The Kingdom's Growth
Living the Parables
-Part III-
#6 The Mustard Seed
Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19
The Mustard Seed
1. Was proverbial for smallness in 1st century
2. The Seed is about a millimeter in diameter
3. Usually about the height of a man
4. Sometimes grew to 12 feet tall
Interpretation #1
Growth =’s Positive Expansion of the Kingdom
1. They wanted the kingdom to come NOW
2. They expected the kingdom to come in POWER
Old Testament Allusions
Psalm 104:12 Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6 Daniel 4:12
Application: The Kingdom will grow with Time
Interpretation #2
Growth =’s Negative Expansion of the Kingdom
Mustard Seed =’s Small, but Pungent
Tree =’s Un-natural (evil) growth
Birds = Satan
Application: The Church will become worldly
#7 The Leaven
Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20-21
Interpretation #1
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast (The Gospel) that a woman (The Church) took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough (The World).”
Same message as the mustard seed parable
Mustard Seed =’s Extensive Growth
Leaven =’s Intensive Growth
Application: We must impact all of society
Interpretation #2
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast (Corrupting Agent) that a woman (Wrongful Authority) took and mixed into a large amount of flour (Fellowship) until it worked all through the dough.”
Reasons to interpret negatively
1. It’s in the middle of the wheat and weeds parable
2. It’s connected to the mustard seed parable
3. In 50 out of 52 cases, yeast is negative
4. Jesus uses yeast negatively elsewhere
5. The woman ‘hid’ the yeast
The yeast of the Pharisees = Hypocrisy (Luke 12:1)
The yeast of the Sadducees = Doubt (Matthew 16:6-12)
The yeast of Herod = Greed (Mark 8:15)
The old yeast = Immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)
The yeast of the law = Legalism (Galatians 5:1-9)
Application: The Church will become worldly
Conclusion:
Though I was originally taught (by dispensationalists) that these parables were about negative/worldly growth of the church, I now believe (based on context) that they represent the gradual increase in the kingdom of heaven in both quantity & quality.
-Part III-
#6 The Mustard Seed
Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
The Mustard Seed
1. Was proverbial for smallness in 1st century
2. The Seed is about a millimeter in diameter
3. Usually about the height of a man
4. Sometimes grew to 12 feet tall
Interpretation #1
Growth =’s Positive Expansion of the Kingdom
1. They wanted the kingdom to come NOW
2. They expected the kingdom to come in POWER
Old Testament Allusions
Psalm 104:12 Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6 Daniel 4:12
Application: The Kingdom will grow with Time
Interpretation #2
Growth =’s Negative Expansion of the Kingdom
Mustard Seed =’s Small, but Pungent
Tree =’s Un-natural (evil) growth
Birds = Satan
Application: The Church will become worldly
#7 The Leaven
Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20-21
He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."
Interpretation #1
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast (The Gospel) that a woman (The Church) took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough (The World).”
Same message as the mustard seed parable
Mustard Seed =’s Extensive Growth
Leaven =’s Intensive Growth
Application: We must impact all of society
Interpretation #2
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast (Corrupting Agent) that a woman (Wrongful Authority) took and mixed into a large amount of flour (Fellowship) until it worked all through the dough.”
Reasons to interpret negatively
1. It’s in the middle of the wheat and weeds parable
2. It’s connected to the mustard seed parable
3. In 50 out of 52 cases, yeast is negative
4. Jesus uses yeast negatively elsewhere
5. The woman ‘hid’ the yeast
The yeast of the Pharisees = Hypocrisy (Luke 12:1)
The yeast of the Sadducees = Doubt (Matthew 16:6-12)
The yeast of Herod = Greed (Mark 8:15)
The old yeast = Immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)
The yeast of the law = Legalism (Galatians 5:1-9)
Application: The Church will become worldly
Conclusion:
Though I was originally taught (by dispensationalists) that these parables were about negative/worldly growth of the church, I now believe (based on context) that they represent the gradual increase in the kingdom of heaven in both quantity & quality.
posted by matthew at 1:57 PM
2 Comments:
When I preached on this parable, I emphasized that, even though it may be hard to see God's kingdom work, it may seem small, it is growing and will continue. To give perspective, I gave a brief overview of Church history, of how it grew from a handful of apostles to a world wide church. Of course, a cursory glance at the history of the church could arguably demonstrate the negative aspect of growth too. Still I agree with you positive assessment of the parable.
Yeah, it was very hard for me to leave the negative interpretation of these parables b/c it had been in my head so long. But I think the positive interpretation was intended by Jesus
As you said, the point the negative view makes is true (the visible church is in many ways 'worldly'), but I now seriously doubt that point is made in this context.
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