Thursday, August 17, 2006

INTERPRETATION

     Extreme care must be exercised in the interpretation of the parables that that the true understanding of Jesus’ teaching is discovered in its purity. This is so we do not slip into allegory as many have done in the past. Lewis Johnson prefaces his exposition with two proverbs: Prov, 26:7 Like the legs which hang down from the lame, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Prov. 26:9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. He then says, “The proverbs are enough to deter the most intelligent of interpreters, how much more the common lot of them!” He then says, “We shall attempt to be careful in the treatment of them.” I am in total agreement with him in that there is caution in the explanation of the parables that no unwarranted meaning is forced into the text. The allegorist would micromanage the text that every detail represented something. We shall look only to the surface of the text.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

     The parables center around the word mysteries – musterion – defined as truth that is now revealed that had been previously hidden. These new concepts describe God’s kingdom, not in its nature, but in its time of manifestation. This is the interlude or gap between Daniel’s 69th and 70th weeks. Dan. 9:24-27  "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. 25. "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26. "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27. "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." This is the mystery of the church age that was unknown before the cross.
     The parables teach that this time of the church will end and that the kingdom will climax in a separating judgment. Matt. 13:41-43 "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42. and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

     The parables center around the word mysteries – musterion – defined as truth that is now revealed that had been previously hidden. These new concepts describe God’s kingdom, not in its nature, but in its time of manifestation. This is the interlude or gap between Daniel’s 69th and 70th weeks. Dan. 9:24-27  "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. 25. "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26. "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27. "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." This is the mystery of the church age that was unknown before the cross.
     The parables teach that this time of the church will end and that the kingdom will climax in a separating judgment. Matt. 13:41-43 "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42. and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

HOPE FOR ISRAEL

     At the time that the parables were spoken Judaism had fallen to man’s devices and no longer resembled the true teaching of God and had been rendered ineffective by the wisdom of those left in charge of it. Paul explains the religionists in Rom. 1:21-25 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23. and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
     There is good news (gospel) proclaimed by John in Matt. 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This same news is also proclaimed by Jesus 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The question that must surface is: “If Israel rejected Messiah, her King, has God’s plan been thwarted?” This question is addressed in the parables.
     The underlying truth about the kingdom is that it would be postponed until Israel would believe and receive her King. Zechariah prophesied this fact in Zech. 12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born."

Monday, August 14, 2006

KINGDOM CONCEPTS


     Before we begin to explain the text of the parables in a near view, we must zoom out to see the total point of what Jesus is teaching from His “nautical pulpit”. Overall He lays out these parables to describe mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Again, we must understand that when we find the two terms: kingdom of heaven, or kingdom of God, they refer to the same thing. This is made evident as we compare parallel texts.
     The intention of the parables is to communicate new information that had not been previously revealed by the prophets in the Old Testament. Kingdom concepts begin with Gen. 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. The kingdom will be consummate as explained in the New Testament: Rev. 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
     Adam failed in his reign as he allowed Satan, the adversary or deceiver, to usurp his kingdom. In God’s economy this was allowed for a time but not forever. Man, as rightful ruler of creation, would receive it back in the fullness of God’s timetable. This was plainly understood by the Jews who knew that Messiah would come and reign over them at some point. However, man is corrupt in his nature and will allow his will to overshadow God’s will if he is left to his own devices. This is Israel’s story.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

THE PARABLE OF THE SOILS

Matt. 13:3b-23
3b. "Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4. and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
5. "And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.
6. "But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7. "And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
8. "And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
9. "He who has ears, let him hear."
10. And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11. And He answered and said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
12. "For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13. "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14. "And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
     `You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
15. For the heart of this people has become dull,
16. "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17. "For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
18. "Hear then the parable of the sower.
19. "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
20. "And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy;
21. yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.
22. "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23. "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

Mark 4:3-25
3. "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4. and it came about that as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
5. "And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.
6. "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7. "And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8. "And other seeds fell into the good soil and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
9. And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10. And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.
11. And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables,
12. in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven."
13. And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables?
14. "The sower sows the word.
15. "And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
16. "And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;
17. and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
18. "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,
19. and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20. "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
21. And He was saying to them, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?
22. "For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light.
23. "If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."
24. And He was saying to them, "Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.
25. "For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Luke 8:5-18
5. "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road; and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the air ate it up.
6. "And other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7. "And other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it, and choked it out.
8. "And other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9. And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable might be.
10. And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
11. "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
12. "And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13. "And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
14. "And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15. "And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

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