ALL ABOUT YOU: GIDEON, CHAPTER 15
THE HARVEST AND THE KINGDOM
01-25-04
(Mat
13:24-30) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The
kingdom of heaven [the abode of God] is likened unto a man [Jesus
Christ] which sowed good seed [“born again”
seed: John 3:3; the 42nd Christ generation: Mat 1:17] in
his field [in His garden of Eden: “The field is the world” (kosmos;
cosmos (universe) Mat 13:38]: But while men slept [to fall
asleep (i.e. were not vigilant)], his enemy came and sowed
tares [darnel or false grain] among the wheat [in
His garden of Eden], and went his way. But when the blade [herbage
or vegetation] was sprung up [out of the seed], and brought
forth fruit [fruitful, i.e. bearing more good seed],
then appeared the tares also [i.e. the bad: fruit-less,
no fruit]. So the servants [bond (-men) /// to bond: be in
bonds] of the householder [head of the family: master of
the house (Jesus Christ)] came and said unto him, Sir, didst not
thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence [where] then
hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them
up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares [the
bad: fruit-less, no fruit], ye root up also the wheat [the
good: fruit-full] with them. Let both grow together until the
harvest [“till the whole was leavened” Mat 13:33]: and
in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers [“the
reapers are the angels” Mat 13:39], Gather ye together first
the tares, and bind them in bundles [associations of
like-minded people, bound together in groups by their mental agreement,
i.e. homosexuals, abortionists, women’s liberation movement] to
burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
1.
(Luke 8:11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word
of God [sown in you].
2.
(Mat 13:38) The field is the world [kosmos;
cosmos (universe)]; the good seed are the children [off-spring]
of the kingdom; but the tares are the children [off-spring] of the
wicked one [hurtful, i.e. evil (in effect or influence)];
3.
“so the servants” = The servants or bondsmen are given the
charge or oversight of serving and guarding (“to dress it and to keep
it” Gen 2:15) the field which contains the seed of the Word of God
(John 1:14). Our bodies may be correctly viewed both as individual
“fields,” or corporately as one many-membered (Rom 12:4; 1 Cor
12:12,20) “field,” i.e. the body of Christ. A parallel analogy is
that of shepherds and sheep. The servants or bondsmen of the householder
(Jesus) are shepherds who have been charged with the oversight of
nurturing to maturity (Eph 4:12,13) each individual sheep (individual
stalks of wheat), which together comprise the flock (field). These
servants or bondsmen are members of the “Hand-Ministry” (Eph 4:11),
i.e. the “hand” of the body of Christ, most often generically called
pastors. Their congregation, which is their sphere of influence, is the
field of responsibility that has been allotted to them by God
according to their individual willingness and obedience (Isa 1:19,20).
4.
The true servant of the householder is a willing and obedient
undershepherd held responsible for the “field” (ministry)
that has been placed under his care. Through diligent study and
application of the Word of God (2 Tim 2:15 study; James 1:22 doers; Heb
4:12 logos; Eph 4:17 rhema), the servant of God is equipped to discern
the difference between the wheat and the tares (the sheep and goats) in
his field, else he would not have been allotted that particular
“field” (ministry) by God. The example given is that of the last
stage of wheat and darnel stalks which appear identical throughout their
growth, until they approach maturity and commence to bear fruit. The
wheat evolve golden heads of eatable “fruit” whereas the darnel
evolve black heads which, not incidentally, are poisonous. Scripture
testifies that “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Mat 7:16).
5.
(1 Ki 3:9,10) Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge [rule] thy people,
that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord,
that Solomon had asked this thing. [“a wise and understanding
heart” v.12]
6.
(Heb 5:14) But strong meat [vs. milk]
belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by
reason of use [habit, practice] have their senses
[organs of perception] exercised [trained] to
discern [judicial estimation /// to separate thoroughly,
discriminate: judge] both good and evil.
7.
(1 Cor 6:1-4) Dare any of you, having a matter against
another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye
not know that the saints shall judge the world [kosmos]?
and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the
smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how
much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have
judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge
who are least esteemed [ a judgment itself] in the church.
8.
“into my barn” = Men are symbolized as trees in the Bible. Question:
are the wooden boards of which the barn of Jesus is composed (built)
dead or alive, dead wood or living wood? For an explicit spiritual
example, please recall the 48 wooden priest boards (comp. 48 priest
cities) that support the tabernacle of Moses – was that a dead
structure or a living structure? Then examine the born-again
chronological and evolutional pattern of the trees in the garden of Eden
(living trees) /// WE DIED IN ADAM (Gen 2:17) /// the ark of Noah: dead
trees made alive again – the ark saved Noah and his family; the
tabernacle of Moses: dead trees made alive again – the tabernacle
saved the OT Jews; the barn of Jesus: dead trees made alive again –
the barn saved (-ing) the NT Jews = us, Living Trees.
Amen
|