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OR the most part, Jesus’ audience
couldn't (or wouldn't) accept His claim to the throne of David, much less His
claim of divinity (Matthew 13:54-57). His supernatural power combined with the
goodness of His deeds should have persuaded them, but they were unaffected.
Jesus used another tool though. He used parables. A parable is simply a story
that is used to illustrate & thereby teach some moral or spiritual truth. With
His parables, Jesus was addressing the rejection that confronted Him.
In Matthew 13:3-9 & 18-23, we
find a parable that includes a farmer, some seeds and 4 kinds of soil. In
Christ's presentation, the farmer and the seed are not problematic, but the 3
out of the 4 soil types ARE a problem. Obviously, the soil represented Jesus'
audience. Jesus was revealing to His disciples the hurdles that were preventing
the conversion of Israel (Matthew 13:11).
Now, in Matthew 13:24-30 &
36-42, it is recorded that there are also sowers (spiritual farmers) who are
problematic, and there are also “spiritual” seeds that are not truth. It
doesn't matter what kind of soil in which a weed seed is planted, it'll never
produce wheat. This should remind us of sincere people who are very religious, but they are instructed in a religion that doesn't have
the truth. A man can be as compliant &
devoted as the greatest of all saints, but the wrong information will condemn
his soul. No wonder Jesus was so blunt in His condemnation of the false
teachers who abounded in His day. And
whether they got it or not, we must be sure we do.
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