THE WHOLE PICTURE  PART ONE

 

Dear John and all beloved Doves,

 

We have had much discussion here about just one of the parables of Jesus and it has been difficult to discern a true picture of it's meaning. Perhaps it would help our understanding to take a step back and look at the whole picture, at all the parables, and maybe then we will have a clearer perspective. I believe that the whole Bible was written for believers and can only be understood when guided by the Holy Spirit. I also believe it is better to be righteous in the eyes of God, than to be right in our own eyes. We are all in this together and we should respect each other and be opened hearted and open minded to the studies of others. Yet, first and foremost we need to be willing to find out for ourselves, by studying God's Holy word. We should never believe anyone, not writers here on Five Doves, or pastors, or famous preachers. We should always find out for ourselves. As Chuck Missler always says before one of his studies, "don't believe me, but find out for yourself."

 

That being said, I would like to present, what I think is an excellent and very well researched study, that covers the majority of the parables in a holistic way. I could not find out the person who wrote it, as the study did not have a personal name associated with it. But I will give the web site and you can go there and read it. Yet, I took the time to copy and paste it to make it easier to read and then broke it into two parts because it is a rather lengthy study.

 

As will be discovered in part two, I was wrong about the timing of the parable of the ten virgins. So I am willing to keep learning and keep growing and I am not presenting this to support my own research, but to look at all the parables and how they fit in with how Christ wants us to live, and to behave toward one another.

 

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answers.libertybaptistchurch.org.au/answers/14.pdf 

 

 

THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST

 

Bible Reading: Matthew 13:1-52.

Aim: To understand the background and meaning of Jesus’ Parables, and apply them to serving Christ.

 

Introduction: The word “parable” comes from the Greek word “parabolè”, made up from the verb “ballo” (to throw, lay or place) and the prefix “para” (meaning alongside of).

A parable explains an unclear idea by laying it alongside of a clear idea to help interested listeners to better understand it. The known clarifies the unknown, making it more interesting, easier to remember, and easier to apply to life. The word parable occurs 48 times in the first three gospels, and twice in Hebrews 9:9 and 11:19. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

 

I. WHY DID JESUS TEACH IN PARABLES?

About one-third of Jesus’ teachings as recorded in the Gospels were in Parables. The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 13:10 “Why speakest unto them in Parables?” Four reasons are:

1. To reveal truth to genuine seekers, but to hide truth from those with hard hearts, to minimize the severity of their judgment. Matthew 13:10-17. The same sun that melts the ice, hardens the clay. The same message that awakens some, will harden another. Jesus’ reason for speaking in parables contained a prophecy from Isaiah 6:9-10. This important prophecy refers to the spiritual deterioration of Israel, and occurs 5 times in the New Testament (Matt. 13:14-15, Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:39,40; Acts 28:26,27). The Jews would hear God’s word but not understand it and see Jesus’ powerful miracles but not understand them as proof of His Messiahship. Their dull hearts would make them spiritually blind and deaf, and the result would be judgment in 70 AD. The disciples saw and believed. The Jewish leaders saw and rejected, so God gave them no more light.

 

2. A second reason Jesus used parables is given in Matthew 13:34,35:

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world”. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Asaph in Psalm 78:2 “ I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old”. Jesus’ parables opened secrets, mysteries, or new truths hidden since the foundation of the world.

 

3. Many of the parables explained the time period between Christ’s rejection and His return. Both the disciples and ourselves need to understand this period as we set out to evangelize the world.

 

4. Many parables were answers to some problem or opposition. For example:

a) The Pharisees criticised Jesus for eating with sinners, so He told them the parables of a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

b) The disciples thought they were very successful because of the big crowds, so Jesus replied with the parable of a sower who saw 75% of his seed become fruitless.

c) The Pharisees claimed Jesus was in league with the devil, so He told the parable of a strong man guarding his goods being overcome by a stronger man.

d) The disciples asked “Lord, teach us to pray”, so Jesus told the parable of the persistent friend .

The parables are mirrors and windows. As mirrors they help us see our faults.

As windows they help us understand life and God’s plans for this world.

　

II. HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET PARABLES?

 

1. Christ’s interpretation of parables is the key to how we interpret other parables Matt13:18-23;36-43.

 

2. Look for the main truth the parable teaches.

 

3. Not every detail of a parable means something unless the context demands it.

Sometimes, symbols have different meanings in different parables. For example, in the parable of the sower, the seed represents the word of God, and the soil represents the human heart. But in the parable of the wheat and tares, the good seed represents the

children of the kingdom, and the field represents the world.

 

4. Parables were given to illustrate doctrine, not to teach doctrine. Don’t try to prove a doctrine only on the basis of a parable. Parables are windows of a house, not it’s foundation. For example, to try to teach salvation by good works from the parable of the

sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46) ignores the prophetic context and would contradict clear doctrines taught elsewhere.

 

5. Other passages of scripture may define some detail of a parable. For example, in the parable of the treasure hid in a field, Exodus 19:5 and Psalm 135:4 define God’s peculiar treasure to be Israel.

 

6. Jesus stated that the parables concern the “kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11), of which we know the following:

i) It is found only in Matthew’s gospel and is mentioned 32 times.

ii) Its character is described in the 12 kingdom of Heaven parables in Matthew 13:1-50; 18:23-25; 20:1-16; 22:1-14; 25:1-30.

iii) Its time is limited from the First to the Second Coming of Christ.

iv) Its sphere is limited to Christendom.

v) It contains a mixture of good & evil, Wheat & Tares, good & bad fish, wise &foolish virgins.

 

III. THE POSTPONEMENT of CHRIST’S EARTHLY 1000 YEAR KINGDOM OF ISRAEL

 

At the time of Jesus’ birth, there was a widespread expectation that Messiah’s coming was near, maybe because some understood the Daniel 9:24-27 “70 week” prophecy that Messiah would come 173,880 days after March 5, 444 BC. This made the due date for

Messiah’s coming to be March 30, 33 AD. Hence Simeon and Anna waited in the Temple for Christ as the “Consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25-38). The Kingdom of Heaven is named since it was given from heaven by God the Father (Daniel 7:13,14).

 

Jesus’ message was the same as John the Baptist’s: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Matthew 3:2; 4:17. They both called for Israel to nationally repent.

The Messianic kingdom cannot be set up until Israel as a nation repents. (Zechariah 12:10). Jesus preached the “gospel of the kingdom” in Matthew 4:23 and the same “gospel of the kingdom” will be preached in the Tribulation that Christ’s coming is near. (Matthew 24:14).

 

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to offer Himself as King to the Jews in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, He accepted the “Hosannahs” of the multitude, thus acknowledging His right to Kingship over an earthly kingdom. Sadly, the Pharisees in the

crowd that day said to Jesus, “Master, rebuke thy disciples” (Matthew 19:39), thus rejecting Christ’s offer as King over the Messianic Kingdom. Christ’s Kingdom was thus postponed and the church, which is the mystery form of the Kingdom of heaven, was introduced at the day of Pentecost. It is the subject of Christendom being a mixture of saved and imitators that is discussed in some parables.

 

Question 1: What would have happened if the Jews as a nation had repented and accepted Jesus Christ as their King and Messiah? Would Christ’s earthly Kingdom have

been set up?

 

Answer: Certainly, but not necessarily straight away because Jesus had to die for the of the world as Saviour before He could assume His rule as King. This would have been achieved by the Roman government crucifying Jesus as a usurper. With Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Daniel’s 69th week would have ended and the 70th week begun without a break. At the close of the 70th week, Jesus would have returned to set up His 1000 year earthly Kingdom.

 

Question 2: What about the church? How could it be formed if there was no break between the 69th and 70th week? Doesn’t Ephesians 1:4 tate that it was

God’s eternal purpose to form the church?

 

Answer: Yes. God foreknew that Israel would reject Christ’s offer of the kingdom, yet His offer was still genuine. After Christ’s resurrection, the disciples asked Him:

“Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?

Jesus replied: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power”. (Acts 1:6). Jesus’ answer is that He was not going to tell them if the Messiah’s earthly 1000 year kingdom was to come then or later. Why? Because it depended on Israel’s response to Christ’s offer as proclaimed by the Apostles. Peter’s second sermon states that if the nation repented, then Jesus Christ would return and

establish His earthly kingdom: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ....” (Acts 3:19:20).

 

This offer of the Kingdom is in a transition period within the church age. Acts is a transition book where God gives the Jewish nation a chance to repent, they fail, and so God temporarily sets Israel aside and instead works through the church. Hence, the King having been rejected, it was impossible to set up the Kingdom at that time, so the Kingdom took on another form known as the “Mystery Form” as described in the Matthew 13 “Kingdom of Heaven Parables”, which describe the character of the period from Christ’s Ascension to the Rapture of the Church.

 

IV. DOCTRINE of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BASED ON CHRIST’S PARABLES.

 

1. Christ’s Offer of the Kingdom.

 

a) Because of Old Testament promises, Israel expected a literal kingdom ruled by the Messiah. Christ spoke the parable of not putting a new patch on an old garment, and of not putting new wine in old wineskins (Luke 5:36:39) to show that He did

not intend to build on Pharisaism, but came to set up a new and different Kingdom.

 

b) The Good Shepherd and His sheep parable (John 10:1-18) was spoken because of the Pharisees who rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah, to show that His own would recognize Him, leave Pharisaism’s bondage and enter the freedom of Christ’s

Kingdom.

 

c) The lost sheep, lost coin and lost son parable (Luke 15:1-32) was spoken to correct the Pharisees wrong view that God hated sinners and rejoiced in a sinners’ death because the sinner was then removed from God’s presence forever. They reasoned that one’s goal in life should be to produce enough good works to enter heaven. These 3 parables show the great search by the owners and joy when found. These show God’s great love for sinners to return to God.

 

d) The blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39) warns against following the Pharisees described as spiritually blind shepherds trying to lead spiritually blind followers.

 

e) The King preparing a wedding banquet for his son (Matthew 22:1-14) taught that Christ was inviting that generation to the Kingdom. Since the wedding banquet pictured Christ’s millennial kingdom, this parable teaches Christ’s offer of the Kingdom to the Jews.

 

f) The narrow way to life that few find, and the broad way to destruction that many travel (Matthew 7:13,14) warned against the danger of rejecting Christ’s invitation

just given.

 

g) The wise man building his house on the rock and surviving the storm, pictured those hearing and doing Christ’s teachings who enter the Kingdom by trusting Christ.

The foolish man building his house on the sand that collapsed in the storm pictured those rejecting Christ’s words, accepting the Pharisees doctrine, and being excluded from the Kingdom (Matt. 7:24-27).

 

2. Israel’s Rejection of Christ’s offers is seen in these parables:

 

a) The Physician who was called on to heal himself (Luke 4:23) pictured Israel rejecting Christ, calling Him a sinner needing to deal with his own sins before He could offer salvation to others.

 

b) The Wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14) showed the offer and rejection of the Kingdom by the guests (Israel) who were busy with their personal pursuits. The

Great Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) showed the invited guests (Israel) ignoring the banquet by making excuses not to come.

　

c) The landowner who planted a vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44) taught that the servants (Old Testament prophets) were beaten, stoned and killed by Israel when they were sent to collect the harvest (spiritual fruit). The landowner then sent his son (Christ) to collect the harvest, but the tenants (Israel) killed him. This pictured Israel

rejecting the Kingdom and crucifying Christ.

 

3. Christ Postpones the Kingdom.

The unconditional Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14:17; 15:18-20; 17:4-8) promised that Abraham’s physical descendants would dwell in the land forever. The unconditional Davidic covenant (II Samuel 7:16) promised that one of David’s descendants would rule on David’s Throne forever. Because Israel rejected Christ’s

offer, David’s Kingdom was not canceled but postponed.

 

a) Christ spoke the parable of 10 pounds (Luke 19:11-27) to teach that His Kingdom offer was being withdrawn and postponed. Christ was the nobleman who went into a

far country to receive a Kingdom and to return to rule (v.12). Hence, Israel’s rejection of Christ did not stop His right to rule.

 

b) The watching porter (Mark 13:34-37) poke of Christ’s postponement of and absence from the Kingdom for a long time period, and our watchfulness in His absence.

 

c) The householder who planted a vineyard parable (Matt. 21:33-46) taught that the Kingdom would be taken from first century Israel and given to the nation Israel at Christ’s return. (v.43).

 

4. First Century Israel Judged.

In the cleansed house parable (Matthew 12:43-45), Christ pictured Israel as having experienced a cleansing ministry by John the Baptist. That cleansing was not permanent, because the unclean spirit that left the house of Israel returned with 7 other more wicked spirits, to that the final state of that house of Israel was worse because of their rejection of Christ than before John the Baptist’s ministry. “Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation" (vs.45).

 

5. The New Mystery Form of the Kingdom. Because Israel rejected Christ’s offer of the Messianic Kingdom, the offer was withdrawn, postponed and substituted with judgment by the Romans in 70 AD. The mystery form of the Kingdom known as the Church age was then introduced.

Many of the parables revealed the character of the Church age, such as:

 

i) The Sower (Matthew 13:3-23). The church age would be characterised by sowing the seed of the Word of God (Luke 8:12) throughout the world by Jesus and his followers, met by varying responses depending on the attitude of the hearers.

ii) The Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In the Church age Satan will try to defeat God’s program by sowing weeds (darnel) among the good seed. Satan’s seed will imitate and closely resemble God’s seed. Only at harvest can both kinds be distinguished. Christians who sow the word of God in the church age may expect

Satan’s opposition to spreading Christ’s gospel.

iii) The seed growing by itself (Mark 4:26-29). As physical seed germinates and grows because of life in the seed, so the mystery form of the Kingdom will grow because of life-giving power in the seed of the word of God sown in people’s hearts.

iv) The mustard seed (Matthew 13:31,32). The mystery form of the Kingdom would begin insignificantly but grow to great size. The Church age began with 11 disciples and grew to millions of people in Christendom.

v) The leaven (Matthew 13:33-35). When the Church age began, evil (leaven) would be present, which would spread throughout Christendom to permeate the whole system by Christ’s return.

vi) The Hidden treasure and the Pearl (Matt. 13:44-46). Christ’s plan in this Church age is to die on the cross, to purchase a treasure (Israel) and a Pearl (the church)

out of the field (the world).

vii)The Dragnet (Matthew 13:47-50). During the Church age the gospel will go out like a dragnet, catching two kinds of fish, good and bad, useful and useless. At the end of the tribulation the angels will cast the wicked into a furnace of fire, and allow the righteous into the millennium.

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Part two follows......

　

JESUS IS KING, SAVIOR, AND GLORIOUS LORD!!!

 

AND HE IS COMING SOON!!

Agape!

Patti C.