THOUGHTS ON THE PARABLES

I have always thought of the parables as the teachings of the King…Jesus had such a wonderful way of expressing Himself and using as examples, familiar items. Obviously He wanted people to understand what He was telling them, even going to the extent of calling the disciples aside and giving them detailed explanations. Sometimes they got it, sometimes they didn’t. But…after the resurrection, they understood it all. For the next day or two I’ll be blogging on my view of the parables, so here goes!

Matthew 13 is a dividing point in the teaching of the Lord. Prior to this, He taught in the synagogues, to His own people the Jews as was His instruction from the Father. His manner of teaching was straight-forward and with authority. He performed miracles to show His Messiahship, according to the Scripture. But the Jewish leaders didn’t want this meek, loving, truth-telling Jesus…He didn’t fit THEIR picture since they were looking for a Messiah-King to deliver them from Rome, and give the leaders more prominence. It’s really interesting that the most spiritually blessed and enlightened of all generations turned its back on the King, the very Son of God…and He, after many attempts to show them, pronounced judgment on them…read what He said to them in Matthew 21:33-45!

Does this mean that God’s plan for Israel has been frustrated and failed? Not at all…it simply means the final fulfillment will come about at a later time, a time when Israel WILL believe! In the meantime, an interval of time is in operation, (see John 1:12), a period not revealed in the Old Testament, one that the Lord referred to as a mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, read Matthew 13:11. It begins with His rejection and crucifixion, even though they continued to preach to the Jews until the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, and it continues until the present time. The parables were primarily directed at His disciples/followers, intended to teach them what His kingdom was going to be like, what they could expect as they (and we) take up the preaching and teaching of the kingdom. When we read Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God, they mean the same thing. Matthew used “Kingdom of Heaven” in his gospel 32x’s, and it is not used anywhere else.

Jesus admonished His listeners in three ways…in Matthew He says “let him hear”…in Mark 13:9 He says “be careful what you hear”…and in Luke 8:18 He says “be careful how you hear”…the word hear is used in Matthew 19x’s and is very good advice!

MATTHEW 13:1-30…  A parable is taking a commonly known object or practice and using it to illustrate truth or a principle. Jesus was hiding truth, wrapping it up so to speak, in order to continue to teach His disciples the things they needed to know to carry out the plan of the Father. The word parable itself means, “to cast alongside…a story or comparison put alongside something else to make the lesson clear:”…this method of teaching enabled Him to continue His teaching, to adapt to their capacities, and because he knew principles were grasped better when pictures were painted. Also, He could severely reprove His enemies without giving open offense. He intended that His teaching give understanding of His words and the principles he was teaching, to those who trusted in Him. Please read Mark 4:34. He speaks of the interval as a mystery…the revelation of something previously unknown, a spiritual truth known only by divine revelation. Only those on the “inside” were told the truth, and told by Him!

In this parable the sower is the Lord…the seed is the Word and the soil is our hearts…every human heart is capable of redemption…there is no such thing as a naturally unredeemable heart. If a person is never saved, it is because they made a choice not to “hear” and respond to the work of God…John6:37 says “the one who comes to me I will in no way cast out.” All COULD receive the seed and then participate in the life available to all believers. The difference in the soils is not in their composition but in their condition, according to Dr John MacArthur. In the parable, the sun represents persecution, and persecution helps true believers to grow…but…it will kill a plant with no root! This explains who some believers don’t last…their faith was weak, understandingly  meager, (no root) and their decision insincere. It is difficult to comprehend that according to this parable, 75% of professing believers are not believers at all! John 2:23-25 tells us it IS possible to believer and yet not be saved. UNLESS FRUIT IS EVIDENCED IN THE LIFE, THERE IS NO SAVING FAITH IN THE HEART!

Here are some fruitful evidences of true salvation:

1. Holiness……….Romans 6:22        

2. Christian Character……….Galatians 5:22-23

3. Good Works……….Colossians !: 10

4. Winning Others To Christ……….Romans 1:13

5. Sharing What We Have……….Romans 15:25-26

6. Praising God……….Hebrews 13:15

Four kinds of soil in the parable are as follows

1). Unresponsive   2). Superficial   3). Worldly   4). Receptive

The unresponsive hearer has no understanding because of a hard heart. The Old Testament calls it “stiff-necked!” He is unconcerned with the things of God, will spend little or no time with the Lord, hardly reads the Word, is very good at excuses, still has the same priorities as when he was unsaved, and is generally indifferent to anything spiritual. There has been no penetration by the seed, of the heart and mind. This insensitivity and resisting leaves one open to the enemy…who comes along at first opportunity to snatch away what has been sown…remember, Satan is an imitator…he plants false Christians, encourages false growth, and introduces false doctrine. And boy, is he good at it! Since he cannot uproot true Christians, those with roots, he’ll plant counterfeits in their midst, and counterfeits in the fellowship do great damage…read 2 Peter 2 and  1John 4:1-6. He loves to work, as God’s people sleep.