Understand and produce a crop hundred times (Matt 13a)

Understand and produce a crop hundred times

Matt 13:1-23

Key verse 23 ²³ But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Introduction

In the previous chapter, Jesus healed a demon possessed man. Many thought that Jesus might be the coming Messiah. But Pharisees, the religious leaders of that time, ascribed this healing to demonic forces. Simply speaking, they were saying that Jesus is the prince of demon and it was the work of demon. This was very decisive action in their part in the sense that they rejected Jesus out right, no matter what Jesus did. This rejection sets a new beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Also, they rejected miracles of healing as the sign of God. They demanded a different sign from Jesus. In other word, no matter how big miracles Jesus did, it was of no value in changing their minds.

In these two facts, rejection of Jesus, rejection of miracles, made a turning point of Jesus’ ministry. How or what direction did Jesus turn his ministry? Today’s passage is about this new beginning, a turning point.

In the event of today’s passage, Jesus changed the method of presentation of the kingdom of God. We will further delve into the significance of this new means of Jesus’ ministry for them as well as for us. Secondly Jesus unveiled a new secret of the kingdom of God. We will search what is the nature of the secret of the kingdom of God.

1.    Whoever has will be given more [1-17]

Read v 1.

The same day signifies the day when Pharisees called Jesus the prince of demon.  It is the day that Jesus sternly rebuked them that when one sin against the Holy Spirit, he cannot be forgiven. There will be no more chance for salvation of such person. They rejected Jesus. Jesus condemned them for eternal judgment. On this day, these leaders went far beyond the threshold of God’s mercy. So Jesus became keenly aware of this and did something new. What is something that Jesus began to do?  

V 2-3.

There were so large numbers of people to see and hear Jesus. Among them were those religious leaders as well. So we can say that there were two groups of people. One who rejected Jesus as the coming Savior, and the others who looked Jesus with favorable eyes as the Son of God.

In this setting Jesus began something that he did not do often. He began speaking in parables. He did not speak just one or two. He spoke so many in parables. How many? Total seven of them on this chapter only! Clearly Jesus changed his strategy of delivering his truth or his message. 

In this first parable, Jesus explains why Jesus changed his delivery method to parables. What kinds of message he wanted to deliver through the parables.

Then let’s see what the parable is about?

V 3-8.

Here we can identify few things: there is a farmer. There are seeds that farmers spread. There are four kinds of soils: path, rocky soil, thorny soil and good soil. Lastly there is farmer’s concern on bearing crop.

Since there is nothing said about seed or the kind of seed, we can assume that the seed are the same, whether it is sown on the path or good soil.

Also the difference in soil made different outcome, what kind of soil that the seed is received is the paramount importance. There is a remarkable crop on the good soil 100,60, 30 x.

Out of four soils, three had some problems. As the result they did not bear fruit from the seed.

As it is said, we have difficulty to know what this teaching is about. There are many questions on this parable. Who is the farmer? What is the seed? What does he imply about crop x100?

While leaving so many questions unanswered, Jesus said this.

V9 . ⁹ He who has ears, let him hear. What Jesus is saying is that if you have any insight into this parable, he can understand and capture the truth that Jesus was trying to convey. Could anyone among so many crowds understand fully what Jesus meant through this parable? Simply the very meaning of this parable was hidden to them all. No one, not even a single person could understand what Jesus meant. Then what can one do if he really cares to know? 

V10¹⁰ The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

Here some disciples came to Jesus asked why Jesus is speaking in parables. So far Jesus spoke overtly and explicitly about the truth. So they could easily understand. Also Jesus seldom taught them in parables. But suddenly Jesus spoke in parables and they could not capture the meaning.

What is a parable? It is story that happens in our daily lives. The story itself is easy to understand.  But in this story is a hidden truth that is not easily discernable. So often it needs explanation to understand fully. Simply we can say that it is a story loaded with hidden truth. Majority of the crowd left or did not care to know about this parable. But few were determined to know the truth! This small group of people sense the importance of the truth Jesus was speaking and wanted to get to the bottom of this truth! 

V11 ¹¹ He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Jesus wanted to give them the secret of the kingdom of God to these disciples. But Jesus did not want this secret to be understood by those who refuse to accept Jesus work. So speaking in parable was a way to select good ones or deselect evil ones out of such a large number of people.  Jesus already deselected the religious leaders for the kingdom of God!  .

¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

Simply it means that they are blinded to the truth of God. As the result, they will be permanently excluded from the kingdom of God. How would you feel if you are alienated from God’s truth? It sounds odd and unreasonable.

Is this principle what Jesus just began? No God said such thing long time before Christ. Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel in his book. 6:9-10

⁹ He said, "Go and tell this people: "'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' ¹⁰ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."  

This is about 650 years before Christ came. At that time, Israel sinned against God. Her sin is so egregious that God has determined to bring judgment. She rejected God’s counsel. She served many idols and leaders violated the Law of Moses. Simply they became so bad in the eyes of God that God decided to punish them according to the covenant curse [Deut 26]. So God shut their ears to hear and he shut their eyes to see. Simply they would be unable to perceive God’s truth, which is the avenue for forgiveness and salvation.

How long would their hearts be so stubborn? Isaiah asked God.  God answered here in v11-12. [¹¹ Then I said, "For how long, O Lord?" And he answered: "Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, ¹² until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.]

As we learned from the last week’s message, the final judgment of covenant curse is exile. Actually as we review the history of Israel, they were taken exile BC 586. But after 70 years, substantial number of people came back to reestablish the nation including the temple worship and sacrificial system. So v11-12 is unlikely about this stage of exile. In AD 70, Rome invaded Jerusalem and destroyed the city thoroughly. Since then the land was utterly forsaken!

Through this, we can say that their stubborn heart rejected the coming Messiah, Jesus, and will continue until they became totally destroyed by Romans in AD 70.

It happened to Israel and their stubborn heart incurred such judgment of God. Why does it matter to us now? God’s truth stands tall in history. What I mean is that God will do according to his ultimate principle of truth. That truth was implemented in Israel. He will surely implement the same truth to anyone and any nation in the world. God’s mercy is great and God‘s patience is abound for sinners. But if we reject God’s truth and calling it a work of devil, there will be no choice. We will face the same fate like Israel. It shall be in each individual. It shall be for a nation as a whole.

Though you hear the truth, you cannot hear what it means. Though you see the power of God, but you have no idea. This is utter punishment that leads inevitably to judgment. So when God speaks don’t become stubborn. When you see the power of God, don’t call it a rare chance. What is the miracle or what is the sign for today?

Jesus leaves us one sign, his death and burial in a tomb for three days and resurrection on the third day[12:39-41]. This is the last miracle for this generation. When one rejects this sign, he or she cannot see and cannot hear the truth. Such man is not far from eternal judgment. But when one take Jesus’ death and resurrection seriously; God opens a wide door of blessing. So though at the first look, Jesus suffering on the cross might sound strange, and though Jesus’ resurrection from the dead looks strange. But take yourself upon it with hope and positive mind. God opens a wide door for you!

V12¹² Whoever has will be given more, and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

We certainly do not want to be one among those who does not have. Actually we all are the one who has something in God that we are here. God will give more and more and more. Eventually he will give each one of us abundance of blessing! I even may not feel that I have something. It looks too small now but God will reward you with more and more to the abundance of God’s blessing.

V16-17

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. ¹⁷ For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

In v 11 it is said that the content of this parable is about the knowledge of the secret of the kingdom of God. It is called secrete because it was never known before. It is somewhat unusual to call it secret because many things about the kingdom of God have been said by prophets. Many things about the kingdom of God are well known among whole Israel. So I will explore a little more why it is called secret.

The idea of the kingdom of God on earth began when God called Abraham. He said that I will make you into a great nation. This was actualized when God brought Israel about one million people out of Egypt and lead them out into the desert. In this desert God solemnly declared that they are His people. Since then, Israel became the kingdom of God. Through this nation, God wanted to make the whole world to be His kingdom. So Israel was called the kingdom of priests, a kingdom composed of priests or a kingdom doing the role of priest for the whole world. This kingdom of God reached its highest point when God established David as king. Because David was the kind of king that God wanted; His kingship was typified by two things: shepherd and a man after God’s own heart. But David sinned and kings after them sinned and the kingdom eventually was taken exile. During this exile period, God sent his servants to prophesy about coming kingdom. So there are plethora of information about the coming kingdom in many prophetic books; Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel are the major ones. If we look at carefully, almost all of the prophetic books—minor and major contain knowledge of the kingdom of God. In these book are what kind of life we will have, what kind of people will be, and when it will come.. all these are revealed.

OT prophecies about the kingdom can be divided into two; about the coming king, Jesus. This information is rich in Isaiah. Second one is information on the future kingdom of God on earth in its final form, its people, and the time of fulfillment [Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah]. But there is no information about the kingdom in between the time of its inception and the time of its fulmination. It has never been mentioned or understood or known in and through the OT.  This is what Jesus is about to reveal. Israel’s rejection of her king would not stop for him to be the king. In his power Jesus begins the kingdom and the kingdom will continue to its fulmination. But there will be long time interval between the coronation of Jesus as the king and full establishment of the kingdom that was envisioned in OT. About this interval time, Jesus is about to reveal to his people.
It has to do with how to handle the difference between what they already know about the kingdom and what was about to be revealed by the king, Jesus.   It is the faith that can see the thing that is yet to come from what King, Jesus would reveal.  So this secret is about now and for us. So it is vital for us to have full understanding of this secret.      

2. The knowledge of the secret of the kingdom of God.[18-23]

It is about the message of the kingdom of God. When it was given at the beginning of today’s passage, we have no idea what the seed is. But now Jesus explains that it is the message of the kingdom of God. When the message was spoken, the words gone out and all people heard. The word of message was given to all indiscriminately. In other word, the message of salvation was given to all that came to hear. But among them are two kinds of people; one who have favorable affection for and trust in Jesus, and the other who rejected Jesus power and his authority. Though God sends the message to all human being, this does not mean to accept them all as God’s children. As God rejected Israel for their ungodliness, so will Jesus reject those who do not come to him by faith. Then how can one separate one from the other? This is the reason why Jesus began to use parables. By using parables, Jesus did three things. i. he hide the truth of God from the ungodly and evil as Isaiah said. ii. Jesus reveals the truth to a particular people, those who believe. iii. Jesus reveals something new that were never taught or revealed in OT. It is a secret that leads one to the kingdom of God.

Since the seed is spread at random, this is the mechanism by which the message of the kingdom of God will give offered to the people. This is the mainstay of method of delivery of the kingdom. It is done through waves of radio, or television. It is done on a pulpit or evangelistic meetings. Also it is through the word of God. Rom 10:14-15. The belief comes from hearing the words. So the mainstay of mission work is the word! Jesus gave the sign for the wicked and adulterous generation; this sign will lead people to have a listening ear. Listening ears will lead them to the truth of the kingdom of God and then they will be saved. This is the avenue for mission for this age. There are many forms of mission; wide range of humanitarian aids—education, hospital services, and improving living conditions or simply help through supplying the needs of people.  But these by themselves never lead to God.. The word of God leads to understanding and that understanding lead to the truth of salvation and then to faith and then to the receiving of Holy Spirit. This begins by spreading the word of God. It is at random and for all people. Here all were given opportunity of initial presentation of the Good news of God.

What is the meaning of this parable? There are four kinds of soils; the path, rocky soil and among thorns and good soil.

V 19
The path is where by many passes through. The critical flaw of this soil is the fact that this person did not understand at all! Simply the mind is too hard and there is no chance for a seed to take any root. This is the kind of person who has set his or her life in their own terms. He rejects all else particularly God and his truth. The bird came ate it up. Evil influence smashes any idea about the truth of God. There is no chance for the person to get acquainted to the word of God. This may be those like Pharisees and teachers of the law.

V 20
The second is the one who receives the words of God at the beginning. But when sun comes up, it quickly dried up because it has no deep root. Sun is an essential element for the growth of the plant. But since it has shallow root and underneath of the soil is covered by bed rock, there is short supply of water. Simply there is not much soil to support the plant. As much sun is needed for the plant to grow strong, so is persecutions and hardship are needed for a person to grow in faith. The word will be tested if his commitment to the word is genuine or not. One of our missionary found out that in her early 50’s she has stage 4, lung cancer.  But her faith did not sway. She is standing firm in faith. She is assured that even if she dies, she will see Jesus the king and she will join in the kingdom of God. She dared to rejoice and uphold the name of Jesus, her Lord. Her trials become the occasion of proving her genuine faith. Her commitment to Jesus was affirmed in her action by faith. On-coming death has no power over her.
But sadly there are many who fall away from God because of trials of life. Their faith is shaken from its root. Simply such person has not much root in the words of God.

Third one is the soil that grows the seed of the kingdom of God as well as many other plants. They are weeds. No matter how good looking it might be, these trees or plant do not bear fruit that God requires. They cannot endure to eternity. They will perish. Further it is here called thorns. It is hostile to the one who try to harvest. What are the weeds or thorns that one might think to enrich his or her life in addition to the words of God? These are nurtured and fertilized by our worries of life. It has elements of deceitfulness. What is it? It is the riches or wealth of this world. So, many spend so much time and energy to build the wealth in order to secure their lives. The wealth has an element of deceitfulness. No one is immune to this deceitfulness of the wealth. I thought that if I have a couple of million, I do not have to worry about basic needs and can devote my life fully to God. So I bought a property which seems to meet my goal for wealth. But it caused me so much trouble, headache and fears and anxiety.  It hinders me to do his work and often takes away my sleep. It is true; desire for wealth deceives many. But wealth never secures life and it is a thorn.
It suppresses the growth of the tree of the word of God. Though the word of God has deep roots and survived from all trials, the thorn saps away water and nutrients from the plant of the word of God. It renders the word of the kingdom of God powerless. The ultimate outcome is the same as the first or the second. No fruit. It is interesting that the third one has deep root but it is rendered powerless and cannot bear fruit.
 

The last one is good soil. This soil understands the word and produces a crop. Here when it say’ understand’ it does not simply mean that he accept and acknowledge the truthfulness of the word. It means that the truth of the word become the part of person himself. In Luke it is said that hear, retain and persevere. In other word, the person of good soil stands with the word of God through all hardship and difficulties. What are the elements of such hardship? One is the hard bed rock that rejects to take down the root. The other is deceitfulness of the wealth. In facing these two, the person of good soil chose the word and rejects the others that hinder the words of God. The final outcome is bearing fruit 100 times.

The best example of this is Isaac. Isaac was a mild mannered man. He inherited the blessing from his father Abraham. The blessing includes riches and the promise of God. But when his neighbor king Abimelech took away Isaac well, he simply gave it up and dug another one near there. Abimilech took away his well many times. But he did not quarrel. He simply gave away wells and move on his way. He did this so many times. They were troubling events for him because in this dry land, wells are the source of life.  Without wells, he cannot herd many animals. The he cannot keep his riches. But he believed what God said; I will give you and your descendants this land. So he persevered in that land, the land that God promised to give as everlasting possession despite of so many troubles from King Abimelech. Finally what happened? Gen 26:12: Persevere with the word of God; it will surely bear much fruit. The crop is far more than we can imagine.

One thing we should know in this passage is that the word of God is given to all. It has its power to bear good fruit, the fruit that God wants. Only thing that is needed is to nurture the seed to take down deep root. Remove all thorns. ‘what is one common element among the soil that could not bear fruit. They did not have enough soil to support the seed though the reason varied.

What might we conclude? We have to know the relationship between the soil and the word. Soil must support the seed, the word of kingdom of God fully.  If it needs much time to understand, then give it much time. To memorize, to study and to meditate on it. Until we get to understand the word of God in its depth, in its width, and in its heights. When I say in its depth, I mean that the understanding the depth of the hearts of God, the depth of the mind of men, and depth of the richness of the truth of the universe that God created. When I say, in its width, I mean that in its historical perspective from the beginning of creation to the final consummation of history, the coming of the kingdom of God.  When I say the heights, I mean that the scope of the knowledge of God that encompasses the whole universe. When Paul understood the richness of his word and God’s wisdom, he said this in Romans, Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

If it needs action, then do it by obedience to the word. There is a clear link between obedience and knowledge.  John 8:22-23  If it needs sacrifice of your time, or your money, or your enjoyment, do it so that the words of God may be fully supported and let the power of the word of God be fully in effects.

Lastly, out of so many things, Matthew emphasized ‘understanding’ while Luke emphasize retaining and persevering. Both have different emphasis. But here I like to say more about understanding. Understanding must come first and all else follows. If there is no understanding, then nothing else will follow; understand God’s holiness, understand God’s richness in his love, understand God’s almighty power, understand how sinful I am and how helpless I am in my sin, understand God’s wisdom that created the universe and me, understand his stern judgment and understand eternal judgment and its consequences, and understand the great blessing in the kingdom of God in eternity with God Almighty. The word of God will surely bear crop 100 times in your life!

May God richly bless you in His Word!