Here we find seven parables of the kingdom meant for the crowd, not just for Jesus’ disciples. A parable is a figure of speech in which a moral or spiritual truth is illustrated by an analogy drawn from everyday experiences. It takes from one familiar aspect of life whose truth can be applied to another aspect. They present truths about the kingdom in this present day. Parables make a single point vs. an allegory where every detail has a symbolic meaning.
They are called “mysteries” because they were not revealed in the O.T., and they are revealed by Christ Jesus only to those who are properly related to the kingdom. “Mystery” is used because Jesus presents the direction the kingdom is going to take in the interval between the rejection of the King and when He the King comes to set up His kingdom. This segment of history was never revealed in O.T. times.
The nature of the parable is to involve the listener in the story so they discern the meaning for themselves (2 Samuel 12:1-7). Jesus explained these two parables probably to give His disciples encouragement when their teachings were not listened to, and to know that the harvest would still be great if they but persevered.
The first is a parable about the soils over the sower: the sower doesn’t’ change. The soil cannot till itself, but can allow itself to be changed. The soil that has no root are those who fall away the moment that belonging to God costs them something. But note, that even the good soil still needs watering and tilling and weeding and rotating. We all have to pay some price, just so we can change the soil we turn out to be. We don’t get to choose the seed only the soil we can be. The “good soil” people meditate on God’s Word until it brings understanding, showing them their shortcomings and weaknesses. So they cultivate the good fruit that shows they are growing (Luke 8:15).
The parable of the tares shows us that evil mixes into the good even in our churches. Jesus doesn’t want us to uproot all the weeds we see prematurely, lest we damage the tender roots of good seed. Don’t’ try to rid your mind of bad thoughts before you act on good thoughts. Step out and act on the good as soon as you can, and leave the bad to Jesus and His angles. Over time the weeds get choked out and we bear more fruit.
The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast in the dough tells us the gospel starts from a small amount and builds — we may not even know how, but it builds. The Spirit is already at work in the world. The unseen power of God will work and can be trusted to produce a crop. We just have to water and till.
The hidden treasure and the pearl of great value show us the discipline we must submit to, but the supreme value of the find! The hidden treasure is like those who stumble on kingdom knowledge by accident. The pearl is like those who actually seek something of value and find the kingdom in their searching. The net of tremendous catch informs us that no matter how it is found, no price is too great to pay. Only those worthy of the Great Catch are those who are gathered into the kingdom. Also note that you cannot separate good from bad while you preach. God will do that part later.
We live with demands for patience and zeal. We are tempted to rush in and pull up evil by the roots wherever we see it, but this may destroy fragile goodness trying to grow. Let us be lenient with ourselves and those around us. We can’t eradicate evil if we tried!
Jesus’ final words of Matthew 13 state: “Every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” The Amplified Bible adds the phrase “the fresh as well as the familiar”. This statement has always plagued me; my understanding cannot grasp it.
Matthew Henry’s commentary states it displays a good householder with fruits of last year’s growth and this year’s gathering, abundance and variety, for the entertainment of his friends. I tend to like that explanation. But J. Vernon McGee says this is a personal verse, especially for those of us who teach and preach the Word of God. “But it is my business to bring forth old things; but I do hope to bring forth a few new things also.” This is my stumbling block. Do I trust myself in bringing forth new things? If I can bring forth “fresh” things along with the familiar, I consider myself lucky indeed.
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