Jesus, the Great Teacher

GOLDEN TEXT: “And when He was come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” —Matthew 13:54

MATTHEW 13:24-35, 53, 54

JESUS was indeed a great Teacher—the greatest of all teachers. His moral and ethical instructions have done more to influence the world for good than have those of any other individual. However, those who see in Jesus a teacher merely of moral ethics fail to comprehend the deeper meaning of his message. There have been millions like this, even as there were many in Jesus’ own day.

On one occasion Jesus asked his disciples what men thought of him, and who they identified him to be. Their report was a favorable one. The general opinion of the public at that time was that he was a teacher sent by God. They realized that his abilities were above the ordinary, that never man spake with such clarity and authority. Some thought that he might be the foretold Elijah, or one of the other prophets raised from the dead.

But Jesus was not satisfied with this. Millions since have likewise acknowledged that he was a man sent by God, and they have appreciated and benefited by his unselfish philosophy of life, and his formulas for human relationships. But Jesus was more than the world’s best philosopher. He was more than a great teacher blessed by God. Appreciation of these outstanding facts concerning him do not in themselves make one a Christian.

Jesus asked his disciples their opinion concerning him, and Peter’s reply was, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16) This was the answer for which Jesus was looking, and he said to Peter, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 16:17) This true identification of Jesus is enjoyed only by those whom the Lord calls and enlightens. It recognizes Jesus as the One who had come to fulfill all the wonderful promises of God concerning the setting up of a divine government on the earth which would destroy sin and restore sinners to life. Many, even of those who have called Jesus the Christ, have not comprehended the real import of that title, and have not seen in him the promised “Seed” who came to “bless all the families of the earth.”—Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:16,29

But those who do thus recognize him are able to associate all his teachings with this glorious theme of the divine kingdom. Noting that most of Jesus’ parables are said to be illustrations pertaining to the kingdom, they consequently see in them a deeper meaning than would otherwise be possible. They recognize that the preparation of the “kingdom” began in Jesus’ day, and that this work of preparation has continued throughout the Gospel age.

Seeing this, they discern the propriety of the statement which introduces so many of the parables, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto,” etc. Satan has opposed the preparation of the kingdom, and has ever sought to deceive those who have been associated with it. He has also established a false or counterfeit kingdom. All these facts are set forth prophetically by Jesus in parable form.

It is thus with the three parables contained in today’s lesson. The first is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. This parable of the kingdom shows how the devil would, by using the Lord’s methods, establish a counterfeit of the true kingdom. This is illustrated by the sowing of counterfeit seed, that is, tares.

Jesus’ own explanation of this is found in verses 36-43. He explained that the one who sowed the good seed was the “Son of Man,” and that the good seed are “the children of the kingdom.” This should be kept separate from the Parable of the Sower, in which the seed is said to be the “Word,” or the Gospel of the kingdom. In the parable under consideration, the “seed” pictures individuals, not truth, and these individuals are said to be the “children of the kingdom.”

All true followers of the Master are invited to participate in the sowing of the truth, but the original sowing in the wheat and tares parable was done by Jesus, the “Son of Man.” The reference is apparently to his selection and planting of the apostles and other servants in the church. He began this work even while still in the flesh, but it was continued in a more definite sense at Pentecost through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is referred to in Ephesians 4:8-16.

This does not mean that the truth is not used in connection with the continued “sowing” of the wheat. But in this parable, the wheat itself symbolizes individuals, the “children of the kingdom,” just as Jesus himself explained. He did the primary sowing, by personally choosing the apostles, and doubtless also other servants in the Early Church. Through their faithfulness in spreading the truth, others of the wheat were brought into the field, but this too has always been under divine supervision. Even the apostles did not select other “wheat.” This has always been done by “the Son of Man.” In this he has represented the Heavenly Father; for, in the final analysis, it is “God that giveth the increase,” verifying the principle that all things are of the Father and by the Son.—I Cor. 3:6,7

All the “wheat” class are said to be “children of the kingdom.” This is because they are begotten by the Word of truth which, in reality, is the kingdom Gospel. They become imbued by the kingdom theme, with all its implications. They “seek first the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 6:33) They willingly suffer and die with Jesus, that they might live and reign with him in his kingdom. They renounce the world and all worldly schemes to establish righteousness, for they know that only the “kingdom” will bring the “desire of all nations.”—Haggai 2:7

The parable states that when “men slept” an enemy sowed “tares,” or imitation wheat. These are said also to be individuals—the “children of the wicked one,” and the enemy that did the sowing of these tares is said to be the devil. This is a very accurate prophecy of what actually occurred. The “men” who “slept” are evidently the apostles and other servants in the Early Church especially appointed by the Lord. They fell asleep in death. and then there began a great falling away from the faith.

This “falling away” was brought about, however, largely by the infiltration of false teachers into the church—ambitious leaders who sought power and advantage, and instead of feeding the flock of God, lorded it over God’s heritage. It was under the leadership of such devil-inspired leaders that, in due course, a counterfeit kingdom was established. It was called Christendom, and all its faithful adherents, imbued with its spirit, verily thought the real kingdom was established.

These have not been wicked people in the sense of being immoral or dishonest, or outcasts from society. In most instances they have been noble people, guided by the moral and ethical teachings of the Master, but they have been imbued by the devil’s theory that the kingdom of Christ was established through the union of church and state. Now that that wicked European system is almost completely destroyed, there are still millions who have no better conception of the kingdom than that it is something that man will ultimately establish by his own wisdom and power. Fundamentally, the theory that man himself can establish a social order of righteousness, and thus fulfill the promises of God, is one of Satan’s master deceptions.

According to the parable, at the end of the age (the time in which we are now living) the tares are gathered into bundles and burned in a furnace of fire. This symbolizes the great “time of trouble” with which the age is brought to, an end. It is during and as a result of this trouble that all man-made institutions and concepts claiming to be the kingdom of Christ, are destroyed, and their adherents recognized in their true light.

All the “tares” will thus be destroyed—as tares, not necessarily as individuals—before the wheat is gathered into the garner. This “garner” or “barn” condition is interpreted by Jesus to represent the time when “the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Thus these “children of the kingdom” will have their hopes realized in the establishment of the real kingdom of Christ in the earth; and in this “government” which will be upon “his shoulder” they will then be joint-rulers.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed also seems to represent the growth of the nominal, or counterfeit, kingdom of Christ. A mustard seed is very small, yet produces a large bush, so that the fowls of the air may lodge in its branches. This illustrates how the Gospel of the kingdom would, from a small beginning, attain to a considerable size. Thus the message of Christ received at first only by the poor and the few of Israel, has finally grown to such important dimensions that the fowls like to gather in its branches.

But let us remember that the fowls, according to our Lord’s interpretation of a previous parable, represent the servants of the wicked one. So, then, the teachings of this parable would lead us to conclude that the church of Christ, at one time, was so unimportant in the world that it was a shame and dishonor to belong to it, but that ultimately it would become honorable and great, and the Adversary’s servants would have pleasure in its shade.

This development the Scriptures represent as being “Babylon,” declaring that as a whole, with the various branches and denominations, the nominal church of Christ is Babylonish. Hearken to the Lord’s words: “Babylon the great … is become the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”—Rev. 18:2

The intimation is that there is a large outward development of the church which is not to her advantage and glory, but contrariwise. Nevertheless this is, nominally, the church of Christ. However his spirit may have been misrepresented, and there may have been an improper development, ultimately the great Head of the church will bring order out of chaos and confusion and will glorify and use his “elect.”

The Parable of the Three Measures of Meal is also a prophecy of the manner in which the kingdom doctrines and the kingdom class would become corrupted. This is illustrated by the implanting of leaven in the meal. Leaven is used throughout the Scriptures as a symbol of the corrupting influence of sin. There is no reference to leaven in the Scriptures which justifies the erroneous use so often made of it to illustrate the infiltration and expansion of wholesome influences in human society.

The “woman” in the parable, who puts the leaven into the meal is evidently that apostate woman so prominently, yet dishonorably mentioned in the book of Revelation. (Rev. 17:1-18) She is the false or corrupt church. The leaven which was put into the pure spiritual food of the Word of God is false doctrine of one sort or another. This corrupting influence continued to work until, in the Dark Ages, there was scarcely a pure doctrine of the truth remaining.

Jesus’ fame as a teacher spread, and in “his own country” the people were “astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” As a perfect human being, “holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners,” Jesus surpassed all others of his day in wisdom. But more important than this, at the ‘time of his baptism he received the gift of the Holy Spirit, which enlightened his mind and empowered him to perform miracles. This the people did not understand, so they were at a loss to explain how one of such lowly birth could attain such great heights of wisdom and power.

QUESTIONS

Why is it important to recognize that Jesus was more than merely a great teacher?

Do all the kingdom parables illustrate the righteousness of the true kingdom development in the earth?

How did Jesus explain the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares?

What is represented by the Parable of the Mustard Seed?

What is illustrated by the leaven put into three measures of meal, and who was the “woman” who did this?

Give two reasons why Jesus displayed such unusual wisdom and power in his ministry.

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