Sungai Nibong Gospel Hall

Part 1 – The Parables in Perspective

Part 2 – The Parables in Particular

• 02 Dec. 2012

• 09 Dec. 2012

Intro. The Book of Matthew and the Messianic kingdom:(1)The Theme of Matthew:

Messiah, the King of the Jews

(2)The Treatment of Matthew – consider the Three Ethnic Groups: I Cor. 10:32

Give none offence to the Jew, Gentile and the Church

(1)The Main Message to the Jews – Mt. Chs.1-16

(2)The 1st Mention of Church in Mt. 16:18 cf. 18:17

(3)The Judgment of Gentile nations – preparing for the Millennium. Mt. 25

The Three Ethnic Groups

• These three groups would be present at the end of the age: Mt. 13:39, 49

• The Jew in the parable of the Treasure.

• The Church in the parable of the Pearl of great price.

• The Gentiles in the parable of the Fish caught in the Net.

A. A Perspective of the Kingdom Parables.Mt. chs. 1-13

1. The Person of the King – Mt. chs. 1-4a.His Credentials from King David. Ch. 1 (1, 6)b.The Confirmation from the Magi. Ch. 2 (1, 2)c.The Coming of the King announced. Ch. 3 (1, 2)d.The Conquests over the Devil, the works of Darkness

and Calling out of Disciples. Ch. 4 (8-11, 16f, 23)

2. The Principles of the Kingdom. Mt. chs. 5-7a.The Kingdom in relation to its Citizens, OT Code (Law) and the Old Covenant. Ch. 5 (3, 10, 19, 20, 35)b.The Kingdom in relation to the Citizens’ Conduct.

Ch. 6 (10, 13, 33)c.The Kingdom and its true Children. Ch. 7 (21)

A. A Perspective of the Kingdom Parables. Mt. chs. 1-13

3. The Power of the King. Mt. chs. 8-12a.Over Diseases and Demon. 8:11, 12; 9:35b. To be Demonstrated by His Disciples. 10:7, 8c. In John and future Disciples. 11:11-13d. In His Disputes with and Denouncements of the Pharisees. 12: 24, 25-28But the Pharisees and the People rejected their King - Charging that He Performed His miracles in the Power of the devil. 12:24 ct. 28a.They were Committing the unpardonable sin!

12:31, 32

A. A Perspective of the Kingdom Parables. Mt. chs. 1-13

4. The Postponement of the Kingdom in the Plan of God. Hence, the Parables! Mt. ch. 13a.The Parables of the Kingdom – their Mystery teaching, concealed in the O.T. revealed in the N.T. 13:11b.The Period – between Israel's rejection of the King and His kingdom and her future acceptance of it.c.The Programme setting forth spiritual conditions that will prevail during this period.

A. A Perspective of the Kingdom Parables. Mt. Chs. 1-13

B. WHY THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM. Mt. 13:10-17

1.The Purpose of the Parables. 13:10-17. (Mark 4:10-13; Luke 8:9, 10)•It was a new Method of teaching – 13:10 Previously used to Illustrate and Illuminate; now they would be Illiterate to the Ignorant!a.Its Scriptural Meaning: The Gk. word means "to set alongside." Parable vs. Allegory.b.Its General Meaning: Incidents or concrete situations that Illuminate some abstract concept. c.Its Contextual meaning here. Intended to conceal rather than Illustrate Jesus' meaning. d.They were meant to be understood only by those Initiated into the kingdom.

• The disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest thou unto them in

parables?

B. Why The Parables of the Kingdom.Mt. 13:10-17

1. The Purpose of the Parables. 13:10-17.

b. It concerned the Mysteries of the Kingdom. 13:11.

i. In the N.T. mystery (mysterion) is a Technical Theological Term: concealed in the O.T. but revealed in the NT. Col.1:26

ii. Called 'mysteries‘ - they contain truth previously not revealed.

•The seven parables deal with the present age when Israel, the vineyard, is untended. Isa 5:1-7The Kingdom in the O.T. – Christ’s earthly reign when He comes as King to reign on the throne of David. The Kingdom of heaven in Mt. 13 – Christ’s present spiritual reign from heaven when He is absent physically from the earth prior to His second coming to reign in the millennial kingdom.

1. The Purpose of the Parables. Matt. 13:10-17a. It was a new Method of teaching. 13:10b. It concerned the Mysteries of the Kingdom. 13:11

c. It was Made necessary because…

i.The People were Privileged in hearing the Words of Jesus and seeing His Works.

ii. But they Refused and Rejected both.

iii.Therefore opportunities for further Revelation would be taken away from them.

iv.However, for the Disciples further Revelation to that which was concealed earlier would be given.

1. The Purpose of the Parables. 13:10-17. 2. The Principles for speaking in Parables

or the Reasons for doing so:-

a. The Consequence of those who make or do not make use of their opportunity and privilege.

i.e. He who has, but does not make use of what he has, it will be taken away from him. 13:12b

The People had the opportunity to see, hear and respond to the Person, Preaching and Performance of miracles by Jesus, but they refused to act accordingly; now, this Privilege of understanding Jesus would be taken away from them.

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.13:12

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance:but whosoever hath not, from him shall be

taken away even that he hath. Mt. 13:12

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not;

and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.13:13

b. The non-Comprehension of those who see and hear: they choose purposely to see and hear not.•i.e. He who sees but refuses to see it in the true light it is given, might as well not be shown to him.•He who hears but refuses to accept the true meaning of what he hears, might as well be not spoken to him. •He who wilfully refuses to accept what he sees and hears in the true light it is given might as well not see and hear it. It is Immaterial whether the material seen or heard is Intelligible.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal themc. The seared Conscience and Heart of those who wilfully see and hear not. 13:14. 15 cf. 34, 35•i.e. This state of closing their eyes and waxing their ears was brought about purposefully leading to the searing of their heart and conscience as prophesied by Isaiah and therefore would now become true .

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not

heard them.

d. Contrast the Cheery Condition of those who see and hear: 13:16, 17

i.e. a cheering contrast between the spiritual condition of the disciples, and that of the unbelieving multitude – things which the prophets and righteous men of many generations had desired to see and had not seen

A. A PERSPECTIVE OF THE KINGDOM PARABLES. Mt. chs. 1-13B. WHY THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM.

13:10-17C. WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN THE PARABLES? – 1. The Kingdom. Mt. 6:9, 10• After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

• Cf. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt. 4:17

C. What is the Kingdom of Heaven in the Parables?

2. The Kingdom of Heaven.

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto… (24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47 cf. 11, 52)

•The Kingdom of Heaven occurs 32 times in 31 verses in the N.T. and only in Matthew’s Gospel.

•The Parable of the Sower does not begin with "The kingdom of heaven is like" because it describes how the kingdom begins. It begins with the preaching of the Word, the planting of the seed in the hearts of people.

•The “kingdom of heaven”—more precisely the “kingdom of the heavens”—is a term descriptive of any type of rulership God may assert on the earth at a given period.

2. The Kingdom of Heaven.a. As a Predicted kingdom it refers to the establishment

of the kingdom of Israel on the earth (Acts 1:6) and is the subject of extended glowing prophecies in the OT.

• Cf. Psa. 2:6; 72:1; Isa. 32:1; Dan. 7:13-14; Mic. 4:1; Zech. 9:10; 14:9.

a. As a Promised covenanted kingdom the kingdom of heaven becomes the national hope of Israel (2 Samuel 7:4-12-17). John the Baptist, Christ, and the apostles announced that the kingdom of national Israel was “at hand.” That offer was rejected. As a result the “kingdom of heaven” in its earthly manifested form was postponed until Christ’s second advent

1. The Kingdom2. The Kingdom of Heaven.

3. The Kingdom of God.

•The Kingdom of God occurs 69 times in 68 verses in the New Testament and only 5 times in Matthew. (Mt. 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43)

• The Kingdom of God is spiritual:

Cf. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness… Mt. 6:33

• Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jn. 3:3

"And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you."— Luke 17:20f

D. THE PRINCIPLES IN INTERPRETING THE PARABLES OF

THE KINGDOM.1. First, when Jesus himself gives an interpretation, it

must be accepted as final and exhaustive; 2. Second, only those points of analogy which were

certainly in the mind of the author should have a place in the interpretation.

3. The chief error to be guarded against is a violation of the latter rule; and in order to successfully guard against it, one must have a well balanced judgment and an accurate knowledge of the subjects which the parables illustrate.

E. THE PARTS OF THE PARABLES: Hear ye therefore the parable…13:18

• Only Matthew records seven parables which can be divided into two main divisions:

• Introductory Parable: The Sower and the Seed – 13:3-9, 18-23 [Also found in Mk. 4:1-9, 13-20, Lk. 8:5-15]

a. The First Division – The Works of Satan as the Counterfeiter: 

• The Wheat and the Tares – He Plants False Wheat-look-alike Tares. 13:24-30, 36-43

• The Mustard Seed – he Produces False growth. 13:31, 32• The Woman with the Leaven – He

Propagates False Doctrines 13:33 [Lk. 13:29, 21]

E. The Parts of the Parables:a. The First Division –

The Works of Satan as the Counterfeiter: b. The Second Division: - The

Conclusion of the kingdom of Heaven and the Commencement of the Millennial Kingdom.

13:44-50• 3 groups of People will be Present at the close of the

Kingdom (the end of the age) 13:39, 40, 49, NIVa. The Treasure in the Field – the Jews. 13:44b. The Pearl of Great Price – the Church13:45, 46c. The Fish in the Net – the saved Gentiles

(the sheep, Mt. 25) 13:47-50c. The Concluding Parable of the Householder. 13:52

PART 1 – THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PARABLES.

Part 2 – The Parables in

ParticularNext week –

9 Dec. 2012