Trust in God’s Victory

MEMORY SELECTION: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” —Matthew 13:33

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Matthew 13:24-35

OUR Lord Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when his kingdom was coming, and he replied as follows: “The kingdom of God comes not with outward show; nor shall they say, Behold here! or there! for, behold, God’s Royal Majesty is among you.” (Luke 17:20,21, Diaglott) The thought of the text is that the kingdom would come without outward manifestation as far as the casual observer was concerned. In fact, God’s King of the kingdom was in their midst. (This variation from the King James translation is justified because of the context. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who were hypocrites, and it is not reasonable that Jesus would say that the kingdom of God was within them. Strong’s Concordance gives as the first meaning of the Greek word “basileia” as royalty, and therefore its application to a person is proper. The whole idea of the kingdom being within men rather than men being within the kingdom is modern, and was not taught by Jesus or his disciples.) Then in verse 24 the Lord explains further that when it is time for the kingdom to be revealed all will be aware of its establishment. His words are, “For as the lightening, that lighteneth out of one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.” (Luke 17:24) Light is a symbol of truth, and the Lord states that in his day—the time of the kingdom—truth and knowledge of him will be known by all men on the earth.

To properly understand these texts, it is necessary that we know there are two phases of the kingdom—a heavenly phase and an earthly phase. The heavenly phase has been in preparation during the Gospel Age. This great work of calling out a people for his name first from the Jews and then from the Gentiles has been without observation as far as the world is concerned. In fact, Jesus referred to this phase of the kingdom as a secret: “To you is given the secret of the kingdom of God; but to those without, all things are done in parables.” (Mark 4:11, Diaglott) When the work of selecting and proving the church is completed, then the earthly phase of the kingdom can start to operate under the terms of the New Covenant, with Christ and his church as its Mediator.

The first parable in our lesson is recounted in verses 24-30 of Matthew 13, and is known as the parable of the wheat and the tares. The parable states that a man sowed good seed in the field. But while he slept an enemy came and sowed tares. When the wheat was maturing it was evident that there were tares in the field. The man’s servant asked if they should remove the tares. The house-holder stated they should let both grow together until the harvest lest the wheat be rooted up also, but in the harvest the tares should be put in bundles and burned, and the wheat should be put in the barn.

Jesus interprets this parable for us in verses 37-43. Because of the interpretation, we can be sure of its meaning. Jesus is pictured as the sower who sows good seed, the field pictures the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, that is, the prospective members of the church. The tares are the children of the wicked one, that is, imitation wheat, or people who appear to be Christians but who are not really footstep followers of Jesus. The harvest is the end of the age, and during the harvest time the true wheat will be gathered into the barn. This would seem to picture the end of the Gospel Age and the completion of the church. The gathering of the tares into bundles to be burned seems to illustrate how the false Christians, who have bundled themselves into groups, will be dealt with. The groups (organizations) will be destroyed in preparation for the establishment of the earthly phase of the kingdom. The operation of the kingdom under Christ and his church is shown in verse 41: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity.”

| Home Page | Table of Contents |