07/01/2024 – Day 029 – Matthew – Chapters 11 – 13 – Chapter 13: “Parables of the Kingdom” & “Kingdom occurrences in Matthew” / Post 1 of 2
Last cycle’s post on this reading, dated 03/28/2022 covered 12: 3- 32, “What is unpardonable sin?”
Well, I am bringing in a familiar commentator: Henry H. Halley and “Halley’s Bible Handbook”, although I haven’t shared much from the first month of this cycle. A general comment on Halley’s Matthew commentary: He has an excellent one page comparative view summary of the four synoptic gospels, of a dozen category breakdowns of what and where each category is covered by each gospel.
I think y’all will enjoy these two excerpt sections from Halley’s commentary on the book of Matthew:
Chapter 13: 1 – 53. Parables of the Kingdom
“A Parable is a sort of ‘extended metaphore’; a comparison; illustrating spiritual things by ordinary. Roughly speaking, parables are stories to illustrate certain truths.
Jesus used parables, in part, as dark sayings, with apparent double meanings, ‘to conceal for a time what he had to reveal.’ The Kingdom that Jesus intended to establish was so utterly different form what was commonly expected of the Messiah that it was necessary for him to be tactful, So he used these stories, to illustrate the ‘origin, development, mixed character, and consummation’ of the Kingdom, which to us seem very plain, but were enigmas to his immediate hearers.
In interpreting the parables, the problem is to know which details are significant, and which are incidents necessary to the story. Ordinarily a parable was meant to show ONE point, and should be pressed for lessons in very detail.
The number of parables is variously given from 27 to 50. What some call parables others call metaphors. Ordinarily the number of parables is reckoned as about 30. Some of them are quite similar. Jesus used different stories to illustrate the same point , and sometimes the same story to illustrate different points.”
_______________________________________________
“The Kingdom“
“Notice how frequently the word “Kingdom occurs in Matthew: 3:2; 4:17, 23; 5:3, 10,19, 20,; 6:10, 33; 7:21; 8:11; 9:35; 10:7; 11:11, 12; 12:28; 13:11, 24, 31, 33, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52; 16:19, 28; 18:23; 19:12, 14, 23, 24; 20:1; 21:31, 43; 22:2; 23:13; 24:14; 25:1, 34; 26:29.
“A political Kingdom, in which the Jewish nation, under their Messiah, would rule the world, is what they were expecting. Herod shared that notion, and tried to destroy Jesus in childhood, because he thought the Christ’s kingdom would be a rival political kingdom to his own. John the Baptist shared that notion, and when Jesus gave no indication of being that kind of king John began to doubt whether after all Jesus was the Messiah. (Matthew 11:3). The Twelve Apostles shared the notion till after the resurrection. The last question they asked Jesus was, ‘Lord, will you now restore the kingdom to Israel?’ (Acts 1:6). Their minds were on political independence for their country, rather than personal eternal salvation.
What was the Kingdom that Jesus came to found? Not a political kingdom, but to REIGN IN THE HEARTS OF MEN, and through their hearts control and transform their lives. The human heart is the realm in which Jesus came to reign. To make all mankind LOVE HIM. And why love Him? To Change us over into His Own Image, Out of an Affection for Him, A Devotion to Him, and Adoration of Him, will grow all the beauty and comfort of life, the transformation of character, the regeneration of the soul.
The Word ‘Kingdom’ as used in the New Testament, is pliable. Sometimes it seems to mean the reign of God in the individual. Sometimes, the general right of righteousness of men. Sometimes the church. Sometimes, Christendom. Sometimes, the millennial reign. Sometimes heaven. The basic ida of the word implies Jesus’ dominion in the hearts of his people through all dispensations, onward into eternity, with special reference, at times, to one or another of its various aspects or stages.
Chapter 13: 54-58 Visit to Nazareth. (See on Mark 6: 1-6.)
Chapter 14: 1-12. John beheaded. (See on Luke 3: 1-20.)
Chapter 14: 13-21. The 5,000 Fed. (See on John 6: 1-15.)
Chapter 14: 22-33. Jesus Walks on Water. (See on John 6: 16-21.)
Period from Feeding 5,000 to Transfiguration
Chapters 14:34 to 16:12. (See on Mark 6:53.)
Chapter 14: 34-36. Multitudes in Gennasaret. (See on Mark 6:53.)
Chapter 15: 1-20. Pharisees and Defilement (See on Mark 7: 1-23.)
Chapter 15: 21 – 28. The Canaanite Woman. (See on Mark 7: 24-30)
Chapter 15: 29-39. The 4,000 Fed. (See on Mark 8: 1-9.)
Chapter 16: 1- 12. Leaven of Pharisees. (See on Mark 8: 10-21.)
Soli Deo Gloria!