Parables of the Sower/Soil and the Wheat and Weeds

Matthew 13

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Shift in Jesus’ Teaching Methodology

• Jesus has publicly proclaimed Himself to the nation of Israel.
• Till now, parables were used to clearly communicate.
• Now, they are used to reveal but also conceal truth.
• Disciples so puzzled, they asked Jesus about it.

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Context of Passage (aka, a very long day)

• Conflict with Pharisees about “working” on Sabbath by eating grain.
• Healing man with disabled hand in synagogue.
• Pharisees now want to kill Jesus.
• Healing sickness among the crowd.
• Specifically healing a demon-possessed man.
• Crowd begins to think Jesus is the Messiah.
• Pharisees attribute Jesus’ power to Satan (unpardonable sin).
• Jesus condemns the Pharisees.
• Jesus’ family comes to take Him away, thinking He’s crazy (Mark 3:21).
• Jesus begins teaching the crowd in parables to conceal truth.

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Unpardonable Sin

• Pharisees were witnesses to Jesus’ power and miracles.
• They did not dispute the supernatural or the power, but the source.
• Took the goodness and holiness of God and called it demonic.
• Can we commit this today?
• Yes and no, depending on technical definition.
• If you are concerned about it, you probably haven’t.
• If you have full revelation of Jesus, and you intentionally reject Him and call Him Satan.
• If you reject Jesus, there is no hope for you, because there is no alternative.
• Heb. 2:3-4 / Heb. 6:4-6 / Acts 4:12
• Contrast with Nicodemus who attributed this power rightly to God
• John 3:1-2

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Concealed only Temporarily

• Concealing the truth was only temporary
• Today the Gospel is given to all
• The parables are clearly explained for everyone to know

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Matthew 13 Parables Outline

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Parable: Sower and Soils

• Field - The field is the earth, all of humanity.
• Sower - Christ (those who share Gospel).
• Seed - Gospel message.
• Soil - Hearts/will of mankind. 4 types:
• Hard Road/Path - Does not care. Doesn’t act on it at all.
• Rocky Soil - Hears, gets excited, but walks away under trials.
• Thorny Soil - Initially positive, but pleasures/worries distract them.
• Good Soil - Hears the Word, accepts it, and follows in obedience.
• The only favorable soil

7

Middle Soils

• Are the 2 middle soils (rocky and thorny):
• Actually believers but are just weak?
• “Religious”, but never actually believers?
• Doesn’t really matter.
• These are not our models.
• Only the good soil is our model.

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Discussion Question

What do you think the main point of this parable is?

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Parable: Sower and Soils

• The Gospel is not rejected because:
• It wasn’t packaged properly
• It wasn’t bad/defective
• It wasn’t sowed properly
• It is rejected because their hearts are not receptive to it.
• They do not believe because they do not want to believe.
• Christ is preparing His followers for the reality that most Jews will reject Him as Messiah.

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Parable: Wheat and Weeds (historical context)

• First parable starting with phrase “kingdom of heaven is like…”
• Kingdom of heaven:
• Generally, God eternally rules all things.
• Specifically, this is the spiritual kingdom in the hearts/minds of mankind right now.
• Jewish expectations:
• Messiah would destroy Rome, restore Israel, and wipe out all wickedness and establish world peace.
• Mystery was that Messiah would come 2 times.
• Jews didn’t want a Messiah that would die.

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Parable: Wheat and Weeds

• Field - All of humanity, not the church (believers and nonbelievers).
• Wheat (good seed) - Christian believers (not the Gospel).
• Weeds (bad seed) - Those who reject Christ (non-believers).
• Enemy - Satan
• Harvest - End of this spiritual age, when God carries out ultimate justice.
• Reapers - Angels who carry out God’s will.

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Parable: Wheat and Weeds

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• Coexist - In the kingdom of heaven, believers and unbelievers will coexist for a time until God separates them.
• Correcting wrong ideas of Jews about when Messiah would punish evil.
• We are not commanded to search out evil (weeds) outside the church.
• Why not? Because we will accidentally accuse and harm fellow believers (wheat).
• Justice happens in God’s timing, in God’s way.

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Discussion Question

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Have you ever observed zealous Christians destroy God’s garden in an attempt to stamp out the weeds?

How has that turned out?

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Final Application/Summary

Parable of the Sower/Soils

• The Gospel is rejected by an unreceptive heart.
• We are not rejected, God is rejected; we are just messengers.
• The Gospel is mysterious in that it will take root in ways we can never imagine with tremendous results, but in order for it to take root it has to be sown/shared.

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds/Tares

• We are not to search out and attack evil, because we will get it wrong.
• God will carry out justice in His timing and it will be righteous, just, and holy.
• Pray for those who do evil that they will switch kingdoms and become followers of Christ.

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