Mateus 13

Mateus 13

Hughes adds that "These growth parables...have been subject to over interpretation. This was especially true in the nineteenth century when it was commonly taught that the gospel would keep spreading until the world was Christianized and the kingdom was ushered in. For example, toward the end of that century Sidney Gulick wrote a book entitled The Growth of the Kingdom of God. The book’s argument was that Christianity is inexorably spreading and will ultimately take over the world—so why not convert now?...Those who imagine that the kingdom can be brought in by the preaching of the gospel neglect the teaching of the mystery parables of Matthew 13, such as “the sower” (Mt 13:3–23) and “the weeds” (Mt 13:24–30), which demonstrate that the church and its rule will be neither universal nor perfect. What really put an end to such un-Biblical (though noble) dreams were the great wars—and sins—of the so-called “Christian nations.”...The Biblical realism in these two parables does not teach triumphalism (the view that one religion will displace all others), but rather the effective growth of the church and the authentic transforming power of Christ’s Gospel. (PTW-Lk) Matthew 13:33 He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” another parable- Mk 13:20 like leaven - Lu 13:21 1Co 5:6,7 Ga 5:9 until it was all leavened - Job 17:9 Pr 4:18 Ho 6:3 Joh 15:2 16:12,13 Php 1:6,9 2:13-15 1 Th 5:23,24 2 Pe 3:18 Matthew 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Adding Leaven to the Flour THE PARABLE OF LEAVEN This parable like the parable of the mustard seed has two markedly divergent interpretations, one that the leaven represents evil permeating the Kingdom of Heaven or the other that the leaven represents the gradual, pervasive, penetrating growth of the Kingdom of Heaven. I strongly favor the latter, but be aware that there are excellent commentators and expositors (Walvoord, Guzik, Wiersbe, G C Morgan, etc) who favor the former view. This latter view would hardly be one that would encourage the disciples, which I believe was one of Jesus' main purposes for giving these "growth parables." He spoke another parable (parabole) to them - Jesus was speaking to the Jewish multitudes who would keep on hearing, but would not understand (cf Mt 13:14-15+). One would think that a few would at least have some sense of what this parable suggests for they knew the effect that leaven had in dough. Their problem was that they did not understand what Jesus meant by the Kingdom of Heaven/God. Recall that even His own disciples after having heard all of His kingdom parables were still somewhat perplexed after His resurrection asking Jesus “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6+) They were still expecting that now Jesus would establish His Messianic Kingdom, because they did not comprehend the interval of the Church Age which would begin in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost. Keep in mind that in these parables there is an implicit declaration that the Kingdom has arrived in some sense as a result of Jesus' ministry. Most would describe this as the "invisible" aspect of the Kingdom, being manifest in the hearts of those who had believed His Gospel. The kingdom (basileia) of heaven (note) is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened - What is leaven (literally)? Leaven is "any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture." (Wikipedia) Imagine yourself as a disciple and your first reaction to hearing the Kingdom of Heaven compared to leaven and flour. What a humble beginning to drive home the point to His disciples as He explains how the Kingdom of Heaven works from the inside out. Ligon Duncan applies this truth to believers - This reminds us, friends, that we don’t have to draw attention to ourselves in doing the work of the kingdom. The gospel does not brag. The kingdom does not advertise itself. The kingdom does not draw attention to itself as it works. It works slowly and surely and it is impressive in spiritual even if it’s insignificant in the eyes of men. But the kingdom works and it doesn’t draw attention to itself. (Sermon) Like (same)(3664)(homoios from homos = one and the same) means like when referring to objects and of the same status when referring to individuals. It denotes a correspondence in feature, property or nature. Uses in Matthew - note concentration in Matthew 13 - Matt. 11:16; Matt. 13:31; Matt. 13:33; Matt. 13:44; Matt. 13:45; Matt. 13:47; Matt. 13:52; Matt. 20:1; Matt. 22:39. The phrase kingdom of Heaven is like is used 7x by Matthew with 6 uses in Matthew 13 - Matt. 13:31; Matt. 13:33; Matt. 13:44; Matt. 13:45; Matt. 13:47; Matt. 13:52; Matt. 20:1. The main truth about leaven is its ability to pervasively permeate. Which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened - Jesus could have just said "a large quantity of flour" but by specifying the amount, He brought out the striking contrast more vividly. Three pecks of flour is roughly the equivalent of a modern bushel or from 20-45 liters, enough to feed 100 people. The point is that this is a very large amount of flour when compared to the small amount of leaven. Notice Jesus' use of the verb hid (egkrupto) used only here in NT (Lxx uses - Jos 7:21, 22; Pr 19:24; Ezek 4:12; Hos 13:12; Amos 9:3) which conveys the idea of to conceal and so put out of sight. This meaning gives us a good sense of what Jesus was saying by using this illustration. The verb hid emphasizes the idea that even though the Kingdom was out of sight, it is still very much at work. The picture of the Kingdom would be that it was, in a sense, initially hidden , concealed, out of sight, certainly to those who did not have eyes to see or ears to hear and were not members of the Kingdom by virtue of belief in the King. A slight distinction has been pointed out between this parable and that of the Grain of Mustard. The mustard parable represents the expansion of the Christian community into vast dimensions, while the leaven parable represents the diffusion of Christianity through the vast mass of humanity; the one is extensive, the other intensive, the former more external, the latter more internal. Broadus points out how "dangerous" parabolic interpretation can be - To find a special spiritual meaning in the number three, would seem to us ridiculous; yet some great men among the Fathers, and some fanciful modern expositors, have actually made it signify Jews, Greeks, and Samaritans; or Asia, Europe, and Africa (how about America, now?); or the three sons of Noah; or body, soul, and spirit, etc. So with the attempts to give separate significance to the woman, when it was a matter of course to speak of a woman, and not of a man, making up bread. If the woman here denotes “the church,” what is denoted by the man in v. 31? The general meaning of this parable is the same as that of the preceding. A small bit of leaven, completely hidden from view in the great mass of dough, would finally leaven the whole; and so Christianity, with its small and obscure beginnings, would pervade the whole race of mankind. There is a like gradual progress of piety in the individual, but that does not seem to be the point here in view...Because leaven is frequently used in Scripture as the symbol of things corrupting and pernicious (Mt 16:6; Luke 12:1; Gal. 5:6; 1 Cor. 5:6; and often in OT), and nowhere but here used in a good sense, some have strangely tried to interpret it here as denoting the corruptions which should arise in connection with Christianity. But can there be only one possible figurative use of an object? The lion represents Satan, and also the Saviour; but no one would fancy in the same sense. (Cp. Mt 3:11) (Matthew 13 Commentary) David Turner feels that "The yeast also portrays the subtle though real influence of the kingdom in permeating the world." (BECNT-Mt) John