by Stan Feldsine (www.tojesusbeallglory.com)
Matthew - The Progression of the Parables
The parables provide a view into the progression of the mystery kingdom from beginning to end:
Sower - Throughout the mystery kingdom age, the gospel will be sown to the whole world.
Seed Growing by Itself - The seed, Word of God, will not require any influence on the part of the sower. It has power within itself to to spring to life in believers.
Tares - The sowing of the truth will be imitated by the false prophets and teachers as they sow a counter narrative to the gospel. They will exist alongside the good prophets and teachers. The hearer will be required to confirm the truth of the Word through study and discernment.
The next two parables illustrate the results of the Tares.
Mustard Seed - The mystery kingdom will grow to huge outer proportions. The teachings of false religions and doctrines of demons will grow in the "visible" church along side the true "invisible" church. The combination of the true and the false growing intermixed will make it appear that the church has grown to a vast size.
Leaven - The mystery kingdom will be marked by inward corruption of doctrine.
The next parables illustrate the results of the Wheat, or the sower and seed growing on it's own.
Hidden Treasure - God will gain a Remnant of Jews who hear the Word about Jesus and the gospel and believe.
Pearl of Great Price - God will gain a people for His name from among the Gentiles who hear the Word about Jesus and the gospel and believe.
The Net - There will be a separation of the righteous from the unrighteous at the end of the age in a judgment called the Sheep and Goat judgment. The righteous are the believers who enter the Kingdom, and the unrighteous will go to Sheol.
Householder - The Mystery Kingdom is similar to the Kingdom programs of the past, but also has some aspects that are new. The other kingdoms are: The "Universal or Eternal Kingdom", the "Spiritual Kingdom", the Theocratic Kingdom", and the Messianic Kingdom".
Matthew 13:53-58 - Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
Mark includes "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them." (Mar 6:5). At this point in Jesus's ministry, healings were performed out of compassion for the sick. No longer is Jesus attempting to validate His deity and right to David's throne. The Messianic Kingdom has been postponed.
The people of Nazareth knew Jesus, they questioned His right to teach them, He was after all just the son of Joseph and Mary and had brothers and sisters. He had never been to a rabbinic school, and the Nazareth school system didn't teach what Jesus knew. The marveled at His wisdom and understanding of the Hebrew scriptures, but also were offended by Him (Mat 13:57), and gave Him no honor.
Jesus also was astonished, but at the unbelief of His neighbors. It would appear that Jesus was only astonished by two things, the first was the unbelief of His own people, the Jewish race, and secondly he was astonished at the belief of the Gentiles. Due to the unbelief of the Jewish people, Jesus was unable to perform many miracles.
This passage also reveals details about the family of Jesus. Jesus is reported to have 4 half brothers, James (the author of the book of James), Joseph, Simon and Jude (the author of the Book of Jude). Jesus also had at least two half sisters who are unnamed. Mary had at least 7 children including Jesus.
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