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America in the Kingdom Parables
C.O. Stadslkev - 1959
The Sower and the Seed
Matthew 13:1-23
THE READER'S attention has
already been called to the fact that the Parable of the Sower and the Seed
introduces the other parables on the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Verses 10 and 11 of Matthew 13 tell us "the disciples came, and
said unto him (Jesus), Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered
and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."
Here we learn that there are
mysteries or secrets in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth which would be made
known in parables.
In verse 19 of Matthew 13 Jesus
indicated that Satan would put forth special effort to keep people in
ignorance and confusion relative to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Verse 19 reads as follows: "When
any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then
cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
This is he which received seed by the way side."
As with other truths taught in
the Scriptures, a scriptural interpretation and a correct understanding is
necessary if the Word of God as the seed is to take root and produce the
desired results.
The importance of understanding
is also emphasized in verse 23 where we read, "But he that received seed
into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;
which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some
sixty, some thirty."
Since God's great ultimate purpose in His plan for this earth is
the establishment of His kingdom on earth where His will shall be done as it
is in heaven, we can understand why Satan has put forth such a desperate and
persistent effort to keep people in ignorance and confusion relative to what
is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God on earth.
We must remember, as we read in
Matthew 13:11, that the Lord's purpose in giving these kingdom parables was
to make known the mysteries or tile secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven.
And remember always, we must not
confuse the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth with the mysteries
of the Church of Jesus Christ.
In his letters to the Ephesians
and Colossians, the Apostle Paul claims that he was the first man to whom
the mystery of the Church of Jesus Christ was revealed.
In verse 2 of Ephesians 3 he
wrote that it was given unto him to open the dispensation of grace or the
Church Age. In both Ephesians and Colossians he states that the mystery of
the Church is "Christ in you the hope of glory," that personal salvation is
for all people who will receive and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
See Ephesians 3:1-6 and Colossians 1:24-29.
After Jesus had set forth His
parables of the Kingdom of leaven as given in Matthew 13 He said, "Have ye
understood all these things? "They replied, "Yea, Lord."
If the mysteries of the Kingdom
of Heaven, of which Jesus spoke, are identical with the mysteries of the
Church of which Paul wrote, then the Lord failed in His teaching and the
disciples were mistaken in answering that they understood the kingdom
parables, for the disciples most certainly did not understand the mysteries
of the Church until after the death and resurrection of the Lord.
Furthermore, if the Kingdom
parables are Church parables making known the mysteries of the Church then
Paul was in error in teaching that the mysteries of the Church and the Age
of Grace were first made known to him.
Before going into the study of
the Parable of the Tares
Among the Wheat we shall consider the shorter
parables of Matthew 13, and then return to that parable.
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