Matthew 13-14 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 13:1-14:36.

“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?” He said to them, “An enemy has done this.” So the servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he said, “No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn’ ” ‘ ” (Matthew 13:24-30).

I think there is something here I need to learn. I recognize that I’ve spent too much time trying to do what God says even the angels shouldn’t. I recognize of course that there is a biblical principle which Christians and churches must uphold regarding discipline within the local body of Christ (cf. I Corinthians 5:1-13). Yet, too often I’ve seen it as my personal mission to clean up God’s church. It is too easy to go on a witch hunt of McCarthy proportions (is that too cliché to say?). Too often I see it as my job to hunt down all the weeds that have somehow made their way into the church and root them out.

Perhaps this parable teaches something different. Certainly, I am to teach the truth. Certainly, congregational discipline must be practiced. Certainly, I must not equivocate on the teaching of Christ. But, is it really my job to try to figure out who all isn’t completely toeing the line? Is it really my job to try to ferret out every potential error someone, somewhere might have? Is it really my job to figure out who all the weeds are and try to get rid of them? The Master said to back off and let Him deal with it at the end.

I admit, I’m not sure where the boundaries of congregational discipline are valid versus this witch-hunt mentality, but I see that somewhere I have to back off and say that it’s just not my job to figure out who all the weeds are and instead, just get busy planting more seeds.

What do you think?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

I’m back. Sorry for the break. I had a great little vacation with the family in Crossville, TN last week, but our apartment did not have internet access. I hope you kept up with your reading even if you weren’t able to discuss it here. Let’s get back into the swing of things here.

Matthew 13 has a collection of kingdom parables. Of course, there is the parable of the sower. But then there are five parables, which all set forth similes about the kingdom.

1. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
2. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
3. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.
4. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of a fine pearl.
5. The kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net which gathers every kind of fish.

The first and last parables seem to make the same point. Not everyone who is “in the kingdom” is of the kingdom. Satan, sadly, influences some who have entered the kingdom and on the day of judgment, they will be sifted out and cast into the torment of fire. This encourages us to make sure we are not submitting to the influence of the Satan and simply thinking “going to church” means all that other stuff we do doesn’t matter.

The second parable of the mustard seed is pretty easily understood. The kingdom of heaven began extremely small, but it would grow to be huge. That is exactly what happened. Prior to pentecost, the seed for the kingdom was only 120. But on Pentecost, it immediately grew to about 3000 (still not a very large number in comparison to the world population). In time, however it grew and grew and grew. Multitudes and multitudes entered. This all happened despite constant warring against Christ’s kingdom.

It is the other two parables that give me a bit of trouble. I know that may sound odd because they seem so easy to grasp. On the surface, most just view them as repetitions of the same point. The kingdom is worth so much we should sell everything. But these connected parables always give me some trouble. The parable of the hidden treasure I get. The man, seeing the field and finding the hidden treasure sold everything he had because that was the purchase price of the land. However, upon gaining the land, he actually had something more valuable than all his earlier possessions. That is the kingdom of heaven. We should be willing to give up everything because when we gain Christ’s kingdom, we gain it all.

Perhaps the parable to the pearl of great price is making the same point and I’m just thinking too hard. But this parable always causes me a problem because once the guy gets the pearl, the only way it will be of any real benefit to him is to sell it again. Otherwise he has a very costly trinket and that is it. Some suggest this is because he knew he could turn around and sell it again for even more than he paid. I guess that might be right, but then that leaves us buying the kingdom and selling it to get the value. Maybe I’m over analyzing, but, I just don’t think this is the point.

A brother once pointed out to me a major difference in these two parables. In the parable of the treasure, the kingdom is compared to the treasure. However, in the parable of the pearl, the kingdom is not compared to the pearl but to the merchant. When that very simple point was made, the parable suddenly was turned on its head. The parable of the treasure is about how I should value the kingdom. The parable of the pearl, however, is making the opposite point.

The kingdom is a merchant in search of valuable pearls. The picture is about Christ and his looking for the lost sheep. We are the pearl. Christ, in His kingdom, valued us so much He gave up everything to purchase us. He gave up the glories of heaven, the fellowship with the Father and then even gave up His life so I might be in His kingdom. WOW! How powerful is that.

If Jesus and His kingdom valued me that much, how much more should I value Jesus and His kingdom? It truly is a treasure. I guess it’s time for me to start selling things.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC