Matthew 13
Bible Passage: Matthew 13
Ramblings on Matthew 13
Matthew chapter 13 contains a few verses, which I never really paid attention to because I always focused on the meaning of the parables. In fact, these little verses used to be the ones that I never truly understood. One of these orphan verses is Matthew 13:12:
For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Mt 13:12-13)
Jesus used parables to talk about the kingdom of heaven because He knew that those who really had the heart to listen to the Word of God would eventually understand the truth. As the Bible says,
when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13).
For this reason Jesus mentions that those who have, will receive even more. If we have the heart to listen to God’s words, the Holy Spirit will help us to understand more and more of the truth. But if we do not have the heart to listen, we will not be able to understand. The Word of God will not speak to us and we may eventually even turn away from God because the Word of God is not rooted in our hearts.
So today, are we attentive to the Word of God? Does the Word speak to us?
When Jesus talked about the kingdom of heaven, He was actually referring to the spiritual kingdom of God. In fact, this kingdom is very different from the physical kingdom of God that the Jews were waiting for. It is a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom that is manifested in the hearts of man and in the church of God. It’s a kingdom that is far from being perfect but has the promise of perfection.
Through the parables about the kingdom of heaven, Jesus not only revealed the development of His church; He also prepares present-day believers of the true church for the reality of church life ….
At some point or the other, we may have wondered why the church has so many imperfections. We may have wondered how there can be any believers who do not manifest any good Christian conduct at all.
Jesus has given us the answer long ago. He tells us that there will be both good and bad in the kingdom of heaven, co-existing until the day when He comes again to judge the world (Mt 13:24-30, 47-50). At the same time, Jesus encourages us to hold on to the promise of the heavenly kingdom – this precious pearl and great treasure – for this kingdom will be perfected on the day of Jesus’ second coming. On that day, the church will be perfect like a bride adorned for her husband (Rev 21:2). So let us not be discouraged; let us not doubt but let us strive to be fruitful ground, good seeds, precious pearls and great treasures in the kingdom of heaven.
3 Comments
kepha
Nice way to approach this chapter!
A little comment on Jn 16:13:
When Jesus said, “when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth”, he was directly referring to the completion of revelation to the New Testament church. This “into all truth” results in the compilation of scriptures known as the New Testament Bible, which completes the Old Testament wriitngs. Hence we do accept other writings subsequent to the 66 sacred books of the Christian Bible as inspired.
All said, Jn 16:13 is still applicable to us today. We say “Amen” to all the words of scripture, read or preached, when the Holy Spirit moves us to understand. Likewise, the Spirit which made he NT writers understand and expound on the mysteries of the OT (2 Cor 3:12-18) now illuminates our minds to understand both the OT & NT.
To sum up, the Spirit of Truth in biblical times worked to inspire, but now that the inspired writings are complete, He now works to cause us to understand what is written.
And yes, this includes parables.
PS
Hi Kepha,
“Hence we do accept other writings subsequent to the 66 sacred books of the Christian Bible as inspired.”
Which are these other writings?
Please pardon me if i m too abrupt, i m really ignorant.
Thank you.
PS
Matthew 13:41 “the Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness.”
Why does Lord Jesus instruct His angels to wait till the day of judgement to gather the tares?
May be if the tares are removed before the grains had sprouted and produced a crop, their removal loosens the soil so much that the wheat will be affected too.
The good seeds, though growing next to the tares, have the inner life of the word of God grow slowly and surely to bear a wheat crop.
Matthew 13:42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 10:28 “…But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
i can comprehend why is there wailing. But i don’t understand why is there still gnashing of teeth? Have they not realized that they are getting their just due from righteous God? May be this is the exact representation of their unrighteousness: non-repentance, even in hell.
Don’t wait till the day of judgement to find out.
A wheat can repent.