Talk:Matthew Chapter 13

From The Open Bible Project

Matthew 13 is typical of a chapter that has been grossly mis-interpreted by well-meaning but misguided futurist expositors and exegetes. The primary point of failure, consistently, is an inability to remain true to the context, particularly historically. The tendency is to jump quickly to immediate application, without due consideration given to the framework of understanding and spiritual experience within which this passage was initially, originally revealed.

In this passage, Christ introduces the parable of "The Sower and the Seed" to his immediate followers, in the First Century. Within the agriculturally oriented, Jewish mind and society of that day, these metaphors had powerful significance. Particularly since the various types of "soil" (signifying various levels of sensitivity to the Truth and spiritual states, as further explained within the passage) were somewhat unique to the people of that period and place.

We find significant indicators of contextual parameters governing the interpretation/application of this parable in vss. 11-17. Christ indicated to His followers that the judgment of God upon their fellow ISRAELITES, who were hardened through unbelief against their own Messiah and gospel (as foreseen and foretold by the Israelite prophet Isaiah), was evident in the inability of many to understand Christ's somewhat cryptic teachings and parables. He deliberately made his teachings difficult for the average person to comprehend - particularly those pre-disposed to reject the Truth - as part of His divine Judgment upon them. This was unique to THEIR situation and spiritual experience, as these days in which Christ lived among them and taught them in the final days of their "world" or civilization.

Thus, since Satan was destroyed at the time of the Great Judgment, in 70 AD, the "snatching away of the seeds sown in the heart" (v. 19) was unique to the pre-70 AD Jewish/Israelite spiritual experience. The "oppression and persecution" of v.21 likewise references the opposition of the Jewish leadership of that day to the Truth, as sown in initially receptive hearts. The "cares of this age" (v.22) speaks to the final days of the Old Covenant (Mosaic) Age, and the "cares and concerns" unique to those living under the governance of Mosaic Old Covenant Law.

Again, Satan (the enemy) sowed bad seeds among the good within the original community of saints, during the final days of the pre-AD 70 "world" (vss. 24-30). The "harvest" took place in 70 AD, when the true followers of - and believers in - Christ Jesus were differentiated from the false ones by God Himself, via His angelic reapers.

This is a very brief and somewhat sketchy analysis of this passage, and yet I believe we need to approach the text from the perspective outlined above. We must maintain an interpretive mindset governed by the paradigm-shattering, "world-changing", Kingdom-establishing events of 70 AD and the years immediately preceding those events.

Serving the Truth,

JM

Great points John

John, these are some great points. I will try to add some new comments and notes within the next few days based on what you've said! Thanks for participating!

For future reference, you can use the "discussion" tab under each chapter to make notes regarding a whole chapter. --Virgil Vaduva 14:22, 1 January 2006 (PST)

Awesome!

Thanks, Virgil! I'm impressed that this was saved and you were able to add it like this. And thanks for the positive, encouraging feedback! I can see that this is going to be a thoroughly enjoyable venture!

I will use your recommended means of adding further commentary to any texts here.

John

Suggestion

If i may John, in regards to some of your comments for this chapter, i think we need to stay away from comments like, "this passage has no relevance", etc. I think we should let the readers of the study bible come to those types of conclusions or not. Plus, some of your comments are already hinting towards very controversial matters among Preterists. As i understood it, one of the goals with this was to stay away from those types of things. Instead of saying things like "this has no relevance post ad70", maybe comment exactly on the relevance it did have for them back then. I think there is a way to present the commentary in such a way as to bring the reader to the past and involve him in the story for that time as though they are right there with Paul, etc.

Plus, think of how many times the comment "this passage has no relevance" would occur? lol...it would get nuts after awhile. ( :

--Jason Bradfield 23:15, 6 January 2006 (PST)