THAT SAME DAY Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9He who has ears, let him hear.”
10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let 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.’ ”
31He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
33He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
47“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Original Meaning
THE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN Jesus and the religious leaders in chapters 11–12 culminated with the scene where Jesus pointed to his disciples as his closest family and declared that “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (12:50). Jesus came to do the will of his Father (11:27; 26:42), and those who receive his message and ministry obey the Father. Those who deny him, or worse oppose him, deny and oppose the Father. The contrast between Jesus’ disciples and the religious leaders is now established explicitly. Jesus’ disciples obey the Father’s will; the religious leaders do not. They have rejected his invitation to the kingdom of heaven.
But what of the crowds? They have followed Jesus around, received his invitation to the kingdom, heard his messages, and witnessed his miracles. But will they follow the lead of Jesus’ disciples and obey the Father’s will to enter the kingdom and become disciples? Or will they follow the lead of the religious leaders and reject Jesus? They have had ample opportunity, so now Jesus tests their responsiveness.
At the same time, Jesus also instructs his disciples about the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven. All along many were expecting Jesus to establish the throne of David in Israel, but Jesus continually directs them first to attend to their hearts. Entrance to the kingdom occurs with the establishment of God’s righteousness in the heart of a believer, which results in becoming a disciple of Jesus (see comments on 5:20). This is a strikingly different manifestation of the kingdom than many had anticipated, even his disciples, so Jesus clarifies what the kingdom is really like at this point in God’s program of salvation history.
The specific means of both testing the crowds and instructing the disciples is the use of parables. Thus, in this discourse, popularly called the Parabolic Discourse, Jesus turns to this form of teaching.
The Setting for the Parabolic Discourse (13:1–3a)
DURING MUCH OF chapter 12, Jesus has been in “the house” (13:1), most likely Peter’s and Andrew’s home in Capernaum (see 8:14). Jesus now leaves the house to go sit “by the lake,” that is, the Sea of Galilee. Sitting was the typical posture for teachers (cf. 5:1–2). The crowds apparently understand that he is ready to continue his teaching ministry, so they come in great numbers to hear him. Such large crowds only heighten the animosity of the Pharisees, who up to now have been popular with the people and see their influence continuing to shift to Jesus.
On another occasion large crowds also pressed on Jesus so that he taught from a boat (Luke 5:1–3). The boat on that occasion belonged to Peter, so Jesus may have used it again here. Local tradition locates this discourse at a distinctive cove or inlet called the “Cove of the Parables.” The land surrounding the cove slopes down like a natural horseshoe-shaped amphitheater, providing environmental acoustics for Jesus’ voice to carry over one hundred meters from the boat to a crowd of hundreds gathered on the shore. Israeli scientists have tested the acoustics in modern times and found them realistic for Jesus’ parables to have been heard.1
At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus left the crowds to sit down and teach the disciples, but on this occasion he speaks to the crowd2 in parables. Later, Jesus will explain the parables to his disciples (13:10–23, 36–52). Parables have distinctively different purposes for the crowd and for the disciples. Prior to this Jesus had given several individual parables,3 but this is the first time Matthew uses the term “parable.” Underlying this term is the Hebrew mašal, which refers to a wide spectrum of ideas based on comparison or analogy.4 As used by Jesus, the parable is a way of communicating truth through a narrative analogy in the service of moral or spiritual argument.
Among the types of parables Jesus used are proverb (6:22–23), simile (10:16), similitude (13:33), story (20:1–16), and allegory (21:28–32).5 By using vigorous figures of speech he arouses interest and curiosity and holds the attention of the audience by drawing on common experience, which disarms the listener and addresses particular needs.6 While the analogies or comparisons Jesus uses to make his point come from everyday experiences, they press the listener to search for the intended spiritual meaning. That is why in popular preaching Jesus’ parables are often referred to as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” But parables are often deeply, even frustratingly, perplexing, because the story may take an unexpected turn and cause offense to the audience when personal application is made.7 As Jesus will make clear, his parables can function in different ways for different people, with dramatically different results. For the crowd they hide truth, while for the disciples they communicate truth.
The history of interpretation of Jesus’ parables has swung from extremes. Early interpretation was allegorical, where every minor element of the parable was understood to teach something. More recently the parables were said only to have one point, with the surrounding details being simply stage props.8 Most interpreters have now swung partway back to suggest that the parable may accomplish Jesus’ intended analogy through points associated with each major character or groups of characters.9 We will see from the first parable that there is a sower with a seed and four particular types of soils, each of which has radically different results from sowing. This leads us to ask the meaning of each.10
The Parable of the Sower and Soils (13:3b–9)
THE BRILLIANCE OF Jesus’ parables is that they come directly from the everyday experiences of his listeners. This first parable uses the story of a farmer who went out to sow his seed (13:3). Jesus’ listeners are well aware of farming techniques, since most of these listeners take care of their own fields and gardens or work the fields of their landlords.
Many commentators place primary emphasis on the sower in this parable. As such they interpret this primarily as a Christological parable, focusing on Jesus’ work of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God.11 However, the sower appears only at the beginning of the parable. This figure sets in motion the parable, but then the focus shifts to the soils. The parable does accentuate Jesus’ arrival with the gospel message, but it also emphasizes significantly the contrast between good and bad soils and their response to the seed.12
(1) Seed on paths (13:4). Seed was sown “broadcast” style by scattering it in all directions while walking up and down the field. Fields were apparently plowed both before the seed was sown and then again after, plowing across the original furrows to cover the seeds with soil. The desired depth of plowing under wheat seed was usually one to three inches, though it could be less where the topsoil was shallow. It was common for seeds to be scattered accidentally on the hard paths that surrounded the fields. Birds would swoop down and eat those seeds.
(2) Seed on rocky places (13:5–6). Conditions for farming in many areas of Israel were not favorable. In many places the terrain was uneven and rocky, with only thin layers of soil covering the rock. Seed that landed on this shallow soil would begin to germinate more quickly than seed sown in deep soil, but it couldn’t put down deep roots and had to collect what little moisture lay in that parched thin layer of earth.13 The sprouting seed would soon wither and die in the hot sun (13:6; cf. James 1:11).
(3) Seed among thorns (13:7). In the third scene, seed fell among thornbushes. The plants battled for nutrients from the soil, and the wild thorny plants were well adapted to rob whatever they needed from the soil. As the thorny plants grew up with other plants, they choked out the less hardy agricultural plants.
(4) Seed on good soil (13:8). In the fourth example, seed fell on “good soil.” As the seeds germinated and matured, they kept on yielding a range of a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The straight meaning of the parable is that only seed sown on good earth yielded a crop. But the implication of the yield amount has been variously understood. Some see this as implying an extraordinary, superabundant, perhaps even miraculous, crop, suggesting that typical Palestinian harvests yielded only about five to ten times the quantity sown.14 Others understand the yield of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold to signify a very good harvest, typical of a harvest blessed by God but not supernatural.15 The latter view is supported by reports such as Isaac’s harvest: “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him” (Gen. 26:12). Thus, seed sown on good soil yielded to the maximum what it was created to produce, with varying amounts that reflected individual potential.
Spiritual ears (13:9). It may seem that Jesus is simply giving an agricultural seminar, until he utters the catchphrase, “He who has ears, let him hear” (13:9; cf. 11:15; 13:43). This alerts the audience that a deeper meaning is intended; the parables have a theological purpose in the plan of God. The following explanatory narrative will clarify who has ears (13:10–11), who will hear and understand (13:12–17), and what truth is communicated (13:18–23). This summons to hear means either (1) that not everyone has ears to hear or the ability to hear, or (2) that those who do, do not always use their ears or hear. When we see the statements in 13:10–17, the emphasis falls on the former: The parable is not for just anyone to hear, but rather is for those with spiritual ears who have the ability to hear the spiritual message embedded in the parable.
Jesus’ Purpose for Speaking in Parables (13:10–17)
JESUS HAS ALREADY given two major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel—the Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5–7) and the Mission Discourse (ch. 10). He will later give the Community Discourse (ch. 18) and the eschatological Olivet Discourse (chs. 24–25). Each of those other discourses is addressed primarily to Jesus’ disciples. But here Jesus is sitting in a boat, speaking parables to “the crowds” that stand on the shore (13:2). Since it is somewhat out of the ordinary to address the crowd apart from the disciples, Jesus’ disciples approach him and then ask why he has been speaking to the crowd in parables (13:10). The distinction between the disciples and crowd is crucial in order to understand Jesus’ purpose for speaking in parables. He uses the parables to cause the listener to make a decision about the kingdom of God.
The secrets of the kingdom of heaven (13:11). The reason why Jesus speaks to the crowd in parables is because16 God has given (cf. the use of the divine passive “has been given”) “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” to the disciples, not to the crowd, to know. “Secrets” is the Greek mysteria (“mysteries”), which draws on a Semitic background that speaks of an eschatological secret (Aram. raz) passed on in veiled speech to God’s chosen. The term is found explicitly in Daniel 2:18–19: “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision” (cf. also Job 15:8; Ps. 25:14; Prov. 3:32; Amos 3:7). Jesus’ message from the beginning has declared that the kingdom of heaven has arrived, but it hasn’t always been apparent to those observing. Jesus gives to his disciples an understanding of that kingdom as it is now, and will be, operating in the world. The kingdom is present, but not in its fully manifested power. George Ladd notes:
The mystery is a new disclosure of God’s purpose for the establishment of his Kingdom. The new truth, now given to men and women by revelation in the person and mission of Jesus, is that the Kingdom that is to come finally in apocalyptic power, as foreseen in Daniel, has in fact entered into the world in advance in a hidden form to work secretly within and among humans.17
The mysteries are not that God will establish his kingdom, which was a well-known prophetic hope within Israel, but that it has arrived in a form different from what was anticipated. This is a secret now being revealed in veiled speech to God’s chosen, Jesus’ disciples. So, on the one hand, the parables reveal to the disciples how the kingdom of God will operate in this world before its final, powerful manifestation (which Jesus will reveal in chs. 24–25). On the other hand, the truth that is revealed to the disciples is concealed from the crowd because of their spiritual unresponsiveness (see 13:12–13). The initial understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven that the disciples now have, as given by God through Jesus, will be enlarged upon, so that they will have full understanding. But whatever understanding the crowd has, even that will be taken away. In other words, not only do the parables not reveal truth to the crowd; they even take away what the crowd already has.
Sovereignty and responsibility (13:12–13). The clause rendered “though seeing they do not see” is introduced by the subordinating conjunction hoti (not trans. in NIV), which normally is causal; this indicates that the parables’ blinding force is a result of the crowd’s own spiritual hard-heartedness. Mark, however, has the subordinating conjunction hina here, which often introduces a purpose clause, such as “in order that” (Mark 4:12); this indicates that Jesus gives parables with the purpose of blinding the crowd. While some commentators prefer to emphasize either result or purpose, it is best to take both accounts together to give a broader perspective of the spiritual activity of the parables in the lives of the crowd.
The crowd has a mixture of attitudes toward Jesus. Some are leaning toward becoming his disciples, while others are leaning toward following the Pharisees and opposing Jesus. Still others are riding the commitment-fence. But Jesus has insisted there is no middle ground (e.g., 12:30). The crowd must make a decision, and the parables force the issue. God knows those who will harden their heart against Jesus’ message, so the parables are used to harden sovereignly the person’s heart to the point where eventually he or she will be unable to respond (13:15). God also knows those who will respond to the message of the gospel, so the parables elicit a positive response to come to Jesus, become his disciple, and ask for explanation (cf. 13:10). Thus, both sayings balance God’s divine sovereignty with each individual human’s responsibility.18
Hard-hearted crowds (13:14–15). Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9–10 to indicate that even as Israel had a long background of unbelief and rejection of God’s prior prophets, so the crowd is now hardened against him. The crowd mirrors the people of Israel to whom the prophet Isaiah ministered. They rejected the message because they were spiritually deadened. The subordinating conjunction mepote, “lest” or “otherwise” (NIV in 13:15), denotes the purpose of the divine hardening and parallels the thought in Mark 4:12.19 The parables stimulate a hardening in those who have rejected Jesus, which prohibits them from turning for God to heal them. The unbelievers among the crowd are like the Pharisees who have committed the unpardonable sin (12:31–32) and have sinned away their day of opportunity.
Note how the parables are given after the section on the increasing rejection and opposition by Israel. God does not force anyone to accept the message of the kingdom, so the crowd’s response to the parables is dictated by the nature of their heart. If a person in the crowd has no spiritual ears, his or her heart will be increasingly hardened and will turn away from Jesus and the healing that comes with the kingdom of heaven (13:15).
Blessed disciples (13:16–17). Jesus’ disciples, on the contrary, are spiritually alive, with spiritual eyes and ears that see and hear the reality of the kingdom of heaven (13:16).The significance of the catchphrase that concluded the parable of the soils (13:9) is now revealed. Jesus’ parables are designed to test the spiritual “ears” or life of his audience. The spiritually alive disciples will seek further understanding from Jesus, causing their life and understanding to be enhanced. All that the prophets and righteous people of the Old Testament had longed to see, Jesus’ disciples are privileged to take part in.
“The prophets” are those who spoke for God, and “the righteous” are those in the Old Testament who eagerly awaited the arrival of God’s gracious redemption and kingdom but who died before its arrival (cf. Rom. 4:1–25). In this way the unhearing crowd parallels the spiritually blind and ignorant of Isaiah’s day (Matt. 13:14–15), while the disciples parallel the prophets and righteous people of the Old Testament who faithfully responded to God’s revelation.
Therefore, we can say generally that with the parables Jesus accomplishes two important feats. (1) The parables test the heart of the listener. They act as a spiritual examination, prompting a response from the listener that will indicate whether the person’s heart is open to Jesus’ message or is hardened. If the latter, the parable will stimulate confusion or outright rejection and prompt the listener to turn away from Jesus and the truth (13:11–15). But if a person’s heart is open to Jesus’ message, he or she will come to Jesus for further clarification about its meaning, as the disciples do (13:10). Jesus’ revelation of truth and the disciples’ obedient receptivity is the required distinction in understanding and not understanding.
(2) The parables give instruction to those who are responsive. They teach Jesus’ disciples about the nature of the kingdom of heaven, clarifying its mysteries, which thus shows how the kingdom operates in this world in a very different way from that expected by the religious leaders and the crowds. By this Parabolic Discourse Jesus gives indications of the development of the kingdom (sower: 13:18–23, 36–43; weeds: 13:24–30; mustard seed: 13:31–32; leaven: 13:33), the incomparable value of the kingdom (treasure: 13:44; pearl: 13:45–46), membership in the kingdom (net. 13:47–50), and service in the kingdom (teacher of the law: 13:51–52).
Although this does not idealize the disciples, it implies their spiritual sensitivity. Their positive response prompts them to ask for further explanation (13:10, 36), and their request is rewarded (13:18–23, 37–43) with additional truths about the mysteries of the kingdom (13:44–52). While the disciples are not perfect in understanding, they possess the potential and desire to progress. Ultimately, they will understand because they have been obedient to listen and hear (13:51).
Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower and Soils (13:18–23)
JESUS CONTINUES TO address the disciples and explains the parable to them. They are privileged to receive this clarification of God’s program of salvation history and so are blessed beyond what Old Testament saints have witnessed (13:16–17). They have spiritual ears that enable them to hear the truths about the secrets of the kingdom. Whatever understanding the disciples had prior to this is now increased, because they are spiritually responsive.
Hard hearts (13:19). Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom of God is the setting for each of the four types of soil. In his explanation of the parable of the soils Jesus indicates that it is the Son of Man who sows the good seed (13:37). He is like the farmer sowing seed in the hearts of the people of Israel.20 The seed represents “the message about the kingdom” (13:19), a phrase equivalent to one of Matthew’s favorite expressions, “the gospel of the kingdom” (cf. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14).21 Thus, all of Jesus’ seeds are good, so the emphasis falls on the type of soil, whether it is good or bad.22
In contrast to the disciples, some in the crowd have hardened their hearts against Jesus’ message. That hardness of heart prevents the seed of the gospel from taking root, and they cannot understand its truth. It makes them vulnerable to Satan, the “evil one,” who snatches them away. In other words, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom did not impact this type of person. They are like the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who were against Jesus from the start.
Shallow hearts (13:20–21). The seed sown on rocky places with shallow soil signifies the type of heart that has sufficient receptivity to allow the seed to sprout up, but it is not deep enough to develop any root. It is important to recognize that the life is in the seed, not in the soil. When the environment is suitable, the life in the seed will begin to germinate. There is potential in the soil for the seed to send out life, but it is only superficial. This type of heart exhibits a superficial reception of the gospel (“at once receives it with joy”), but it does not take root. This is like those of the crowd who have not made a personal commitment to be Jesus’ disciple. The seed of the gospel message was not able to penetrate to produce the change of regeneration in the person’s heart.
Jesus predicted difficult times ahead for those who followed him in the kingdom of heaven (5:11–12; 10:16–25), so these professing disciples should have expected it. But under the burning heat of troubles and persecution (cf. 13:6, 21), the professing disciple’s true nature is revealed, while others stumble or fall away. This one is like the false prophet who does not bear kingdom fruit and who will be cast into judgment (7:15–20; cf. 12:33–37).
Thorny hearts (13:22). The third type of soil is crowded with thorns. This type of heart receives the gospel but has competition from the world. As with the second soil, this type of heart has enough potential for productivity that the life in the seed begins to develop. But the competition from the thorns is too much, and the young seedling is choked out. The message of the gospel is not able to transform the person into a true disciple because of his or her competing priorities. The “worries of this life” indicate that the person has not yet placed the kingdom above all else and so tries to manage his or her own life. Jesus has already warned about such worrying in the SM (cf. 6:25–34), but the worry here tragically chokes out the life of the seed.
The “deceitfulness of wealth” combines with worry to choke out the life of the seed for the one who is trying to manage his or her own life apart from God and is tempted to find the solution in worldly resources.23 The noun behind “deceitfulness” (apate) can be used to express both “pleasure” (2 Peter 2:13) and “deception” (Col. 2:8; 2 Thess. 2:10), which may be combined here to warn how wealth can be a deceptive pleasure (cf. Paul’s warning in 1 Tim. 6:9). Note too how in addition to warnings about worry, Jesus warned in the SM about the power of the deceptive pleasure of wealth (cf. 6:19–24). The combined priorities of worry and wealth choke out the life of the message of the kingdom of heaven, so that it is unable to bear fruit.
Receptive hearts (13:23). Only the fourth soil is called “good.” This represents the person who not only hears the gospel message but understands it and allows it to take full root in his or her heart so that it can produce fruit. This soil represents a true believing disciple. Only those whose hearts have been receptive to the work of Jesus’ message will produce the fruit of kingdom life, the evidence that they are truly children of the kingdom. Jesus has already said that the fruit reveals the character of the tree (7:15–20; cf. 12:33–37), so he now declares that if the seed-message of the gospel does not bear a kingdom crop, there is no life in the person. There may be varying amounts of yield in each person, but there must be a yield.
Note that neither here nor in the giving of the parable is the fruit identified. Many think that it refers to converts won to Christ through the believer. This is no doubt partially correct, but in this context it refers to something more fundamental—the transformation of a person who has encountered the kingdom of heaven. In the fourth soil, the fruit represents the outworking of the life of the seed (cf. 1 John 3:9), with special reference to the production of the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22–23) and the outworking of the Spirit in his gifts in the believer’s life (1 Cor. 12). This results in the creation of the fruit of Spirit-produced righteousness and good works (e.g., Col. 1:10) and, indeed, new converts won through the believer’s testimony (e.g., Rom. 1:13). The fruit produced is the outward evidence of the reality of the inward life of the kingdom.
As noted above (see comments on 13:8), the implication of the yield amount does not indicate supernatural amounts but rather signifies a harvest blessed by God. Seed sown on good soil will yield to the maximum what it has been created to produce, with varying amounts that reflect individual potential.24
Further Parables Told to the Crowds (13:24–35)
JESUS NOW SWITCHES to speak in parables to the crowd again (cf. 13:34–36). He gives three parables that all focus on the nature of the kingdom of heaven, describing what must have been a perplexing concept for the crowds. It is indistinguishable from weeds (13:24–30), it begins insignificantly but then becomes a huge roosting place for birds (13:31–32), and it permeates like yeast (13:33). This certainly isn’t what many were expecting with the arrival of the kingdom, so these parables qualify well for explanation of its secret character (13:11). After these parables, Jesus leaves the crowd and spends the rest of the discourse with his disciples (13:36–52).
The parable of the wheat and the weeds (13:24–30). Jesus introduces each of the three parables with a distinctive expression: “The kingdom of heaven is like. . . .” The theme of the kingdom of heaven pervades Jesus’ ministry,25 but this introduction implies that he will compare the activity of the kingdom with everyday experiences. His first example is that of “a man who sowed good seed in his field.” Like the parable of the sower and soils, Jesus begins with a man sowing seed. Now, however, the seed is described as good seed and is contrasted with an enemy of the farmer, who attempts to disrupt the growth of good wheat by sowing among it zizanion, a kind of weed referred to as “darnel” or “tares.” This is a weedy rye grass with poisonous seeds, which in early stages of growth looks like wheat but can be distinguished easily at harvest time.
When the servants report the growth of weeds, the “owner” (lit., “master of the house”) immediately recognizes that this was the work of his enemy. But the destruction of the weeds must wait until the time of the harvest. Were they to attempt to uproot the weeds, they would endanger the wheat, because the weeds grow so closely intertwined with the wheat that both would come up.26 The servants are not blamed for their failure to prevent the crime. It is the deviousness of the enemy that is to be blamed. The servants’ task at the end of the age will be to distinguish between the good and the worthless and then to burn the weeds.
Jesus sounds an eschatological note with this parable that resounds throughout the rest of the discourse. The kingdom of heaven has indeed come into this world, but its advance does not mean that the enemy will be completely vanquished during this age. That awaits the final judgment, which is surprisingly delayed.27 Jesus will later explain the meaning of the parable to his disciples at their request (see 13:36–43).
The parable of the mustard seed (13:31–32). The next parable also begins with “the kingdom of heaven is like . . .” (cf. 13:24). Once again Jesus uses a common phenomenon to illustrate the activity of the kingdom of heaven; it is like “a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.”The mustard seed was the smallest seed known in Palestine at that time. Apparently, the remarkable contrast of the tiny seed of the mustard plant with its final large results took on proverbial status in Judaism (cf. 17:20).
Although the parable of the sower and soils and the parable of the wheat and weeds both receive Jesus’ interpretation, neither the parable of the mustard seed nor the parable of the yeast does. But the disciples are expected to understand the meaning, because the parables reveal truth to their spiritually sensitive ears and hearts (cf. 13:10–11, 16–17).
The proverbial smallness of the mustard seed as a metaphor that describes the kingdom of God would have shocked the crowd. Israel always believed that when God’s kingdom was established on the earth, it would be great; they were not prepared for an insignificant beginning. But through this parable Jesus declares that the kingdom is already present, although only as a tiny manifestation. Such a beginning may cause some among Jesus’ opponents and the crowd to despise this manifestation of the kingdom. But the crowd should not let that belie the kingdom’s ultimate greatness.28 “What may not look like much to the world will in fact fulfill all God’s promises.”29 The image of a large tree with birds alighting on its branches recalls several Old Testament references to a great kingdom (cf. Ezek. 17:22–24; 31:2–18; Dan 4:9–27).
The parable of the yeast (13:33). In this fourth and final parable given to the crowd, Jesus continues the thought of the parable of the mustard seed. With another surprising twist to what Israel had expected with the arrival of the kingdom, Jesus declares that “the kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus reverses the common evil connotation associated with yeast for the purpose of once again prompting the crowd to try to understand the presence of the kingdom.
Yeast is any number of different forms of fungi that multiply rapidly because of fermentation. Bread required a bakers’ yeast to cause it to rise (or “leaven”). Thus, a small piece of fermenting, acidic dough, set aside from an earlier baking, was “mixed” or “hidden” in the flour and kneaded. Scripture uses leaven almost exclusively as a negative metaphor, probably because fermentation implied disintegration and corruption (Ex. 12:8, 15–20). But Jesus uses yeast to symbolize the positive, hidden permeation of the kingdom of heaven in this world.
The Jews rightly understood that the arrival of the kingdom would mean the transformation of the order of things in this world. But Jesus’ arrival did not bring the expected immediate, external, dramatic change. So his parable teaches the crowd that they must not let the present, inconspicuous form of the kingdom fool them from understanding what will be its final result. The kingdom of heaven is indeed active, although it is not at that time fully observable, because it begins with an inner transformation of the heart.
The parables of the mustard seed and yeast work together to reveal the nature of the kingdom of heaven in Jesus’ ministry. The mustard seed emphasizes an inconspicuous beginning of the kingdom of heaven with its growth into external greatness, while the yeast suggests its inconspicuous permeation and transformation. In spite of its small inauspicious beginnings, the kingdom of heaven will pervade the world and eventually produce the prophesied greatness.
Parables that reveal hidden things (13:34–35). Matthew concludes Jesus’ parabolic messages to the crowd by stating: “He did not say anything to them without using a parable.” This emphasizes Jesus’ relationship to the crowd, which he had previously clarified to the disciples (see 13:10–17). The crowd has had the opportunity to hear Jesus’ proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom. Now they must respond. The parables are one of the means by which he tests the hearts of those in the crowd, prompting them either to be with him or against him (12:30). Their day of opportunity is nearly over. They cannot stay in the middle ground forever.
Matthew draws upon an Old Testament precedent for Jesus’ relationship to the crowd: “So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.’ ” The psalmist Asaph reflected on Israel’s history and clarified through parables the meaning of God’s salvation-historical events so that the people would learn from their history and not be a stubborn and rebellious people with hearts hard to God’s saving work (Ps. 78:2, 8). Matthew’s standard fulfillment formula (see comments on 1:22; 2:15) says that Jesus is doing a similar service to Israel in his day, revealing in his parables the secrets of the kingdom of heaven that have been hidden since the beginning.30
The entire Old Testament has looked forward to the inauguration of the kingdom of heaven, and in Jesus’ ministry he has drawn together the many strands of prophetic hope that seemed disparate to some.31 His revelation of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven in parables has brought to the light God’s program of salvation and redemption. The significance for the crowd is their response. Those spiritually alive will come to Jesus for clarification and understanding and become his disciples; those spiritually dead will turn away.
Explanations and Parables Told to the Disciples (13:36–50)
THE “HOUSE” THAT is a safe haven from the pressing crowd is once again probably Peter’s and Andrew’s home in Capernaum (see comments on 8:14; 13:1), where his disciples again ask for a clarification of a parable, this time the one regarding the weeds (cf. 13:10). After Jesus gives the explanation, he gives three final parables, this time not to the crowds but to the disciples themselves (13:44–50). They demonstrate their sensitivity to spiritual truth by acknowledging that they understand the meaning of the parables (cf. 13:10–15, 51). While the number of disciples has grown by now, Matthew consistently emphasizes the smaller group of Twelve, not only as an example of growth in discipleship for his readers, but also as an example of the way that Jesus trains them for leadership in the church to come.32
Interpretation of the parable of the wheat and weeds (13:36–43). The explanation of the parable of the wheat and weeds is unique for the way in which Jesus identifies the main elements of the story, leading to an eschatological conclusion. Each of these elements is helpful for interpreting other parables. Several elements are not identified (e.g., the servants and their sleep; 13:25), which reminds us that not every element has significance in the metaphor.
• The sower of good seed is Jesus, the Son of Man (see 8:20). By extension we can imply that the sower can be any of Jesus’ disciples who proclaim the Word of God.
• The field is the world. The kingdom of heaven will expand beyond Israel throughout the world. The secret of the kingdom is its present but hidden working in the world.33 It is important to note that Jesus is not giving lessons on the activities of the church in this parable. The church will be a visible institution throughout this age in service of the kingdom, but Jesus does not equate the two (see comments on 16:18–19; 18:15–20). His parables describe the activity of the kingdom during this age. To interpret these as characteristic of the church’s activity produces many misconceptions and misapplications.
For example, many have mistakenly equated this parable with the church’s characteristic of true and false believers. While it may be true that we can find in many churches true and false believers, it is defeatist to suggest that Jesus declares that this is the norm. Instead, Jesus shows how the kingdom of heaven will exist alongside the sons of the devil throughout this age. “The parable deals with eschatological expectation, not ecclesiological deterioration.”34
• The good seed is the people of the kingdom. These are the ones who have been receptive to the preaching of the message of the kingdom and have become Jesus’ disciples. They are the “good soil” of the parable of the sower and soils and the wheat of this parable.
• The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. They are the unbelievers of Jesus’ day and all those throughout this age who reject the gospel message.
• The enemy that sneaked in and planted weeds among the wheat is called “the devil,” the same term used of Satan in Jesus’ temptations (see comments on 4:5, 8). The devil operates in this world as a swooping bird (13:19) and (here) as an enemy farmer attempting to disrupt the growth of good wheat (disciples).
• The harvest is the end of the age, a reference to the judgment that will accompany the coming of the Son of Man to consummate the establishment of the kingdom (24:3).
• The harvesters are Jesus’ angels (13:39), who will accompany him to establish his kingdom and bring judgment (24:31).
With the primary players of the parable identified, Jesus gives additional explanation of the events that will transpire at the end of the age. As he consummates his kingdom on the earth, Jesus will send his angels to remove all sin and sinners from this world, now called for the first time “his kingdom” (13:41). His divine sovereignty will be visibly established over all creatures of this world at this time. Judgment of the sons of the evil one will commence in the fiery furnace (cf. 3:11; 5:22), where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (13:42; cf. 8:12). These are Jesus’ typical expressions of eternal judgment.
At that time “the righteous” (13:43)—Jesus’ disciples, who have experienced inner transformation and who are the wheat that has grown up throughout this age—will experience the full manifestation of the kingdom’s glory and “will shine like the sun.” Jesus’ disciples are the light of the world during this age while they await its consummation (6:14–16), but at that time they will shine with unhindered brilliance. The expression “the kingdom of their Father” is not to suggest that there is a distinction between the kingdom of the Son and another kingdom of the Father, but that the Father’s will has been fully accomplished on earth through the activity of the Son. There is full congruence between the will and activity of Father and Son.
Jesus’ instruction on prayer to the Father for the coming of the kingdom and the establishment of his will on earth (6:10) is now answered in full. So Jesus concludes his explanation of this parable with the familiar refrain to yield to the will of the Father as it is being proclaimed by Jesus—anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!
The parable of the hidden treasure (13:44). Jesus for the first time speaks in parables to his disciples. They are still away from the crowds in the house (13:36), so the intent of the parables is not to conceal but to reveal further secrets about the kingdom (see comments on 13:10–17). The parables of the treasure and pearl make a similar point. In contrast to the parable of the wheat and weeds, which looks forward to the Parousia and the consummation of the kingdom, these two parables emphasize the present value of the partially inaugurated kingdom.
The kingdom of heaven is likened to “a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Treasures were often hidden in fields, because there were no formal banks as we know them today (cf. 25:25).35 It was not uncommon for people to hide valuables when a marauding army approached. If the homeowner did not survive the invasion, the treasure would be forgotten and unclaimed. The land could change hands several times without anyone being aware of hidden treasure.
So the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that lies unnoticed because of its hidden nature. However, Jesus stresses that the man is not searching for the treasure. He happens upon it and instantly recognizes its value. By selling all that he has to purchase the field, he is gaining something far more valuable than any of his possessions and far more valuable than the field itself.36 As with ethical issues in other parables, surreptitiously buying land known to contain treasure is not condoned nor even the point. The surprising find simply heightens the drama.37 The emphasis is on the supreme worth of the treasure that is unseen by others; it is worth far more than any sacrifice one might make to acquire it.
Although the religious leaders and the crowd are blind and ignorant of the presence of the kingdom (11:25; 13:13–15), Jesus’ parables reveal its surpassing value to the disciples (13:11–12, 16–17). No sacrifice is too great to live in God’s will and experience a discipleship relationship with Jesus as Master.38 The contrast will be sadly displayed in the rich young ruler, who would not abandon all that he had to follow Jesus (19:16–22). The apostle Paul understood clearly the surpassing value of a discipleship relationship to Jesus: “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Phil. 3:8). In this parable Jesus is not speaking to self-sacrifice so much as joyful abandonment to obtain the kingdom of God.39
The parable of the costly pearl (13:45–46). Jesus expresses continuity with the thought of the preceding parable regarding the value of the kingdom of God. In this one, however, instead of unexpectedly stumbling across a hidden treasure, we find a merchant who is out deliberately searching. He is apparently a wholesale pearl dealer on a professional trip looking for fine pearls for his business. “When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
As with the parable of the treasure, this one stresses the incomparable quality of the kingdom of God. But a contrast between the two primary figures illustrates that instead of simply stumbling across a hidden treasure, a diligent search by one well qualified to know its value will ultimately lead to the kingdom. Moreover, as an expert, the merchant knows that even if he sells all that he has, the pearl he possesses surpasses all his former accumulated wealth.
The point is not on buying one’s way into the kingdom but on recognizing its supreme value.40 Earlier Jesus used a pearl to illustrate the precious nature of the gospel that could not be appreciated by pigs (7:6). The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were certainly those whose expertise qualified them to understand the magnitude of the kingdom of God that Jesus announced, but they were blinded by their hypocrisy and their desire for a pious reputation and honor from people (6:1–3). Jesus’ disciples are to understand that there is nothing more valuable in all of the world than possession of the kingdom of God.41
The parable of the dragnet (13:47–48). Jesus concludes with a brief parable about the net and immediately follows it with a brief explanation of its meaning. The parable climactically focuses on the eschatological consequences of the choice one makes with regard to the kingdom of God. The net is the large seine or dragnet (sagene), the oldest type of net used on the lake and until recently the most important fishing method. It was shaped like a long 750 to 1,000 foot wall, upwards of 25 feet high at the center, and 5 feet high at the ends. The foot-rope was weighted with sinkers, while the head-rope floated with attached corks, enabling the net wall to be dragged toward shore by both ends, trapping fish inside (see also comments on ancient fishing at 4:18–22).42 Separating good fish from bad fish was an ancient tradition in Israel. Among those considered “bad fish” included those without fins and scales, which were unclean (Lev. 11:9–12).
Jesus uses this metaphor to describe the end-of-the-age judgment when the good will be separated from the bad, similar to the way that the parable of the wheat and weeds depicted an end-of-age separation (13:24–30, 36–43). When Jesus comes in power, he will consummate the establishment of his kingdom on the earth. He will send his angels to initiate judgment by separating the wicked (those who have denied the message of the gospel) from the righteous (those who have responded to the gospel and have entered the kingdom of heaven; cf. 5:20). The statement of judgment of the wicked reiterates verbatim the words of 13:42. The final arrival of the kingdom of heaven will then extend its net throughout the world, and “no race or category of person will escape the final judgment. All will be sorted into one of two groups, those God accepts and those he rejects.”43
The Parable of the Householder’s Treasure (13:51–52)
AFTER GIVING THE final parable of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven to the disciples in the house, Jesus asks them, “Have you understood all these things?” As a climax to the entire discourse, Jesus has in mind their understanding of both explained and unexplained parables, which implies their understanding of the secrets of the kingdom. They did not have full understanding earlier when they requested explanation from Jesus (13:10, 36), but now their narrative reply is swift and confident: “Yes.” In contrast to the crowd, the disciples understand Jesus’ parables, as he said they would (13:10–17). As true disciples they are growing in their understanding. But unless they give unwavering attention and obedience to Jesus’ teaching, they will display an obtuseness similar to the crowd (e.g., 15:16). Their confidence may be more than appropriate, given their later vacillation, but they are indeed growing in understanding.
Jesus responds to their affirmative reply with a parable about their present privileged status and their future role. “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed [matheteuo] about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” In light of usage of matheteuo elsewhere, a preferable rendering here is “has become a disciple [mathetes]” or “has been made a disciple.”44
Since Jesus is speaking to disciples here about the consequence of their understanding (cf. “therefore,” 13:52), he now likens them to teachers of the law, who are in turn likened to “owners of a house” (oikodespotes). An oikodespotes is used in Jesus’ parables to refer to God (21:33), Jesus (10:25; 13:27), or Jesus’ disciples (24:43) and is sometimes pictured as distributing his wealth, whether as wages for his workers (20:1–16) or as a rental property for farmers (21:33–43).45 Jesus extends the metaphor here to indicate that the householder brings from his treasure box both new and old things. He does not do so simply to ogle his wealth but to dispense it for the benefit of others.46
The contrast is thus drawn between the teachers of the law within Judaism and the disciples of Jesus. The Torah-trained teachers of the law studied under great rabbis and passed on their traditions and interpretations. But all those who have become disciples of the kingdom of heaven have Jesus alone as their teacher, and they will in turn faithfully pass on to others what Jesus has taught them. They not only understand how to draw spiritual truths from the parables properly (13:51), but they understand how Jesus’ arrival has fulfilled the promises of the coming of the Messiah and the messianic kingdom (e.g., 1:22; 2:5, 15, 17, 23; 3:15; 4:14–17) and how Jesus truly fulfills the Law and the Prophets (5:17–20).47
This marks an important development in the training of the disciples for their future role throughout the ages. In the same way that Jesus has developed them, they are to make disciples of all the nations and teach these new disciples all that they have been taught by Jesus (28:19–20). Jesus is not merely describing the disciples, “but as usual in parables is challenging them to fulfill a role: they have received ‘treasure’ through his instruction; now they are to ‘bring it out’ in teaching others.”48 Jesus’ disciples are to give close attention to the priority of the kingdom in their lives so that they may continue to be the treasure of Jesus’ revelation to a watching world.
Bridging Contexts
THE PARABOLIC DISCOURSE occupies a pivotal position in Matthew’s presentation of Jesus Messiah and his gospel of the kingdom of heaven. This is the third of Jesus’ major discourses that Matthew has preserved for his readers, and it records parables that both tested the hearts of the crowd and provided instruction for Jesus’ disciples. But these parables will likewise test and instruct readers throughout this age, because in the five discourses that Matthew has collected, he has provided us the largest collection of Jesus’ instructions, which is the basis of what disciples are to be taught to obey in the development of their lifelong discipleship to Jesus (28:20).
Discourses and discipleship. A brief overview of the type of disciple described in each of the discourses will give us a context for understanding the place of the Parabolic Discourse in Jesus’ intentional development of our own discipleship to him.
(1) In the first discourse, the Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5–7), Jesus develops what it means to be kingdom-life disciples. He expounds the reality of a radical everyday discipleship lived in the presence and power of the kingdom of God. This kind of discipleship involves an inside-out transformation into the righteousness of the kingdom (5:20). The ultimate example of this righteousness is Jesus himself, who has come to fulfill the Old Testament revelation of God’s will for his people (5:17, 21–47), so that Jesus’ disciples can pursue clearly the goal to be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect (5:48). Kingdom life, therefore, addresses all aspects of what discipleship to Jesus means during this age, including ethical, religious, marital, emotional, and economic dimensions.
(2) The Mission Mandate develops what it means to be mission-driven disciples (ch. 10). Jesus commissions all his disciples to go out to live and share the gospel of the kingdom with an alien and often hostile world until his return. Mission in this age is a responsibility of all believers (10:24–25, 40–42), not just a special category of persons. It occurs in both public confession to the world (10:32–33) as well as in private commitments to one’s family (10:34–39). Like Jesus himself, the disciples can expect opposition and persecution (10:24–25) from Jews and Gentiles, from the religious and political world, and from one’s own closest family and companions (10:17–21). Yet they need not fear because the Spirit will provide power and guidance (10:19–20) and the Father will exercise sovereign care and control (10:28–33). The centrality of the presence of Jesus in the disciples’ life is the most vital characteristic of the mission, so that the disciples increasingly grow to be like the Master (10:24).
(3) The center discourse, the Parabolic Disclosure (ch. 13), develops what it means to be clandestine-kingdom disciples. This discourse acts as a transition from simple presentation of the gospel of the kingdom to a time of examination for the crowds following Jesus, and also to a time of instruction for Jesus’ disciples about the surprising nature of the kingdom of heaven. We will look at this a bit more carefully below.
(4) In the fourth discourse, the Community Prescription (ch. 18), Jesus will develop what it means to be community-based disciples. He will declare how the life of the kingdom is to be expressed through the church, which he will establish on earth through his disciples. The church is to be characterized by humility, purity, accountability, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.
(5) The final major discourse is the Olivet Discourse (chs. 24–25), which unfolds what it means to be expectant-sojourner disciples. Jesus looks down the long corridor of time and prophesies to his disciples about his return, the end of the age, and the establishment of his messianic throne. This discourse culminates his teaching on discipleship by describing how his disciples are to live each day in this age of the “already-not yet” consummation of the kingdom of God, in expectant preparation for his return with power.
Clandestine-kingdom disciples. Thus, in chapter 13 Jesus indicates that his disciples will live out their discipleship in a manifestation of the kingdom that is clandestine. Many in the crowd that followed him around were hoping for the arrival of the kingdom with an overt display of political and militaristic might. Their attraction to Jesus was not based so much on what Jesus intended in announcing the arrival of the kingdom, but on what they expected to get out of it—the blessings of the messianic age.
Hoping for the blessings is not bad, but it leads them to overlook the real message Jesus is announcing. In fact, the hope for physical and material blessings hardens them from recognizing their own spiritual condition. They are increasingly influenced by the religious leaders, especially the Pharisees, who prided themselves on their own accomplishments and ignored their own spiritual destitution. Because of the influence of the religious leaders, the crowd eventually becomes so hardened against Jesus’ form of the kingdom that they call for his execution in preference for the rebel leader Barabbas, a man involved with plotting to overthrow Rome and establishing a physical kingdom of Israel (see comments on 27:20).
Jesus’ own followers still do not fully understand the uniqueness of the manifestation of kingdom of God that Jesus is instituting. While imprisoned, John the Baptist, his privileged prophetic forerunner, had questioned Jesus’ messianic identity because his kingdom program didn’t coincide with what John anticipated (cf. 11:2–6). And when it is evident that Jesus will be crucified instead of claiming his throne, even his closest disciples abandon him.
So in this third major discourse, Jesus develops what it means to be “clandestine-kingdom disciples.” Through his parables Jesus tests the hearts of the crowd to reveal whether the message of the kingdom has taken root and is producing fruit or whether it has been unproductive (13:18–23). They must decide whether they are with him or against him. In addition, through these parables Jesus reveals to his disciples the secrets of the kingdom of God, making known that during this age the kingdom will exist in a hidden form. It will be an undercover kingdom, not the overpowering political and militaristic cultural manifestation of God’s rule that many expect (13:31–33). So the parables reveal what it means for Jesus’ disciples to live as kingdom subjects in a world that has not yet experienced the fully consummated kingdom of God.
The parables further reveal that Jesus’ disciples are to be demonstrably different from others in this world. The inside-out transformation that he articulated in the Sermon on the Mount will produce fruit in them that will mark them out clearly as his disciples. But it is only at the end of this age that a final separation will make fully known who belongs to kingdom of heaven and who does not (13:41–43, 49–50). The incongruity of its hiddenness and inconspicuousness causes many to overlook and even reject the kingdom of God, yet to those who discover its presence, it is the most precious reality of this age (13:44–46). Therefore Jesus’ disciples must give closest attention to the priority of the kingdom in their lives so that they will continue to be the treasure of revelation to a watching world (13:51–52).
Who is responsible for a hardened heart? With this revelation in parables of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, the reader might think that the crowds should be excused if they don’t understand these cloaked messages. But we noticed above that when Jesus explained his purpose for speaking in parables, he put the blame squarely on those who have hardened themselves against his message and ministry: “though [or ‘because’] seeing they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (see comments on 13:13). When taken together with Mark’s emphasis on this quotation as the purpose of speaking in parables (Mark 4:11–12), we saw that these two accounts together give a broader perspective of the spiritual activity of the parables in the lives of the crowd.
With a mixture of attitudes toward Jesus within the crowd—some leaning toward becoming Jesus’ disciples, while others leaning toward following the Pharisees and opposing Jesus, and still others riding the commitment-fence—Jesus uses the parables to force a decision. God knows those who will harden their heart against Jesus’ message, so the parables are used to harden sovereignly the person’s heart to the point where eventually he or she will be unable to respond (13:15). God also knows those who will respond to the message of the gospel, so the parables elicit a positive response to come to Jesus, become his disciple, and ask for explanation (cf. 13:10). Thus the use of the saying in Matthew and Mark balances God’s divine sovereignty with each individual human’s responsibility.
Balanced Christian thinking and living. This causes us to return to the concept of “balance” that Matthew tends to maintain with seemingly contradictory truths.49 We saw, for example, that Jesus exhorted his disciples to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (5:16), yet later he admonished, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them” (6:1). One might hastily emphasize only one truth, to the sad neglect of the other. A balance of both advises us to avoid the temptation from both personal cowardice and religious vanity (cf. 6:1–2).
There are many issues in Matthew’s Gospel, and Scripture generally, that demand a balancing of extremes that at face value seem contradictory. Unfortunately, the human tendency is to alleviate the dissonance by taking one side of the issue, often neglecting or reinterpreting the other body of scriptural evidence to support the position. The right kind of balance means taking two seemingly opposite truths and living with them both at the same time, even though we may not be able to understand completely how they fit together.
The truths in this section—God’s sovereignty and humanity’s responsibility—require a careful balance. I encourage the following process when encountering two seemingly opposite truths: (1) Think sensibly! Don’t be carried away by emotional reactions. Emotional reaction to apparent contradictions may cause us to become immobilized or be carried away to an extreme.
(2) Be honestly open to both truths, regardless of past experience or background. Our denominational background or church experience may cause us to reject out of hand the truth that is less emphasized in our theological tradition. We must be open to the truth of God’s Word.
(3) Hold those seemingly opposing truths at the same time. If they are biblical truths and not simply someone’s opinion, they will both have value in the decision-making process and ultimately will reveal themselves as complementary, not contradictory.
(4) Apply both sides of the issue to life at the same time. Since Scripture is a guide to life, both principles may be more easily lived out than fully comprehended. Although we may not be able to understand completely how God’s sovereignty and our responsibility coexist, we all have the experience of seeing both principles worked out in the day-to-day experiences of life. We must recognize that God is absolutely in control of all that happens in this life, yet we each are individually responsible for our own actions and will be accountable eternally.50
The parables of Jesus are a remarkable demonstration of the way in which those truths are balanced. God’s sovereignty does not eliminate personal responsibility as a factor in entering the kingdom. His control over each human’s fate is rightly balanced with the moral responsibility of each human to respond appropriately to God.51 A balanced position affirms both realities.
The law of progressive spiritual atrophy or consecutive spiritual assimilation. As the crowd hears Jesus’ parables, their hearts are tested and they are given an opportunity to receive God’s divine revelation. But it will impact each person differently. One person may hear the parable and immediately harden his or her heart against the truth it teaches and turn away from Jesus. Each time he hears and rejects the truth of a parable, his heart is further hardened. Another person will hear the parable and immediately respond to its truth, turn to Jesus, become his disciple, and learn from him. Each time that she hears and responds positively to the truth of a parable, her heart increases in Christlikeness. One commentator calls this the law of “progressive spiritual atrophy” or “consecutive spiritual assimilation.” He describes it in this way:
The judgment is written plain for those who hear and fail to appropriate: their capacity for apprehension and appropriation of spiritual truth dwindles until it disappears. Contrariwise, the more of God’s revealed truth that we assimilate, the more our capacity for assimilating truth will grow, in a sort of spiritual geometric progression.52
He concludes by stating that “spiritual perception of God’s truth is perilous: it condemns us unless we act upon it. Increased knowledge merely brings increased responsibility (Lk. xxii. 48).”53
This is the frightening situation of the unbelievers within the crowd. Jesus’ parables present them with truths about the kingdom of heaven. To reject those truths is to start on the long path to denial of reality and a heart that will eventually be hardened beyond the possibility of return. This becomes the situation of the Pharisees, who already have denied the working of the Spirit leading them to the truth of the gospel and who eventually are hardened beyond the possibility of restoration (cf. 12:30–32). Their rejection of Jesus’ message is the epitome of self-deception, because they rationalize their judgment of Jesus as though they were God’s authorized dispensers of religious verdicts.
But such is the situation of every person who rejects Jesus’ message. They ultimately elevate their own opinion over God’s. Each time a person hardens his heart against the gospel, he deceives himself into thinking that he knows the truth about reality and rationalizes his conclusion about Jesus. This is done by those who believe the gospel to be too exclusivistic for modern pluralistic tolerance. It sounds so narrow-minded to speak of only “one way” to God. Or it can be done by those who think that Jesus’ message about the righteousness of the gospel is too archaically prudish for enlightened and liberated modern people. It sounds so legalistic to suggest that a person deny herself to take up her cross and follow Jesus. This is what it means, however, to really want God to be the God of our lives. Dallas Willard writes somberly:
The ultimately lost person is the person who cannot want God. Who cannot want God to be God. Multitudes of such people pass by every day, and pass into eternity. The reason they do not find God is that they do not want him or, at least, do not want him to be God. Wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me.54
Such is the case of the unbeliever. But what about the believer? Believers also must be wary, because rejecting the truth of the gospel can lead to a heart hardened against God. The primary interpretation of the parables deals with the initial response of the hearer to the kingdom message, but Jesus’ interaction with his disciples allows us to see that they must also maintain an openness to the truth embedded in the parables for them to continue to understand and obey.
We are all too aware of public Christian leaders who have been revealed to have had a long-term illicit sexual relationship while continuing to serve in a leadership position. They have continually rejected the conviction of the Spirit and the truth of God’s Word about their sin and so have hardened their hearts against God. Such is also the case of any believer who lives with a sin, such as gossip or bigotry or gluttony or pride, and rationalizes its appropriateness. These are sins that are less visible but nonetheless can point to a heart hardened against God’s leading.
I do not believe this implies that a believer has lost his or her salvation. A heart that is regenerated cannot be unregenerated. However, we must consider the possibility that a person who continues to harden his or her heart against the truth of God’s Word was never regenerated in the first place. Or it may be like the case of the Corinthian believers, who sinned blatantly within the community of believers and so were disciplined by God with illness and even death so that purity would be maintained within the community. The sick and dead are not threatened with eternal loss, but God’s discipline is understood as that in which a loving God is correcting his children.55 A heart that is sensitive to God will display a genuine remorse for sin committed. Without it there is no possibility of growth in Christlikeness. Willard continues:
. . . without this realization of our utter ruin and without the genuine revisioning and redirecting of our lives, which that bitter realization naturally gives rise to, no clear path to inner transformation can be found. It is psychologically and spiritually impossible. We will steadfastly remain on the throne of our universe, so far as we are concerned, perhaps trying to “use a little God” here and there.56
Jesus admonishes, “He who has ears, let him hear” (13:9), because it is only in hearing and obeying the truth that a person’s heart is given over to the rule of God’s kingdom and the possibility of personal growth in Christlikeness.
Contemporary Significance
HIDDEN BUT POWERFUL. During the occupation of Europe by Nazi Germany during World War II, millions of people experienced unspeakable horror. Concentration camps mushroomed throughout Europe where minority groups, chiefly Jews but also gypsies, homosexuals, and anti-Nazi civilians, were at first confined and later executed. The fear of arrest that everyday people felt turned to a paralyzing terror. Daily life was dominated by the presence of the German military and the dreaded SS (Schutzstaffel, German for “Protective Echelon”) forces.
But there arose within the terror another response—the underground “resistance”—made up of various secret and clandestine groups that opposed Nazi rule. From southern France to the northern reaches of Scandinavia to the distant Soviet Union, widely diverse groups of civilians as well as armed bands of partisans or guerrilla fighters worked secretly against the occupation. Their activities ranged from publishing clandestine newspapers to assisting the escape of Jews and Allied airmen shot down over enemy territory to committing acts of sabotage and ambushing German patrols. These were brave men and women, who could not overtly resist the powerful German forces but who covertly operated to bring freedom to their people.
But the will and the ability to fight on covertly was in large measure kept alive by one abiding hope—the rumored coming Allied invasion. From the first German Blitzkrieg of Poland in 1939 to those in the successful German invasions of Belgium, the Netherlands, and France in 1940, millions of people were oppressed for years. The effort, ability, and resources of the resistance would most likely have waned except for that hope of the coming of liberation. As the months and years dragged on, one of the most important efforts of the resistance was preparing for and coordinating with the invasion by conveying intelligence information to the Allies. Finally, on June 6, 1944, D-Day, also called Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of western Europe began.
On the surface of German-occupied Europe all appeared horrifically helpless and hopeless. But hidden among the terrorized were those people who dared to resist, in large part because they were joined with the powerful Allied forces that promised liberation. We shouldn’t idealize them since some of them, like many of those in the Soviet Union who supported Joseph Stalin, had ideological agendas that were later used to subjugate their own people. But the resistance does provide a modern illustration of the effectiveness of hidden power. It proved dramatically effective in keeping the Nazi war machine off balance, it gave inspiration to the common people throughout Europe, and in spite of its apparent helplessness the resistance drew on the promised hope of the Allied invasion to coordinate its efforts at liberation.57
The power that Jesus brought with his announcement of the arrival of the kingdom of heaven did not have the perception of power that many people expected. Jesus could indeed perform powerful miracles, but they were short-lived and selective. The complete regeneration of the world that many associated with the messianic age of blessing had not arrived. Rome still dominated the land, and ruthless leaders still induced fear of imprisonment and execution. People still died. Hunger and disease were still daily experiences.
So Jesus clarifies with his parables that the kingdom of heaven has secrets associated with it. It is hidden but powerful in its spiritual transformational working. It is small in its beginning, but it will bring the reality of salvation from sin to all those who dare to come to it with eyes of faith and an open heart. God’s judgment of the evil one and his followers is certain and will come with power, but it may not always appear that way during the age that follows. Jesus’ return in glorious power to liberate this sin-sick world is a concrete promise that energizes us and gives us purpose for our own lives. These are the truths of the parables that reveal the secrets of the kingdom of heaven and that have provided guidance and hope and revelation of God’s powerful, yet hidden operation during this age.
Before we look briefly at the contemporary significance of the parables in this grand discourse, we should take an overview of the principles of their interpretation so that we hear clearly the message that Jesus intended to communicate in each.
Interpreting the parables of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Every good teacher or preacher understands the significance of illustrating a lesson with examples from everyday life. This serves to make an abstract concept relevant and concrete to the audience. But illustrations are not intended simply to entertain, otherwise the teacher or preacher is only a storyteller. As Sidney Greidanus cautions, “one ought to select illustrations not simply to create interest, but to elucidate the truth or to concretize the application of a particular passage.”58
Jesus was a master storyteller, but he was far more than that. His parables not only captivated interest, but they produced conviction and demanded a response. The same is true for their impact on modern readers. Jesus’ repeated refrain, “He who has ears, let him hear” (13:9), and related expressions about the blessedness of those who hear and the dire consequences of those who don’t (e.g., 13:13–17) calls us to a careful acquisition of the truth he is communicating in his parables.
Jesus used parables earlier and elsewhere in his ministry, but the collection of parables in Matthew 13 had a unique purpose in his historical ministry. With these parables he intended to test the hearts of the crowds and to force them to commit either to be with him or against him. At the same time, he used them to unveil the secrets of the kingdom to his disciples and to communicate truth to them about its operation in this world until his return in glory. Although there is variation among scholars about the details of interpreting Jesus’ parables, the following basic principles are widely acknowledged to be crucial in understanding their purpose.59
(1) We should attempt to understand the first-century historical, cultural, and religious setting of Jesus’ ministry. This includes understanding the circumstances that prompted the parable and the significance of the issues addressed. This step is necessary since so many of Jesus’ parables were drawn from experiences common to first-century listeners but are foreign to modern readers. For example, the social status of landowners and tenants, the Old Testament background related to the approaching kingdom of God, or the religious orientation of the Pharisees within Judaism is vital to understand clearly Jesus’ message in its original setting.
(2) We should attempt to understand the literary and theological setting of these parables within Jesus’ ministry, within each particular Gospel, and within the New Testament as a whole. We should search the context of Jesus’ overall ministry and his teaching elsewhere for clues to the parables’ interpretation, because Jesus interpreted several of the parables for his disciples (e.g., 13:18–23, 37–43, 49–50).
Moreover, each Gospel writer has a unique perspective on the parables. Matthew, for example, has a purpose for the Parabolic Discourse that is important to understand within the structure of his overall record. We should be guided by the contextual and other interpretative hints given by the evangelists, which are some of the earliest clues to the interpretation of the parables. Nor should we neglect the broader context of other New Testament teachings, because the teaching of Jesus was foundational to the thinking and teaching of the early church.
(3) We should attempt to determine the central truth that the parable intends to teach. When giving an illustration that appropriately highlights a sermon or teaching lesson, the speaker usually tries to make a primary, overarching point. However, the supporting details add subpoints that are crucial to the intended lesson. This appears to have been Jesus’ method. Most interpreters now recognize that the parables accomplish Jesus’ intended analogy through a central point, yet each major character or groups of characters provide additional points or subpoints.60 We should not overinterpret by assigning unwarranted significance to minor details, but neither should we underinterpret by missing the significance of intended supporting elements. We should try to evaluate details in relation to the whole.
(4) We should attempt to isolate the point Jesus is making about the kingdom of heaven. The repeated introduction, “The kingdom of heaven is like” (e.g., 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45), alerts us to the central place that instruction about the kingdom holds in this discourse. We will see below that this means to understand the kingdom’s transforming power, its looming judgment, its surprising appearance, its incalculable value, and the disciples’ responsibility to its spread.
(5) We should attempt to determine how the central truths of the parables apply to the life of the individual unbeliever or believer. The spiritual application was always relevant to the hearer’s needs; therefore, it is important to uncover the need that prompted the parables. The parables can be deeply, even frustratingly, perplexing, because the story may take an unexpected turn and cause offense to the audience when personal application is made. The parables were intended to reveal the secrets of the kingdom of heaven to Jesus’ disciples (cf. 13:10–17). They provide concrete illustrations of the way we can apply the truths of the kingdom of heaven to our own discipleship to Jesus while we live in this world that is under the sway of the evil one.
(6) We should attempt to establish how the truth of the parable can be applied to the life of the church, both throughout the ages and today. Reflection about the contemporary message of the parable should be based on the historical meaning of the parables,61 which includes recognizing that one of the secrets of the kingdom is its present but hidden working in the world (cf. 13:37–43). In these parables we are attuned to Jesus’ original intent to show how the kingdom of heaven will exist throughout this age. He is not giving lessons directly on the activities of the church. The church will be a visible institution throughout this age in service of the kingdom of God, but Jesus does not equate the kingdom with the church (see comments on 3:2; 4:17; 16:18–19; 18:15–20). Nonetheless, appropriate application to the church can be derived from the parables.
With these guidelines for interpreting Matthew’s parabolic discourse, we can now focus on the specific truth Jesus intended to communicate in each parable and briefly how that might be applied to our contemporary Christian discipleship. Since some of the seven primary parables about the secrets of the kingdom in this discourse overlap in the truths they communicate, we can summarize them under four primary headings: (1) the kingdom’s transforming power, (2) its looming judgment, (3) its surprising appearance, and (4) its incalculable value.
The transforming power of the kingdom of heaven—the parable of the sower and soils (13:1–9, 18–23). The parable of the sower and soils in many ways is a parable about the parables. It illustrates how the truth that is embedded in the parables will impact the life of those who hear its message. Although the gospel of the kingdom of heaven will be preached and taught indiscriminately in this world (4:23–25; 9:35–38), there are varied responses to it. One’s external response indicates the inward spiritual condition of his or her life. The life-giving force is in the seed, not in the soil, so how the soil responds to the seed indicates the impact of the life of the kingdom in a person’s heart. This includes whether it is rejected outright by a hard heart, or is received in a shallow fashion but does not take full rootedness, or is choked out by competing priorities. Only the person who receives the message deep into his or her heart has allowed the life-giving gospel of the kingdom to take root and produce fruit.
Since the primary focus is not on the sower but on the soils, we can safely assume that the one sowing the message of the gospel in this world applies not only to Jesus in his historical ministry but also to the Twelve as they went out on the short mission tour (10:5–15)—and to disciples throughout this age who carry this message (10:16–42; 28:16–20). This teaches us that just as Jesus had varied responses to his message, so will we. Faithfulness in sowing the gospel message is paramount, not the numbers that respond.
Likewise, we should recognize that the disproportionate response of those who do not respond fully to the gospel in comparison with those who bear fruit is consonant with Jesus’ statement that many enter the broad gate and way to destruction while only a few enter the narrow gate and way to life (7:13–14). The results are ultimately in the hands of God as well as in the choice of the individual. Our responsibility is to sow the seed, as did Jesus, to trust God, and to understand that inevitably there will be mixed responses. Nothing is comparable to the gospel message itself. It alone has potential power to produce life in dead soil. There are many stories of missionaries who labor for years in a foreign country before seeing even one conversion. Contentment comes through obedience and trusting God with the results.
There is a clear, unmistakable distinction made between those who are outright hardened against the gospel message in the first soil and those who produce fruit in the fourth soil. But there is a perplexing middle ground in those who initially receive the word but who then fall away. Some hear the word and fall away because of the trials and hardships of life (13:20–21), and others get sucked into the priorities of the world over kingdom values (13:22). This is a warning to those who respond to the kingdom to guard against and be prepared for those things that prevent them from producing fruit. Ultimately, it is the ongoing production of fruit that differentiates those who have truly responded to the kingdom from those who have not.
And it is that very fruit that gives us the hope of personal transformation. The person who receives the gospel of the kingdom into his or her heart will experience the transformation of kingdom life, the very life that Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount (e.g., 5:3–16, 21–48). So we should not just hope for transformation but should expect it as a result of the life-
giving power of the gospel of the kingdom as energized by the Spirit of God. Those who inherit the kingdom will experience transformation from former fleshly practices into personal characteristics produced by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16–23) and will experience the gifts of the Spirit in their lives (1 Cor. 12:1–31). The transformation will extend to the creation of the fruit of Spirit-produced righteousness and good works (e.g., Col. 1:10) and participation in gospel outreach produces the fruit of new converts won through the believer’s testimony (e.g., Rom 1:13). Seed sown on good soil will result in maximum yield according to individual potential.
We should perhaps extend the analogy one step further to note that the responsibility for the production of fruit lies in the life-giving operation of the Spirit-empowered gospel, but that does not eliminate the disciple’s own responsibility. We must be careful to supply proper nutrients and care for our well-being by continually being watered with the Word of God and enfolded in a protecting community of other believers. We likewise must be careful not to allow the weeds of this world to choke us, as the next parable points out.
The looming judgment of the kingdom of heaven—the parables of the wheat and weeds (13:24–30, 36–43) and the dragnet (13:47–50). Although the kingdom of heaven has been inaugurated in this world through the sowing of the gospel and many have become Jesus’ disciples, the arrival of the kingdom has not vanquished the enemy or prevented the survival of evil people in this world. On a surface level, Jesus’ disciples may not look different from others in this world, but there is an inherent difference as a result of the transformation that is produced by the impact of the kingdom in a person’s life. The wheat and fish of the kingdom of heaven are “good” (13:38, 48) and “righteous” (13:43, 49). This is the righteousness of the kingdom that produces personal transformation (cf. 5:20).
But these parables make another important point. We will not see the uprooting or elimination of evil until the end of this age. There will be a mixed nature in the world, which will continue in a form that seems counterintuitive to contemporary notions of God’s reigning kingdom. Jesus does not give a full theodicy with the parable, only a rock-solid basis for hope. Evil derives from the evil one, not from God. We should expect spiritual warfare throughout this age as we live in an environment contaminated by evil. But there looms on the horizon of history certain rescue for Jesus’ disciples and certain judgment for those who are aligned with the evil one. Jesus’ disciples are not called out of the world during this age, but we are promised to have Jesus’ continual prayer for the Father’s protecting hand upon us (cf. John 17:15–19).
While the parables speak of the coexistence of the sons of the evil one and the sons of the kingdom in this world, there is secondary application to the church. The parable of the wheat and weeds allows us to be aware of the plans of the enemy—that Satan will attempt to infiltrate the church. We must be aware of how to be on guard, which should encourage us to pray against the plans of Satan. Although Satan will operate in this world until the judgment, we can reduce his influence by not allowing sinful activities that give him a foothold in our communities (Eph. 4:27) and by dealing effectively and quickly with sin within the community (18:15–20).
Moreover, like a large dragnet, the kingdom of heaven will have all sorts respond to it in the preaching of “fishers of men” (4:19). The true nature of those who are gathered in will not always be readily apparent, as Judas Iscariot sadly exemplifies. Only at the judgment will the full implication be known.62
The surprising appearance of the kingdom of heaven—the parables of the mustard seed and yeast (13:31–32, 33). These two parables combine to emphasize one of the primary secrets of the kingdom of heaven—it has come in a surprisingly hidden manner. Jesus does not deny the greatness and glory that the kingdom will ultimately manifest, but he does emphasize that during this age it will exist in a hidden and inconspicuous form. This contrasts the partial inauguration of the kingdom with its final consummation. During this age the beginning presence of the kingdom will be inauspicious, yet it will permeate this world and operate with hidden transformation in the hearts of the sons and daughters of the kingdom.
These parables should caution us about the popularity of our faith. In centuries past these parables were understood as referring to the church as the manifestation of the kingdom. The church has experienced remarkable growth at various periods of time in the world’s history, but often at the expense of contamination from the world. This should again caution us against equating the kingdom of God and the church. Only with the arrival of the Son of Man will the kingdom be established in visible power and glory.
We live at a time when the popularity of the church has waned in much of the Western world but is dynamically alive in much of the Third World. The parables of the mustard seed and yeast caution us against expecting the popularity of the kingdom of heaven during this age. It will remain inconspicuous and hidden except to eyes of faith, awaiting its final manifestation. As citizens of the kingdom we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (5:13–16), and we seek to bring people into a loving community within the church, but our popularity is never to be the final gauge of the real influence of the kingdom.
The incalculable value of the kingdom of heaven—the parables of the hidden treasure (13:44) and costly pearl (13:45–46). These parables focus on the incalculable value of the kingdom of heaven. Continuing the thought of the inconspicuousness of the mustard seed and yeast (13:31–32, 33), the parable of the hidden treasure emphasizes that the kingdom has a value that far outweighs what anyone looking on an open field might have expected. The parable of the costly pearl emphasizes that the well-trained expert will discover, upon finding the reality of the kingdom, that nothing is comparable in worth. Whatever cost a person expends is nothing in comparison to the benefit of belonging to it. Salvation and the righteousness of the kingdom is a greater treasure than all that the world has to offer, and it is the source of greatest joy (13:44). When we recognize fully the value of life in the presence of the Savior now and life eternal, all of the sacrifice we make cannot compare to the joy of experiencing its present reality.
Unfortunately, it is all too easy to lose sight of this value and so lose the joy. This is the danger of those who grow up in fine Christian homes and good churches but who take this for granted. If a person has always known the message, he or she may not really grasp the value of the gospel and the reality of the presence of the kingdom of God. However, if early on in life a clear distinction is made about spiritual realities, a profound, humble gratitude for the precious gift of the gospel can be learned and an equally profound, humble compassion for those without the gift of the kingdom of God can be lived out.
This is also a danger for those of us in ministry, who are paid to study the Bible, to teach about Jesus, and to pray for our students and the people in our churches. We can become so familiar with the things of God that we lose sight of the incredible worth of what we teach. One of the greatest privileges of life is to be in our ministry situations. Talking about Jesus, praying with other believers, attempting to be a servant of Christ in our daily affairs, exegeting difficult passages of Scripture, defending the faith against enemies of the cross—all these are our regular activities.
Nevertheless, each of these activities can become drudgery when we are overworked or unappreciated, or when we receive opposition. Every day that we carry out our responsibilities, it is important to recall what a privilege it is to help others hear Jesus more clearly, walk with him more closely, and serve him more happily. We are ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven, the greatest treasure of this world, and each day we should repeatedly give thanks for the incredible value of this gift that we handle. Therein lies our true joy.