This week i am trying something new. The words in red will be on the screen in Church. i gave them to the people who prepare the file on Friday afternoon, and then worked around them tonight.
1. Here is an image of Matthew chapter 13[i] , in
all there are 7 stories, all which begin The Kingdom of heaven is like what
happened when or what happens when …
we didn’t hear the first story today, but many of you will know the parables of the sower, or maybe we could call it the parable of the 4 soils.
Before we start looking at chapter 13, and what it might tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven, I want us to think for a little while about what is a parable? Jesus tells lots of parables, and in the lead up to Easter we will be reading some more of them. Here are some quotes:
we didn’t hear the first story today, but many of you will know the parables of the sower, or maybe we could call it the parable of the 4 soils.
Before we start looking at chapter 13, and what it might tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven, I want us to think for a little while about what is a parable? Jesus tells lots of parables, and in the lead up to Easter we will be reading some more of them. Here are some quotes:
2. Most
parables are mini-stories, but they are strange ones. Something familiar
becomes something strange, often subverting our expectations.[ii]
we see that in some parables, like the Good Samaritan. The people would not expect an enemy to be the one who would help, it should be an Israelite. Expectations are turned upside down.
the quote continues:
we see that in some parables, like the Good Samaritan. The people would not expect an enemy to be the one who would help, it should be an Israelite. Expectations are turned upside down.
the quote continues:
3. If you
are certain about what a parable means and have arrived at your interpretation
easily, you are probably getting it wrong.[iii]
parables often have multiple ways of looking at them. One problem with our habit of naming parables is that it biases our interpretation. We think they are easy to understand, but what if we read them from another perspective? How would a farmer read the parable of the sower – it was a waste of seed, surely the farmer could be more careful, and thrifty, in his sowing.
parables often have multiple ways of looking at them. One problem with our habit of naming parables is that it biases our interpretation. We think they are easy to understand, but what if we read them from another perspective? How would a farmer read the parable of the sower – it was a waste of seed, surely the farmer could be more careful, and thrifty, in his sowing.
4. It’s
quite fitting that Jesus is describing the kingdom through parables.
Parables surprise us, are hard to grasp, and subvert our expectations.[iv]
Parables surprise us, are hard to grasp, and subvert our expectations.[iv]
5. Parables
surprise us, are hard to grasp, and subvert our expectations.
The kingdom does the same thing.[v]
The kingdom of heaven… if I asked you, how would you describe it?
The kingdom does the same thing.[v]
The kingdom of heaven… if I asked you, how would you describe it?
6. The
kingdom of heaven is like what happens when …..
The kingdom of heaven is like …. that phrase occurs about 30 times in the gospel of Matthew; it is one of the main themes of Matthew’s Gospel. This morning we heard 6 parables, all of which start: The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when … . All the parables are actions, so the kingdom of heaven is not the farmer or the seed
The kingdom of heaven is like …. that phrase occurs about 30 times in the gospel of Matthew; it is one of the main themes of Matthew’s Gospel. This morning we heard 6 parables, all of which start: The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when … . All the parables are actions, so the kingdom of heaven is not the farmer or the seed
7. a
farmer sows seed
and it falls on good soil, and the path and rocky ground and amongst weeds. What might this tell us about the kingdom of heaven?
and it falls on good soil, and the path and rocky ground and amongst weeds. What might this tell us about the kingdom of heaven?
8.
a field is scattered with good seed – I am guessing most
people pull up weeds that come up in their garden, but here it is likely the weed
looks like wheat. One suggestion I read was that instead of calling this the
parable of the wheat and weeds, we could call it the “The Parable of the
Incompetent Servants.” Or, if you prefer, “The Parable of
the Servants Who Can’t Be Trusted to Pluck Weeds.”[vi]
Notice that the servants are not trusted to pull out the weeds without harming the wheat, but at the end, it is workers, not servants, who sort and collect the crop.
Notice that the servants are not trusted to pull out the weeds without harming the wheat, but at the end, it is workers, not servants, who sort and collect the crop.
9. a
mustard seed is planted
firstly, mustard was a weed!
firstly, mustard was a weed!
No farmer in their right mind would
plant mustard seeds, it would quickly take over the whole field, and your
neighbour’s field. It isn’t the smallest of seeds, I have seen much smaller.
what has this to do with the kingdom of heaven?
what has this to do with the kingdom of heaven?
10. yeast
is mixed with flour –
‘three big batches of flour’, which is equivalent to about 21 kgs. That is a lot of flour. Someone has calculated that this would make 52 loaves of bread. This woman is making enough to feed the village, not her family.[vii]
and 3 batches of flour is on other stories as well, like when Sarah made bread for the visiting angels [Genesis 18:6]
‘three big batches of flour’, which is equivalent to about 21 kgs. That is a lot of flour. Someone has calculated that this would make 52 loaves of bread. This woman is making enough to feed the village, not her family.[vii]
and 3 batches of flour is on other stories as well, like when Sarah made bread for the visiting angels [Genesis 18:6]
11. treasure
is found –
I wonder about this one, I get that some things are worth giving everything for,
and when we say we follow Jesus, there is an expectation that we then live for
Jesus. But how many people could sell enough to buy a field?
12. finding
the best pearl – this
sounds like an odd business decision. If the pearl is so wonderful that you don’t
want to sell it, how do you stay in business?
13. A net
is full of fish – this
is similar to the parable of the Parable of the Servants Who Can’t Be Trusted
to Pluck Weeds. Pull up all that is in the net, take it to the beach, then sort
it out.
“ Angels will come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right.” It is not our task to judge.
“ Angels will come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right.” It is not our task to judge.
14. The kingdom of heaven is …..
15. generous/wasteful
[sower/4
soils]
• inclusive [wheat and weeds] – the servants are to
tend the whole field, to help all plants to grow, both good and bad.
• growing/useful [mustard seed] it may not be wanted in a
field, but the parable talks about providing shelter.
• hidden/subversive [ yeast] baking bread
is women’s work, and therefore lesser value in this time. Yeast is hidden and
subversive, it works its magic unseen.
• valuable [ treasure]
• found/searched for [pearl]
• non-judging [fish]
If you were writing this,
you would come up with other words.
Another parable, from
a different tradition.
Story
of elephant:
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it, they groped about it. In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, "elephant is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.[viii]
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it, they groped about it. In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, "elephant is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.[viii]
The
parables in today’s reading give us hints about the Kingdom of Heaven. So, what
might we see when we look at them together:
16. Taken
together, these stories envision the kingdom of heaven as new life springing forth
among us in surprising and uncontrollable ways.[ix]
17. They
call upon the church to cease being an arbiter of righteousness and to start
nurturing the world into abundant life for all.[x]
yes there will be judgement, but at the end of time, not now, and not by us. Our task is to bring life, to encouragement growth,
yes there will be judgement, but at the end of time, not now, and not by us. Our task is to bring life, to encouragement growth,
18. The
common theme in all of these parables, then, is that the kingdom of heaven
brings life to the world in ways that transcend all of our expectations or
intentions.[xi]
19. We
cannot leaven part of a loaf of bread.[xii]
20. We
cannot keep our mustard seed from serving as a birdhouse.[xiii]
22. The
task of the church—the task of we who believe—is to bring life.
To
bring life indiscriminately.
To
bring life to all.
To
bring life without preconceptions of who deserves it or what such a life should
look like.[xv]
24. The
kingdom is
abundant,
hidden,
in the
everyday.
Go
seek, knead, fish or whatever you do.
It is
there that you will find the kingdom.[xvii]
This week, I encourage you to look for
signs of the Kingdom, note them down.
It may be that you find glimpses of the
Kingdom in unexpected places or
in unexpected ways within yourself, within
others and in the world all
around you.[xviii]
Which
parable resonated with you?
Where
do you see the Kingdom of Heaven?
[i]
https://www.stevethomason.net/studies/the-bible-bookshelf-archive/loj/matthew/matthew-page-9/
[ii]
https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/subversive-kingdom-feb-17-2019/?fbclid=IwAR2f9Efs_U171TxbsbSY7pgnxBGzyI2GmNm4U2Uf_syLStZoDROH02Z79ms
[iii]
https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/subversive-kingdom-feb-17-2019/?fbclid=IwAR2f9Efs_U171TxbsbSY7pgnxBGzyI2GmNm4U2Uf_syLStZoDROH02Z79ms
[iv]
https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/subversive-kingdom-feb-17-2019/?fbclid=IwAR2f9Efs_U171TxbsbSY7pgnxBGzyI2GmNm4U2Uf_syLStZoDROH02Z79ms
[v]
https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/subversive-kingdom-feb-17-2019/?fbclid=IwAR2f9Efs_U171TxbsbSY7pgnxBGzyI2GmNm4U2Uf_syLStZoDROH02Z79ms
[vi]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[viii]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant
[ix]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[x]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xi]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xii]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xiii]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xiv]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xv]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xvi]
https://robertwilliamsonjr.com/help-weeds-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3yfb6WNtMJLni7qkVIFgr5Icv6c8ml_--AtPW9o-9CNBL5Xt0FAUaRRwQ
[xvii]
Spill the Beans
[xviii]
Spill the beans
