The Gospel Series Part 6G

PARABOLIC MYSTERIES ABOUT THE KINGDOM

Lesson: How do we interpret the Bible?

Before we jump into the seven parables in Matthew chapter 13, we must ask "How do we determine what these mean?" How do we know what any part of the Bible really means?

You may have heard the number 7 means completeness, 6 is incomplete, or 40 means trials or testing. There is no table describing their usage, so how do we know? We just notice as we read through the Bible where these numbers occur, and notice the situation in which they are used. For example, when Noah was in the ark, it rained for 40 days. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus fasted (and was tempted by satan) for 40 days. So we notice the number 40 appears to be used as a reference to testing, trial or tribulation. It's really no big mystery. Of course, we can't have such a simple principle have an easy name, so it's called The principle of expositional constancy. All it means is the Holy Spirit is consistent in His usage of idioms. Or as Chuck Missler says:

We have 66 books written by 40 authors over thousands of years, and yet we find it is an integrated message system.

That may be obvious but we can easily take it for granted. But just so we don't, ponder taking the medical books for just the last 2 centuries - would you want to be treated by someone who followed a medical book written 200 years ago? (not if you don't like leeches...). Or perhaps the scientific books over the last 200 years. Remember just after WWII, scientists thought it was impossible to travel faster than the speed of sound in a plane, and anyone who tried would die. But along comes this guy Chuck Yeager and makes them go back and re-write all their books. How about Richard Feynman? You may not know the name, but you know what he worked on: the Manhattan project. Many thought that project was impossible. The point is, man's knowledge is constantly changing. But the Bible doesn't. It doesn't need to, since it was authored by the Holy Spirit, who is outside of time altogether and has perfect knowledge.

So we have a principal that says the Bible is consistent. Big deal. As we shall soon see, it is. For in Matthew chapter thirteen, we have seven parables presented by the Lord Jesus Himself. He tells us the meaning of some of them, and when He does, it provides clues to the meaning of the remainder. The idea that the Bible is consistent is crucial to the understanding of these parables (as well as the rest of the Bible).

But some may say certain things don't necessarily mean the same throughout the Bible. If someone argues a particular item doesn't mean here what it means in the rest of the Bible, who gets to decide when and what anything means? I much prefer to assume the Bible is consistent throughout, rather than try and press my own personal views on a particular passage, just because I don't like what the meaning is by following the leads provided elsewhere in the Bible. As soon as we start to allegorize or change the meaning of part of the Bible, where does it end? How then can we be comfortable in knowing what any of it means? Remember God is not the author of confusion.

If you take this principal as seriously as I do, you will have no problem with the notes on the following chapter. We may not like the meaning of some of the parables, but at least we can know for sure what the meaning is.

The settings of the parables (Mt 13:1-3a, Mk 4:1-2, Lk 8:4)

A boat set out to sea would provide two benefits. First, it keeps the crowd from pressing in. And second, it allows Jesus' voice to project across the water, forming a natural amphitheater.

The parable of the soils (Mt 13:3-23, Mk4:3-25, Lk 8:5-18)

This section is divided into three parts: First the parable, second why Jesus speaks in parables, and last, the interpretation of the parable. This one's easy - Jesus tells us what it means!

The story itself should be easy to understand, but a few cultural differences should be noted. First, in those days they didn't farm by machinery like we do today. A sower would not be driving a big tractor, he just went and scattered seed; that's how it arrives on the four different soils. Some falls on the path, where the birds come and eat it - it has no chance to sprout. Some falls on stony places, which is actually a thin layer of topsoil over a layer of rock. But since it has no depth to the soil, when the sun comes up it is easily scorched and dies. Some falls into areas which are not plowed and prepared for planting, so the existing vegetation crowds out the plants, and they can't grow. Lastly, some falls where the sower wants it to go, the fertile soil. There they grow and produce an abundant crop.

Next, Jesus explains why He speaks in parables. It's a misunderstanding to think parables are something to help people understand. Just the opposite. In verses 11-13, Jesus tells us the purpose of the parables is to hide the truth from people to whom the mysteries of heaven have not been given.

The seed is the Word of God, and the birds represent the workers of satan. The soil represents different types of people hearing the Word. We have 4 different people responding to the Word of God; only 1 is saved, the other three are not. But these represent three different reactions. The first hears the Word, but satan immediately comes and steals what has been planted so it has no chance to grow. The second starts to grow, but is scorched when trials and tribulation come since they don't have roots to support them and thus fall away. The last person starts to grow, but the cares of the world choke out the fruit. We see the battle is against three things: the devil, the flesh, and the world (1 John 2:16).

Only 1 of 4 people respond to the message of the Word. One person never had a chance, since satan snatched away the seed. But the other two started to grow, but then died for several reasons. But only one actually produced a crop, and fruit is the true measure to determine whether a person is a Christian. As we see hundreds of people go forward for an alter call, we should always remember this parable. This is why we must be diligent to work with young Christians, exhorting and teaching them. For half the people don't make it after first receiving the Word with joy. It's the job of the elder Christians to teach the younger.

But nothing is wrong with the seed. It's the same for all four soils. The problem is the soil has not been prepared correctly. As Jon Courson explains in a story:

Suppose on a jumbo 747 heading form San Francisco to Honolulu, the captain suddenly called the stewardess into his cabin and said, 'Look, we have a problem. We have a hole in the gas tank, and only about 30 minutes of fuel left. We're 2 1/2 hours from Honolulu, but we're too far to turn back. This plane's going down. Distribute parachutes immediately to all passengers'.

Suppose the stewardess comes out of the cabin, wipes the worried look from her face, and cheerfully says, 'Ladies and gentlemen, who would like to wear a parachute? Try one on and you will see how smooth a flight can be, how wonderful the trip can become'. People listen to her, scratch their heads, and wonder. Some raise their hands and say. 'I'll try it, if it'll make my fight smoother'.

But after awhile, the chutes become cumbersome. And the people find they can't sit in their seats as comfortably as they previously did. They can't get their tray tables down to hold their Cokes and peanuts. Worst of all, they find the people around them snickering and making fun of them for wearing parachutes. So, tired of the snickering and tired of squirming, they unstrap their parachutes and throw them in the aisle.

No sooner than they throw them down that the plane sputters and crashes into the ocean, and all lives are lost.[1]

Yet sometimes today well-meaning evangelists preach like once you come to Jesus, all your problems melt away. Nothing is further from the truth. If we present the Gospel that way, it's our fault for not properly preparing the soil for the seed. If we hide the truth, is it any wonder when trials come these people react like the seed that fell on shallow ground? We must tell them following Jesus is hard, difficult and definitely not the easy path. Jesus Himself said so earlier in the sermon on the mount, in Matthew 7:13-14.

As we preach the Gospel, we must remember to prepare the soil beforehand. We are all on a plane, and it's going to crash. Do you want a parachute, or do you want to die?

The parable of the seed's spontaneous growth (Mk 4:26-29)

In this parable, the man is scattering the seed. That is really our job. We are not called to convert people, only to preach the Gospel. And as this parable illustrates, we do not know why some people respond and others don't, since God is doing the work.

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)

The parable of the tares (Mt 13:24-30)

Another easy parable for Jesus gives the interpretation. But again, a few cultural and historical points are needed. Tares probably refers to darnel, a weed that as it grows looks just like wheat, but just before it matures, darnel turns black. It's only at this point you can tell the weed from the wheat. And you must sort out the weeds, for darnel is poisonous if mixed with wheat and eaten.

As the tares grow, the servants ask if they should root up the tares (sons of the wicked one), but the owner tells them not to lest they root up some of the wheat (sons of the kingdom) with them. This is an important lesson for us. Unfortunately we have many in Christianity who feel it is their special calling to try and root out all the tares in the Church. But Jesus tells us not to do that. Yes, we are to be on guard for false teachers. Yes, we must always check everything with the Word of God. But we are not to try and uproot them, because in doing so we may damage some of the good crop that is growing. We can be assured at the end of the age there will be a separation of the wheat and the tares, but we don't need to concern ourselves with it now - it's not our job.

The parable of the mustard tree (Mt 13:31-32, Mk 4:30-32)

Now we get into the difficult parables, for Jesus doesn't tell us what they mean. But we can lean on what symbols He has told us, and search the remainder of the Bible for clues to what the rest of these items mean.

Perhaps you've heard a sermon preached on this parable along the lines of "The Church will start out small, but then grow and take over the whole earth, and include people of all different types". There is only one problem with it: It's totally wrong! What do the birds represent? In the first parable they are the workers of satan. If we believe these idioms are consistent in meaning, there is NO WAY this parable can be interpreted this way. We may like the previous thought about the Church growing and taking over the earth, but it doesn't fit what Jesus has already told us. As J. Vernon McGee says:

The mustard tree is an unlikely symbol of the church or of individual Christians. Ordinarily, fruit-bearing trees are used to depict believers. Mustard is a condiment and has no food value. It's not wheat germ, loaded with vitamins; it's just good on hot dogs and hamburgers.[2]

Again, a little side knowledge about mustard would be helpful. It is typically a small shrub growing to several feet high. Can a bush several feet high be home to birds? Would they be safe from animals in such a low location? No. But this mustard plant grows high enough so that the birds can come and nest in it. In other words, it has grown unnaturally large.

This is exactly what we see in the church today. Many have grown too large, with many layers of administration and other things clogging up the work of God. These are an unnatural overgrowth, with the birds coming and nesting in its branches. Truly today the birds have nested within the church.

This parable reveals the outward growth of the organized church. The church and the world have become horribly mixed. There has been real integration between man in the church and man in the world. They live and act very much alike in our day. The Christian should be salt in the world, not mustard![3]

This parable teaches of the external corruption caused by unnecessary and unnatural growth.

The parable of the leavened loaf (Mt 13:33-35, Mk 4:33-34)

Perhaps you've also heard sermons on this similar to "The church will start out small, but will eventually permeate the whole earth". Only one problem - leaven is not a good thing (see references at end of this section). Why is leaven bad? It corrupts by puffing up. As such, it is a form of pride. And God hates pride. If (as some say), it represents something good here, why does the woman hide it? As Paul says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" (Rom 1:16). Why do we have to hide something good?

The Gospel is represented by meal - meal is made form grain or seed, and we know seed is the Word of God. Thus we have corruption hidden inside the Gospel, or a prediction of false teachers inside the church. And don't we see the rise of cults and others who preach some (or most) of the Bible, but then twist parts of it to suit them?

This parable speaks of the internal corruption of the church.

The parable of the tares explained (Mt 13:36-43)

We covered this section when Jesus gives the parable in verses 24-30.

The parable of the hidden treasure (Mt 13:44)

Here is one view of this parable:

Both picture [this parable and the next one] salvation as something hidden ... but so valuable that people who have it revealed to them are willing to give up all they have to posses it.[4]

That sound good, doesn't it? This is John MacArthur's view of this parable. Now I like John MacArthur, I use several of his commentaries. But this only points out commentaries are written by man and are fallible. If we take what Jesus' has told us the field means, we come up with a different interpretation.

The field is the world (v 38). Who buys the world, for the joy over it? Jesus.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The treasure hidden in the field is us. Jesus has bought us with a price.

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

And the redemption of the world is told by John in Revelation chapter 5, where Jesus takes the title deed to the earth, having paid the price required.

The parable of the pearl of great price (Mt 13:45-46)

Pearls have several characteristics. First, they are not kosher. The Jews didn't value them much; they were a uniquely gentile possession. But they are the only jewel produced by a living being, as a response to an irritation. We remove them from their living being to admire them.

The church has grown from an irritation - Jesus taking on our sins (2 Cor 5:21). He endured so much pain and grief He prayed three times for His cup to pass Him by (Matt 26:36-42). But the church will grow and eventually be removed from it's place of growth (the rapture).

The parable of the dragnet (Mt 13:47-50)

An amplification of the parable of the wheat and tares, there will be judgement. Revelation chapter 20 describes it.

The parable of the householder (Mt 13:51-52)

Some count this as an eighth parable, others view it just as a figure of speech. But "every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven" should get out of his treasure some old and some new. Occasionally some pastors teach we should only use the New Testament. The Old Testament was for the Jews, and has no value for us today. This is a tragic mistake. The Old Testament is relevant to Christians, for those stories are used in the New Testament as an example for us to learn by (Romans 15:4, 1 Cor 10:1-6). To discard the Old Testament as irrelevant is to discard much of God's message to us.

Symbology given in Matthew 13

[1] Courson, Jon Matthew Volume I page 334-335

[2] McGee, J. Vernon Matthew Chapters 1-13 page 187

[3] McGee, J. Vernon Matthew Chapters 1-13 page 188

[4] MacArthur, John The MacArthur Study Bible page 1418-1419

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The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)