Biblical Places Spiritual Spaces The Plain of Ginosar

The Parables of The Kingdom

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:9

 

The Plain of Ginosar is on the northwestern corner of the Sea of Galilee. It was in this area that Jesus spoke at least 60 % of His recorded words.

The Plain of Ginosar from Mt Arbel

 

Mt Hermon sits to the north of Ginosar

 

Mt Arbel is a good place to consider the things Jesus said on the Plain of Ginosar

 

How do you communicate a message to someone in a manner that they would not only receive it intellectually but also understand it in their heart?

How does head knowledge get transformed into heart knowledge?

As parents, do we want our children just to be obedient or have a relationship with us of trust and love?

What is the method of God in relating to us where we have the free will to decide for ourselves? How does He reach our innermost being?

What is the goal of our evangelistic efforts?

Compliance and obedience or intimate relationship?

 

The western side of the Plain of Ginosar

 

Let's examine the Parables of the Kingdom.

 

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 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.”

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹  Jesus 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.

¹² For 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.

¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 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,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,
AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’

¹⁶ But 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.

 

Otherwise: mḗpote, at any time. Lest at any time.
(I) As a neg. particle, not even, never, .
(II) As a conj., that not ever, that never, lest ever, perhaps

This passage is from Isaiah 6, when the prophet sees a vision and receives his commission from the Lord.

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

⁹ He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’
¹⁰ “Render the hearts of this people  insensitive,
Their ears dull, And their eyes dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”  Isaiah 6:8-10

Otherwise: Hebrew pen: A conjunction meaning lest, so that, not. It indicates the prevention of a possible event: lest, so that . . . not; or of an event that will occur unless it is stopped It indicates a negative purpose or result

From the IVP Bible Commentary:

The role of the prophet. The description of eyes and ears that do not function as they should or a heart that is hard or heavy matches that which occurs elsewhere in medical texts or in contexts of fear. In 1 Samuel 25 Nabal suffers some sort of paralysis, stroke or heart attack, and his heart becomes as stone. In a Babylonian wisdom hymn a sufferer describes his fear-induced paralysis as resulting in eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear.

It is difficult to know whether the paralysis that meets Isaiah’s messages comes from spiritual sickness or from fear. The prophet’s role was to deliver the message regardless of whether there was any response or not. If the message did not result in response, it would at least establish clearly the people’s guilt.

 

 A stormy day on the Plain of Ginosar

 

Why did Jesus teach in parables?

One scholarly opinion from Dr Spiros Zodhiates:

“The clue to understanding is found in the correct translation of a Greek word mepote, usually translated ‘least’. However, it shoudh be translated as a suppositional participle, ‘if perhaps.’

Christ’s reasoning is this: “If I speak plainly to these people knowing that they would be rejecting not what they do not understand, but what they do understand. If I speak to them in parables and they do not understand what I am saying, then their rejecton is based on the lack of understanding and it will diminish their guilt. Their guilt is not based upon whether they understand or not, but on their rejection for God and Me, not because of what I say, but because of what I am, which should have been clear enough to them.”  Key Word Study Bible

Another opinion:

Perhaps Jesus was throwing out clues to His identity and the Kingdom of God, hoping that His listeners would connect the dots and let the Holy Spirit reveal the true intent of the message, as He does to us.

God seems to want us to engage Him in dialogue, hoping that we will analyze what we hear and see and conclude that He is real, He is Lord, He is Savior, and He is the Greatest Lover of our Souls.

His plan is that we would make the choice to spend Eternity with Him of our own free will, taking a leap of faith, rather than forcibly accepting the facts about God and not wholeheartedly receiving Him as our Lord.

To help us and His other disciples, Jesus offers an explanation:

¹⁸ “Hear then the parable of the sower.

 ¹⁹ When 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.

²⁰ The 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.

 ²² And 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.

 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.” Matthew 13:1-23

 

The Word of God falls on four different types of soil:

 

1) Hard soil, beside the road, and there is no understanding of the message.

2) Rocky soil, which hinders the development of roots, and the message withers when there are troubles.

3) Thorny soil, which hinders the growth of the word due to focus on worldly issues such as power, pleasure and possessions.

4) Good soil in which the word takes root, sprouts, grows branches and leaves and eventually bears fruit.

What is the message for us in this parable?

a) An accurate description of the type of people we will meet as we share our personal testimonies.

b) A prediction on how our efforts to win others to Christ will end.

c) An encouragement of the challenges of our evangelistic efforts.

 

How did Jesus’ disciples receive this word?

 

Three Examples:

Phillip and the Ethiopian

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

²⁷ So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹

Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”

³⁰ Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?”

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
³³ “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.”

³⁴ The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?”

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

³⁶ As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

³⁷ [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]

 ³⁸ And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

 ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at  Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. Acts 8:26-40

Contextual facts:

Ethiopians knew about Yahweh because of the relationship of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. ² So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. ³ Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her. 1 Kings 10:1-3

 

From Free Map online

Eunuchs were not permitted to enter the courts of the Temple.

“No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD. Deuteronomy 23:1

The Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah 53. This was a favored passage of Scripture for those who had suffered mutilation.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
⁸ By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? Isaiah 53:7-8

The Eunuch did not understand what He was reading, but Phillip explained this passage as referring to Jesus and his scourging and death on the Cross, and now we all are considered ‘whole and acceptable’ to the Lord.

Having never been allowed to be baptized, the Eunuch realized that he was considered acceptable to God through the sacrifice of Jesus, thus eligible for baptism into the Kingdom.

The Hard Soil beside the road became Good Soil through the efforts and explanation of Phillip.

 

The Port at Caesarea 

 

Peter and Corneilus

¹ Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, ² a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

 ³ About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!”

⁴ And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”

 And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; ⁶ he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷ When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, ⁸ and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; ¹¹ and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, ¹² and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

¹³ A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”

¹⁵Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; ¹⁸ and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”

²¹ Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”

 ²² They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear  a message from you.” ²³ So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and  worshiped him.

 ²⁶ But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” ²⁷ As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled.

²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. ²⁹ That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

³⁰ Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, ³¹ and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³² Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

³⁴  Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation the man who  fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. ³⁶ The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching  peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— ³⁷ you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

 ³⁸  You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power,  and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

³⁹ We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

⁴⁰  God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, ⁴¹  not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

⁴² And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.

⁴⁵  All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” ⁴⁸ And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Acts 10

 

Caesarea

 

Cornelius was a Roman who believed in the many gods of the Pantheon. 

It was the customary to offer worship and sacrifices to the local gods, which Cornelius did.  He was a believer in Yahweh but he had no roots to really understand who Yahweh is.

Peter was a Jew who dislike Romans, and did not want to explain the Gospel to such riff raff. His insulting greeting to Cornelius was a reflection of his prejudices and not Scripture. Hebrews were instructed to leave portions of their harvest for the foreigners, and to invite them into their homes and celebrate the festivals with them.

Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:10

You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; ¹⁴ and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. Deuteronomy 16:13-14

Because of the vision that Peter had on the roof of his home combined with the vision that Cornelius had, Peter was willing to step away from his prejudices and remember the Great Commission, an obediently tell the Roman audience in Cornelius’ home about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That’s when God did His part.

Now suddenly Cornelius and his Roman friends are filled with the Holy Spirit and have deep and profound roots into the mysteries of God.

The Rocky Soil became Good Soil through the efforts and explanation of Peter and the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Thessaloniki

 

Paul and the Thessalonians

¹ Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

² And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³  explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

 ⁴  And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

⁵ But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. ⁶ When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset  the world have come here also; ⁷  and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

 ⁸ They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. ⁹ And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Acts 17:1-10

Thessaloniki is a Macedonian port city on the Via Ignatia. It was a commercial hub for this northern Aegean region with access to the Black Sea. Ships from the Middle East, Egypt and North Africa used this port as a gateway into the European markets. The Romans established a mint in Thessaloniki to facilitate the commerce of this region. The stock market was active in this city with speculation of crop and other commodity futures.

Paul entered a city of thorny soil, where the focus on wealth and the cares of the world were a hinderance to the acceptance of the Gospel. Yet we know that is efforts were successful in establishing a Christian community in Thessaloniki from the two letters he later wrote to his friends there.

 

¹  Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
²  We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; ³ constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and  steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, ⁴ knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

 ⁵ For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶ You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

 ⁸ For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. ⁹ For they themselves report about us what kind of a  reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve  a living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1-10

Through the efforts of Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy, the thorny soil of Thessaloniki became good soil.

Their discipleship often required encouragement and admonition in this commercial center of the Aegean as noted in Paul’s second letter to this congregation.

⁶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you  keep away from every brother who leads an  unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

 ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to  follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; ⁹ not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.

 ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. ¹³ But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

 

The Hard Soil, the Rocky soil and the Thorny Soil became good soil through the faithful efforts of the followers of Jesus, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

The ancient agora of Thessaloniki

 

Evangelism is often a mystery, as explained by Jesus in his next parable as recorded by Mark.

 

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

Principle: In our mission to bring the Good News to the people of our communities, we are instructed to do our part to turn hard, rocky, thorny soil into good soil and let the Holy Spirit do His part to bring a conviction into the hearts of our friends that Jesus is Lord.

 

 

The First Study Tour October/November 1997

Kathy, Randy, Augusto, Michael, Laura, Craig, Onofre & Truman

Tares among Wheat

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.”’”

Tares: zizánion; Darnel Ryegrass: tares. A plant, in appearance not unlike corn or wheat, having at first the same sort of stalk and the same greenness, but not bringing forth any worthwhile fruit.

The difference between darnel and real wheat is evident only when the plants mature and the ears appear. The ears of the real wheat are heavy and will droop, while the ears of the darnel stand up straight.

Lolium ‘temulentum’: Latin word for ‘drunk’. Darnel has psychotic effects on the human body.

The effects of darnel intoxication resemble the effects of tropane alkaloid toxicity and mycotoxins. Pupil dilation, disturbances in perception, coordination and movement, vomiting, headaches, sleep, and respiratory paralysis. These effects can last for days, and lethality is unlikely.  Michael Colby, The Poisoner’s Apothecary, www.thepoisonersapothecary.com/

 

 

The Mustard Seed

³¹ He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; ³² and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.”

 Mustard seed: sínapi; Mustard, a plant often growing to a very considerable size in the fertile soil of Palestine. The expression kókkon sinápeōs, a grain of mustard seed, is a proverbial phrase meaning the least, the smallest particle

 

Jesus quotes a prophecy from Ezekiel 17:

²² Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD Ezekiel 17:22-24

Field: agrós; an area of cultivated ground

The mustard plant is not something a farmer would normally plant in his cultivated field or garden, as it produces only seeds used as a condiment.

Different varieties often take over a field and are considered a ‘weed”. 

Jesus views the planting of the mustard plant a positive light, as the mature plant will provide branches and shade that will benefit many animals. This is a ‘contrary’ result that will bring birds that would normally feast off the crops and vegetables planted in the garden, which is contrary to wise agricultural practices, yet Jesus says that this is an image of the Kingdom of Heaven.

How can this be?

A farmer does something that makes no sense, yet benefits others in an unplanned manner.

Jesus says this is something that members of the Kingdom of Heaven do.

 Principle: Sometimes Jesus asks us to do something that seems to make no sense in our current lives, yet later we realize were steps to a very effective ministry.

 

 

The Leaven

³³ 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.”

Leaven: zúmē; Leaven, fermenting matter; to heat, so-called from heating or fermentation of the mass of dough with which it is mixed (Matt. 13:33; 1 Cor. 5:6-8).

 Most often (though not always) in Scripture, the word zúmē represents evil, including Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:21, if properly understood. The real significance of leaven is shown in 1 Cor. 5:7 as being destructive and typifying what does not belong originally and essentially to life, namely, sin. It is sin disturbing and penetrating daily life.  Complete Word Study Bible

 From the Bible Hub website:  Leaven as a Symbol of the Kingdom

Although it most frequently symbolizes moral or doctrinal corruption, leaven does not always carry a negative connotation in Scripture. In Matthew 13:33, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to leaven “that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour”, illustrating the pervasive growth of God’s kingdom.

 Just as a small lump of yeast causes an entire batch of dough to rise, God’s transforming power can quietly, yet definitively, expand through the world and in a believer’s life.

This positive use of leaven underscores that not all growth or influence is corrupt-godly influence likewise pervades the wider environment when nurtured by the Holy Spirit.  Biblehub.com

 

 

Why Jesus speaks in parables:

 ³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. ³⁵ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES;
I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”

Jesus quotes a passage from Psalm 78, knowing that many of his listeners will remember the entire psalm and its theme. There was a technique called ‘Remez’, which means ‘hint’, used by many rabbis in their teaching.  The teacher would refer to a portion of a scripture, knowing that the students would know the context of the entire passage. What is the theme of Psalm 78?

Listen, O my people, to my instruction;
Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
² I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
³ Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
⁴ We will not conceal them from their children,
But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
⁵ For He established a testimony in Jacob
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should  teach them to their children,
⁶  That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and tell them to their children,
⁷ That they should put their confidence in God
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments,
⁸ And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
⁹ The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows,
Yet they turned back in the day of battle.
¹⁰ They did not keep the covenant of God
And refused to walk in His law;
¹¹ They forgot His deeds
And His miracles that He had shown them.
¹²  He wrought wonders before their fathers
In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
¹³ He divided the sea and caused them to pass through,
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
¹⁴ Then He led them with the cloud by day
And all the night with a light of fire.
¹⁵ He split the rocks in the wilderness
And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.
¹⁶ He brought forth streams also from the rock
And caused waters to run down like rivers.
¹⁷ Yet they still continued to sin against Him,
To rebel against the Most High in the desert. Psalms 78:1-17

 

Principle: God demonstrated many miracles to His people throughout the history of the Hebrew Scriptures, yet many failed to respond in obedience, and turned away from God in rebellion, just like we sometimes do.

Jesus continued to speak to the crowd in parables, knowing that many who had ears to hear would consider the meaning of the illustration and respond in a positive manner, while others would ignore the testimony of the miracles and teaching of Jesus, and continue in their spiritual darkness.

 

 

The Tares Explained

³⁶ Then 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; 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 13:24-43

 

Jesus is referencing a passage from the last chapter of Daniel.

 ¹ “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

 ²  Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

 ³  Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

 ⁴ But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” Daniel 12:1-4

 

This prophecy is echoed in the Book of Revelation:

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and  books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

 

The Wheat and Tares parable tells us of those found in the congregations and community of Christ who are not followers of Jesus, but have all the outward appearances of Christians. They are the actors, the “hypocrites’ which Jesus speaks of at the end of his Sermon on the Mount:

 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will  know them by their fruits.

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will know them by their fruits.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

 ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Matthew 7:15-23

 

 

 Hidden Treasure

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.

A Costly Pearl

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.

 

 An Argentinian pastor named Juan Carlos Ortiz, made a comment on this parable in his book Disciple, that will bring smiles as well as a practical application of this Kingdom principle:

 Jesus said in Matthew 13 that the Kingdom of God was like a merchant looking for fine pearls. And when he found a pear of great price, he sold everything he had to buy it.

Of course, some Christians think this story means we are the pearl of great price and Christ had to give up everything to redeem us.

But now we understand that He is the pearl of great price. We are the merchants seeking for happiness, for security, for fame, for eternity.

And when we find Jesus, it cost us everything.

 He has happiness, joy, peace, healing, security, eternity, everything.

So we say “I want this pearl. How much is it?”

“Well,” the seller says, “it’s very expensive.”

“But how much?” we ask.

“Well, it’s a very large amount.”

“Do you think I could buy it?”

“Oh, of course. Everyone can buy it.”

“But didn’t you say that it was very expensive?”

“Yes.”

“Well, how much is it?”

“Everything you have,” says the seller.

We make up our minds.

“All right. I’ll buy it.” We say.

“Well, what do you have?” he wants to know. “Let’s write it down.”

“Well, I have ten thousand dollars in the bank.”

“Good. Ten thousand dollars. What else?”

“That’s all I have.”

‘Nothing more?”

“Well, I have a few dollars here in my pocket.”

“How much?”

We start digging.  “Well, let’s see- thirty, forty, sixty, a hundred, a hundred twenty dollars.”

“That’s fine. What else do you have?”

“Well, nothing. That’s all.”

“Where do you live?” He is still probing.

“In my house. Yes, I have a house.”

“The house too then.” He writes that down.

“You mean I have to live in my camper?”

“You have a camper? That, too. What else?”

“I’ll have to sleep in my car!”

“You have a car?”

“Two of them.”

“Both become mine, both cars. What else?”

“Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?”

“Are you alone in this world?”

“No, I have a wife and two children….”

“Oh yes, your wife and your children too. What else?”

“I have nothing left. I am left alone now.

Suddenly the seller exclaims, “Oh I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything, everything becomes mine—wife, children, house, money, cars – and you too.”

Then he goes on.

“Now listen—I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don’t forget that they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them you must give them up, because I am now the owner.”

That’s how it is when you are under the ownership of Jesus Christ.

Disciple, Juan Carlos Ortiz. P 34-35

 

Banyas Waterfalls

 

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.

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 13:44-52

 Principle: The Hebrew Scriptures are the basis for everything revealed in the Christian Scriptures.  Both are God's revelation of Himself to mankind.

 

 

All photos by GMBagby (c)