09.03 Prophetic Parables And Actions

09.03.11 PURPOSE OF PARABLES

Bill Heinrich - Jan 05, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.11 Mt. 13:10-17 (See also Mk. 4:10-12; Lk. 8:9-10)

PURPOSE OF PARABLES

¹⁰Then the disciples came up and asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹He answered them, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them. ¹²For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. ¹⁴Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You will listen and listen;

Yet never understand.

And you will look and look,

Yet never perceive.

¹⁵For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts

and turn back—
and I would cure them (Isa. 6:9-10).

¹⁶“But your eyes are blessed

because they do see,

and your ears

because they do hear!

¹⁷For I assure you:

Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see

yet didn’t see them;

to hear the things you hear

yet didn’t hear them.

Because Jewish leadership rejected Jesus, He began to use parables in His public teaching, and privately explained their meaning to His disciples and followers (Mt. 13:10). The parable, or the Hebrew term mashal, was a teaching method familiar to them since the days of the Judges.^{^[1]} His critics who had hardened their hearts against Him would not be able to understand; so they continued in their determined unbelief.^{^[2]} But His teachings His disciples and followers were to understand pertained to the Kingdom of God / Heaven.

“Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” Some scholars use the word mysteries instead of secrets translated from the Greek word musterion. The word appears only in this passage and its parallels; a technical term that refers to the divine revelation that was hidden until the proper time for its revelation.^{^[3]} It does not refer to anything that is complicated, difficult, mystical, or related to a mystery religion, but refers to that which is clear to the insider but not to the outsider.^{^[4]} The mystery of the Kingdom of God is the character and personality of God renewed in the life of every believer that extended to all Jews and Gentiles.

“You will listen and listen.” This quotation from Isaiah 6:9 indicates that the religious leaders did not want to understand and, therefore, the truth was hidden from them. God does not force anyone to understand His truths. He provides clarity of mind to those who wish to understand and if His word is rejected the unbeliever is given what he desires – darkness of truth.

Parables are figures of speech and explain divine principles by comparing a known realm to an unknown realm. That is why Jesus often used the literary formula phrase, “The Kingdom of God is like . . .” Parables always have a single theme or single answer to a question, but are never to be used to develop doctrine. They are short stories that often include a key figure, such as a king, farmer, or shepherd who is representative of God. He used a variety of figures of speech such as puns, riddles, and hyperboles (exaggerations) in his parables as seen in Appendix 11.^{^[5]}

A Lesson in First Century Hermeneutics:

09.03.11.X The First Principle Of A Parable.

Generally, the first principle in a parable is the only principle of the parable. Other details are not to be stressed, but they “paint the picture” for ease of memorization. Most of the parables that Jesus presented have these qualities:

The term parable is translated from the Greek word parabole (3850) which literally means to place side by side or comparison.^{^[6]} By using parables, Jesus set human events and affairs aside spiritual concepts so these could be compared. He essentially taught the Kingdom of God by beginning with the “known” (human experiences) and going to the “unknown” (spiritual concepts).

Parables contain less than holy human characteristics and are presented to warn the audience.

Parables reveal a principle of God to men and the world. Essentially, these describe the conduct that is desirable or a characteristic of God and His relationship with humanity.^{^[7]} Many of the parables of Jesus convey a truth that could not be communicated in any other way.

In nearly every parable, there are two characters that appear to be significant, but one is ignoble and the other is always noble.

The poetic style of a parable is a memory device children learned at home and in the synagogue school. Hence, everyone knew how to speak and think poetically. When listening they did so with a degree of anticipation because parables have predictable patterns of ideas. Jesus and His parables are inseparable. To understand the parables is to understand Jesus and vice versa.^{^[8]} Thinking, speaking, and teaching with parables were common at this time. The use of parables was certainly not new to the listeners of Jesus as there are many in the Hebrew Bible and other literary sources. To understand the parables of Jesus, one should understand rabbinic literature as well, since Jesus taught in the typical rabbinic style.^{^[9]} Possibly the most amazing feature of the parables of Jesus is that the religious leaders did not understand them.

The Jewish people looked upon Jesus with wonder and full expectation that He would re-establish the Davidic Empire of His famous forefather. Knowing this, Jesus proceeded to give seven prophetic parables concerning His heavenly kingdom. These parables summarize the contrasts between the expectations of the Jews and what Jesus was about to institute in His Kingdom of God.^{^[10]}

There are essentially four reasons why Jesus used parables.^{^[11]}

People were already familiar with parables since there are 58 of them in the Hebrew Bible. The most famous one is of the prophet Nathan and King David (2 Sam. 12:1-7). Furthermore, the rabbis used them frequently in their teaching. The Talmud and other Jewish writings contain some five thousand parables, many of which originated in the Old Testament era.^{^[12]}

These were learning tools. When Jesus used parables, He structured them around events or stories that people already knew. This helped them to remember them.

A parable is an excellent tool with which to describe an abstract idea in a pictorial form. They already thought pictorially since Hebrew is a pictorial language.^{^[13]} Little wonder then, that the Apostle Paul once said the following comment about God:

For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Finally and possibly most important, a parable forces a person to think for himself. Someone is more likely to accept a new idea, such as the Kingdom of God concept, if he thinks through it and accepts it. While it seems that Jesus deliberately cloaked His message within the secrecy of a parable, He in fact challenged and compelled listeners to think for themselves and then render a decision. His critics were blinded because they permitted their own ideas to dominate what they heard from the Savior.

< ——————————————– >

09.03.11a

[1]. See Judges 9:7, Ezekiel 13:11, Isaiah 5:1 and others.

[2]. See Appendix 10, “The Parables of Jesus.”

[3]. Hendry, “Mystery.” 156-57; See also Col. 1:26-27; 2:2;4:3; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 Tim. 3:9, 16; Rev. 1:20; 10:7 17:5, 7.

[4]. Barclay, “Mark.” 91; Lang, Know the Words of Jesus. 237.

[5]. See “Kinds of Poetic Parallelisms used in the Gospels” in Appendix 11.

[6]. Lang, Know the Words of Jesus. 241; Herbert, “Parable.” 162; Vine, “Figure.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary. 2:236, and “Parable.” 2:457.

[7]. Metzger, The New Testament. 141-43.

[8]. Marshall, “Parables.” 3:1154.

[9]. Young, Jesus the Jewish Theologian. 75.

[10]. Richards, The Bible Reader’s Companion. 615.

[11]. For further study see two excellent works by Brad H. Young. Jesus and His Jewish Parables. (Tulsa, OK: Gospel Research Foundation, 1989) and Jesus the Jewish Theologian. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1995).

[12]. Bivin and Blizzard, Understanding Difficult Words. 73-78.

[13]. An example of pictorial imagery is the Genesis account of Eve being created from Adam’s rib. This is an ancient Hebraic way of saying that God took the rib from Adam’s side to make him complete. This interpretation has no reflection upon the actual physical event of what or how it occurred.

09.03.12 PARABLES FULFILL PROPHECY

Bill Heinrich - Jan 05, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.12 Mk. 4:33-34; Mt. 13:34-35

PARABLES FULFILL PROPHECY

Mk. ³³He would speak the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand. ³⁴And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.

Mt. ³⁴Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable, ³⁵so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

I will open My mouth in parables;
I will declare things kept secret
from the foundation of the world (Ps. 78:2).^{^[1]}

[1]. Concerning parables, see the reference to Isaiah 6:9-10 Jesus made in Matthew 13:15.

09.03.13 Sea of Galilee PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Bill Heinrich - Jan 05, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.13 Mt. 13:1-9 (See also Mk. 4:1-9; Lk. 8:4-8) Sea of Galilee

PARABLE OF THE SOWER

On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. ²Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. ³Then He told them many things in parables, saying:

“Consider the sower who went out to sow. ⁴As he was sowing,

A some seed fell along the path,

and the birds came and ate them up.

B ⁵Others fell on rocky ground,

Where there wasn’t much soil,

C and they sprang up quickly,

Since the soil wasn’t deep.

D ⁶But when the sun came up

C’ they were scorched,

and since they had no root, they withered.

B’ ⁷Others fell among thorns,

And the thorns came up and choked them.

A’ ⁸Still others fell on good ground

and produced a crop:

some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.

⁹Anyone who has ears should listen!”

Because some synagogues were closed to Him, some scholars have suggested that He may have been excommunicated from them. For example, He was welcomed to speak in His Nazareth congregation, but after the sermon that He gave, they wanted to throw Him over a cliff. Does anyone think that He was ever welcomed back?

Messianic scholars say that this parable (Mt. 13:1-9) is a reflection of Isaiah 55:20-11, because Isaiah’s passage is a comparative narrative relating the rain and the sower to the word of God and its intended divine purpose. For memory purposes, there are three kinds of losses that are balanced with three kinds of abundance. The losses were seeds that were devoured by birds, scorched by the sun, and others choked by thorns and weeds. But those that grew were beyond abundant – some a hundred fold, some sixty fold, and others thirty fold abundance. Note the parallel themes in the following two verses:

¹⁰For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,

¹¹so My word that comes from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Isaiah 55:10-11

There are two views on how farmers sowed their seed throughout history.

They sowed their seed on the ground and then plowed the soil.

They plowed the field, sowed the seed, and then plowed perpendicular to the direction first plowed.

When the seeds were sown they were either,

Cast by hand^{^[1]}

Or a sack with small holes was tied to the back of a donkey and the beast was walked back and forth across the field.

Regardless of the method of casting seed, it was a highly inefficient method of planting crops. Seeds often fell in areas that were rocky, full of thorns or along a pathway where they could not sprout. This method of sowing did not change until the beginning of the agricultural revolution in England in the early 1700s.

Critics have commented on the multiplication of seed “a hundred, sixty, or thirty times” as being an exaggeration. However, a non-Jewish witness of this era confirms the accuracy of the words of Jesus. Marcus Terentius Varro (116 – 27 B.C.) was a Roman scholar thought to have been of the equestrian rank and, as such, had the finances for extensive travel and the establishment of his own library. He produced 74 literary works on numerous topics, including agriculture. In his work, Agriculture, he identified three areas in the Roman Empire where crop yields were one hundred fold:

In Sybaris located in Italy,

Near Gadara in the district of Syria, and

In Byzacium located in Africa

Of interest in this study is Gadara that Varro mentioned as being in Syria because this region was under the Roman governmental district headquarters in Damascus, Syria.^{^[2]} More specifically, he wrote,

Around Sybaris in Italy the normal yield is said to be even a hundred to one, and a like yield is reported near Gadara in Syria, and for the district of Byzacium in Africa. It also makes a great difference whether the planting is on virgin soil or on what is called restibilis— land cultivated every year — or on vervactum, which is allowed sometimes to lie fallow between crops.

Varro, Agriculture 1:44:2^{^[3]}

The area Varro described near Gadara is in the region southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It has the same soil composition as the Galilee area. Therefore, when Jesus spoke of a hundred fold increase, it was not an exaggeration; it was a multiplication factor with which the Galileans were well acquainted.

In addition to Varro, another author who described the bounty of this land is Herodotus. He said that,

In grain, it is so fruitful as to yield commonly two-hundred fold; and when the production is the greatest, even three-hundred fold.

Herodotus, The Histories 1.93

The three ancient witnesses concerning the abundant crop yields clearly testify that the biblical narrative is not an exaggeration.

“Anyone who has ears should listen.” The Greek literally translated reads, “He who has ears, let him hear.”^{^[4]} It means emphatically to “pay attention!”^{^[5]} This strange passage hardly makes any sense to the modern reader, but to the first century Jew it was an invitation to seek the deeper meaning of what Jesus was speaking. In essence, Jesus said that there are many who hear but they do not understand or perceive His words. However, they should understand.

[1]. To “cast by hand” means to take a handful of seeds and throw them by hand over a desired area.

[2]. It should be noted that the tetrarchs, puppet kings, and other rulers of Galilee, Judea, Samaria, Perea, and Banias were also under the control of district headquarters located in Damascus at this time.

[3]. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Varro/de_Re_Rustica/1*.html Retrieved July 9, 2011.

[4]. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament. 1:80.

[5]. Bock, Jesus According to Scripture. 204.

09.03.14 PARABLE OF SOWER EXPLAINED

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.14 Mt. 13:18-23 (See also Mk. 4:13-20; Lk. 8:11-15)

PARABLE OF SOWER EXPLAINED

¹⁸“You, then, listen to the parable of the sower:

¹⁹When anyone hears the word about the kingdom

and doesn’t understand it,

the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.

This is the one sown along the path.

²⁰And the one sown on rocky ground

this is one who hears the word

and immediately receives

it with joy.

²¹Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived.

When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

²²Now the one sown among the thorns

this is one who hears the word,

but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

²³But the one sown on the good ground

this is one who hears

and understands the word,

who does bear fruit and yields:

some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”

Parables illustrated His teachings through careful thought and discovery and, therefore, listeners were challenged to make a decision. To get them to change their ideas was difficult for several reasons:

Everyone had preconceived ideas of the messiah.^{^[1]}

Many had preferred the cultural popular Hellenistic lifestyle rather than obedience to God.

Many preferred a materialistic life over a sacrificial one.

An example is found in the Parable of the Sower, where Jesus mentioned four types of soil:

Soil along a walkway, common path or road represents those persons who hear the Word but are indifferent to it.

Stony ground represents seeds that sprouted, those persons who heard the message but quickly forgot it.

Thorny ground represents seeds that sprouted but got choked out because the thorny bushes over took them. It represents those who received the message but permitted the “thorns” of worldly affairs choke the Word of God out of their lives.

Good ground represents seeds that produced a plentiful harvest as well as a believer who did likewise.

These types of soil were commonly found on hillside terraced farms. For centuries peasant farmers terraced their land to prevent erosion and produce bountiful crops. A terraced area was created when a stone retaining wall, usually three to four feet high, was erected parallel along the side of the hill and backfilled with fertile ground to create a level area (see illustration 09.03.14.A below). Where the filled-in area met the natural hillside, there was generally little or poor quality dirt and only weeds and thorns could grow there. It was here that another terraced retaining wall was built with its backside also filled in. Therefore, while the large area of the terraced land was highly productive, soil near the top of one retaining wall was stony, as was the soil near the bottom of another retaining wall, but the area between could produce a hundred fold.

09.03.14.A. AN ILLUSTRATION OF TERRACED LAND (3)

09.03.14.A. AN ILLUSTRATION OF TERRACED LAND. Retaining walls (RW) were built about two to four feet high and backfilled (BF) with dirt brought in from other areas to create a level area. Soil near the top of a retaining wall (1) was stony. While soil near the large center area was fertile and productive (2), the soil near the bottom of the next retaining wall was poor thorny soil (3). Consequently, a hillside that had poor agricultural prospects was changed into highly productive land. Illustration by the author.

09.03.14a

The parable is not concerned about preaching the Word, but rather, the attitude and response of the people who hear the gospel; not about people who reject Jesus, but those who accepted Him. Obviously not everyone who accepted Jesus stayed with Him. Therefore, in a very real way, this parable is one of productivity for the Kingdom of God. The seed will always be ready to grow, regardless of how it is received.

09.03.14.B. OLIVE TREES ON TERRACED HILLSIDE

09.03.14.B. OLIVE TREES ON TERRACED HILLSIDE. A grove of olive trees grows on a terraced hillside where the retaining walls are in poor condition due to a lack of maintenance. Photograph by the author.

Some seeds may fall along the rocks, such as along the terraced wall or the hill country north of Galilee and close to the Golan Heights. Some may fall along the Roman roads like the Via Maris, and some may fall among thorns that resulted from the ground being cursed, some may fall in the rich fertile valley of Galilee where the most bountiful wheat in Israel grew. Every Jew who heard Jesus speak was very well aware of these illustrations; word-pictures of the seed are in reality the Word of God with the intent of a bountiful harvest. Jesus referred to four types of disciples who were involved with Torah studies. The message of Jesus was the fulfillment of the Torah. All disciples are expected to produce a harvest of some type, whatever their calling. However, any potential harvest is dependent upon the condition of the soil, meaning the condition of the heart of the one who hears the Word (receives the seed), and how that Word is nurtured, cultivated, and discipled into a mature believer who brings forth bountiful fruit.

This parable follows the illustration given by Isaiah who spoke of the rain and snow that prepared the soil for seed, so the seed would sprout and eventually provide for bread (Isa. 55:10). The prophet then used this pictorial illustration to say that in a similar manner the Word of God will go forth, be productive, and accomplish its intended purpose (Isa. 55:11). In the days of Jesus, this passage was understood as describing the study of Torah. However, while many chose to follow Jesus, others became quite hostile and for this reason He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10:

⁹And He replied: Go! Say to these people:

Keep listening,                                                                                                                                   but do not understand;
keep looking,                                                                                                                                      but do not perceive.
¹⁰Dull the minds of these people;

deafen their ears                                                                                                                                and blind their eyes;
otherwise they might see                                                                                                                   with their eyes
and hear                                                                                                                                             with their ears                                                                                                       and understand with their minds,
turn back, and be healed.

Isaiah 6:9-10

Neither Isaiah nor Jesus desired people to have clouded minds; both gave a clear illustration of the Word of God. But some people chose not to follow and, as a result, they stumbled. As every pastor knows all too well, not everyone in his congregation is willing to listen and obey, because every church has the “four types of soil.” In this case, Jesus not only gave the parable but also its explanation. In the Parable of the Sower, which might be better called the Parable of the Soils, Jesus described the various responses to His ministry. Nonetheless, there are three important points about the farmer that pertain to the sowing and reaping narrative.

The sower reaps what he sows

The sower will reap after he sows, in a different season

The sower always expects to reap more than he has sown.

⁷Therefore, brothers,

be patient until the Lord’s coming.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and

is patient with it

until it receives the early and the late rains.

⁸You also must be patient.

Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.

James 5:7-8

If the word of God is considered a seed, it will be rejected by some people (the poor soil). Others will accept it for a while but then return to their worldly ways. Still others will decide to accept it and permit it to transform their lives. They will produce a bountiful crop, as demonstrated by the good works and ministry that will come from their lives. The harvest imagery is a common figure representing the final gathering of souls for God’s kingdom (Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:14-20). However, there is also a counterfeit sower who sows evil in the hearts of men. For that reason, the parable of the wheat and tares follows the parable of the sower above.

“Pressure.” The Greek term thlipsis (2347), means anything which burdens the spirit. The term includes extreme pressure that results from the calamities of war (Mt. 24:21, 29).

“Understands the word.” The term understand is not related solely to intellectual knowledge, but includes the understanding that to be a follower of Jesus there will be times of suffering and persecution.

Jesus and other orthodox rabbis based their teachings on various Old Testament passages. Therefore, it can be expected that many of their parables and stories were similar. Jesus, being a Master Teacher, built upon various stories and life experiences that His audience already knew. The four soils parable was one that was common knowledge, but a version of it was recorded by a Rabbi Haggai bar Eleazar who is believed to have lived a century or two after Jesus.

There are four types [of people] among those who sit in the presence of the rabbis: the sponge, the funnel, the strainer, and the sieve. “The sponge,” which soaks up everything. “The funnel,” which takes in at this end and lets out at the other, “The strainer,” which lets out the wine and retains the dregs. “The sieve,” which removes the chaff and retains the fine flour.

Mishnah, Pirke Avot 5:15^{^[2]}

It is generally assumed by scholars that Rabbi Haggai and other rabbis had basic knowledge of Jesus, but they certainly did not mimic Him. They and Jesus did, however, share a common cultural context and all based their teachings upon the Hebrew Bible and connected the character of God with His people.

Finally, in a note of trivia, the method of planting seeds as described in this parable did not change for centuries until 1701. At that time Jethro Tull (1674 – 1741), an English agricultural pioneer, invented the horse-drawn grain drill that placed seeds in neat rows.^{^[3]} This invention was followed by his second invention of the horse-drawn hoe after which he made improvements to the horse-drawn plow (plough). His ideas helped initiate the agricultural revolution. Until his inventions, readers easily identified with the parable, but as agricultural methods changed and people became more distant from farming, modern readers find themselves with challenges of understanding this parable.

[1]. See 12.03.01.Q1 “What ‘Messianic problems’ did the Jewish leaders have with Jesus?” and 12.03.01.A “Chart of Key Points of the Messianic Problems.” See also 02.03.09 “Messianic Expectations”; 05.04.02.Q1 “What were the Jewish expectations of the Messiah?” and Appendix 25: “False Prophets, Rebels, Significant Events, and Rebellions that Impacted the First Century Jewish World.”

[2]. Cited by Young, The Parables of Jesus, 59.

[3]. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bljethrotull.htm. Retrieved September 15, 2013.

09.03.15 PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.15 Mt. 13:24-30 (See also Mk. 4:26-29)

PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES

²⁴He presented another parable to them:

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man

who sowed good seed in his field.

²⁵But while people were sleeping, his enemy came,

sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

²⁶When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

²⁸“‘An enemy did this!’ he told them.

“‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.

²⁹“‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’”

09.03.15.A. WHEAT AND TARES

09.03.15.A. WHEAT AND TARES. Wheat (left) and tares grow together in the same field, are similar in appearance, and usually only the farmer can distinguish the difference between them. But by harvest time, the wheat has a full head of grain while the tares fall to the ground as shown. Tares also have a root system that intertwines with the root systems of the wheat, thereby stealing strength from them. Photographed by the author.

The Parable of the Wheat and Tares is a parable of those who call themselves “Christians” and are regular attendees in the local church. Everyone knows that some take their faith much more seriously than do some others. This parable is one of separation – a separation of those who are truly believers from those who simply mimic the Christian faith. It is one of several parables of separation and is explained in Matthew 13:36-43. Notice the list of characters:

Cast of Characters

Field The local church

Wheat Believers who resisted temptations by the evil one

Tares (weeds) Believers who accepted temptations by the evil one

Son of Man Final Judge assisted by angels

Tares are known botanically as the “bearded darnel” (Silium temulentum) and are, in fact, a poisonous rye grass that if eaten, will cause nausea, convulsions, diarrhea, and frequently death. Its appearance is identical to wheat until its ears (the seed pods) appear.^{^[1]} Tares are found throughout the Middle East and in ancient times were not considered to be a different kind of plant, but a form of degenerated wheat.^{^[2]} For that reason it was also known as a bastard wheat.^{^[3]}

The listeners understood the “tare” to be a degenerate believer who maintained the image of a faithful follower. As the wheat and the tares are indistinguishable in the field until each produces its own fruit, so likewise those in the congregation are indistinguishable until the fruit of their lives becomes evident.^{^[4]} The essence of the message is that one day Jesus Himself will judge the church and separate the true believers from those who claim to be His followers, but have not lived by faith and obedience.

“Tie them in bundles to be burned.” Jesus now begins to use the powerful judgmental law of John the Baptist. Those who faithfully attend church but also maintain a worldly lifestyle will receive their just reward. Decisions determine destiny.

09.03.15a

[1]. Geikie, The Life and Words. 2:628.

[2]. Jerusalem Talmud, Kiliam 26d.

[3]. Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. 216.

[4]. Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. 216; Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. 406.

09.03.16 PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES EXPLAINED

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.16 Mt. 13:36-43

PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES EXPLAINED

³⁶Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”

³⁷He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸the field is the world; and the good seed — these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ⁴⁰Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. ⁴²They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

This parable indicates that there will be those who are not serious about their faith and, therefore, will not be accepted into the heavenly kingdom. When the Apostle Paul said that salvation was by the confession that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9) he immediately connected that with a heartfelt serious belief. The confession is not to be a shallow and meaningless saying. The early church drew many people into its fold (2 Cor. 9:13; Phil. 1:27) but, of those, there were many who refused to change their sinful way of life. They were the tares of the parable since they looked like true believers but are not.^{^[1]} Jeremiah spoke of the “uncircumcised ear” (6:10), identifying those who hear the message but chose not to obey the warnings of God. Discipline in the form of excommunication was practiced but is almost unheard of today in Western churches.^{^[2]}

“Blazing furnace.” The term furnace (Gk. kaminos 2575) was used for smelting metal and pottery kiln, and was the hottest fire known in biblical times.^{^[3]}

[1]. Martin, Worship in the Early Church. 55.

[2]. See 1 Cor. 5:3-5; Tim. 1:19-20; 2 Jn. 9-10; cf. 2 Cor. 2:5-11.

[3]. Vine, “Furnace.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary. 2:259.

09.03.17 PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.17 Mt. 13:31-32 (See also Mk. 4:30-32; Lk. 13:18-19)

PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

³¹He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³²It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

The mustard plant that Jesus referred to is generally considered to have been black mustard. It is the same plant as found in the United States although the soil and climate conditions in the Jordan Valley permit it to grow near the height of a horse.^{^[1]}Scientifically, it is known as sinapis nigra, a member of the cruciferae family of plants that has four-petaled flowers. In Jewish writings the term “mustard seed” was an idiom or proverbial meaning anything that was very small, especially if that small item was unclean.^{^[2]}

“It is the smallest of all the seeds.” Critics have maintained that the mustard seed is not the smallest, but, rather, the orchid seed is. While this is true biologically and globally, Jesus was speaking in a local context to local people, not to a delegation of international botanists. Why would Jesus have made reference to an orchid plant that does not grow in Israel and His listeners would not know anything about it? Since orchids did not exist in this region. Jesus was teaching that the black mustard seed was the smallest without discrepancy. In the Hebraic idiom, the smallest weight and dimensional measurement that could be made was the weight and diameter of a mustard seed.^{^[3]}The only reason critics can claim error in this passage is because they examined it through a sterile microscope while ignoring the influences of culture, history, social issues, and the Law. Nonetheless, the mustard seed was the smallest seed known to anyone in the ancient Middle East. A Talmudic writer describes the mustard plant as a tree that grew large enough to cover a potter’s shed.^{^[4]}That certainly would have been sufficient for a number of bird species.

Jesus said is that His word and His ministry are like that seed; His kingdom, represented by a few disciples, would expand to a global force. This is essentially a prophecy in parable form because, by the end of the first century, Christianity was a major force throughout the ancient Middle East. Furthermore, He said that before He returns, His words would be spoken to every nation (Gk. ethnic group).^{^[5]}

“The birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” This imagery is reflective of the biblical passages where a great kingdom was as a large tree with birds nesting in its branches.^{^[6]} Each of these prophets used the allegory of a tree where birds could find rest and shelter. They likened the tree to a large kingdom that would protect many people and insure their lives. Jesus used the illustration of a mustard seed as it germinated out of the smallest particle and grows to a height of about ten feet.^{^[7]} The imagery of a plant to depict God’s people is common in Judaism.^{^[8]} The rabbis often used expressions related to the smallest seed in the Middle East as a figure of speech for its miniature size.^{^[9]} Likewise, the Kingdom of God would germinate out of work of His disciples but would grow to an enormous size (Jn. 17:18).

Finally, and this is an important point, in the Old Testament empires were symbolized by trees. Examples are found in Daniel 4, Ezekiel 7 and 31. Every great empire such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, began small and grew to massive size. Likewise, the Kingdom of God is as small as a mustard seed, but it will grow to a massive size.

On the other hand, in some parables, birds are symbolic of servants of Satan. If this interpretation is correct, then what Jesus was saying was that as the mustard seed grows birds will come to rest in its branches. These birds represent various false teachings and religions that will be attached to or claim to be “Christian.” Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples about false teachers as indicated in Luke 12:1 and Matthew 24:4.

09.03.17.A. YOUNG MUSTARD FLOWERS. Young mustard flowers bloom by the rocky roadside and look like ordinary wild flowers until fully mature, when they become larger than most flowering plants in Israel. Photograph by the author.

09.03.17a

[1]. Geikie, The Life and Words. 2:627.

[2]. Mishnah, Niddah 5.2 and Toharot 8.8.

[3]. Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. 217.

[4]. Mishnah, Niddah 5:2 and Tohoroth 8:8.

[5]. Kaiser, Davids, Bruce, and Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible. 381-82.

[6]. Judg. 9:15; Ezek. 17:22-24; 31:3-14, 22-24; Dan. 4:7-23.

[7]. Bock, Jesus According to Scripture. 206.

[8]. Isa. 60:21; Jer. 45:4; Jubliees 1.16; 7.34; 21.24; 1 Enoch 10:16; 84.6; 93.2; 1 QS 8.5; 11.8; CD 1.7.

[9]. B’rakhot 31a and Leviticus Rabbah 31:9 on Leviticus 24:2.

09.03.18 PARABLE OF THE YEAST

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.18 Mt. 13:33 (See also Lk. 13:20-21)

PARABLE OF THE YEAST

³³He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds^{^[1]} of flour until it spread through all of it.”

Just as Jesus illustrated his ministry with a mustard seed, He also used yeast as the metaphor. Everyone understood how quickly yeast could spread throughout bread dough. In a similar manner, His Word would spread throughout the world. While at times yeast is symbolic of evil,^{^[2]} the use here is obviously in reference to the predicted rapid growth of the church.

[1]. Literally, “three measures” of flour, which scholars believe would be about 50 pounds. See Green, Interlinear Greek-English New Testament; Berry, Interlinear Literal Translation of the Greek New Testament.

[2]. Mt. 16:5-12; Lk. 12:1; cf. 1 Cor. 5:6-13.

09.03.19 PARABLE OF THE LIGHTED LAMP

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.19 Mk. 4:21-25 (See also Lk. 8:16-18)

PARABLE OF THE LIGHTED LAMP

²¹He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?

²²For nothing is concealed

except to be revealed,

And nothing hidden

except to come to light

²³If anyone has ears to hear,

He should listen!”

²⁴Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear.

“With the measure you use,

it will be measured

“By the measure you use,

it will be measured and added to you.

²⁵For to the one who has,

it will be given, and

From the one who does not have,

even what he has will be taken away.”

09.03.19.A. FIRST CENTURY HERODIAN OIL LAMP

09.03.19.A. FIRST CENTURY HERODIAN OIL LAMP. This first century Herodian style lamp is easily identified by its fan-shaped spout and fits in the palm of one’s hand. These were molded of clay and fired in a pottery kiln for hardness. The fuel was olive oil and a wick was inserted in the small spout. The short wick absorbed the oil, then was lit and provided minimal lighting in the home. Jesus used common events and objects of daily life to convey his message. Photograph by the author.

09.03.20 PARABLE OF THE SEED GROWING

Bill Heinrich - Jan 04, 2016 - Comments Off

09.03.20 Mk. 4:26-29

PARABLE OF THE SEED GROWING

²⁶ “The kingdom of God is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; ²⁷he sleeps and rises — night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows — he doesn’t know how. ²⁸The soil produces a crop by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain on the head. ²⁹But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

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