BIBLE MESSAGES Parables “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” [Matt. 13:13] The parables of Christ used in teaching meant nothing to the people until that which they were illustrating came to pass. Before the establishing of the church there was nothing to apply the parables to. We need to give diligence to our study of the parables of Jesus for the lessons they teach are so plain that we need help to misunderstand the lesson. After David had Uriah slain and had taken Bathsheba, God sent Nathan to tell David a parable. He told David about a man who had plenty taking the only lamb a poor man had to feed a guest that he might save his own. When David heard about the act of the rich man, he was mad and told what had to be done to the rich man. Nathan said, “David, you are that man”. Did David get the lesson? Evidently, for he said, “I have sinned”. I read a statement that impressed me and it fits the thought of this article so well that I pass it on to you. It was this assessment of us: Jesus’ disciples asked Him to explain the parable of the tares and He did and this became an example for us. Jesus said he who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are faithful Christians; he who sows the tares are the sons of the evil one; the one who sowed them is the devil; the harvest time is the end of the age; the reapers are the angels. Now we go back to another statement in the parable. “But while man slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the good seed in the field” [Matt. 13:25]. Vines, in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, writes this about tares. It was credited by the Jews as being a degenerate wheat. The Rabbis called it “bastard”. This next is from Clark’s Commentary: “In a treatise in the Mishna called Keyalim, which treats expressly on different kinds of seeds, the word zunim or zunin is used for bastard or degenerate wheat; that which is wholly a right seed in the beginning, but afterwards becomes degenerate. I used Clark because I think the parable has a congregational application as well as universal. Jesus used the term, “but while man slept”. This next quotation expresses it well if instead of pastors, we use the words elders and preacher and teachers. It reads, “Woe to the indolent pastor who permits the souls under his care to be corrupted by error and sin”. Paul said to the elders from Ephesus, “...and from among yourselves men will arise, teaching perverse things to draw away disciples after their own selves”. Now to Paul and to Peter for advice. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is not great thing if his ministers also transform them selves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” [2 Cor. 11:13-15]. Now let us look at what Peter wrote: “But there were also false prophets among the people even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber” [2 Peter 2:1-3]. There are some things we need to look at from these two quotations. Paul said some are false apostles who transform themselves into apostles of light. They would say I am one of you, I think as you think. Years ago a man came to Trinity who claimed to be a preacher, and he could deliver a good lesson, but it turned out he was trying to get in good standing with the congregation so that he could rip some of the members off. Peter said they will make merchandise of you. They will use you any way then can to make a financial gain. Peter said through covetousness they will use you for their own gain whether it be financial or popularity or whatever. Even though their Bible has, “He that believeth and is baptized will be saved”, and “Except a man be born of the water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven”. They will tell people just accept Christ as your personal Savior and you are glory bound. Now back to the parable. The field is the world, he who sows the seed is the Son of Man, the wheat is Christians, the tares are the evil ones, and we learn that as long as we are in the world, we will be in the midst of evil men, so be prepared to live with them. “I wrote unto you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean sexually immoral people of the world, or with the covetous or extortioners, or idolaters since then you would have to go out of the world” [1 Cor. 5:9,10]. The lesson is, since we are to be surrounded by evil people, we must be careful to stay awake or we will be overcome by the efforts of false teachers. Written by: Clifford Sims |