In the Fulness of Time/Part 87

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Age of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Matthew 13

Introduction: Speaking in Parables – Mt. 13:1-3a

Mt. 13:1-3a “The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a boat, and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying….”In Matthew 12 Jesus was rejected by the Jews, so now in chapter 13 He begins to speak in parables (v. 3), which are given to keep the unbelievers from understanding what He has to say (v. 13-15).

These parables are called “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 11) and are defined by Jesus in verse 17 as things which were not revealed to Old Testament prophets and righteous men, but are now interpreted to His true disciples (v. 16).

Since these mysteries were not known by the Old Testament saints, it would be incorrect to interpret these parables as referring back to things that were known in the Old Testament, such as Israel being the “treasure” of verse 44 simply because she was called the “peculiar treasure” of the LORD in Exodus 19:5.

There is a definite time period involved in the outworking and fulfillment of these parables. It begins with the “Son of man” sowing the “good seed” who are believers (“children of the kingdom” v. 37) and the “end of the age” will occur when the “Son of man” Who by this time has been in heaven, sends “forth his angels” to “gather out” the wicked from his kingdom (v. 41) and to “gather the wheat into” His kingdom (v. 30), who are the righteous who shall “shine forth in the kingdom of my Father” (v. 43). This time period must contain the “mystery” concept and thus cannot be limited to what was already known from the Old Testament. In other words, this “age” begins with the preaching of the Son of Man and ends with the separation of the wicked from the righteous at the “end of the age” which is also the beginning of the earthly Messianic Kingdom.

Ordinarily, the fact that these parables were given “the same day” might be overlooked as incidental, but in this case it is on the day that He had been accused of casting out demons by Satan, which was the culmination of His rejection by the officials in Israel. He is now about to give a series of parables concerning the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 11) which will be understood only by believers.

Jesus addressed the “multitudes” in 13:1-9, 24-35 giving the first four parables, but not interpreting any to them. After giving the first parable, Jesus told His disciples why He spoke in parables, and then interpreted the parable of the “sower” to them privately.

Since the word “parable” comes from para (alongside) and bole (to throw), a simple definition includes placing one thing beside another in order to make a comparison; in short, the one thing illustrates the other.

As we go through this chapter, we will see that all of these parables will be fulfilled “in the fulness of time.”

Read Part 88