A Guest Columnist Discusses the Parables in Matthew 13.

Do you want to understand more about The Bible, as a whole?  I believe a key to understanding it is the New Testament. The entire Bible must be read with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in mind; otherwise, it makes no sense at all.  Going further, you could say that a key to understanding the New Testament is the Gospel of Matthew. It is the most Jewish of the Gospels: it starts off with the most Jewish of all things—a genealogy. Exciting? Really, it can be!  But about halfway through the Gospel, those Jewish people whom Jesus came to seek and save, reject Him in the foulest way.  A key as to why, is found in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 13.  Previously, in chapter 12, Jesus’ enemies—the Pharisees—claim that Jesus only drives out demons and heals people by the power of Devil; the ultimate rejection of the very Messiah who came to save them. Thus, Chapter 13 starts with, “That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.” The sea?  What significance does “the sea” have? Not only did Jesus literally do this–sit by the sea--but the sea is metaphoric language telling us Jesus went out from the house of Israel and is now including the Gentiles in His message and ministry, the Gentiles being referred to as “waters” and “the sea” in other places in Scripture (Jonah, Psalm 144:7, & Rev. 17:15 for example).
Finally, I believe a key to understanding Chapter 13 is verse 33, the Parable concerning leaven hidden in meal.  In Matthew 13, from the Northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus gives the second of three great sermons that are preserved in Mattew. The first, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the third, the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25), and this one, which we could call the Sermon on the Sea (Matthew 13). In this sermon, Jesus gives us seven parables, the first six of which are grouped in pairs. The parable of the soils and the parable of the wheat and the tares; the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the leaven; the parable of the treasure hidden in the field and the parable of the pearl of great value. Finally, Jesus ends with the parable of the dragnet. In and amongst these parables Jesus explains to the 12 what two of them mean, and also tells the 12 why He is suddenly preaching in parables. “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  Let’s be like those who have, and more is given, and they have an abundance, while we look in-depth at Matthew 13 together over the next several months.

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