

his master's money in some way. The amount of loss is staggering (10 -
20 million dollars today).

25 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord
commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children
and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 So the slave
fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying,
'Have patience with me and I will repay you
everything.' 27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and
released him and forgave him the debt.

The lord had complete power over him, and the judgement was fair
since he had been entrusted with a fortune and lost it. He pleads to have
a chance to repay (which was impossible) in order to avoid punishment.
The master, feeling compassion, goes one great step further, he forgives
him the entire debt. This is exactly what the idea of forgiveness means:
to pay off another's debt owed to you. The master also returns the slave
to his former position of responsibility.

28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves
who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and
began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' 29 So his
fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him,
saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' 30 But he

37
 was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he
should pay back what was owed.

The same scenario repeats itself but this time another slave who owes
100 denarii ($20.00) asks the former slave for mercy in repaying the
debt. His pleas fall on deaf ears, and the slave is cast into prison by the
former slave.

31So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they
were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all
that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord said to
him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you
pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on
your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on
you?' 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to
the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

This conduct is reported to the master who rebukes his unforgiving

servant for being so hard hearted, especially after receiving mercy
himself for a debt that he was incapable of paying. This time he is put
into prison and tortured until all is repaid.

35My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of

you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Jesus now speaks directly to His disciples. He summarizes the parable by

warning them that if their forgiveness is not sincere for their brethren -
they also (who have been forgiven by God) will receive the punishment
they originally escaped.

There are several things we learn about the kingdom in this parable:

1. Offenses are Possible in the Kingdom

The kingdom, as it exists here on earth in the form of the church, has not
yet been perfected in glory, and so there are still many problems caused
by sin. People offend and hurt each other intentionally or by mistake.

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Some hurts are huge and others are small, but either way someone is
offended and someone has to make that right.

People who are offended or discouraged with the church because it is

imperfect, need to understand that there will always be sin and hurt in
the body of Christ because it is filled with sinners who are in the process
of becoming saintly. Jesus acknowledges that from time to time we will
be in debt to each other for various things.

2. Mercy is the Answer

In the world we look for justice, fairness or compensation to take care of
offenses and mistakes. In the kingdom, mercy is the solution and normal
response to offenses and mistakes. We must remember that it was God's
mercy that allowed us entry into the kingdom in the first place - not
justice, fairness or compensation. God so loved us that He gave up His
Son, Jesus, in order to offer us forgiveness for every sin great and small,
and welcome us into His kingdom.

3. Mercy is our Guarantee

God's mercy guarantees us a place in the kingdom, and our mercy
toward others guarantees that we will keep our place in His kingdom.
However, if we don't show mercy to our brethren for their offenses
against us then our lack of mercy will guarantee that we will lose our
place in the kingdom.

SUMMARY
The Lord adds more pieces to this puzzle about the "kingdom." The
kingdom is not easy to find, but once you have found it, it is worth all
you have to possess it. Those in the kingdom are rich in spiritual
treasure. There are growing pains in the kingdom and the basic virtue
that guarantees your place and your growth is mercy because it reflects
perfectly God's nature and involvement in your own life.

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Many church buildings are built to be functional, comfortable and
pleasing to the eye. If, however, people who go to them do not find the
church pleasing to their hearts as well as their eyes, they will not stay.

A church that is pleasing to the heart is a church full of mercy and

kindness for those who have made big mistakes in life. Let us make sure
that God is glorified not only with the building we build and maintain,
but also by the love and mercy that exists within that building.

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6.
Parable of the
Sower and the Seed
Many refer to this parable as the parable of the soils because it is not
really about the sower or the seed - it is about the different kinds of soil
that the sower puts his seed into. This parable has 3 sections in it:

• The parable itself.

• An explanation of why Jesus used this style of teaching

(parables).

• An explanation of the parable of the Sower and the Seed.

This is not a personality or story driven parable. It is based on a

common observation that any person could make then as well as now.

In chapter 12:46-50 of Matthew's gospel we read about the family of

Jesus attempting to bring Him home with them. The next chapter
continues the story with what happened next.

1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the
sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat
and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the
beach.
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying,

"Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some

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 seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have

much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had
no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were
scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and

choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded
a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear."

- Matthew 13:1-9

Vs. 1 - The Lord apparently went home with them but on the same day
returned outside and went to the water's edge.

Vs. 2 - Because He was crowded in, He used a boat as a makeshift stage

so He could be separated from the people and be seated while teaching
them as was the custom of the times.

Vs. 3a - At this point He begins to tell them a parable. As far as we know,

this parable was the first one spoken by the Lord in His ministry.

Vs. 3b to 8 - The story is simple enough. A sower/farmer goes out to

sow wheat or barley (usually sown by hand in Palestine in those days).
The patch of land is not necessarily large, has no fences and has a road
running alongside or dividing it somehow. Some of the seeds fall on this
pathway and are eagerly eaten up by the birds. This is not done on
purpose, it is simply seed that lands there while spreading on the patch.

Much of Palestine is rocky and so much of the tilled soil has spots where
the rock is barely covered by the earth. The heat of the rock provides a
good temperature for the soil to germinate seed but does not contain
enough moisture to keep it alive in the hot sun. This is why plants take
and grow quickly but do not last.

Much of the soil has thorns (weeds), which are cut but soon grow back
with the crop and choke its growth. On the good soil (that which has
depth, moisture and properly weeded) the seed sown produces a

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harvest. Like any harvest, each grain sown produces a variety of yield -
but produces a harvest, nevertheless.

Vs. 9 - Jesus tells His hearers that this simple story has a special
meaning and if they try to understand they may grasp it.

In Mark 4:10, Mark says that His Apostles along with other followers
came to Him for an explanation of the parable and asked Him why He
taught in this way. If anyone tried to understand the parable, they would
realize that they could not without help. The people who came to Him
were those who were listening and searching for the answers.

Jesus begins His response by explaining the reason why He teaches in

parables (because it is the first time, He teaches this way), and this will
help these hearers understand not only this parable but all of the others
as well.

THE REASONS FOR PARABLES – MARK 4:11-17

Jesus acknowledges that He is speaking in parables and He is speaking in
this way for a number of reasons:

1. The knowledge of the kingdom is a blessing

God is the one who reveals the mysteries of His thoughts and intensions.
Through the parables He can hide the meaning and knowledge of the
kingdom from those He does not wish to have it.

11Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know

the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not
been granted.

The Apostles and disciples have been granted the privilege to

understand and penetrate the mysteries of the parable (Jesus will
explain in a moment). The scribes, Pharisees and those who follow them,
along with unbelievers, will not be permitted to understand. The reason
for this, of course, is that they will not come to Jesus who is the only one

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who can explain the parables and who is the central figure or key to all
of the parables.

12For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will

have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he
has shall be taken away from him.

Those who have begun to seek, follow and listen to Jesus will receive
more knowledge and insight (eventually about the resurrection and
reception of the Holy Spirit, etc.). Those who have simply listened to the
parable and rejected Christ will drift away from Him eventually
forgetting the parable, and ultimately will become His enemy.

13Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing

they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do
they understand.

For this reason (because some are believing, and some are disbelieving)
Jesus is beginning to separate the two by using parables. Parables
become a sort of sifting device. Their disbelief (hearing without
understanding; seeing without perceiving) will be made evident by Jesus
through His use of parables. The knowledge of the kingdom is a blessing
reserved only for believers. Disbelievers are filtered out by use of
parables.

2. Their use was prophesied

14 In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which

says,
'You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,

With their ears they scarcely hear,

And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,

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 And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.'

The prophet Isaiah said that the people would ultimately not believe
because they had cultivated a disbelieving attitude. This did not happen
all of the sudden. Generations of half-hearted worship, disobedience,
rejection and manipulation of God's word had produced a nation that
was dull of hearing and unprepared spiritually for their Messiah. What
Jesus was doing, and the reason for it, was not a surprise or last-minute
thing - it was known and spoken of beforehand by the prophets.

3. The fullness of time had come

16But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears,
because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets
and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not
see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

They were blessed because they were living at a time when all of these
things were about to be fulfilled. The patriarchs, the judges, kings,
prophets - even the angels (I Peter 1:12) only saw the shadows, the
promises and the visions of the coming Messiah. But they were blessed
because they were living at a time when these things were actually being
fulfilled, and they could hear, see, touch and be taught by the Messiah
Himself.

Some did not see or hear because they were born too soon. Others did
not see or hear because their hearts were dull and unbelieving. Still
others were born at the right time, believed in the right person and were
privileged to gain knowledge of the kingdom long promised and finally
come.

THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE - VS. 19-23

As I said at the beginning of this chapter, this parable is not about seed
or the sower but about the soil. Jesus describes four kinds of soil that
receive seed and how the seed fares in each type of soil. We learn that

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the soil is a person's heart (his attitude, feelings, beliefs, will); the seed is
God's word of the kingdom; the sower is Jesus. The parable explains that
a person's spiritual life, death or development is based on how that
person receives God's word in his heart.

1. Hard Soil

19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not
understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has
been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was
sown beside the road.

The side of the field on the pathway is hard packed in dirt. The birds
come and take the seed away even as it is being sown.

We see this happening with people who are full of disbelief, cynicism,
skepticism or the hard heart of a sinful life. The birds are all the reasons
and excuses Satan sends to prevent these people from believing. For
example, they say that the word is not inspired or that it is all
exaggeration in order to frighten men. They often use the excuse that
"Christians are hypocrites" as a reason for their disbelief. Some secretly
think that belief may interfere with their sin (whatever it is). The net
result is that the word produces nothing except a faint recollection that
it landed on the conscious mind for a moment before being snatched
away.

2. Rocky Soil

20The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is
the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with
joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only
temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because
of the word, immediately he falls away.

This is the thin layer of warm soil with hard rock underneath. This is the
person who receives (understands) and quickly shows much promise in

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the Word. Enthusiastic at first, ready to join in, knows the plan and
encourages others to follow him into Christ. Plants need the sun and
heat to grow. Christians need the heat of trials and struggle to grow as
well. This person's hard heart is never dealt with or seen at first.

The hardness could be basic selfishness or any of the sins that all people
struggle with from time to time (pride, fear, laziness, greed, lust, etc.).
When the word begins to force him to deal with these issues he is
immediately gone. This is the person who wants a blessing, wants grace
but is unwilling to die to self or allow the Holy Spirit to deal with him as
a Christian. When his faith costs him something, he is unwilling to pay
and is quickly gone. He is quick to convert and even quicker to revert
back to the world.

3. Thorny Soil

22And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns,
this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the
world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it
becomes unfruitful.

Here the plant dies but the death is a slow death, unlike the seed in
rocky ground. It takes awhile for the weeds and thorns to completely
choke a good plant. Jesus describes two particular thorns present in this
person's heart.

Worry of the world. Each generation has its things to worry about. This
is normal. In this case a person allows these worries to overcome his life
in the kingdom. He invests more emotional energy into concerns over
worldly things than concern and involvement in the kingdom.

Deceitfulness of riches. The world along with its wealth and

attractions seduce one away from the kingdom. Many Christians start
well but become distracted and finally pulled completely away from
Christ because they are:

• Too busy

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 • Too stressed
• Too involved
• Too many bad habits
• Too worldly

For these people the Word has no impact, no challenge, no authority, no

comfort or inspiration any more.

4. Good Soil

23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this
is the man who hears the word and understands it; who
indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some
sixty, and some thirty.

The good soil (heart) is described as being one that hears and
understands. Hears with the ears and the heart. Understands the
primary and secondary meaning of the parables.

This is a person ready to believe and obey the Word. This heart will put
forth a harvest where each seed will produce differently.

We are stronger in certain parts of our spiritual life and service than in
other parts. We bear different fruit in different areas of our lives
depending on sin, knowledge, talent, etc. The important thing is that
unlike the other soils, there is a harvest and it is plentiful.

SUMMARY
From this parable we glean several more pieces of information for our
kingdom puzzle.

1. The kingdom is planted in a person's heart. This is where the

growth and perception of it is.

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2. The kingdom is planted by means of the Word. The kingdom exists
in a person's heart through the agency of the word of God. This is how
you have it in your heart.

3. The kingdom can be destroyed.

• By total disbelief and rejection.

• By a refusal to persevere with Jesus.

• By too great a concern over worldly matters or worldly riches.

4. The kingdom grows at different rates in different people. Some

mature quickly and bear much fruit. Others take longer to grow or are
slow in professing their faith. In the end, however, there is a harvest to
offer the Lord.

5. The kingdom can be missed. When you patiently teach and explain
to no avail, do not feel bad if some just do not get it or do not want to get
it. Do not blame yourself. Jesus said that three of the four soils would not
have a harvest.

People rejected Jesus, the one who spoke the parables and died for their
sins, so we should not be surprised if certain ones do not understand or
respond to us. There are still hard, rocky and thorny soils that exist in
abundance today.

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7.
Parable of
Wheat and Tares
This parable follows the one concerning the sower and the seed where
Jesus used agricultural examples to teach about the kingdom. By its
proximity to the first parable (Sower and Seed), the parable of the wheat
and tares may have been the second parable that Jesus spoke during His
ministry.

THE PARABLE
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The
kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed
good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his
enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went
away. 26 But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then
the tares became evident also. 27 The slaves of the landowner
came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your
field? How then does it have tares?' 28 And he said to them, 'An
enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us,
then, to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No; for while
you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat
with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest;
and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First
gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up;
but gather the wheat into my barn."'
- Matthew 13:24-30

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Vs. 24 - This parable is about the kingdom, not about the world. It takes
place and describes events in the kingdom. It is important to remember
this.

Vs. 25 - Tares or darnel are a weed-like grass that resemble wheat but
have a firmer root system. The landowner sows good wheat and while
the laborers are sleeping the darnel/tares are sown by his enemy.

Vs. 26 - The fact that tares have been sown only becomes evident when
both begin to grow.

Vs. 27 - The workers question the possibility of there being tares among
the wheat. How could this be so? The owner gives them the reason why
this has happened.

Vs. 28-29 - The workers want to identify and remove the tares, but the
owner tells them to allow both to grow side by side to full maturity. In
the case of the tares, their close and strong roots might damage the good
plants if they were to be torn out. Also, they resemble the good crop and
because of this the good plants might be uprooted by error.

Vs. 30 - The owner instructs the workers to wait until harvest when it
will be easier to separate the good from the bad and deal with each
accordingly - one for keeping, the other for burning.

EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE

Like the parable of the sower and seed, there is a break in the story
where Jesus, in this case, gives another parable and reasons why He
spoke in parables.

36Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His
disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of
the tares of the field." 37 And He said, "The one who sows the
good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and
as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and
the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who
sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age;

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 and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the tares are gathered
up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will

gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who
commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of
fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the

kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."

- Matthew 13:36-43

Vs. 36 - Apparently after going out on the boat He taught several

parables and then returned to the shore and went back to His family's
home. This is when the disciples come asking for an explanation of the
parable of the tares and wheat. Jesus had spoken another parable about
the mustard seed and they did not ask about this one. Perhaps the
parable that contained a judgement stirred them to ask for an
explanation.

Vs. 37-39 - Jesus gives a quick rundown of the characters in the parable
and who they represent in real life. Jesus Himself is the Sower and refers
to Himself as the Son of Man. This expression is first mentioned in
Daniel 7:13 where Daniel is seeing a vision that represents the end of
the world where God gives to this "Son of Man" all dominion and
authority and establishes his kingdom forever.

In Daniel's vision, "Son of Man" refers to the Messiah to come. Jesus

rarely uses the term king or Messiah for Himself because these terms
were heavy with meaning for the Jews. Instead, He uses this Old
Testament term for Himself because it did two important things:

1. It was a Scriptural term referring to the Messiah, His work and

His kingdom.

2. It was not a term that the Jews normally used or invested any
kind of meaning (good or bad) into.

The field is the world itself. The seed of the kingdom is planted all over
the world by Jesus. The good seed are the sons of the kingdom.

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Before, the seed was God's word. In this parable the seed is what it
eventually produces - Christians, those who make up the kingdom. The
tares are the sons of the devil. These are the ones who have believed
Satan (whether they know it or not) and follow him. If you do not follow
Jesus, you follow Satan, whether you are aware of it or not. The tares are
sown in the kingdom.

They are the hypocrites who talk like Christians but do not act like
Christians. They are the spies who are with the people in the kingdom
but only because it suits their purposes - money, prestige, comfort. They
are the backsliders and sinners who have begun to be influenced more
by Satan and the world than by Christ and His word. They go through
the motions of Christian living, but their hearts are not in it.

The influence that produces these evil and unbelieving ones is the devil.
Just as the Word has the power to create a Christian and transform him
into Christlikeness, Satan and his deceptive ways have the power to
transform people into evil and unbelieving individuals as well.

The harvest is when Jesus returns and the end of the world as we know
it takes place. The reapers (workers who separate) are angels. Paul said
that the angels will have a voice at the end of the world and will
accompany the Lord (I Thess. 4:16). He also says that they will come in
"flaming fire" at the end (II Thess. 1:7).

Vs. 40-43 - Jesus continues to make the parallel between this parable
and the end of the world.

The separation of the tares and wheat is a mirror of what happens at

judgement for those who are in the kingdom, not the judgement for the
entire world. At the end there will be a judgement between believers
and unbelievers. Jesus says that there will also be a separation between
those who believed and those who said they believed but did not belong.

Those who belong in the kingdom will simply remain there; those who
aspire to be in the kingdom but who give offense (to the brethren, to the
Lord, to the world) and those who practice sin (lawlessness) will be

53
removed and be placed in hell. After this separation the righteous will
be:

• Glorified - new bodies that will equip them to exist in the

heavenly realm.

• Exalted - lifted up to be with God forever.

They will be of light: pure in intention, thought and conduct, just like the
heavenly Father. Jesus warns everyone, even His disciples, to pay
attention and be careful to abide by the teaching of this parable.

SUMMARY
The parable of the tares and wheat also gives us significant insight into
the kingdom, especially at the end of time. Some of the things we learn:

1. The kingdom is universal. God's kingdom is all over the world.

Wherever people respond to His gospel, there will grow the good wheat
of the kingdom. Also, there is good soil everywhere, our job is to go plant
the seed.

2. There are pretenders in the kingdom. People leave the church

because they discover that there are hypocrites and sinful people there
who show no repentance. It has always been true that there are secret
sinners and spies who have no business being in God's assembly but
remain nevertheless in order to carry out their own agenda. However,
this must not discourage sincere Christians, and is not a sign that the
Kingdom has failed. It is, in fact, a sign that Satan is at work!

3. No one escapes judgement. Many think that their job is to find out
who belongs in the kingdom and who does not. As the two previous
parables have taught us, the Christian's task is to sow the seed of the
kingdom and bear fruit in the kingdom, not seek out the imposters. Jesus
guarantees us that when He returns at the end of the world, all those
who do not belong in the kingdom will be rooted out, judged and
punished. Only those who have been planted by Him will remain.

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8.
Parables of: Seed,
Mustard Seed and
Workers
We have arrived at the last chapter in this book on the parables of the
kingdom. Our goal was to understand the nature and character of God's
kingdom from the teachings about it found in these kingdom parables.

We, in the church, are the kingdom. Every time Jesus says, "The kingdom
is like…" He is also saying, "The church is like…" or "in the church this is
the way things happen or this is what will take place."

Studying these parables is really about studying ourselves as Christians.

What we have learned so far is that:

1. Small but Powerful. Although small in comparison to others in

this world, the church has great proportional influence - even if
it is unseen.

2. Great Privilege. It is a valuable privilege to be a member of the

church.

3. Different Rates. People in the church grow at different rates

depending on how they respond to God's word. Greater
obedience = greater growth.

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 4. Mercy: First and Last. God's mercy is what allows entry into
the church; faithfulness toward God and mercy toward others is
what keeps us in the church.

5. God will Judge. God will purify His church at the coming of
Jesus by removing all the hypocrites, disobedient and unfaithful
from the kingdom.

In this chapter I would like to examine three final parables and share
some insights about these in order to make our study complete.

THE PARABLE OF THE SEED

26 And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who
casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and
gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he
himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself;
first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the
head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in
the sickle, because the harvest has come."
- Mark 4:26-29

This parable is one of the simplest and most ordinary of stories. Jesus
recounts the cycle of planting and harvest. Once the seed is planted the
farmer waits (sleeps) without worry for the harvest to come. The seed
and soil do their work independently of the farmer's concern or lack of
concern. In the end, the harvest will announce itself and it will be time
for the farmer to do his work of collecting the crop.

Jesus describes a natural cycle with each stage happening in order and
in its own time. As a parable about the kingdom Jesus is saying: once the
seed of the kingdom is sown, the cycle of reproduction and harvest has
been set into motion.

Despite storms, or trouble and time delay, this cycle will come to
fruition. The job of the farmer (the workers) is not to figure out how the

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seed grows, or worry about its rate of growth, or force its growth. His
task is simply to plant the seed and wait for the harvest.

There will be a harvest.

In a larger sense, Jesus is saying that God's plan of sending Jesus to plant
the kingdom and then returning for it at the end of the world, will come
to fruition. Nothing will stop it once it has been set into motion. To His
workers (disciples serving according to their talents), He promises that
their planting will be rewarded with a harvest of some kind. They need
not worry or become impatient.

The growth of the kingdom seems imperceptible, even to those within

the kingdom, but the harvest (good works, changed lives, new
Christians, etc.) will be visible in the end. This parable adds the idea that
the church is fruitful if it follows the natural cycle of planting (the seed /
word) and harvesting (good works, saved souls).

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

30 And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or
by what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard
seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller
than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown,
it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and
forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest
under its shade."
- Mark 4:30-32

It is interesting that this is the only parable about the kingdom

mentioned by three of the four gospels. There are no kingdom parables
in John. The story in the parable is of the mustard seed, truly a small
speck of a seed compared to other types of plant seeds. However, this
plant/bush could grow into a shrub of over 10 feet in just a few weeks
given the proper conditions.

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People of that place knew the amazing growth rate of the shrub that
Jesus described in this parable.

The point of the story was that such a small and insignificant seed could
in short order provide shelter for the birds of the air. Something that
took regular trees years, even decades to accomplish, was done in a
relatively short time by this plant.

Again, the parallel is with the kingdom. The Bible provides a vivid
description of the speed of growth the church had in the beginning. The
parable speaks of rate of growth and provision for the birds. The parallel
to the mustard seed is the story of the Lord's church beginning in
dynamic fashion when 3,000 were converted in one day on Pentecost
Sunday (Acts 2:1-47).

• Within a few years there were nearly 50,000 converts in the

area.

• Within thirty years it had spread throughout the Roman

Empire.

• After four centuries it was the official religion of the Roman

world.

Judaism, or any other religion for that matter, had never grown so big or
as quickly as Christianity. The birds finding shelter can be the lost
finding shelter or safety in the kingdom, or can refer to the fact that the
Gentiles found rest and protection within Christianity - something they
never found in Judaism or paganism.

The church began with an executed leader and 12 Apostles preaching

His message. Christianity overcame every religion as well as every
political and philosophical group that tried to bar its way. This parable
reinforces an idea about the church already made in other kingdom
parables: that the church is small and weak-looking in comparison to
other things, but has great proportional influence, growth and strength.

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Parable of the Workers
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went
out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the

day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about
the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market
place; 4 and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard,
and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and

did the same thing. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out
and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why
have you been standing here idle all day long?' 7 They said to
him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into
the vineyard too.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his

foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages,

beginning with the last group to the first.' 9 When those hired
about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.
10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would

receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,
12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you

have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and
the scorching heat of the day.' 13 But he answered and said to
one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not
agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go,
but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it
not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is
your eye envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last shall
be first, and the first last."
- Matthew 20:1-16

This story was an unusual one. A man hired people at different times of
the day to work in his field. He paid all of them the same wage even
though they worked different hours. The crew hired first and who had
worked all day grumbled, feeling that it was not fair that they received

59
the same amount as those who had only worked for an hour. The
landowner replied that he had indeed been fair. He paid the first crew
what they agreed upon for the work they had been contracted for (a
denarius was above average for that time). He paid the other men the
same amount, not because of their work but because he wanted to be
generous.

Jesus finishes by warning his audience that not all things will be as they
seem. Sometimes the first end up being last and those who are last are
given a better position. Unlike the parables of the harvest or the mustard
seed, this parable has no easy or natural application / parallel in the
everyday world.

For the kingdom however, this parable teaches us several things:

1. Being in the Kingdom is a Matter of Grace.

None of the workers had employment, the money was more than any of
them (even the first crew) would normally receive. In the same way,
being in the church is a matter of God's grace. He finds us through His
gospel; we enter in through the blood of Christ; we remain because of
His grace, and we receive more than we ever deserve in material and
physical blessings. God initiates our entry into the church, enables us to
remain and blesses us every moment of our lives forever, all because of
His grace.

2. The Order in the Kingdom is not Like the Order in the

World.
The first crew's attitude was indicative of a worldly attitude: I was first, I
worked longest, I worked the hardest; I deserve the best, the most.

This may be logical and just in many ways, but this is not the way things
work in the kingdom. In the kingdom or church:

• The prize goes to the one who believes, not the one who
deserves.

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 • The reward is for the one who trusts God, not the one who
trusts in his work.

The one who pays His workers does so based on His goodness, not the
goodness or value of the work of His workers. This is why some who
think they are first in God's eyes (like the unbelieving Jews in the first
century; or self-righteous people of today) may be last in His eyes; and
those who seem to be last (sinners, those who struggle, those who come
to Him late in life, those who have little to offer) may be first -- because
of His kindness and their trust in Him.

In the church the rules of the world are turned upside down:

• The first are last; the last first.

• The weak are strong; the strong are blind.

• The leaders are servants, etc.

SUMMARY
In finishing this study, I want to add two last ideas to the five major ones
we have drawn from the parables about the kingdom:

1. The church/Kingdom will continue to grow until its final harvest

when Jesus comes. Nothing will stop the growth of the Kingdom
because God is the one who began it and He will be there for the end. We
should not worry about the destruction or failure of the church.

2. Things in the church function differently than things in the

world. In its best mode the world operates on a principle of justice or
fairness. In the kingdom, however, everything operates on the principle
of grace: God's grace for us and our grace towards one another.

Jesus provides the conclusion and encouragement for these kingdom

parables:

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 51"Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him,
"Yes." 52 And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who
has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head
of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and
old."
- Matthew 13:51-52

If you understand these things (kingdom parables) you are now like
Scribes (those who taught and copied the scriptures). You are able to
teach not only what the Old Testament said and meant, but now can add
this new knowledge concerning the fulfillment of the Old Testament in
the person of Jesus and His kingdom. If someone knows these things, he
knows the full gospel, the revelation of God in Christ, and is now
qualified to teach the Bible accurately.

I hope each person who reads this will find encouragement and security
in the knowledge of these things about the kingdom / church.

I also hope that if you are not a member of Christ's church you will come
confessing your faith, repenting of your sins and accept baptism for the
remission of your sins (Acts 2:37-42), for this is the only way you can
become a member of the kingdom of God which is the church.

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BibleTalk.tv is an
Internet Mission Work.
We provide video and textual Bible teaching material on our website
and mobile apps for free. We enable churches and individuals all over
the world to have access to high quality Bible materials for personal
growth, group study or for teaching in their classes.

The goal of this mission work is to spread the gospel to the greatest
number of people using the latest technology available. For the first time
in history it is becoming possible to preach the gospel to the entire
world at once. BibleTalk.tv is an effort to preach the gospel to all nations
every day until Jesus returns.

The Choctaw Church of Christ in Oklahoma City is the sponsoring

congregation for this work and provides the oversight for the BibleTalk
ministry team. If you would like information on how you can support
this ministry, please go to the link provided below.

bibletalk.tv/support

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