Crossing The Read Sea

June 10 – Parables of God’s Just Kingdom

By Spally TaylorJune 5, 2018

Sunday School Lesson

June 10

Parables of God’s Just Kingdom

Devotional Reading: Psalm 78:1-8

²⁴ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

²⁵ But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

²⁶ But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

²⁷ So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

²⁸ He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

²⁹ But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

³¹ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

³² Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

³³ Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Key Verse

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.—Matthew 13:30

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

Identify the central idea about God’s kingdom in the lesson’s three parables.
Contrast Jesus’ understanding of God’s kingdom with the misunderstandings commonly held by Jews of the first century AD.
Tell which parable of the three is most challenging to him or her and explain why.

Introduction

A Different Kind of Riddle

Most of us enjoy the challenge of a good riddle. The best riddles challenge our minds to solve a problem of language and logic. They can prove hard to solve but are also hard to forget. We may puzzle over them for days trying to solve them. When we discover or learn the answer, the best riddles surprise us. We realize that they have exposed our assumptions, our normal ways of thinking. These riddles challenge us to consider how often we may miss the truth because we assume something that is not true.

Jesus is known for having taught in parables, a form of speech much like a riddle. Although His parables used commonly understood images and everyday events, they forced listeners to rethink their understanding of how God was working in the world. The parables combined familiar details with the demand for serious reflection.

Today’s text is a selection from a much longer discourse that consists mostly of parables. The lessons Jesus taught in these parables challenged widely held (mis)conceptions of how God was to bring about His kingdom.

Lesson Background

Parables are prominent in Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The term parable translates a Greek word that indicates a saying or story implying a comparison. Jesus’ parables always involved such comparisons. The key to their interpretation is observing the comparison that Jesus intended. That intent is signaled by the details of the parable, its context, any explanation that Jesus offered, and the parable’s role in His wider teaching.

Each parable in today’s text begins with some form of the phrase “The kingdom of heaven is like.” The term refers to the fulfillment of God’s promise to reverse the course of human life, establishing His reign in place of the tyrannous, selfish reign of sin and death. It is a kingdom, as Jesus later told Pilate, that “is not of this world” (John 18:36).

For Jesus’ audience, God’s promise of a future kingdom had a strongly nationalistic focus. Many in Jesus’ day expected God’s promised kingdom to bring about the defeat of Israel’s enemies, meaning the pagan empires that had ruled God’s people for generations (compare Acts 1:6). God’s kingdom, in other words, was expected to be a political and military kingdom like any other, only one ruled righteously and in submission to God.

What Do You Think?

How do we avoid errors regarding allegiances to God’s kingdom and to earthly nations?

Points for Your Discussion

Regarding errors that see such allegiances as completely compatible

Regarding errors that see such allegiances as completely incompatible

One way Jesus challenged this expectation was through parables. These gave a very different vision of God’s promised kingdom. The sudden, decisive action of a powerful military ruler was not Jesus’ picture. He used instead comparisons to farming, which involves patience, trust, and the passing of time. Rather than depict dramatic, obvious events that would capture the world’s attention, He spoke of subtle but powerful processes that were hard to see except by the eye of faith.

Earlier in the context of today’s passage from Matthew 13, Jesus had delivered and explained a parable about a man sowing seed in a field. The message of the kingdom of God is not something that yields instant, universal success. Rather, it often seems unsuccessful at first, as people respond without persistent faith to the good news of the kingdom. For those ready to hear and heed, Jesus explained His teaching. For others, the seeming difficulty of the message itself seemed to turn them away from belief. God’s kingdom, Jesus taught, would divide people. Such divisions are apparent in the parables of our text as well.

How to Say It

CorinthiansKo-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin).

GalatiansGuh-lay-shunz.

LeviticusLeh-vit-ih-kus.

Parable of the Tares

(Matthew 13:24-30)

Secret Sabotage (vv. 24, 25)

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.

This parable seems, at first glance, to be like the previous one in that both involve the sowing of seed. But the similarity is superficial. Here it is the seed that is good; in Matthew 13:8 it is the ground that is good. Other differences present themselves as well.

Jesus’ contemporaries are familiar with agricultural terminology. Seed is spread by hand as a farmer walks through a field. With a sack of seed over his shoulder, he sows seed over cultivated ground—ground prepared to receive it. Seed is typically sown in the autumn, in anticipation of the winter rains that allow it to flourish. Wheat and barley are the staple grains planted in this way.

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

An enemy of the farmer now appears in the story, attempting to do him harm. Tares translates a Greek word that refers to a kind of weed that looks very much like wheat until it matures. These are not just weeds that threaten the growth of the crop. These are weeds easily confused with the crop itself. Removing them will be very difficult. But early in the story, the farmer and his workers do not recognize what has happened. The enemy conceals his act by doing it while everyone sleeps.

Damage Discovered (vv. 26-28)
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

As the plants begin to grow, the difference between the wheat and the weeds begins to become apparent. At first the two kinds of plants seem identical, but their differences become more apparent with time. Eventually the workers discern that their field is infested with weeds.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

As Jesus tells the story, the servants do not inform the master, the householder, about the weeds in so many words. Rather, they ask how the situation has arisen. They know that their master is a good farmer who saw to it that good seed has been sown. The servants are at a loss to explain the weeds. But they assume that their master understands, so they ask him.

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

The master’s response is clear and decisive. He knows that only someone with malicious intent could have sown the weeds among the wheat.

The servants’ response is in line with conventional wisdom: weeds must be dealt with immediately. Every hour they live they draw water, sunlight, and nutrients away from the good plants. Surely the master will agree that the weeds must be dealt with immediately!

Temporary Coexistence (vv. 29, 30a)

^{29, 30a.} But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.

The master’s reply is very different from what the servants expect. He will not have the weeds removed immediately. He wants to protect the good plants from being uprooted in the weeding process. Because the weeds and wheat are growing so close together, weeding is bound to cause collateral damage.

What Do You Think?

How does our proximity to worldly weeds of sin affect the safeguards we adopt against them?

Points for Your Discussion

Individual vs. communal safeguards against unholy lifestyles

Individual vs. communal safeguards against ungodly definitions of success

Other

In the larger context, this is the second parable of Jesus that tells a story of seed and harvest (see Matthew 13:3-9). Jesus subsequently explains both parables to His disciples (13:18-23, 36-43). These explanations make clear that Jesus is not offering advice about agriculture but challenging His hearers to begin thinking differently about God’s kingdom.

Many in Jesus’ audience expect that when God’s king brings God’s kingdom into the world, both evil and evildoers will be judged and eliminated immediately. But Jesus tells a very different story. The inbreaking of God’s kingdom and the final judgment on evil are separated by an interval of time. During that interval, the people of the kingdom live alongside evildoers. A separation will indeed come, but only at the harvest.

Weeds to Whom?

Joe and Bonnie missed their former neighbors. The Heinrichs had sold their house and moved into a long-term care facility. They had been the best of neighbors! Joe and Bonnie were sad to lose their compassionate Christian friends.

The new neighbors were quite different. Joe and Bonnie didn’t know their names, but they did know that they were rowdy beer drinkers. The peace and quiet of the neighborhood was now shattered by loud music, loud voices, and cars without mufflers, squealing in and out at all hours of the night.

Because they were offended, Joe and Bonnie made no effort to get to know their new neighbors. They prayed that God would intervene and help them get rid of their “headache.” But one Sunday morning as the two were walking to their car, Bibles in hand, something incredible happened: the lady next door said, “Hello.” A brief conversation took place, cut short since Joe and Bonnie were headed for church. “Maybe you’d like to come with us sometime,” Bonnie said offhandedly as she slid into the car seat.

The next week the new neighbors were at Sunday worship. They were guests of Joe and Bonnie, who learned to trust God’s ability to transform lives. Those we see as “weeds” to be removed immediately may be viewed differently by God.

—C. T.

What Do You Think?

How do you avoid taking “weeding justice” into your own hands?

Points for Your Discussion

When loved ones are hurt

When God’s name is maligned

When your rights are violated

Other

Eternal Separation (v. 30b)

^30b. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Those who carry out the harvest will follow the distinctive instructions we see here. The instructions are stated not only in terms of the final dispositions of the tares and the wheat, but also of a certain sequence.

When requested by His disciples to do so, Jesus later identifies the elements of the parable this way (Matthew 13:37-39):

Jesus closes His explanation, as He did the earlier parable of the sower, by saying that the one who has ears must hear what He says (Matthew 13:9, 43). These are solemn warnings to listeners to think carefully about Jesus’ teaching and to act on it wisely. The warnings echo words from the prophet Isaiah that Jesus quoted in the earlier context regarding those who hear God’s Word but do not understand, and those who see but do not perceive (13:14). This spiritual deafness and blindness is traced to problems of the heart (13:15). Destruction awaits them (13:41, 42).

By contrast, those who follow Jesus and listen with willing hearts will discern the truth of God’s kingdom. They are the ones who receive the fullness of God’s blessing as they heed the message (Matthew 13:16, 17, 43). Even so, Jesus’ followers must expect to work in a field where weeds and wheat grow together until the harvest. We can expect to be surrounded continually by evil. We can expect frustration and discouragement because of that evil. We can even expect scorn and opposition from those who do not listen to the kingdom’s call. Thus we must be prepared to endure with patience as we serve in expectation of the Lord’s bringing His kingdom to its fullness. When that happens, the Lord’s promise is that His people will be with Him in His kingdom, where all the disappointments and heartaches of a sinful world will have no place.

Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31, 32)

From Tiny Seed (vv. 31, 32a)

^{31, 32a.} Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field. Which indeed is the least of all seeds.

Matthew records 10 parables of Jesus using some form of the phrase the kingdom of heaven is like.The parable of the sower in Matthew 13:3-23 does not use that phrase, but that parable can be added to the tally of 10 nonetheless since its phrase “the word of the kingdom” (13:19) indicates the same intent. Therefore we have come to the third of such parables in this Gospel (see also Luke 13:18, 19).

The imagery now shifts from sowing grain to planting a grain of mustard seed. The phrase which indeed is the least of all seeds is not intended to be a comparison with the seeds of all plants known today. Rather, it reflects the experience of Jesus’ first-century audience. Such a seed measures only one to two millimeters in diameter.

Mustard is a common garden plant in the biblical world. It is grown for its seeds, which can be ground into a powder to add savory flavor to cooked dishes.

What Do You Think?

How has experiencing the fact that God’s work often has humble beginnings affected you? How should it?

Points for Your Discussion

In positive situations of church growth, answered prayer, etc.

In negative situations of church conflict, unanswered prayer, etc.

To Large Tree (v. 32b, c)

^32b. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree.

This partial verse reflects the fact that mature mustard plants are large shrubs that can grow as high as 10 or 12 feet. The mustard seed is tiny; the mustard plant is impressively tall. But over time the small, hard-to-see, seemingly insignificant seed grows to become an exceptionally tall plant. And that is the point about God’s inbreaking kingdom that Jesus desires His listeners to understand. Many expect God’s kingdom to enter the world suddenly and dramatically (see the Lesson Background), and they must change their thinking.

^32c. So that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

The final phrase of the parable underlines the extent of the mustard plant’s growth by noting one result. This detail may prompt us to wonder what the birds might represent.

In reading Jesus’ parables, we generally should first ask not what the details represent but how each detail contributes to the main point(s) of the parable. Clearly, the birds’ ability to lodge in the branches stresses the great size of the plant.

Another theory, however, is that Jesus is drawing a parallel with Ezekiel 17:22-24. The imagery of birds there suggests people of other nations who come to know God. It’s possible that Jesus is making the same point: the kingdom of God that He brings, though humble in its beginnings, will fulfill Ezekiel’s promise and make people of all nations part of God’s people.

III. Parable of the Leaven

(Matthew 13:33)

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The third parable of today’s lesson makes a point similar to the second. Jesus often delivers units of teaching in pairs in this Gospel (see Matthew 5:13-16; 13:44-46; 24:27, 28). Here the focus is on leaven, another name for yeast (Luke 13:20, 21 is parallel). This substance is added to flour to make bread dough rise.

As with the mustard seed, the details of the story contrast the smallness of something with its outsized impact or result. The words hid in do not indicate secretiveness on the part of the cook; rather, they underline the difficulty (if not impossibility) of seeing the yeast in the context of being initially mixed into three measures of meal. That is quite a large amount of flour, estimated to be enough to feed as many as 100 people when the flour is baked into bread.

Leaven is often used in the Bible as a symbol for evil that infiltrates God’s people (Matthew 16:6; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9). But it can also be associated with positive actions (Leviticus 7:13; 23:17). As always in interpreting Scripture, we must give due weight to the immediate context. The context at hand suggests a parallel between the growth of a mustard seed and the impact of a small amount of yeast.

It is often noted that this parable depicts the action of a woman, following the action of a man in the story of the mustard seed. Certainly, Jesus is offering every member of His audience the opportunity to connect to His message about God’s surprising kingdom. Everyone needs to hear the challenge that God’s kingdom will operate almost unnoticed at first, but the end result will be astonishing.

What Do You Think?

What are some ways to resist un-Christian temptations of implementing change?

Points for Your Discussion

With regard to changing ethics

With regard to changing morals

With regard to changing definitions (of truth, etc.)

Other

The Big Impact of A Little Leaven

Molly was a beagle of average intelligence who did a very dumb thing. One morning Jane, her master, mixed up a batch of bread dough and left it on the kitchen table to rise. Then Jane went to the back of the house to do laundry. In Jane’s absence, Molly somehow nudged a chair over to the table, hopped up, and gobbled down the entire batch of dough.

When Jane returned to the kitchen, her bread dough was gone! But Molly hadn’t gone far. Lying on her back with legs sticking straight up in the air, Molly looked like a bratwurst that had been left on the grill too long! The poor little dog was groaning in agony from the swelling taking place in her tummy.

The small amount of yeast in the dough had created a big crisis within Molly. So an emergency trip to the veterinarian followed. Four hours and $800 later, Molly was on her way to becoming her old happy self.

Jesus’ parable of the leaven describes what just a small portion of the message of His kingdom will do. When that message is received in faith and obedience, an incredible spiritual growth begins—not the harmful kind of growth Molly experienced, but the kind that leads to fullness in Christ. The good news is that Jesus’ promise of spiritual fullness is still valid.

—C. T.

Conclusion

Wait with Patience

None of us likes having to be patient—we just don’t like to wait! We all prefer to get what we need immediately. When we are victimized by injustice and evil, we want relief and vindication without delay.

The promise of God’s kingdom is that God will certainly bring that relief and vindication. Our holy and just God cannot abide evil and injustice forever. His kingdom promises to defeat the devil and his works, creating a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

But the kingdom of God that Christ establishes does not bring about the defeat of evil all at once. The separation happens not at the beginning but at the end. For now the kingdom operates quietly, almost invisibly, like a tiny seed that grows or like yeast that makes dough rise. As that happens, the Lord calls on people to have ears that hear, to heed His call to turn to Him in repentance and receive the blessing of His mercy before it is too late.

If the full reign of God takes longer to occur than His people want, it is only to allow more people the opportunity to become subjects of the kingdom (2 Peter 3:9). Meanwhile, God supplies the strength for His people to wait faithfully, to serve faithfully, and to see the true impact of His seemingly invisible kingdom.

What part of God’s future reign do you wish you could experience now? How do you see His kingdom at work as you wait? How has God enabled you to wait with patience? As we reflect on questions like these, we understand what it means to live with ears that hear Jesus’ message of God’s reign.

Prayer

Father, we long for Your rule over every part of Your world! Empower us to wait with patience and discernment, knowing that Your kingdom is present among us and will one day be complete. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thought to Remember

Wait patiently and work prayerfully.

KID’S CORNER

Why Hypocrites Are in Churches

June 10, 2018

Matthew 13:24-33

(Matthew 13:24) Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

In His parables, Jesus used familiar events to illustrate spiritual truths and realities. In the New Testament, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Christ mean the same. The kingdom of heaven exists within the world but is not of the world. In this parable, Jesus’ field is the world. The kingdom of heaven is also beyond the world. One of the best descriptions of the throne room in the kingdom of heaven beyond the world can be found in the Book of Revelation, chapters 4 & 5. In this parable, the man who sowed the seed is Jesus himself, and Jesus, the Son of Man, is the Lord of heaven and earth. In this parable, the good seed represents true Christians. True Christians may be described as: ones who by the grace of God respond to the good news of Jesus Christ, feel sorrow for their sins, repent of their sins, receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, reform their lives through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit according to the truth of the Bible, and bear good fruit. We can compare the good seed and the good soil in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower — the good soil produced good grain. In Matthew 13:23, Jesus said, “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Both parables teach us something about the true character of true Christians. On the one hand, Jesus Christ is the One who sows good Christians into the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, when the gospel of Jesus Christ is sown in good soil, in good hearts, the soil bears much good fruit. Therefore, we know that no one becomes a Christian apart from the grace of Jesus Christ, the truth of the gospel that is sown, and the work of the Holy Spirit who gives the growth.

Jesus began to explain Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds in Matthew 13:37-38, saying, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one”

The parable reminds us that there are people in this world who serve the evil one; so, Christians should not be surprised when they come into close contact with people who want to harm and mislead them. Some have distinguished the visible church, which can include both wheat and weeds, from the invisible church, which contains only wheat. When Jesus Christ returns we will learn the identifies all those included in the invisible church.

(Matthew 13:25) “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

Those sleeping needed their rest each evening. In this parable, no one is judged for sleeping. The enemy is responsible for sowing the weeds. The parable explains the existence of the weeds in the wheat. The gospel of Jesus Christ declares the truth of God and reality. The gospel does not contain a mixture of truth and error that can produce mixed results. False teachings in the church do not come from the Bible. However sincere, human interpretations can sometimes contain a mixture of truth and error. So, believers must pray and examine all teachings about God and Christ in order to make certain these teachings are according to the Bible and true. The Berean Jews set the example for us: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Jesus Christ, Christians, and the kingdom of heaven have an enemy who will use others in trying to ruin the good work and destroy the good fruit that God wants believers to bear.

(Matthew 13:26) “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.

The weeds Zizanion (Greek) are also called “darnel” and “tares.” These weeds are poisonous and can make people sick. The tares look like wheat as they begin growing but can be easily distinguished and separated from the wheat at harvest time.

(Matthew 13:27) “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?’

The owner’s servants were experienced enough to distinguish between the wheat and the weeds prior to harvest time. Likewise, from spiritual experience, study of the Bible, and prayer, the Holy Spirit can help the true followers of Jesus recognize false teaching, false teachers, false preachers, and false members in the church. In Matthew 13:39, Jesus explained, “the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.” In the kingdom of heaven on earth, in the visible church, Jesus sows true Christians and the devil sows his followers: both types of people grow together; so, Christians should expect some trouble in the Church from those who do not trust in Jesus and the Bible. Indeed, some say, “The church is full of hypocrites,” but according to Jesus’ parable we should expect some hypocrites to be in church, but how many hypocrites we cannot judge. Jesus sows only good seed in the kingdom of heaven and the church — seed (Christians) that will bear good fruit. We can always say to a critic of the church that in the church the wheat and weeds will grow together until the end of the age when they will be separated. The devil intends for the hypocrites he plants in the church to come between Christ and those who might consider following Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

(Matthew 13:28) “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?’

The devil and those who follow the devil are the enemies of Jesus Christ, the Church, the kingdom of heaven, and Christians. The devil inspires and helps his followers as they try to destroy the Church and the faith, lives, and testimony of Christians. Along with the servants of Jesus, we might be inclined to ask Jesus, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”

(Matthew 13:29) “But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

We do not have the power, skill, or responsibility to remove the devil and his followers from the kingdom of heaven. However, God has given Christians the responsibility of exercising discipline in the church. In this parable, Jesus is not teaching against church discipline. Without church discipline a church ceases to be a church. A church must practice loving Biblical discipline toward those who profess to be Christians when they persist in known sin, refuse to repent, and refuse to return to following Jesus and the Bible. If a church allows some of its members to persist in known sin, they can do great damage. Likewise, Jesus said that Christians need to be able to recognize those with the character of a wild dog or a pig, so they can avoid sharing what is holy with them. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus taught, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Paul wrote about church discipline in 1 Corinthians 5:12, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” Church discipline is a worthy topic to be studied and discussed, but it is beyond the scope of this commentary on this parable.

Jesus’ focus in this parable is the fact that the roots of the wheat and the weeds can become so intertwined that in the process of pulling up the weeds you can unintentionally pull up the wheat so that the wheat cannot bear fruit. When church discipline is being exercised, this principle needs to be remembered so church discipline must involve much prayer, much love, much study of the Bible, much counseling and teaching so the wheat is protected as a weed or Christian in the church is being helped to repent and follow Jesus Christ faithfully (for ultimately, we do not have the ability to distinguish perfectly between growing Christians who still struggle with besetting sins and the weeds sown by the devil: church leaders surely need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who will always lead consistent with and according to the Bible’s teachings. In dealing with the weeds, Jesus primary concern was saving the wheat.

(Matthew 13:30) ‘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.”’”

As further explanation of this parable, in Matthew 13:40-43, Jesus explained, “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” In the Book of Daniel, we learn some of the characteristics of Jesus, who called himself the Son of Man: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

In Jesus’ parable, the Son of Man will send angels to remove the ones who do evil and all causes of sin from the kingdom of heaven and the world; then, the righteous ones will shine like the sun and reveal the glory of God. Everyone will see and know the true children of their heavenly Father. Only the harvesters will be able to distinguish the weeds from the wheat and have the power to remove the weeds and safely preserve the wheat.

We can expect Christians and unbelievers to work in the church and in the world in either helpful or harmful ways until the harvest time. Therefore, we must wait patiently and prayerfully for the end of the age, when Jesus will have His holy angels weed out “everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” Jesus’ parable reveals good reasons for repenting of our sins and trusting in Him as our Lord and Savior. The wheat, the true Christians, will inherit eternal life: “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

(Matthew 13:31) 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;

In His next parable, Jesus explained that the kingdom of heaven would have a small beginning but would grow larger and larger over time. Jesus Christ planted the kingdom of heaven in the field (the world).

(Matthew 13:32) 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.”

Jesus’ audience would have understood that the mustard seed was the smallest agricultural seed they would ever plant. They all knew about mustard seeds and how large a mustard plant could grow from a seed. As a plant in one of their gardens, they would plan carefully before planting a mustard seed, for it could grow as large as a tree. Jesus’ purpose was not to try to explain to His audience seed sizes from around the world. He chose to use an illustration they would understand, and we need to try to understand what Jesus’ audience would have understood. Jesus carefully planned and planted the kingdom of heaven. It would grow large and many people would come from the world into the kingdom. Many would be blessed within it. In harmony with the previous parable, the birds could represent Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit (a dove brought Noah an olive leaf and the Holy Spirit descended as a dove upon Jesus at His baptism), and those who follow the devil and do evil (in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, the birds came and ate the seed). Both types of birds (people) may be in the kingdom of heaven until the time of the harvest.

(Matthew 13:33) 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.”

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is symbolized by yeast and its effect in dough. Yeast makes bread taste good after it rises to make a loaf of bread and is baked. Loaves of bread made from yeast were used as wave offerings before the LORD in the celebration of Pentecost; so, we know that in the Bible yeast does not always symbolize evil. The LORD would never command anyone to wave before Him something that contained evil as an offering. On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus’ followers were completely filled with the Holy Spirit, even as yeast will completely fill dough and make bread rise. From the parable of the mustard seed, we know that the kingdom of heaven will grow externally in the numbers of people who will receive the gift of eternal life and be blessed in this life. From the parable of the yeast, we know that the kingdom of heaven will indwell Christians as the Holy Spirit fills them fully and works within them to bless others — even as a loaf of bread tastes good and nourishes our bodies.

Why Hypocrites Are in Churches

June 10, 2018

Matthew 13:24-33

“Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’”(Matthew 13:30).

Why do we find hypocrites and God’s enemies in the church? Jesus gave a reason in His parable of the wheat and the weeds (sometimes called tares). In Matthew 13:39, Jesus explained that an enemy of His and the kingdom of heaven (the devil) plants them there. The enemies of Jesus and those who believe in Him will remain in the church until the time of the harvest at the end of the age. In Matthew 13:41, Jesus foretold, “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” Why does Jesus allow His people and His enemies to live together in the kingdom of heaven on earth? For the sake of His people. In His parable, when the servants asked the owner if they should pull out the weeds, he answered, “No, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them” (Matthew 13:29). So, when believers face God’s and their enemies in His kingdom on earth, they need to remember that these enemies remain there for their benefit, not for the benefit of God’s enemies. We find no evidence in Jesus’ parable that the weeds will change into wheat, or that the enemies the devil sows may eventually become believers in Jesus. Rather, in Matthew 13:43, Jesus said that after the harvest, “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – LG Parkhurst Jr.

Thinking Further

Why Hypocrites Are in Churches

June 10, 2018

Matthew 13:24-33

Name _____________________________

1.Why does the kingdom of heaven on earth contain true Christians and those who do evil?

Why did the owner of the field tell his servants to leave the wheat and the weeds growing together until the time of the harvest?

What will the angels do at the end of the age?

How can the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed and plant?

How can the kingdom of heaven be like a loaf of bread?

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

Why does the kingdom of heaven on earth contain true Christians and those who do evil? Jesus sows the true Christians (the wheat) into the kingdom of heaven and the devil sows his followers (the weeds) into the kingdom of heaven.

Why did the owner of the field tell his servants to leave the wheat and the weeds growing together until the time of the harvest? He did not want his servants to possibly hurt his wheat.

What will the angels do at the end of the age? They will come and first remove the causes of sin and those who do evil; then, the righteous will shine as the sun.

How can the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed and plant? The kingdom of heaven will have a small beginning but grow larger and larger and draw many people into it; people who can receive the gift of eternal life and many blessings through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

How can the kingdom of heaven be like a loaf of bread? Through the filling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of heaven will work within a true Christian so they can grow spiritually and bless others through the changes Jesus Christ makes within them.

Word Search

Why Hypocrites Are in Churches

June 10, 2018

Matthew 13:24-33

Name _____________________________

H Q R F K X S S W L K L T Z T

T U D H M D P Y U M A D A G Y

C J C L R R K G V H Y V E L C

W Y S I O U E D O O G L H D P

H V B U D N F Y V P B E W G S

B J T Y E B U K M A N G J E O

U E H I W L O M R E J A R G I

D P O C O I X A U K N V X J N

R M R H S J P S Z S A E R K M

A P S O E S E E D N T T Q O R

X K D J O A B G T C S A D F T

C Z E C Z T V S N A H G R L Y

F A E O W R O E E J N M T D I

L T W H M A D Y N I C O A C E

Z M J E S U S C K J Y N K Z N

Parable

Kingdom

Heaven

Sowed

Good

Seed

Enemy

Weeds

Wheat

Sprouted

Servants

Uproot

Mustard

Birds

Yeast

True and False Test

Why Hypocrites Are in Churches

June 10, 2018

Matthew 13:24-33

Name _____________________________

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

A parable can contain a spiritual lesson, but not a moral lesson.

True or False

Jesus sows good seed. True or False

Enemies of Jesus and His kingdom sow bad seed. True or False

The kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God. True or False

The servants pulled up the weeds to save the wheat. True or False

Some of the wheat got pulled up when the servants pulled up the weeds, but most of the wheat was saved. True or False

The kingdom of heaven will grow from a small beginning on earth to

bless countless numbers of people. True or False

In the Bible, birds and yeast always represent what is evil and the spread of evil. True or False

In two of Jesus’ parables, the mustard tree and the dough became full of

evil. True or False

The kingdom of God is in heaven and on earth. True or False

True and False Test Answers

Matthew 13:24-33

False
True
True
True
False
False
True
False
False

10.True

Prayer