The Kingdom Breaks Forth -- Part 7 of the Tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series


		Covers Matthew 11:2-13:52 #7 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: How the "violent" break through into God's Sabbath rest #3 of the New Covenant section ©1997 Tishbyte Publishing q The Breach (Matt 11:1-30) m John, his query and his ultimate role (vs 2-19) t vs 2-6 — *Verification of the kingdom of God* • when John had heard in prison ... he sent two of his disciples ... "Are you the Coming one ...?" v The question could have just as well been worded, "Are you ushering in the kingdom of God?", as the two phrases were recognised as synonymous — the "coming one" would, by everyone's understanding, usher in the kingdom of God. v It's probable that John's sending of his disciples was for their benefit rather than his own doubts, as the wording here is, When John heard ... about the works of Christ ... In view of the answer Jesus gave, what "John heard" was the confirmation to his question, which John, being the "messenger that went before" Messiah (vs 10), would have understood without a doubt. v Jesus's answer, ...The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them ..., again, places signs and wonders as being a vital part of the preaching of the kingdom of God. t vs 7-15 — *John, the breach maker* • What did you go out into the wilderness to see? ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence ... Elijah ... v vs 7-11 — His role was as the last prophet of the Old Covenant, to make the way for the kingdom of God — yet, not as part of it, as Jesus says, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. He went before to announce the kingdom, but suffered martyrdom at the hands of King Harod before he could have a part in the kingdom. However, before this happened, he urged his disciples to participate. v vs 12-15 — from the days of John ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force Y The use of the word "violent" and "violence" represents a literal Greek translation of the Hebrew meaning, "breached" or "breaking forth", which we could picture in our own century as a dam breaking. However, the original allusion was to sheep breaking through the breach in their pen. The sheep would spend the night in a make shift pen made from stones. In the morning, the shepherd would make a breach by tossing some stones aside, and the sheep would anxiously push their way out, having been cramped in their crowded quarters all night. Y Jesus's allusion to the breaking forth is a reference to Micah 2:12&13: ... I will put them together like sheep of the fold. Like a flock in the midst of their pasture, they shall make a loud noise because of so many people. The one who breaks open (or breach-maker — Heb. poretz) will come up before them: They will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it; Their king will pass before them, the Lord at their head An ancient midrash (Radak to Micah 2:13) gives the interpretation likely held widely at that time, treating the "one who breaks open" and the "king" as two different people: Elijah as the "breach maker" (Mal 4:5), and Messiah as the king. Y Jesus's statement here, then, could be just as well translated: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is breached (suffers violence) and those who are breaking free (the violent) break free by forcing their way through. l A parallel saying of Jesus is found in Luke 16:16: The law and the prophets were until John (or prophesied of John). Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. l Both the saying in Matthew and in Luke refer to John. The following 2 verses in Matthew's context state, ... if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. John, under the mantle of Elijah, made the breach, and Jesus, the king has been leading before the people, who like sheep are pouring out, as though out of the confines of the crowded sheep pen. (see also, Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin & Roy Blizzard Jr; Destiny Image Publishers, 1984) v *Membership in the kingdom is for whoever will take it!* The message of this whole passage is, "The kingdom of God is here; go for it!" t vs 16-19 — *the response of the sheep* • But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children ... — God, in His mercy uses whatever means available to get the message through; but no matter how the message is presented, whether by John's austere puritanical style, or by Jesus's socially interactive style, people at large always find a reason not to accept; like one group of children trying to induce another group into playing. "What's the matter with you? We played this, but you didn't want to join. Then to please you, we did that, but you still wouldn't play!" Despite the kingdom of God having "broken forth", many still seemed to prefer the "cramped sheep pen" to the freedom being freely offered. m The consequences of rejection and rewards of acceptance (vs 20-30) t vs 20-24 — *the responsibility to act on the message received* • Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! ... it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement ... — Often those closest to God's covenant are the most difficult to persuade to go for yet more of God's grace when it becomes available, whereas those on the outside are more eager to join in. Yet, being so close, the "insiders" have received more, and are therefore responsible for what they have been given. They will therefore be under a more severe judgement for having rejected the message. t vs 25-29 — *those who break through ...* • I thank you ... You have hidden these things from the wise ... revealed them to babes ... v vs 25, 26 — God's mercy is equal towards all, but in His justice, He gives the opportunity first to those who have taken their places in God's covenant earlier — i.e. the leaders, and the established community. However, in His mercy, He is just as please to reward the "babes", or those who have previously been "on the outside", however unsophisticated they may seem — especially when the former have rejected it. In fact, he is even more pleased with the "babes" and the unsophisticated because of their teachability and eagerness to accept. v vs 27-29 — *... find rest* • All things have been delivered to Me by My Father ... Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the son will reveal Him ... Come to Me all you who labour ... Y Jesus's kingdom authority includes revealing the Father to whom he will. Therefore, he chooses to reveal Him to the "babes", the overworked and downtrodden. Y vs 28 ... I will give you rest — Life in the kingdom of God is a life of rest. When one is walking in close intimacy with the Father, and has faith in His leading and provision, that faith displaces all worry. Fear and worry are the opposite of faith, and cannot exist where faith is fully present. Y vs 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me ... — This is a picture of the training of a young ox by yoking it with a stronger and more experienced ox. The older, stronger ox would bear the brunt of the weight, and at the same time, know the master's commands. The younger ox would learn, by moving with the older ox, how to respond to the master's commands. By being intimate with the Father through Jesus, one learns to hear and obey His voice, doing what one sees Jesus do, just as Jesus does what ever He sees the Father do (John 5:19); and learning to feel His compassion when He is moved with compassion. v The "babes" — those who have exerted their all to "violently break through" through repentance and faith, now find rest from their labour of "breaking through," and the burden of the evil world (the cramped sheep pen) by which they have been heavy laden. Thus find not only rest, but also learn by intimacy with Him how to operate in the kingdom of God, which is the way of Sabbath rest. q True Sabbath Rest (Matt 12:1-50) — After the call to come to Jesus and find rest, comes a section on the way of Sabbath rest: m *Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath* • Jesus went though the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples ... began to pluck heads of grain ... (12:1-14) t vs 1-4 Have you not read what David did when he was hungry ...? — The understanding among the rabbis, at least after this period in history, is that basic needs take precedence over Sabbath law, and therefore, in a state of severe hunger with no food otherwise near by, the disciples did the right thing by plucking grain to eat. Probably at that time this understanding was not yet universal among the Pharisees, or some of the stricter sects may have held differently, as would have the Sadducees. t vs 3-8 ... what David did ... the priests in the temple ... Lord of the Sabbath — Jesus refers both to: v King David (I Sam 21:1-9) Y "messiah" in that he was anointed as king — the first "messiah" in the kingly line of King Messiah, Jesus Y His severe need for food took precedence over the sanctity of the holy bread Y The result of the action was relief — or rest — from the inconveniences of his hurried flight from King Saul; being that he had had to flee without making preparation. v the priests in the temple Y "messiah" by virtue of his priestly anointing Y Their holy duties take precedence over the sanctity of Sabbath Y Doing ones duties in the very presence of God, as was the job of the priests, one is in a state of continuous rest, just as Moses was able to remain in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai for 40 days without food or drink. (Ex 34:28) v Messiah Jesus Y Messiah, both in the sense of his anointing as "Prophet like Moses", as "Son of David", as well as the "High Priest of the good things to come" (Heb 9:11). Therefore, he said, ... in this place there is one greater than the temple (vs 6) Y His reason was, I desire mercy and not sacrifice (vs 7 — quote from Hos 6:6). Y vs 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. l *Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath rest* — Coming to Jesus, as in the previous passage (11:28), one finds rest, no matter what day of the week. Heb 3&4 speaks of rest, quoting Psalm 95:7-11: Today, if you will hear His voice: "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion ... ...So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" By obeying God's voice, and yielding to it, not hardening our hearts, we enter God's rest, which is the ultimate fulfilment of the purpose for which the children if Israel were to enter into the promised land. The context of the passage in Hebrews shows how it's connected with Sabbath by comparing the passage in Psalms with Gen 2:2 and Ex 20:11 (Heb 4:4,5) l The details of carrying out Sabbath rest also falls within the jurisdiction of kingdom authority. When performing one's role in the kingdom of God, just as the priests do in the temple, while operating in the attitude of mercy (vs 7 & 5:7) — that is, proneness to being moved with compassion — that compassion may move one to do things that seem contrary to the details of the law, especially where human need take precedence over particular laws. This is the way of rest, just as the young ox sharing the yoke with the stronger, more experienced ox, is working in a state of rest. t vs 9-14 He went into their synagogue ... there was a man with a withered hand v Jesus's response here illustrates the principal of human need taking precedence over such laws as Sabbath law, as we just saw. v The wording of vs 9 would indicate that it was the same day as the incident in the grain field, and, moreover, He went into their synagogue, where he was no doubt confronted by the same group of Pharisees — therefore all the less reason to conclude that their understanding of the Sabbath was universal. It could be that some groups of Pharisees from the smaller towns were more strict and otherwise less refined than the Pharisees in Jerusalem. Vs 14&15 states that this group of Pharisees began to plot to destroy Him, so Jesus withdrew from that area. m *the restful response* • when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there ... He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets ... (vs 15-21) t Jesus's response to opposition was not argumentative, except to give concise parallels to daily life (i.e. a sheep in the pit on Sabbath), and scriptural precedents (i.e. David and the showbread; the priests in the temple), almost as though teaching. This basic style of argument was also used by the rabbis, referred to as pilpul. Other than that, he simply spoke authoritatively. t Jesus's instruction to His disciples on answering their opponents is found in Luke 12:11,12 — do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. That, being his instruction, was obviously his own way of answering. Throughout the gospels, we see that no one was ever able to answer Him back. Sometimes, as he demonstrated at His trial, it's best to say nothing. It's the way of Sabbath rest. t When the situation became life threatening (vs 14,15), instead of trying to make a point and risk early martyrdom (vs 19), he simply withdrew. m *winning restfully* • this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub ... Every kingdom divided against itself ... will not stand ... bind the strong man ... (vs 22-30) t In this situation, the Pharisees hadn't even verbalised their accusation in His presence, but again, Jesus knew their thoughts, and spoke by impulse of the Holy Spirit, so as to finish the argument before it even started. t vs 25,26 If Satan casts out Satan ... The most basic principal of winning a battle is unity. Even Satan's kingdom operates on this principal to a point. The idea of Jesus casting out devils by Beelzebub, therefore doesn't make sense. t vs 27,28 ... if ... by Beelzebub ... by whom do your sons cast them out ... but if ... by the Spirit of God ...the kingdom of God has come ... — Miracles and exorcisms were performed by some of the rabbis and others, such as Honi "the rainmaker", and Haninah ben Dosa (as examples from that period mentioned in the Talmud). v Miracles and exorcism were therefore not new in Israel, but the method of commanding demons to leave, with authority, was. This method was superior to that of the exorcists, so if it was by the power of Beelzebub, then what of the exorcists in God's own covenant community? Is Beelzebub therefore more powerful than God? v But if Jesus's casting out of spirits by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has definitely come. The rabbis all recognised that the Holy Spirit had ceased to be bestowed on prophets since the time of Ezra and Malachi 400 years earlier. He would only be granted to individuals again during the time of Messiah, the anointed one. Jesus's healing and casting out demons by the Holy Spirit, then, was proof that He is Messiah. t vs 29,30 how can one enter a strong man's house ... unless he first binds the strong man? — Luke 11:21-23 gives a clearer picture. Unity in Satan's kingdom is forced from the top through a hierarchy of "strong men". The way of Sabbath rest is to simply bind the strong man over the area one is to plunder. Then, the job of plundering Satan's kingdom (setting people free, and calling them into God's kingdom) is simple. m *warnings against refusing to break through into the rest* • ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... a tree is known by its fruit ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... when an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 31-45) — again, this teaching parallels Heb 3&4 and Psalm 95:7-11 — the warning against hardening ones heart and failing to enter the rest. t *warning against "making a statement"* • ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... (vs 31-32) v This grave warning was given in response to the notion that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebub. According to Jesus's statement in vs 28, it was by the Holy Spirit, and therefore the sign that the kingdom of God had come. To speak against the Holy Spirit's presence in such a way, one is in danger of permanently locking oneself outside of God's kingdom. v As we saw in vs 25, Jesus gave the response before anybody actually verbalised the accusation, just from "knowing their thoughts". Likewise, this warning came to them before they could actually step across the line. v As Jesus did not actually say, "You've committed the unforgivable sin", but rather warned against it, it is still not clear to what extant one must go before one reaches the eternally unforgiven state. Most likely, the following cases would constitute crossing that line: Y — where one has good reason to know that the Holy Spirit is indeed at work, and yet — probably through jealousy or pride — refuses to accept it, and goes yet further to make a statement so as to publicly JUSTIFY their position. If someone simply repeats what he or she has been taught, saying, "This is of the devil!", but without having seen it for oneself up close, he or she probably hasn't crossed the line. Likewise, one who reacts to those who display an immature attitude in the use of the Holy Spirit's power, or other factors that tend to confuse. In some cases, the level of the actual work of the Holy Spirit is minimal — enough to bless those who believe, but not of the level one could call "signs and wonders" that would leave one without excuse. In the latter cases, probably no one opposed to the move has crossed the line. Y — where the Holy Spirit has been convicting of the need to repent, but one continually refuses to respond, or forever procrastinates, the Holy Spirit will eventually stop convicting, as the heart has become irreversibly hardened. Y If one is worried that one may have committed the "unforgivable sin", and is saddened by the thought; that is a sign that God's grace is still available; as it is the Holy Spirit, Himself, who convicts of sin, and pricks the conscience. v Never-the-less, the warning stands and it would be well to fear God and not test the limits of the Holy Spirit's grace. t *warning against the counterfeit rest* • ... a tree is known by its fruit ... (vs 33-37) — Where true faith and repentance are absent, the fruit of ones life will eventually show where one stands. The true rest that Jesus gives, whereby one enters through repentance, and breaks through by faith; will stand up under pressure. One's words, even the seemingly innocent idle words will give away where ones heart really is. t *warning against unbelief* • ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgement with this generation ... (vs 38-42) v Many of the Pharisees, including the scribes (rabbis) were interested in Jesus, but wanted further proof of His Messiahship. Despite their sincerity, Jesus's answer was directed to their unbelief. Having already heard the gospel preached, and seen the signs and wonders already manifest, their request for a more explicit sign was a sign of unbelief — probably the fruit of attempting faith without repentance. v The only sign Jesus offered was one that would require true repentance and further faith to accept; that of "the prophet Jonah". This was referring to the fact that Jesus would be put to death, and spend three days and nights in Sh'ol (Hebrew for the place of the dead), and then be raised again. The concept of death before final resurrection is the opposite to what anyone would expect as a sign; with the exception of those who have died to their past through repentance, and by faith, have broken through to the life of rest. v The fact that they demanded further signs to confirm what they had heard proclaimed, made them less worthy of the kingdom than even the "men of Nineveh", and the "queen of the South". Y The men of Nineveh believed the preaching of Jonah with no signs what-so-ever, except the very sign Jesus was offering the scribes and Pharisees; the sign of Jonah, who miraculously emerged from the fish after three days and nights. Y The queen of the South, motivated by what she had heard about the blessings of God on King Solomon, took the long journey to visit Solomon. Only then did she discover that, "... indeed the half was not told me" (I Kings 10:7). v I Cor 1:22,23 Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness ... — Y The Jews stumbled because they demanded a sign first. Yet, through out the scripture, we see that the kingdom of God is proclaimed with signs and wonders — not human wisdom. Of the two emphases: the Greek emphasis on wisdom, and the Jewish emphasis on a sign; the Jewish one is the more scriptural. It's just that the scribes and Pharisees had it backwards. The ultimate sign follows faith in the words of the kingdom; it doesn't precede it. Y The church, in the mean time, has inherited the opposite failing of the Greeks; that of interpreting the scriptures through Greek style logic only, while leaving out any Jewish based understanding. This has also led to unbelief — the message must sound logical, or else fit the logical requirements one has preconceived, before one will believe. t *warning against not following through* • When an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... he says, "I will return..." ... he goes and takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 43-45) — The last phrase of this passage, ... so shall it also be with this wicked generation, indicates that Jesus is not only speaking of the state of one who is delivered of demons, but of the whole established order. However, to understand how it works for the whole nation, we must understand how it applies to the individual: v When one has been delivered of demonic oppression or sickness as a result of kingdom authority being exercised, one is then faced with the opportunity to "break through" to the whole plan of the kingdom of God, through repentance and faith. However, once one has found oneself in a more comfortable position as the result of the miraculous deliverance, one is tempted to neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance (the 9 kingdom attitudes of Matt 5:3-12) and become lax in faith; thereby not following through into God's rest. One is then vulnerable to further demonic activity even worse than at the first. v The whole nation had been primed for the coming of the kingdom of God through John, the "breach maker". The breach having been made, Jesus, "the King", went through before the sheep as they pressed through to the kingdom of God. However, that generation as a whole, despite the breach made and the opportunity to "enter the Sabbath rest", chose to harden their hearts and continue their old ways. Jesus's warning was that the opportunity wouldn't always be available, as the Holy Spirit wouldn't persist in convicting forever. Moreover, their state would be worse than before m *The true family* • Who is My mother and who are My brothers?... whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother. (vs 46-50) — Those who have broken through and entered the Sabbath rest of the kingdom of God have been born into God's family. We are a family in a very real sense. q The Natural Way of the Kingdom (Matt 13:1-52) As we have seen in previous lessons, the telling of parables and story-telling is a common rabbinical teaching method. As Jesus indicated in 13:13, parables, or word pictures are an aid for those otherwise dull of hearing. m The seed principle • The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed ... like leaven ... (vs 31-33) — Previously, the kingdom of Satan was dominant, resulting in general misery, sickness, demonic oppression, poverty and death. Now, since John, the "breachmaker", the kingdom of God has been breaking through, leaving healing, deliverance and life in its wake. However, the breaking through is not in the way that the public at large and the leaders had expected — the sudden appearance of a new powerful government. Rather, it starts small and multiplies. t The way of Sabbath rest is that of achieving maximum growth from a minimum of effort — simply planting a seed. Just as in nature, so the principle of sowing and reaping is central to the kingdom of God. t The leaders expected the kingdom of God to come at once in power. However, to uproot Satan's kingdom and, at the same time, deliver all those under his bondage (without automatically damning them all along with Satan, their master), requires not only power, but also wise strategy. In God's infinite wisdom, He chose the way of the small, insignificant but potentially powerful seed. t If you start by planting one kernel of grain, that kernel will sprout and produce perhaps 50 or so (depending on the type of grain). If you plant those, you will then reap thousands of kernels of the same grain. Soon, you will have enough to plant an entire field. The produce from that field will produce 50 fields, and so on, until you've covered the entire world. This is how the kingdom of God will take over the kingdom of Satan. Thus, the importance of these parables on the seed. m *levels of responsiveness* • Behold, a sower went out to sow ... (13:1-32) The sower sows the word ... (Mark 4:14) — The parable of the sower and the explanation in vs 18-23 show four levels of responsiveness, and the results of each. They apply not only to initial repentance and faith, but also subsequent hearing/reading, digesting and application of the word of God, which, if wholly received, would keep one in the Sabbath rest — not neglecting the "9 kingdom attitudes" of Matt 5:3-12. One can be a good, faithful church member, a regular tither and born again; and yet fit into any one of these 4 categories. t vs 4&19 ... by the wayside ... v Just as the hard footpath, where the seed doesn't so much as sink into the ground; so is the one who merely hears passively, and immediately forgets what was spoken. It is as though he never heard at all. This can also apply to those who went to church and acknowledge that the preacher preached a "fine sermon", but can't remember a single thing he said. v On the other hand, one can remember the message, but one's own previous learning, position, social ties, and pride immediately veto any intention to follow through on what is heard. They fail to receive, and eventually, they become the opponents of those who do. t vs 5,6&20,21 ... on stony places ... — those who easily become enthusiastic over a novel idea or a fad. When reality sets in, they are the first to leave. They are usually the first to jump onto every "bandwagon", but also the first ones off when the band stops playing. This is the result of attempting faith without true repentance. It takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit to "get the stones out" so the roots can grow deep, so that true repentance can precede solid faith. Moreover, when persecution starts, these can easily join whole heartedly with the opposition. t vs 7&22 ... among thorns ... — those whose roots grow deeper, and have come by true repentance and faith. However, they fail to remove the distractions from their lives, and thereby soon neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance; or the 9 kingdom attitudes. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches take one away from the Sabbath rest. "Care" is the opposite of "rest" (see also I Peter 5:6,7 — the way to humility is casting all your cares on Him). Many things aren't wrong in themselves, but they can distract one from focusing on the kingdom. It is said, "the good is often the enemy of the best." t vs 8&23 ... on good ground ... — those who have not only broken through in repentance and faith, but continue in the "9 kingdom attitudes", displaying an ongoing repentance and humility, and continuing in the Sabbath rest through faith. "Fruit" can mean both the fruits of one's life, as in the "fruits of the spirit" (Gal 5:22); and the multiplication of oneself in helping others to break through into the rest. m *the counterfeits* • ... a man who sowed good seed ... his enemy came and sowed tares ... (vs 24-30&36-43) — These can be an additional category to the above parable (of the sower), or else they may be among the first three. t There are some who go along with everything taught, and put on an outward display of repentance and faith. What other motives they have are well hidden. In this case, they pass for those receiving the seed in good ground. t As "tares" are a common plant in the Middle East that closely resembles wheat until the grain appears at harvest time, so are the "counterfeits". It is dangerous to attempt to weed them out before hand, as one may mistake a true believer for a "tare". Instead, Jesus commands us to wait until the harvest comes, or else when the fruit truly reveals itself. t This can also be taken as a warning not to quickly reject those who seem different from ourselves — those of a different church or denomination or have a different interpretation of the Bible from our own; those with spiritual experiences different from ours; or those who put their faith to practice according to their own cultural background instead of ours — but who have come to God through repentance and faith in Jesus. Those who are most like "us" can just as easily be the "tares" as any of the others. A tree is known by its fruit (12:33) m *breaking through with all ones strength and resources* • the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden ... a merchant seeking beautiful pearls ... (vs 44-46) t Both of these parables can be seen both as Jesus, the Son of God giving his all to secure the treasure, or the pearl of great price; or else as those who recognise the ultimate value of God's kingdom, and sacrifice their all to "break through". t This is not to suggest that entry into God's kingdom isn't free. However, placing oneself in a position where one's "soil" is free of the "rocks" (vs 5), and removing the "thorns" (vs 7) may require all one's resources and strength. Jesus's instruction the young rich man in 19:16-22 was, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. This is not the requirement for all who are to break into the kingdom; rather, Jesus knew that the young man's possessions would become the "thorns" as described in His parable of the sower, and would prevent him from bearing fruit. t In both parables, the one finding the treasure/pearl considered the find to be many times more valuable than his present possessions. "For joy" (vs 44) he sold it all so as to gain the ultimate value. In the same way, nothing that we presently have can possibly be compared with Sabbath rest we find when we have "broken through". m *the final separation* • the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet ... (vs 47-50) — To sum up his parables on the kingdom breaking out as a seed, Jesus gives a parable on the final judgement: t The fate of the wicked — those who rejected the kingdom of God, and God's righteousness will be cast into "the furnace of fire". Revelation 20:14,15 calls this the "lake of fire". t Here, Jesus specifies the "wicked", as opposed to the "just". The just are those who have God's righteousness imputed to them as the result of repentance and faith (II Cor 5:21; Rom 5:17). Those who simply didn't bear fruit because of the thorns aren't mentioned here. However, their final state, if they continually slip backwards through not seeking first God's kingdom and His righteousness through faith and repentance, may be a total deadness to the things of God. It's possible that they could then cross the line to the ranks of the wicked (Col 1:22,23; Rev 2:11;3:5). t According to other scriptures regarding the final state of the wicked (Mark 9:43-48; II Thess 1:8,9) it appears as though the punishment is everlasting, and one remains forever conscious of one's torment. m *wisdom* • every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom ... (vs 51,52) t Earlier, the disciples had asked Jesus why He spoke in parables (vs 10-17). Jesus answered, It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to the people at large, it had to be illustrated plainly through the parables. Then, according to Mark's account (4:10-13), they asked Him to explain the parable of the sower. Jesus said, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? This illustrates the centrality of the seed principal to the entire message of the kingdom. t At the end of all these parables, Jesus then asks, Have you understood all these things? He then said that a "scribe" (a rabbi, or one well versed in the scripture) who has been "instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven" will use both the old forms of teaching — i.e. the use of parables, knowledge of the Old Covenant, traditions etc. — as well as the new revelation that has been revealed by the Holy Spirit and whatever he finds at hand in order to best help others to break through into the Sabbath rest. Next Lesson Lesson Index

Covers Matthew 11:2-13:52

#7 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series:
How the "violent" break through into God's Sabbath rest

#3 of the New Covenant section

q The Breach (Matt 11:1-30)

m John, his query and his ultimate role (vs 2-19)

t vs 2-6 — Verification of the kingdom of God • when John had heard in prison ... he sent two of his disciples ... "Are you the Coming one ...?"

v The question could have just as well been worded, "Are you ushering in the kingdom of God?", as the two phrases were recognised as synonymous — the "coming one" would, by everyone's understanding, usher in the kingdom of God.

v It's probable that John's sending of his disciples was for their benefit rather than his own doubts, as the wording here is, When John heard ... about the works of Christ ... In view of the answer Jesus gave, what "John heard" was the confirmation to his question, which John, being the "messenger that went before" Messiah (vs 10), would have understood without a doubt.

v Jesus's answer, ...The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them ..., again, places signs and wonders as being a vital part of the preaching of the kingdom of God.

t vs 7-15 — John, the breach maker • What did you go out into the wilderness to see? ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence ... Elijah ...

v vs 7-11 — His role was as the last prophet of the Old Covenant, to make the way for the kingdom of God — yet, not as part of it, as Jesus says, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. He went before to announce the kingdom, but suffered martyrdom at the hands of King Harod before he could have a part in the kingdom. However, before this happened, he urged his disciples to participate.

v vs 12-15 — from the days of John ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force

Y The use of the word "violent" and "violence" represents a literal Greek translation of the Hebrew meaning, "breached" or "breaking forth", which we could picture in our own century as a dam breaking. However, the original allusion was to sheep breaking through the breach in their pen. The sheep would spend the night in a make shift pen made from stones. In the morning, the shepherd would make a breach by tossing some stones aside, and the sheep would anxiously push their way out, having been cramped in their crowded quarters all night.

Y Jesus's allusion to the breaking forth is a reference to Micah 2:12&13:

... I will put them together like sheep of the fold.

Like a flock in the midst of their pasture, they shall make a loud noise because of so many people.

The one who breaks open (or breach-maker — Heb. poretz) will come up before them:

They will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it;

Their king will pass before them, the Lord at their head

An ancient midrash (Radak to Micah 2:13) gives the interpretation likely held widely at that time, treating the "one who breaks open" and the "king" as two different people: Elijah as the "breach maker" (Mal 4:5), and Messiah as the king.

Y Jesus's statement here, then, could be just as well translated: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is breached (suffers violence) and those who are breaking free (the violent) break free by forcing their way through.

l A parallel saying of Jesus is found in Luke 16:16: The law and the prophets were until John (or prophesied of John). Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

l Both the saying in Matthew and in Luke refer to John. The following 2 verses in Matthew's context state, ... if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. John, under the mantle of Elijah, made the breach, and Jesus, the king has been leading before the people, who like sheep are pouring out, as though out of the confines of the crowded sheep pen. (see also, Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin & Roy Blizzard Jr; Destiny Image Publishers, 1984)

v Membership in the kingdom is for whoever will take it! The message of this whole passage is, "The kingdom of God is here; go for it!"

t vs 16-19 — the response of the sheep • But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children ... — God, in His mercy uses whatever means available to get the message through; but no matter how the message is presented, whether by John's austere puritanical style, or by Jesus's socially interactive style, people at large always find a reason not to accept; like one group of children trying to induce another group into playing. "What's the matter with you? We played this, but you didn't want to join. Then to please you, we did that, but you still wouldn't play!" Despite the kingdom of God having "broken forth", many still seemed to prefer the "cramped sheep pen" to the freedom being freely offered.

m The consequences of rejection and rewards of acceptance (vs 20-30)

t vs 20-24 — the responsibility to act on the message received • Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! ... it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement ... — Often those closest to God's covenant are the most difficult to persuade to go for yet more of God's grace when it becomes available, whereas those on the outside are more eager to join in. Yet, being so close, the "insiders" have received more, and are therefore responsible for what they have been given. They will therefore be under a more severe judgement for having rejected the message.

t vs 25-29 — those who break through ... • I thank you ... You have hidden these things from the wise ... revealed them to babes ...

v vs 25, 26 — God's mercy is equal towards all, but in His justice, He gives the opportunity first to those who have taken their places in God's covenant earlier — i.e. the leaders, and the established community. However, in His mercy, He is just as please to reward the "babes", or those who have previously been "on the outside", however unsophisticated they may seem — especially when the former have rejected it. In fact, he is even more pleased with the "babes" and the unsophisticated because of their teachability and eagerness to accept.

v vs 27-29 — ... find rest • All things have been delivered to Me by My Father ... Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the son will reveal Him ... Come to Me all you who labour ...

Y Jesus's kingdom authority includes revealing the Father to whom he will. Therefore, he chooses to reveal Him to the "babes", the overworked and downtrodden.

Y vs 28 ... I will give you rest — Life in the kingdom of God is a life of rest. When one is walking in close intimacy with the Father, and has faith in His leading and provision, that faith displaces all worry. Fear and worry are the opposite of faith, and cannot exist where faith is fully present.

Y vs 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me ... — This is a picture of the training of a young ox by yoking it with a stronger and more experienced ox. The older, stronger ox would bear the brunt of the weight, and at the same time, know the master's commands. The younger ox would learn, by moving with the older ox, how to respond to the master's commands. By being intimate with the Father through Jesus, one learns to hear and obey His voice, doing what one sees Jesus do, just as Jesus does what ever He sees the Father do (John 5:19); and learning to feel His compassion when He is moved with compassion.

v The "babes" — those who have exerted their all to "violently break through" through repentance and faith, now find rest from their labour of "breaking through," and the burden of the evil world (the cramped sheep pen) by which they have been heavy laden. Thus find not only rest, but also learn by intimacy with Him how to operate in the kingdom of God, which is the way of Sabbath rest.

q True Sabbath Rest (Matt 12:1-50) — After the call to come to Jesus and find rest, comes a section on the way of Sabbath rest:

m Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath • Jesus went though the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples ... began to pluck heads of grain ... (12:1-14)

t vs 1-4 Have you not read what David did when he was hungry ...? — The understanding among the rabbis, at least after this period in history, is that basic needs take precedence over Sabbath law, and therefore, in a state of severe hunger with no food otherwise near by, the disciples did the right thing by plucking grain to eat. Probably at that time this understanding was not yet universal among the Pharisees, or some of the stricter sects may have held differently, as would have the Sadducees.

t vs 3-8 ... what David did ... the priests in the temple ... Lord of the Sabbath — Jesus refers both to:

v King David (I Sam 21:1-9)

Y "messiah" in that he was anointed as king — the first "messiah" in the kingly line of King Messiah, Jesus

Y His severe need for food took precedence over the sanctity of the holy bread

Y The result of the action was relief — or rest — from the inconveniences of his hurried flight from King Saul; being that he had had to flee without making preparation.

v the priests in the temple

Y "messiah" by virtue of his priestly anointing

Y Their holy duties take precedence over the sanctity of Sabbath

Y Doing ones duties in the very presence of God, as was the job of the priests, one is in a state of continuous rest, just as Moses was able to remain in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai for 40 days without food or drink. (Ex 34:28)

v Messiah Jesus

Y Messiah, both in the sense of his anointing as "Prophet like Moses", as "Son of David", as well as the "High Priest of the good things to come" (Heb 9:11). Therefore, he said, ... in this place there is one greater than the temple (vs 6)

Y His reason was, I desire mercy and not sacrifice (vs 7 — quote from Hos 6:6).

Y vs 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

l Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath rest — Coming to Jesus, as in the previous passage (11:28), one finds rest, no matter what day of the week. Heb 3&4 speaks of rest, quoting Psalm 95:7-11:

Today, if you will hear His voice:

"Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion ...

...So I swore in My wrath,

'They shall not enter My rest.'"

By obeying God's voice, and yielding to it, not hardening our hearts, we enter God's rest, which is the ultimate fulfilment of the purpose for which the children if Israel were to enter into the promised land. The context of the passage in Hebrews shows how it's connected with Sabbath by comparing the passage in Psalms with Gen 2:2 and Ex 20:11 (Heb 4:4,5)

l The details of carrying out Sabbath rest also falls within the jurisdiction of kingdom authority. When performing one's role in the kingdom of God, just as the priests do in the temple, while operating in the attitude of mercy (vs 7 & 5:7) — that is, proneness to being moved with compassion — that compassion may move one to do things that seem contrary to the details of the law, especially where human need take precedence over particular laws. This is the way of rest, just as the young ox sharing the yoke with the stronger, more experienced ox, is working in a state of rest.

t vs 9-14 He went into their synagogue ... there was a man with a withered hand

v Jesus's response here illustrates the principal of human need taking precedence over such laws as Sabbath law, as we just saw.

v The wording of vs 9 would indicate that it was the same day as the incident in the grain field, and, moreover, He went into their synagogue, where he was no doubt confronted by the same group of Pharisees — therefore all the less reason to conclude that their understanding of the Sabbath was universal. It could be that some groups of Pharisees from the smaller towns were more strict and otherwise less refined than the Pharisees in Jerusalem. Vs 14&15 states that this group of Pharisees began to plot to destroy Him, so Jesus withdrew from that area.

m the restful response • when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there ... He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets ... (vs 15-21)

t Jesus's response to opposition was not argumentative, except to give concise parallels to daily life (i.e. a sheep in the pit on Sabbath), and scriptural precedents (i.e. David and the showbread; the priests in the temple), almost as though teaching. This basic style of argument was also used by the rabbis, referred to as pilpul. Other than that, he simply spoke authoritatively.

t Jesus's instruction to His disciples on answering their opponents is found in Luke 12:11,12 — do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. That, being his instruction, was obviously his own way of answering. Throughout the gospels, we see that no one was ever able to answer Him back. Sometimes, as he demonstrated at His trial, it's best to say nothing. It's the way of Sabbath rest.

t When the situation became life threatening (vs 14,15), instead of trying to make a point and risk early martyrdom (vs 19), he simply withdrew.

m winning restfully • this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub ... Every kingdom divided against itself ... will not stand ... bind the strong man ... (vs 22-30)

t In this situation, the Pharisees hadn't even verbalised their accusation in His presence, but again, Jesus knew their thoughts, and spoke by impulse of the Holy Spirit, so as to finish the argument before it even started.

t vs 25,26 If Satan casts out Satan ... The most basic principal of winning a battle is unity. Even Satan's kingdom operates on this principal to a point. The idea of Jesus casting out devils by Beelzebub, therefore doesn't make sense.

t vs 27,28 ... if ... by Beelzebub ... by whom do your sons cast them out ... but if ... by the Spirit of God ...the kingdom of God has come ... — Miracles and exorcisms were performed by some of the rabbis and others, such as Honi "the rainmaker", and Haninah ben Dosa (as examples from that period mentioned in the Talmud).

v Miracles and exorcism were therefore not new in Israel, but the method of commanding demons to leave, with authority, was. This method was superior to that of the exorcists, so if it was by the power of Beelzebub, then what of the exorcists in God's own covenant community? Is Beelzebub therefore more powerful than God?

v But if Jesus's casting out of spirits by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has definitely come. The rabbis all recognised that the Holy Spirit had ceased to be bestowed on prophets since the time of Ezra and Malachi 400 years earlier. He would only be granted to individuals again during the time of Messiah, the anointed one. Jesus's healing and casting out demons by the Holy Spirit, then, was proof that He is Messiah.

t vs 29,30 how can one enter a strong man's house ... unless he first binds the strong man? — Luke 11:21-23 gives a clearer picture. Unity in Satan's kingdom is forced from the top through a hierarchy of "strong men". The way of Sabbath rest is to simply bind the strong man over the area one is to plunder. Then, the job of plundering Satan's kingdom (setting people free, and calling them into God's kingdom) is simple.

m warnings against refusing to break through into the rest • ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... a tree is known by its fruit ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... when an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 31-45) — again, this teaching parallels Heb 3&4 and Psalm 95:7-11 — the warning against hardening ones heart and failing to enter the rest.

t warning against "making a statement" • ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... (vs 31-32)

v This grave warning was given in response to the notion that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebub. According to Jesus's statement in vs 28, it was by the Holy Spirit, and therefore the sign that the kingdom of God had come. To speak against the Holy Spirit's presence in such a way, one is in danger of permanently locking oneself outside of God's kingdom.

v As we saw in vs 25, Jesus gave the response before anybody actually verbalised the accusation, just from "knowing their thoughts". Likewise, this warning came to them before they could actually step across the line.

v As Jesus did not actually say, "You've committed the unforgivable sin", but rather warned against it, it is still not clear to what extant one must go before one reaches the eternally unforgiven state. Most likely, the following cases would constitute crossing that line:

Y — where one has good reason to know that the Holy Spirit is indeed at work, and yet — probably through jealousy or pride — refuses to accept it, and goes yet further to make a statement so as to publicly JUSTIFY their position. If someone simply repeats what he or she has been taught, saying, "This is of the devil!", but without having seen it for oneself up close, he or she probably hasn't crossed the line. Likewise, one who reacts to those who display an immature attitude in the use of the Holy Spirit's power, or other factors that tend to confuse. In some cases, the level of the actual work of the Holy Spirit is minimal — enough to bless those who believe, but not of the level one could call "signs and wonders" that would leave one without excuse. In the latter cases, probably no one opposed to the move has crossed the line.

Y — where the Holy Spirit has been convicting of the need to repent, but one continually refuses to respond, or forever procrastinates, the Holy Spirit will eventually stop convicting, as the heart has become irreversibly hardened.

Y If one is worried that one may have committed the "unforgivable sin", and is saddened by the thought; that is a sign that God's grace is still available; as it is the Holy Spirit, Himself, who convicts of sin, and pricks the conscience.

v Never-the-less, the warning stands and it would be well to fear God and not test the limits of the Holy Spirit's grace.

t warning against the counterfeit rest • ... a tree is known by its fruit ... (vs 33-37) — Where true faith and repentance are absent, the fruit of ones life will eventually show where one stands. The true rest that Jesus gives, whereby one enters through repentance, and breaks through by faith; will stand up under pressure. One's words, even the seemingly innocent idle words will give away where ones heart really is.

t warning against unbelief • ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgement with this generation ... (vs 38-42)

v Many of the Pharisees, including the scribes (rabbis) were interested in Jesus, but wanted further proof of His Messiahship. Despite their sincerity, Jesus's answer was directed to their unbelief. Having already heard the gospel preached, and seen the signs and wonders already manifest, their request for a more explicit sign was a sign of unbelief — probably the fruit of attempting faith without repentance.

v The only sign Jesus offered was one that would require true repentance and further faith to accept; that of "the prophet Jonah". This was referring to the fact that Jesus would be put to death, and spend three days and nights in Sh'ol (Hebrew for the place of the dead), and then be raised again. The concept of death before final resurrection is the opposite to what anyone would expect as a sign; with the exception of those who have died to their past through repentance, and by faith, have broken through to the life of rest.

v The fact that they demanded further signs to confirm what they had heard proclaimed, made them less worthy of the kingdom than even the "men of Nineveh", and the "queen of the South".

Y The men of Nineveh believed the preaching of Jonah with no signs what-so-ever, except the very sign Jesus was offering the scribes and Pharisees; the sign of Jonah, who miraculously emerged from the fish after three days and nights.

Y The queen of the South, motivated by what she had heard about the blessings of God on King Solomon, took the long journey to visit Solomon. Only then did she discover that, "... indeed the half was not told me" (I Kings 10:7).

v I Cor 1:22,23 Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness ... —

Y The Jews stumbled because they demanded a sign first. Yet, through out the scripture, we see that the kingdom of God is proclaimed with signs and wonders — not human wisdom. Of the two emphases: the Greek emphasis on wisdom, and the Jewish emphasis on a sign; the Jewish one is the more scriptural. It's just that the scribes and Pharisees had it backwards. The ultimate sign follows faith in the words of the kingdom; it doesn't precede it.

Y The church, in the mean time, has inherited the opposite failing of the Greeks; that of interpreting the scriptures through Greek style logic only, while leaving out any Jewish based understanding. This has also led to unbelief — the message must sound logical, or else fit the logical requirements one has preconceived, before one will believe.

t warning against not following through • When an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... he says, "I will return..." ... he goes and takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 43-45) — The last phrase of this passage, ... so shall it also be with this wicked generation, indicates that Jesus is not only speaking of the state of one who is delivered of demons, but of the whole established order. However, to understand how it works for the whole nation, we must understand how it applies to the individual:

v When one has been delivered of demonic oppression or sickness as a result of kingdom authority being exercised, one is then faced with the opportunity to "break through" to the whole plan of the kingdom of God, through repentance and faith. However, once one has found oneself in a more comfortable position as the result of the miraculous deliverance, one is tempted to neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance (the 9 kingdom attitudes of Matt 5:3-12) and become lax in faith; thereby not following through into God's rest. One is then vulnerable to further demonic activity even worse than at the first.

v The whole nation had been primed for the coming of the kingdom of God through John, the "breach maker". The breach having been made, Jesus, "the King", went through before the sheep as they pressed through to the kingdom of God. However, that generation as a whole, despite the breach made and the opportunity to "enter the Sabbath rest", chose to harden their hearts and continue their old ways. Jesus's warning was that the opportunity wouldn't always be available, as the Holy Spirit wouldn't persist in convicting forever. Moreover, their state would be worse than before

m The true family • Who is My mother and who are My brothers?... whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother. (vs 46-50) — Those who have broken through and entered the Sabbath rest of the kingdom of God have been born into God's family. We are a family in a very real sense.

q The Natural Way of the Kingdom (Matt 13:1-52) As we have seen in previous lessons, the telling of parables and story-telling is a common rabbinical teaching method. As Jesus indicated in 13:13, parables, or word pictures are an aid for those otherwise dull of hearing.

m The seed principle • The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed ... like leaven ... (vs 31-33) — Previously, the kingdom of Satan was dominant, resulting in general misery, sickness, demonic oppression, poverty and death. Now, since John, the "breachmaker", the kingdom of God has been breaking through, leaving healing, deliverance and life in its wake. However, the breaking through is not in the way that the public at large and the leaders had expected — the sudden appearance of a new powerful government. Rather, it starts small and multiplies.

t The way of Sabbath rest is that of achieving maximum growth from a minimum of effort — simply planting a seed. Just as in nature, so the principle of sowing and reaping is central to the kingdom of God.

t The leaders expected the kingdom of God to come at once in power. However, to uproot Satan's kingdom and, at the same time, deliver all those under his bondage (without automatically damning them all along with Satan, their master), requires not only power, but also wise strategy. In God's infinite wisdom, He chose the way of the small, insignificant but potentially powerful seed.

t If you start by planting one kernel of grain, that kernel will sprout and produce perhaps 50 or so (depending on the type of grain). If you plant those, you will then reap thousands of kernels of the same grain. Soon, you will have enough to plant an entire field. The produce from that field will produce 50 fields, and so on, until you've covered the entire world. This is how the kingdom of God will take over the kingdom of Satan. Thus, the importance of these parables on the seed.

m levels of responsiveness • Behold, a sower went out to sow ... (13:1-32) The sower sows the word ... (Mark 4:14) — The parable of the sower and the explanation in vs 18-23 show four levels of responsiveness, and the results of each. They apply not only to initial repentance and faith, but also subsequent hearing/reading, digesting and application of the word of God, which, if wholly received, would keep one in the Sabbath rest — not neglecting the "9 kingdom attitudes" of Matt 5:3-12. One can be a good, faithful church member, a regular tither and born again; and yet fit into any one of these 4 categories.

t vs 4&19 ... by the wayside ...

v Just as the hard footpath, where the seed doesn't so much as sink into the ground; so is the one who merely hears passively, and immediately forgets what was spoken. It is as though he never heard at all. This can also apply to those who went to church and acknowledge that the preacher preached a "fine sermon", but can't remember a single thing he said.

v On the other hand, one can remember the message, but one's own previous learning, position, social ties, and pride immediately veto any intention to follow through on what is heard. They fail to receive, and eventually, they become the opponents of those who do.

t vs 5,6&20,21 ... on stony places ... — those who easily become enthusiastic over a novel idea or a fad. When reality sets in, they are the first to leave. They are usually the first to jump onto every "bandwagon", but also the first ones off when the band stops playing. This is the result of attempting faith without true repentance. It takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit to "get the stones out" so the roots can grow deep, so that true repentance can precede solid faith. Moreover, when persecution starts, these can easily join whole heartedly with the opposition.

t vs 7&22 ... among thorns ... — those whose roots grow deeper, and have come by true repentance and faith. However, they fail to remove the distractions from their lives, and thereby soon neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance; or the 9 kingdom attitudes. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches take one away from the Sabbath rest. "Care" is the opposite of "rest" (see also I Peter 5:6,7 — the way to humility is casting all your cares on Him). Many things aren't wrong in themselves, but they can distract one from focusing on the kingdom. It is said, "the good is often the enemy of the best."

t vs 8&23 ... on good ground ... — those who have not only broken through in repentance and faith, but continue in the "9 kingdom attitudes", displaying an ongoing repentance and humility, and continuing in the Sabbath rest through faith. "Fruit" can mean both the fruits of one's life, as in the "fruits of the spirit" (Gal 5:22); and the multiplication of oneself in helping others to break through into the rest.

m the counterfeits • ... a man who sowed good seed ... his enemy came and sowed tares ... (vs 24-30&36-43) — These can be an additional category to the above parable (of the sower), or else they may be among the first three.

t There are some who go along with everything taught, and put on an outward display of repentance and faith. What other motives they have are well hidden. In this case, they pass for those receiving the seed in good ground.

t As "tares" are a common plant in the Middle East that closely resembles wheat until the grain appears at harvest time, so are the "counterfeits". It is dangerous to attempt to weed them out before hand, as one may mistake a true believer for a "tare". Instead, Jesus commands us to wait until the harvest comes, or else when the fruit truly reveals itself.

t This can also be taken as a warning not to quickly reject those who seem different from ourselves — those of a different church or denomination or have a different interpretation of the Bible from our own; those with spiritual experiences different from ours; or those who put their faith to practice according to their own cultural background instead of ours — but who have come to God through repentance and faith in Jesus. Those who are most like "us" can just as easily be the "tares" as any of the others. A tree is known by its fruit (12:33)

m breaking through with all ones strength and resources • the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden ... a merchant seeking beautiful pearls ... (vs 44-46)

t Both of these parables can be seen both as Jesus, the Son of God giving his all to secure the treasure, or the pearl of great price; or else as those who recognise the ultimate value of God's kingdom, and sacrifice their all to "break through".

t This is not to suggest that entry into God's kingdom isn't free. However, placing oneself in a position where one's "soil" is free of the "rocks" (vs 5), and removing the "thorns" (vs 7) may require all one's resources and strength. Jesus's instruction the young rich man in 19:16-22 was, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. This is not the requirement for all who are to break into the kingdom; rather, Jesus knew that the young man's possessions would become the "thorns" as described in His parable of the sower, and would prevent him from bearing fruit.

t In both parables, the one finding the treasure/pearl considered the find to be many times more valuable than his present possessions. "For joy" (vs 44) he sold it all so as to gain the ultimate value. In the same way, nothing that we presently have can possibly be compared with Sabbath rest we find when we have "broken through".

m the final separation • the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet ... (vs 47-50) — To sum up his parables on the kingdom breaking out as a seed, Jesus gives a parable on the final judgement:

t The fate of the wicked — those who rejected the kingdom of God, and God's righteousness will be cast into "the furnace of fire". Revelation 20:14,15 calls this the "lake of fire".

t Here, Jesus specifies the "wicked", as opposed to the "just". The just are those who have God's righteousness imputed to them as the result of repentance and faith (II Cor 5:21; Rom 5:17). Those who simply didn't bear fruit because of the thorns aren't mentioned here. However, their final state, if they continually slip backwards through not seeking first God's kingdom and His righteousness through faith and repentance, may be a total deadness to the things of God. It's possible that they could then cross the line to the ranks of the wicked (Col 1:22,23; Rev 2:11;3:5).

t According to other scriptures regarding the final state of the wicked (Mark 9:43-48; II Thess 1:8,9) it appears as though the punishment is everlasting, and one remains forever conscious of one's torment.

m wisdom • every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom ... (vs 51,52)

t Earlier, the disciples had asked Jesus why He spoke in parables (vs 10-17). Jesus answered, It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to the people at large, it had to be illustrated plainly through the parables. Then, according to Mark's account (4:10-13), they asked Him to explain the parable of the sower. Jesus said, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? This illustrates the centrality of the seed principal to the entire message of the kingdom.

t At the end of all these parables, Jesus then asks, Have you understood all these things? He then said that a "scribe" (a rabbi, or one well versed in the scripture) who has been "instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven" will use both the old forms of teaching — i.e. the use of parables, knowledge of the Old Covenant, traditions etc. — as well as the new revelation that has been revealed by the Holy Spirit and whatever he finds at hand in order to best help others to break through into the Sabbath rest.

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