NT Journey--Matthew 13
Parables
Matthew 13 is the famous parable section in the book of Matthew. The parables are all teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven. The parables are simple explanations of the way things work in the Kingdom. Jesus uses parables for a couple of different reasons. First, the parables explain something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar. So in an agrarian culture, the people would have been very familiar with the metaphors Jesus uses here.
Jesus says another reason He used parables is because only those who "have ears to hear" can understand. The Gospel is simple for a reason, because it is intended to be accessible to anyone--even children. If the Gospel were only for the super-educated or cultural elite, it wouldn't really be "good news" (which is what "gospel" means) for everyone, only for a few. But since the Gospel is so simple, the only ones who can't understand it are the ones who refuse to accept it.
Obviously there's much we can say about these parables, but I want to focus in on two parables in particular: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast in verses 31-33. These two parables are two ways of saying essentially the same thing.
We live in a loud world. It takes a very loud voice or spectacular effects to get anyone's attention these days. With more and more voices competing for attention, the world can get confusing and if we live long enough, we can begin to tune out everything and retreat to our own mind. Marketing execs continually search for new ways to get their message across producing more shocking results at a rapid pace.
But when Jesus teaches about the Kingdom, he sets the Kingdom up as something that is contrary to the world. Not only is it contrary in its values, but it's also contrary in its methods. These two parables describe how the Kingdom grows. God's goal is that the Kingdom of Heaven breaks into the world. Thus in the Lord's prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This, by the way is a good definition of the Kingdom of Heaven: anywhere the will of God is being done.
Certainly God could come in shock and awe if He so desired. Who could shout louder than God? Certainly then we would be able to hear the Kingdom coming! But in these parables, Jesus tells us that this isn't the way the Kingdom works. The mustard seed is a tiny little seed, but when it grows, it becomes a very large bush with full branches that make a great resting place for birds. Yeast is much the same. It only takes a little bit of yeast, that over time works its way through the dough to make it rise and grow. Both things start out small. Both of these processes are slow--almost imperceptible to the naked eye. (Have you ever tried to watch a bush grow?) Both yield results that are a blessing for others.
Jesus says this also describes the Kingdom. The Kingdom starts and grows, not by shock and awe; not by earth shattering events and spectacular light shows, but by the people of God, through servant hood and love, slowly--almost imperceptibly--working its way through society and getting its branches all throughout society so that one day, people wake up and say, "Wow, where did that come from?" And like the mustard seed and yeast, they don't exist for themselves, they exist so that the end result can be a blessing for others. ("the birds perch in its branches" and who doesn't love bread?)
So what does this mean for us? I think we can take heart that each of us can make a Kingdom impact in the world. Every act of love we do in Jesus' name is effective at working the branches of the Kingdom throughout our society. But any time we've tried to grow the Kingdom by force (see the Crusades, the Inquisition, and political games) it has disastrous results because when the Kingdom advances by worldly force, it ceases to be the Kingdom. God powers the Kingdom, so we trust that when we do things God's way, we get godly results.
Matthew 13 is the famous parable section in the book of Matthew. The parables are all teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven. The parables are simple explanations of the way things work in the Kingdom. Jesus uses parables for a couple of different reasons. First, the parables explain something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar. So in an agrarian culture, the people would have been very familiar with the metaphors Jesus uses here.
Jesus says another reason He used parables is because only those who "have ears to hear" can understand. The Gospel is simple for a reason, because it is intended to be accessible to anyone--even children. If the Gospel were only for the super-educated or cultural elite, it wouldn't really be "good news" (which is what "gospel" means) for everyone, only for a few. But since the Gospel is so simple, the only ones who can't understand it are the ones who refuse to accept it.
Obviously there's much we can say about these parables, but I want to focus in on two parables in particular: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast in verses 31-33. These two parables are two ways of saying essentially the same thing.
We live in a loud world. It takes a very loud voice or spectacular effects to get anyone's attention these days. With more and more voices competing for attention, the world can get confusing and if we live long enough, we can begin to tune out everything and retreat to our own mind. Marketing execs continually search for new ways to get their message across producing more shocking results at a rapid pace.
But when Jesus teaches about the Kingdom, he sets the Kingdom up as something that is contrary to the world. Not only is it contrary in its values, but it's also contrary in its methods. These two parables describe how the Kingdom grows. God's goal is that the Kingdom of Heaven breaks into the world. Thus in the Lord's prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This, by the way is a good definition of the Kingdom of Heaven: anywhere the will of God is being done.
Certainly God could come in shock and awe if He so desired. Who could shout louder than God? Certainly then we would be able to hear the Kingdom coming! But in these parables, Jesus tells us that this isn't the way the Kingdom works. The mustard seed is a tiny little seed, but when it grows, it becomes a very large bush with full branches that make a great resting place for birds. Yeast is much the same. It only takes a little bit of yeast, that over time works its way through the dough to make it rise and grow. Both things start out small. Both of these processes are slow--almost imperceptible to the naked eye. (Have you ever tried to watch a bush grow?) Both yield results that are a blessing for others.
Jesus says this also describes the Kingdom. The Kingdom starts and grows, not by shock and awe; not by earth shattering events and spectacular light shows, but by the people of God, through servant hood and love, slowly--almost imperceptibly--working its way through society and getting its branches all throughout society so that one day, people wake up and say, "Wow, where did that come from?" And like the mustard seed and yeast, they don't exist for themselves, they exist so that the end result can be a blessing for others. ("the birds perch in its branches" and who doesn't love bread?)
So what does this mean for us? I think we can take heart that each of us can make a Kingdom impact in the world. Every act of love we do in Jesus' name is effective at working the branches of the Kingdom throughout our society. But any time we've tried to grow the Kingdom by force (see the Crusades, the Inquisition, and political games) it has disastrous results because when the Kingdom advances by worldly force, it ceases to be the Kingdom. God powers the Kingdom, so we trust that when we do things God's way, we get godly results.
Labels: Jesus, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 13, New Testament, parables
posted by Kory at
10:08 PM
2 Comments:
The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast remind me that we need to be among other people in order for the Kingdom of God to be in effect. The seed cannot grow until it is planted, the yeast cannot do its work until it is mixed in with the other ingredients. The same is true of us (believers), we must be planted among non-believers and mixed in with non-believers in order to have any effect in their lives. I think the hard part is the the slowness of the results. In reality we may not ever see the results ourselves, but we still need to be there and be faithful.
Yes, Julie. Absolutely. One of the interesting things I find scripture is that Jesus calls us not just to salvation, but to participation. When Jesus was calling people to follow Him, one guy made excuses and Jesus essentially told him to forget about excuses and then said, "you, come build the Kingdom." The mustard seed grows and the yeast of the Kingdom works only when we participate with God in doing the building.
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