Matthew chapter thirteen

  Chapters 1—4:The preparation for the Lord to come as King and the temptation of the Lord.

  Chapters 5—7:The moral nature of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Chapters 8—12:The Lord's hinting that He was for the Gentiles on the one hand and for the Israelites on the other hand.

  Chapter 13 is on the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens.

  The Bible is not primarily for the purpose of morality but for the purpose of doctrine. In the entire New Testament, only one verse tells us of the function of the holy Scriptures, and that is 2 Timothy 3:16. This verse first mentions "teaching," which should be translated "doctrine"; then it stresses the aspect of morality: for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

  Matthew 13 is truly rich and cannot be exhausted in our entire lifetime. However, it is not for morality but for teaching. Doctrinally, this chapter occupies the greatest position; its subject is the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens. The word "mystery" is used a number of times in the New Testament (some have said there are seven mysteries, but this cannot be determined accurately). All the mysteries are equal, except one, which is seen from another standpoint. The mysteries in the Bible cannot be understood by man's natural mentality; they are revealed and made known to men by the Spirit of God. Hence, they are called mysteries. Among God's manifold mysteries there are the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens. Other mysteries are found in Ephesians 1:9-10; 3:4-6; 5:32; Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 2:7; Revelation 17:5; Romans 16:25; and 1 Timothy 3:16. All the chief mysteries in the entire New Testament are found in these verses.

  The mysteries that remain must take place according to their predetermined time, between the Lord's first coming and His second coming. They cannot occur before or after this period. By this we see that the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens take place in this age and have nothing to do with the coming age.

  From verse 35 of this chapter we can see that the mysteries that take place today were not evident in the Old Testament.

  Verse 1:"On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea." "That day" is the day that the Lord broke His relationship with the Jews. A "house" implies that it belongs to someone; it has a boundary and is a place of calmness. The sea does not belong to anyone, is without limit, and is stormy. That the Lord went out of the house proves that God has come out of that which has a boundary and a limitation into that which is unlimited. The evil men are like the stormy sea, while the house is a quiet and orderly place. (This refers to the conduct of the Pharisees.) The Lord departed from the moral sphere. This means that He forsook the Jews and went to the Gentiles. In the Bible the sea signifies the Gentiles, and the earth signifies the Jews (Rev. 13:1, 11; Dan. 7:3).

  Verse 2:"And great crowds were gathered to Him, so that He stepped into a boat and sat, and all the crowd stood on the shore." The Lord went out of the house, but He did not go into the sea. He sat in a boat. The boat, which was in the sea but not of the sea, signifies the church, which is in the world but not of the world.

  The Lord left the Jews and went to the Gentiles. Nevertheless, He did not go to all the Gentiles; He went only to the Gentiles who were in the boat and spoke there (in the church). Why did the Lord need to speak in parables? Verse 11 of this chapter points out clearly that the things of the kingdom are for His disciples to know and not for the outsiders to understand. The disciples understood by faith. Therefore, to them more was given so that they would abound. But from those who do not have (referring to the Jews), even that which they have (i.e., the miracles and wonders which were done by the Lord among them and which they saw) will be taken away from them. From then on the Lord performed no more miracles. He spoke to them in parables because they could neither see nor hear. Their eyes and their ears had problems because their heart had a problem first. Their heart had become fat, and they rejected the Lord, so there was no way for them to be saved (2 Thes. 2:10-12). By this we know that all the parables in the Bible are spoken to the disciples and not to the Jews. This is a principle.

  The phrase "the kingdom of the heavens has become like," or "the kingdom of the heavens is like," is used six times in this chapter. There are seven parables in this chapter, and if the one on the treasure of things new and old is included, there are eight parables. However, the first parable does not say "the kingdom of the heavens has become like" or "the kingdom of the heavens is like." Three parables were spoken in the house specifically to the disciples; three parables were spoken at the seashore where both the Jews and the disciples were present. Whenever the Bible mentions the numbers three, seven, ten, and twelve, they signify completion. The number three is the number of God. Seven is completeness in time (which is temporary). Ten is human completeness. Twelve is eternal completeness; it is a number signifying the relationship between God and men. Although the parables in Matthew 13 apparently do not have positive significance, there is a line of progression going toward God. In contrast, the condition of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3 is not so; it is a line of degradation.

  A very important principle in studying the Bible is that the release of the truths in the Bible has dispensational restrictions. Therefore, we need to be humbled under God's mighty hand (1 Pet. 5:6), and when we have a specific need, God will give us the light.

  Before we go further to see the matter concerning the kingdom of the heavens, let us first review what we have covered earlier. After the Lord was born, there was one who pioneered the way for Him. That one was John, and he preached, saying, "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." After him, the Lord also preached this, and He sent out the apostles also to preach the same thing. Actually, what does it mean to say that "the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near"? Later on, we see the Lord healing diseases and casting out demons. This is very much related to the drawing near of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Matthew chapters five through seven speak concerning the nature of the kingdom of the heavens: absolute righteousness toward oneself, absolute graciousness toward others, and doing deeds in absolute secrecy toward God. Chapter ten is on the Lord's sending out the apostles. Chapters eleven and twelve are a big turning point. It seems that the kingdom of the heavens is taken back from the Jews. Concerning the kingdom of the heavens in chapter thirteen, Scofield said that the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens are just the kingdom of the heavens, which is mysterious. This does not make sense according to logic.

  The Lord Jesus, John, and the disciples all said that the kingdom of the heavens had drawn near. The Lord also declared the nature of the kingdom of the heavens. After the Israelites rejected the Lord, He spoke in chapter thirteen of the kingdom of the heavens in its boundary, its outward appearance (everything in the present age is outward), not the kingdom of the heavens in its nature. Mr. Meyer said that chapters five through seven speak of the nature of the kingdom of the heavens. In order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens in chapter thirteen, one must be of the same nature as the kingdom. But this does not make sense either, because the kingdom of the heavens in chapter thirteen has tares, leaven, etc. Therefore, chapter thirteen speaks of the kingdom of the heavens only in its outward appearance as the boundary.

  The kingdom of the heavens is not the millennium. It is the ruling part in the millennium. The kingdom of the heavens has three aspects: (1) the outward appearance as the boundary, as presented in chapter thirteen; (2) our learning to go on by righteousness and grace under the authority of God — this is the aspect of spiritual conduct and is spoken of in chapters five through seven; and (3) our reigning together with the Lord Jesus in the future, in the millennium — this is the future reward spoken of in chapters five through seven.

  Therefore, first we must enter into the realm of the kingdom of the heavens. We must change to another kingdom and become the people of the kingdom of the heavens. Second, we must have the spiritual reality and conduct presented in Matthew 5—7. Third, the result will be our reigning together with Christ.

  There are three categories of people today. First, there are those who have entered into the realm of the kingdom of the heavens, yet they have not been saved. Second, there are those who have been saved, have entered into the realm of the kingdom of the heavens, and have attempted to keep the teachings in chapters five through seven, but have failed. Third, there are those who have been saved, have kept the teachings in chapters five through seven, and have truly overcome; they will end with the third point mentioned above, which is to reign with the Lord in the future.

  The kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God are different, but they are inseparable.

  (1) In the first aspect: with some of the parables, while Matthew said, "The kingdom of the heavens is like...," Luke said, "The kingdom of God is like..." From this we can see that the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God are equal. This means that, on the level of the outward appearance, or the boundary, the kingdom of the heavens is equal to the kingdom of God, as shown in the parable of the leaven.

  (2) In the second aspect: however, the kingdom of the heavens is not equal to the kingdom of God. The second aspect of the kingdom of the heavens deals with the matter of conduct, as seen in chapters five through seven. On the other hand, the kingdom of God is a matter of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). The kingdom of God is a spiritual matter, while the kingdom of the heavens deals with spiritual conduct. (To enter into the kingdom of God is merely to go in, whereas to see the kingdom of God is to see its reality.)

  (3) In the third aspect: the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God are the same, again, in that both refer to the reigning in the millennium.

  Although in the first aspect the kingdom of God is equal to the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God includes an additional period; that is, the sovereignty of God spoken of by the prophets in the Old Testament refers to the ruling of the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the heavens.

  In the third aspect, not only our reigning with the Lord for one thousand years is the kingdom of God, but to eternity it is the reigning of God. In eternity, the kingdom of the heavens will have passed, and the kingdom of God will be reigning. Therefore, in the third aspect, the kingdom of God has one more period than the kingdom of the heavens. In a certain sense, the kingdom of God includes the kingdom of the heavens, but not vice versa.

  In world history the church today has only the Roman Catholic Church, the state churches, and the private churches. The Roman Catholic Church says that all believers in the world are under her regardless of the country in which they live. The state church, such as the Anglican Church, claims that every citizen of that nation belongs to the church. Due to the dissatisfaction with the state churches, there are also the private churches. As far as the outward appearance, or boundary, is concerned, if someone claims to be a Christian, we cannot cast him out of the kingdom of the heavens, because the Lord has not permitted the collecting of the tares today. However, in the bread breaking meeting, the church may have an unsaved person or an evil person removed (1 Cor. 5:2, 11-13). Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens in its outward appearance may include unsaved ones, just as the state churches do. However, for the church meetings, it is permissible not to receive an unsaved person. This shows that the kingdom of the heavens in its outward appearance and the church are two completely different spheres. There may be tares in the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, but there cannot be any unsaved person in the church. Those who are not saved cannot enter into the church.

  The parables in this chapter may be divided into several sections: (1) The parable of the sower is the introduction. (2) The parable of the wheat and the tares is in contrast with the parable of the good species and the foul species. Just as there are good wheat and bad tares, there are also good species and foul species. (3) The parable of the mustard seed is in contrast with the parable of the leaven. The mustard seed is outward, whereas the leaven is inward. (4) The parable of the treasure is in contrast with the parable of the pearl. The treasure refers to the outward, whereas the pearl refers to the inward. To show contrast is not to repeat; it is for emphasis, because one refers to the church and the other refers to the Gentiles. (5) If the word concerning the new and old treasure is also considered a parable, it is in contrast with the first parable, the parable of the sower.

  Verse 3:"And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow." In this parable the Lord did not say, "The kingdom of the heavens is (or, has become) like...," because the work of sowing the seed was done by the Lord Himself. The kingdom of the heavens in its outward appearance or sphere did not begin until the Lord was rejected and the disciples began to work. This parable speaks specifically of the result of the work of the Lord Jesus on the earth, which is a matter before "the kingdom of the heavens is (or, has become) like...." If we want to be strict in our interpretation, we must interpret it in this way.

  In verses 24-25 a "man" and "men" are mentioned. The man refers to the Son of Man; the men refer to the Lord's servants. The sowing was done by the Son of Man alone; no one else had any part in it. How many kinds of seeds are there? There is only one kind. This means that all the seeds are the same. But what about the earth? There are four kinds. The seeds refer to the word of the kingdom of the heavens, the earth refers to the heart of man, and the sower is Jesus Christ.

  "Went out to sow." If this is not the beginning of a new dispensation, then it must be the preparation for a new dispensation. In the Old Testament God planted Israel as a vine (Jer. 2:21). The vine is planted in the vineyard, and the roots of the vine constantly absorb the moisture from the earth. Therefore, the vine typifies God's earthly people. When the children of Israel went to Canaan, the first evidence of what the good land was like was the grapes from the Valley of Eshcol (Num. 13:24). The blessings of the Israelites are always on the earth. To sow the seed is to sow wheat. After the season is over it is reaped when it has dried. This refers to Christians.

  Although the Old Testament mentions the fig tree, it does not use the fig tree to represent the children of Israel. Rather, it uses the vine to represent the children of Israel. However, the New Testament uses the fig tree to represent the children of Israel (Matt. 24:32). In Luke 13 a fig tree was planted in a vineyard. Because the children of Israel were not good, God put them aside from their chosen position. The fig tree had not produced fruit for three years, but it was to be kept to see if it would produce fruit in that year. Therefore, the vine is a permanent representation of Israel, whereas the fig tree is a temporary representation of Israel. Here in Matthew 13 what is presented is the sowing of seed; it is neither the permanent representation nor the temporary representation.

  What does "beside the way" refer to? (1) The "way" is land that has never been tilled, and it has the most traffic. That is, it is a place that has not been dealt with by God or sown by men. This is the place where the evil spirits dwell. The field signifies the world, so the place "beside the way" must be the air. (2) The place "beside the way" is not the way itself; it is close to the way. This shows that it is a place that is especially close to the demons. It is probably very corrupt in morality.

  "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand, the evil one comes... This is the one sown beside the way" (v. 19). A person's rejection of the Lord is due to the unwillingness of his heart. This is just Satan blinding the eyes of man's heart to keep the glory of Christ from shining in (2 Cor. 4:4). In Matthew 5—7 the Lord presented the word of the kingdom of the heavens in a way that cannot be any more clear. But the people were not able to receive it. It does not say that they did not believe, but that they did not understand. This word was spoken especially to the Jews. The Jews do not believe because they do not understand. This corresponds to the word spoken in verses 13 through 15 concerning not being able to understand. Therefore, the Lord said that they are neighbors to the evil spirits. People of this kind are not saved.

  Verses 5-6:The second kind of seed is the seed that fell on the rocky places. These are places where there are rocks underneath and shallow soil on top. The deeper the seed is sown, the later it will grow; the shallower the seed is sown, the earlier it will grow because the shallow one is the first to receive the sunlight. See verses 20 to 21 for the explanation. This is the condition of those who are revived especially through revival meetings. For example, in John 2, many believed into the Lord when they saw the signs which He did. However, their believing was different from the believing mentioned in John 3, and the Lord did not entrust Himself to them (John 2:23-24). Many were crowding around the Lord, but not many touched Him (Luke 8:43-48). Many zealous ones crowd around the Lord, but they do not touch the Lord. Those who crowd around the Lord do so merely because of temporary excitement.

  However, this kind of people is not yet regenerated, because the rocks have not yet been removed. Ezekiel 36:26 says that those who are regenerated have their stony heart removed. Those who have not entered deeply will go out easily. Many can easily have a display, but actually they have not obtained anything. Because they have no depth of earth, the seeds immediately spring up and can easily make a display. The Lord said that people of this kind do not have root in themselves but have rocks underneath the surface. Their soil is borrowed from the outside, and the sprout is not life but a mere momentary display of emotion. The Lord said that they are not saved.

  Furthermore, trials and persecutions are for helping the believers to grow. All the north winds are for helping the trees to grow firmly. If the seed has no root, it cannot withstand persecution and affliction. If the seed is rooted, the scorching of the sun will help the seed to grow. If the seed is not rooted, the scorching of the sun will cause the seed to wither.

  Verses 7, 22:The people described in these verses are probably saved. Thorns grow without anyone sowing the seed. But wheat does not grow if no one sows. Therefore, everything that is of God requires work; everything that is natural does not require work. To be anxious and to be greedy for riches are very natural.

  Is the word of God crowded in you? Do you give the word of God sufficient room within you? A person can be outwardly very busy, very rich, and very strong, but the most important thing is whether or not the word is crowded within. The Lord's eyes do not look only at life. The Lord always looks at the bearing of fruit. The sprout grows before men. If the seed sprouts, there is life. But if it does not bear fruit, the owner will not have gained anything. The truth of the kingdom of the heavens is that God wants to gain something.

  Verses 8, 23:There is only one kind of seed; the difference is in the soil. The kind of soil you are is determined by you; no one can force you. Concerning the truth of the kingdom of the heavens, it is a matter of understanding, not believing. In other words, spiritual revelation is necessary. When a person has the practical seeing, then he can bear fruit. Furthermore, the Lord does not pay attention to anything under thirty. A hundred is perfect, sixty is more than half, and thirty is not quite half. Therefore, the Lord does not pay attention to anything under thirty. The measure of death one has determines the measure of his fruitfulness.

  Verse 24:"Another parable He set before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field." Take note that this parable is the first of the six parables of the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, the realm of this parable is somewhat broader. It must include the outline of the kingdom of the heavens. The speaking was carried out at the seashore, and the interpretation was given in the house. The parable of the sower stresses the four different kinds of soil; this parable stresses the good seed. In the first parable there is only one kind of seed, while in this parable there is only one field.

  The previous parable is like a preface. It does not say, "The kingdom of the heavens is (or, has become) like...," because the work He did on earth was received only by some people. This parable refers to that which took place after He did His work. In the previous parable there is only one man; in this parable there are men sleeping. The previous parable emphasizes man's heart, whereas this parable stresses the realm of work.

  As the sower in the previous parable is the Son of Man, so the sower in this parable also is the Son of Man. The "field" is the world. In chapter twenty-eight the disciples were told to go to all the nations, that is, to go into all the world. This is different from going only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The previous parable stresses only man's heart toward the Lord, while this parable stresses the preaching of the gospel to the whole world. Now there are no more boundaries. This indicates that the realm of the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is as broad as the world. The church rescues people out of the world, and the kingdom of the heavens is a new sphere on the earth. The church comes out of the world, whereas the kingdom of the heavens goes into the world. Therefore, we can remove people from the church, but we cannot remove them from the kingdom of the heavens.

  The good seed are the sons of the kingdom (v. 38). In the previous parable the seed is the word of the kingdom; in this parable the good seed are the sons of the kingdom. In the previous parable the seed is the word of God; in this parable the word passed through men, making them the sons of the kingdom. When the seeds are sown into the ground, one by one they become wheat; when the word falls into our heart, we become sons of the kingdom. By the word we are made sons of the kingdom. First Peter 1:23 says that we have been regenerated through the word. We have received the new life through the word of God. When the word of God falls into our heart, it immediately becomes life.

  The sons of the kingdom are those who belong to the kingdom. From this we can see two meanings of the kingdom of the heavens: (1) The sphere of the kingdom of the heavens in its appearance is as large as the world. (2) When the sphere becomes more restricted, we have only the sons of the kingdom.

  The sons of the kingdom are those who are qualified to inherit the kingdom; they are those who represent the kingdom and who belong to the kingdom. They are the opposite of the sons of the evil one. How can man be regenerated? When a gospel preacher preaches a certain word to you, you believe and receive this word. Then you also receive life, which is in the word.

  Verse 25: "But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat and went away." Here it is the men sleeping, not the sower. The Lord as the sower never sleeps or slumbers. The men were the slaves. Broadly speaking, they refer to us; strictly speaking, they refer to the people at that time. There are two aspects to sleeping: (1) It is natural and therefore cannot be criticized. (2) It is to be tired, that is, not to be watchful.

  The "enemy" is the devil (v. 39), and the "tares" are people. In verse 38, as the wheat signifies men, so the tares also signify men. The "sons of the evil one" are not the unbelievers in the world; rather, they are those who mixed with the wheat, like the mixed multitude among the children of Israel when they went out from Egypt. There have been tares in the church in every age, such as Judas in the early days and H.E. Fosdick [a modernist] in the present time.

  Concerning the wheat and the tares, someone who was familiar with the geographical background of the Jews gave the following explanation: After the wheat and the tares are sown, they sprout and grow up to a height of one foot, two feet, or four feet. At these stages they are the same. When they bear fruit, they are still the same. Not until their fruit has ripened are they distinguishable. The fruit of the tares is black, and that of the wheat is golden yellow. In order to determine which is a tare and which is wheat, one must wait until the fruit becomes ripe.

  "His enemy ... went away." This is the enemy's way of doing things. Bible prophecies tell us that in the last days there will be a great apostasy, a great turning away from the truth. We do not know the truth that they will turn away from, but the Bible tells us how the turning away from the truth will be carried out. It will be just as Paul said: men will forbid marriage and command the eating of vegetables (1 Tim. 4:3) — things related to our conduct. John told us that, with regard to the truth, the apostates will deny the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22). Therefore, John stressed the matter of confessing that Jesus is the Christ. Peter in his second Epistle said that the apostates will care only to have money, and the result they are seeking is the separating of the flock (2 Pet. 2:15). This kind of situation was already mentioned at the time of Paul, John, and Peter. Since the second century there have been countless debates concerning the person of the Lord Jesus. According to history, those who sow the tares are those who deny that Jesus is the Christ, yet they still call themselves Christians.

  Verse 26: "And when the blade sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares appeared also." The clause "when the blade sprouted" has two meanings. First, it refers to the time of the ripening for the harvest. Second, it refers to the time the conduct is manifested. The harvest of the field is at the end of the age. The time of the manifestation of the conduct is indicated in verse 27, where the slaves of the master of the house have already begun to wonder. In the second century, when the heresies were rising up, the slaves had no idea what was happening, so they told the master of the house.

  Verse 27: "And the slaves of the master of the house came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then did the tares come from?" The slaves did not know who had sown the tares. When they saw the tares coming out, they did not understand why it was happening. Today it is the same in pioneering a work. Originally, there are a few very good ones, but later some bad condition suddenly appears. The slaves knew only the result but did not know the cause. However, the master said that it was done by the enemy. The tares are mixed with the wheat. Satan's work is not only to oppose but also to imitate. Not only does Satan transfigure himself into an angel of light, but his followers also transfigure themselves into ministers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14-15). If possible, Satan persecutes; if not, he imitates. Therefore, persecution should not be feared as much as counterfeiting. There is not one kind of spiritual experience that Satan cannot counterfeit. Satan will counterfeit even such high matters as the fellowship between God and man and the union of God and man. For instance, Frank Buchman, [founder and director of the Oxford Group], wrote a book concerning regenerated Christians. Although the book was well written, it mentions neither the death of Christ nor the blood of Christ. Without blood, one can still be regenerated! This is really heresy! Buchman also spoke on the union of God and man. How did he put it? He said that all that is required is meditation. He spoke neither of the reading of the Bible nor of the Holy Spirit. It is strange that without reading the Bible or depending on the Spirit, one can still understand God's desire! That he did not touch these things is a real danger. Today the revival movement at Oxford University is of the Buchman group. However, there were students who testified that they did not believe in Jesus of Nazareth. Today Satan counterfeits regeneration, salvation, and the fellowship between God and man. Therefore, without the truth, the experience must be false. When people are saved, they should have a spiritual salvation and not a psychological salvation.

  Verses 27-28:When the slaves were wondering about the appearing of the tares, the master said that it was done by an enemy. To collect in Greek means "to root out by violent force." Rooting out is done not by a peaceful means but by a violent means; it is to cut off (Prov. 2:21-22; Deut. 29:28). The specialty of the Roman Catholic Church has been to put to death those who believed in heresies. The same has been true with the state churches. The Episcopalian Church also practiced burning people to death by fire. This is the "collecting" of tares. Unfortunately, however, some who did not believe in heresies were also killed; even the wheat, the good believers, were put to death. A good number who were "collected" were wheat rather than tares. "Collecting" is not allowed by the Lord.

  Verse 30:"Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect first the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them up, but the wheat gather into my barn." Because of this, some think that it is expected that tares be present in the church. But the word here concerns the field, the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. First Corinthians 5 says that the church should remove the evil man from her midst. The church is formed by the Lord, so she should not have the mixed multitude in her midst. But in the sphere of the appearance of the kingdom, a mixed multitude is unavoidable.

  "Until the harvest." This is where the whole matter is. " The time of the harvest" is "the consummation of the age" (v. 39). On the one hand, the age refers to the present age of the gospel. On the other hand, it probably began from the time of Daniel, because God gave the authority to the Gentiles then, and that began a new age. This is the strictest interpretation. Daniel said that God is "the God of the heavens" (Dan. 2:18-19, 37, 44). When God appeared to Abraham, He was "the God of heaven and earth." All the way until David, He was called "the God of heaven and earth." Ezekiel 8 through 11 show that God gradually withdrew Himself, and eventually He withdrew to the heavens. The reason God withdrew to the heavens was that the children of Israel were worshipping idols. Therefore, Satan became the god of this age, and God committed the earth to Satan. Although at the time of Nehemiah there were people who were returning to their country, God was still called "the God of the heavens." This is why Paul said in Galatians 1:4 that this age is an evil age. The consummation of this age ends with the great tribulation. At the conclusion of this age two things will be manifested: the wheat and the tares. The " harvest" refers to the consummation of the age, and the "reapers" are the angels.

  In verse 30 there is the binding into bundles. Men have now bound themselves into associations. In an effort to become more intimate, they have bound themselves into " bundles." This bundling has already begun. By studying church history in detail, we can see that within the past one hundred years since 1828, the truths of the Bible have been selected out one by one. Those who believe, believe; those who do not believe, do not believe. Those who preach the personal gospel, preach the personal gospel; those who preach the social gospel, preach the social gospel. Those who preach premillennialism, preach premillennialism; those who preach postmillennialism, preach postmillennialism. Yes is yes, and no is no. Twenty years ago the mixing in the church was very serious. It was not until 1915 that fundamentalism came into existence, and a division took place. Now the tares are being bound into bundles. A sign of Christ's second coming is this "binding into bundles," that is, the so-called fellowship. Men such as Fosdick have been exposed as modernists by the missionaries of the China Inland Mission. The binding into bundles is for burning.

  Revelation 14:1-5 is on the firstfruits; verses 6-13 are on the great tribulation (that is, the warning of the three angels); verses 14-16 are on the reaping of the wheat; and verses 17-20 are on the gathering of the grapes. When will the warning of the three angels occur? It will take place at the time of the great tribulation. Therefore, the rapture of the firstfruits in 14:1-5 will take place before the great tribulation, while the harvest of the wheat and the gathering of the grapes will take place after the great tribulation. What is the harvest? In the Bible it refers to the rapture. How do we know that the harvest of the wheat refers to the rapture? Because the wheat is gathered into the barn. The houses of the Jews were in one place and their fields were in another place. The barn is built near the house, and the wheat is stored in the barn, which is far away from the field but close to the house. Therefore, the barn is the air. Since the field is the world and the house is where God the Father dwells, the ripened wheat cannot be stored in either of the two places. Therefore, the barn must be the air. This is according to the significance of the harvest.

  From the types in Leviticus 23 we can have a clear picture. Leviticus 23 records the following feasts: (1) the Sabbath, (2) the Feast of the Passover, (3) the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (4) the Feast of the Firstfruits, (5) the Feast of Pentecost, (6) the Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets, (7) the Feast of Propitiation, and (8) the Feast of Tabernacles. Not only was the Sabbath placed as the first, but also within every feast there was a Sabbath. This does not signify God's rest after creation; it signifies the completion of redemption. God rests, and man also rests. This means that both God and man approve of what the Lord did.

  There are three feasts in the first month. First, the Feast of the Passover is on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening (Lev. 23:5). Second, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is on the fifteenth of the month (vv. 6-8). Third, the Feast of the Firstfruits is on the day after the Sabbath and three days after the Passover (vv. 9-11). There is one feast in the second month — the Feast of Pentecost. It takes place on the fiftieth day, counting from the day after the Sabbath, that is, the day that the firstfruits are brought in, through the completion of seven Sabbaths to the day after the seventh Sabbath (vv. 15-21). There are three feasts in the seventh month. First, the Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets is on the first day of the month (vv. 24-25). Second, the Feast of Propitiation is on the tenth of the month (vv. 26-32). Third, the Feast of Tabernacles is on the fifteenth of the month (vv. 33-43).

  The first month is the time of Christ's working, and the second month is the time of the Spirit's working. After this there is a gap, a period with no feasts. Then in the seventh month there are feasts again. All the things of redemption begin with the Feast of the Passover. Closely following the Feast of the Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. No one can keep the Passover without putting away the leaven. Three days after the Feast of the Passover is the Feast of the Firstfruits. What is offered in this feast? A sheaf (not a single stalk) of the firstfruits is to be waved before God (Lev. 23:10-11). Therefore, in Jerusalem many believers came out of the tombs after the Lord's resurrection (Matt. 27:53). At the death of Christ, many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised (v. 52) because the Lord had overcome the power of death. After the Lord's resurrection, they came out of the tombs. This is the "spoil" mentioned in Isaiah 53:12, indicating the glory of victory. The Feast of Pentecost refers to the descending of the Holy Spirit. It is what the two loaves of bread baked with leaven and offered as a wave offering typify. One of the two loaves refers to the Jews and the other to the Gentiles. The Feast of Pentecost has already begun, and we are enjoying the accomplishment of Pentecost. The Feast of Pentecost has not ended yet; it will go on until the Feast of Propitiation. This is like the case of the new covenant. In the future God will make a new covenant with the children of Israel, but today we are already enjoying the blessing of the new covenant. The Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets, on the one hand, is applied to the Jews, and on the other hand, is related to us. This is in the future. The Feast of Propitiation is also in the future. However, today we have a foretaste of it (Heb. 6:5). The Feast of Tabernacles refers to leaving the houses and rejoicing and points to the millennium. It is still temporary, not eternal.

  Concerning the wheat, there are four steps mentioned in Leviticus 23. First, there are the firstfruits, referring to the Lord's resurrection. (In the Bible many were resurrected, but the Lord was ordained to be the Firstborn from among the dead.) "Firstfruits" implies that others are not ripened yet. Hence, firstfruits are reaped first. Second, in the Feast of Pentecost the loaves of bread as firstfruits refer to those who are raptured first, that is, before the great tribulation. Third, there is the general harvest; this is the rapture after the great tribulation. Fourth, there is the gathering of the gleanings after the harvest; this refers to the rapture of the fragments.

  Matthew 13 records a comparison between wheat and tares, showing that their ends are different. Revelation 14 and Leviticus 23 record a comparison between different kinds of wheat, showing that their ends also are different. Although all are wheat, they are harvested at different times. Some say that all will be raptured together before the great tribulation. They are merely trying to comfort themselves. Otherwise, the Lord should have said, "Blessed are you because you are the wheat. You do not have to watch or endure." If the requirement for rapture is not the maturity in life, then all the warnings are meaningless.

  Wheat needs to be dried; it is different from grapes, which need water. Therefore, it needs sunshine. At the time of harvest, the standard for harvest is the amount of water. When the stalks and roots are all dried up, then they can be reaped. We are all wheat, so we must be dried up; that is, we must not love the pleasures of this earth. Mr. Panton once said that wheat dries toward the earth as it ripens toward heaven. Sunshine signifies the grace of tribulation, while the dew signifies the grace of blessing. Sunshine helps the wheat to grow and ripen; it causes the wheat to be dried and not to love the world. Furthermore, wheat is an annual plant. The earth is not our permanent dwelling place; it is our temporary place of sojourn. The wheat are ripened group after group. One martyr said, "I can give my life for another to die." Wheat has no safeguard on the earth. It does not have the thorns of roses, and it is not as strong or firm as the fig trees or as high as the vine trees. It is most tender and easily bent by the wind. God is wise in using wheat to represent the saints, the sons of the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord will see whether or not we are ripened, and then He will reap. The rapture of the believers is determined by the believers themselves.

  Before the Lord's coming, the first rapture will take place, in which very few saints (the hundred and forty-four thousand mentioned in Revelation 14) will be taken before the throne, which is in heaven. These also are the loaves offered in the Holy Place at the Feast of Pentecost. Revelation 14:6-13 concerns the gospel and the warning during the great tribulation. Verses 14-16 cover the harvest. The Son of Man being on the cloud is the situation described in 1 Thessalonians 4. In Revelation 14:15, ripe in the original language means "cooked by roasting." Since the sunshine is ineffective, the Lord has to use fire — persecution and tribulation — which is more severe than sunshine to roast them until they are done, that is, ripe. Therefore, eventually the believers have to give up the world and become dried, either by the scorching of the sun or by the roasting of fire. One day you may love the world, but the world may not love you. The difference between the five foolish virgins and the five prudent virgins is merely a matter of those who are early and those who are late; in other words, which believers are ripened first? In Revelation 14:17-20 the sickle is related to the angels, and the "grapes" are the evil men (not a type of the Israelites, whose type today is the fig tree). These grapes are the slain mentioned in chapter nineteen who fall at the battle of Armageddon. What follows that is the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 16:13-15). The gathering of the gleanings takes place after the harvest; it signifies the rapture of the fragments. Those who are raptured first are the firstfruits; the general harvest is the rapture after the great tribulation (1 Thes. 4; 1 Cor. 15). All the wheat will be harvested; it is just that some will be reaped first and others later.

  The day of the Lord's coming is near. In the last days the believers need to endeavor in three great matters: (1) the eternal life, (2) the rapture, and (3) the reward. Concerning the first thing, we thank God that He has already done it for us. He has chosen us before the foundation of the world that we might have eternal life through Christ's death. The other two things require our own preparation. Rapture is related to our living — our watchfulness, endurance, and holiness. Reward is related to our work. But this distinction is not absolute, for both are mutually related. For instance, Philip was raptured (in type) while he was working (Acts 8:39).

  Two passages of the Bible reveal the direct requirements for rapture. First, Revelation 3:10 mentions the keeping of the word of the Lord's endurance. When people revile the Lord today, the Lord endures and does not strike them to death with lightning. (This will not be so in the millennium — Zech. 14:17-19.) We need to stand in the same position with the Lord (Rev. 1:9), not loving glory, because the Lord has not received glory and was silent when rejected (Isa. 53:7). Second, Luke 21:36 says, "But be watchful at every time, beseeching that you would prevail [or, be accounted worthy — KJV] to escape all these things which are about to happen and stand before the Son of Man." We need to be watching at every time, not just for five minutes. In the dark night we should not sleep but should be able to discern the Lord's brightness and the world's darkness. We must always pray that we may be truly accounted worthy and considered qualified to participate in the first rapture. If we cannot refuse the blessings of this world, neither can we escape the calamities of the great tribulation.

  The reapers are the angels, the sickle mentioned in Revelation 14. They do not refer to men; otherwise, the religious inquisitions carried out by the Roman Catholic Church would be approved. The tares will be burned up in the furnace of fire, that is, the lake of fire, beside the Valley of Hinnom (cf. Isa. 30:27-33; 31:9; Rev. 20:10; Isa. 66:23-24).

  Matthew 13 speaks of three kingdoms: (1) the kingdom of the heavens (referring to the realm — v. 11); (2) the kingdom of the Son of Man (v. 41), referring to the millennial kingdom on the earth, which is for the Gentiles and the Jews; and (3) the kingdom of the Father (v. 43), referring to the heavenly millennial kingdom, which is for the believers and at which time the righteous will shine forth like the Lord as the Sun of righteousness. (During the tribulation, He will be the morning star.) Therefore, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

  The parable of the mustard seed: The mustard seed is not the seed mentioned in the first and second parables. Here the emphasis is on the mustard seed as the smallest seed. The Israelites usually use the mustard seed as a figure of the smallest (Matt. 17:20), just as we use dust as a figure.

  Verses 31-32: The mustard seed signifies the principle of God's word of life. "A man" signifies Christ, while the "field" signifies the world. While men were unaware, the Lord sowed the word of God in the world. (In Palestine, the shortest mustard plants are about ten feet high, and the tallest are about fifteen feet high. The Lord used the mustard seed to signify the smallest thing becoming the largest thing.) Before 1828 the majority of Bible expositors said that the mustard seed signifies the outward prosperity of the church, for in just a short time the church had spread throughout Asia. They also said that the leaven signifies the inward prosperity of the church and that the three measures of meal signify the whole world. After 1828 people such as J.N. Darby rose up to criticize the error in this, because this kind of explanation was altogether unscriptural and was based merely on personal imagination. If the whole world could be improved, then there is no need to mention the tares in the previous passage, or to mention the fruitlessness of three-fourths of the soil. The subsequent passage concerning the species in the sea also is unnecessary. Furthermore, where in the Bible has God used the number three to represent the world? We can find only the numbers two (the Gentiles and the Jews) and four (every nation, all tribes, all peoples, and all tongues — Rev. 7:9) representing the whole world. According to the facts in the foregoing parables, we cannot expect the world to have a good result.

  How then should we explain the parable of the mustard seed? From Genesis 1:11-12 we see that in God's creation everything is after its kind. Therefore, the vegetables will always be vegetables, and the birds will always be birds. Monkeys can never become human beings. Nevertheless, this mustard seed became a tree. This is contrary to God's will. Originally, the church was ordained to be the smallest, the weakest, and the least noticeable. However, the church has become Christianity, signified by the tree. Today the composition of Christianity is very complicated. This is due to the invasion of the church by Gnosticism during the second and third centuries, as portrayed in the second parable. From then on, under the hand of the Roman Catholic Church, the church brought forth many shameful things. Under one command, tens of thousands of soldiers were baptized in one day. By becoming Christians, people had the privilege to receive four ounces of silver and two changes of white raiment. Alas! The church became a tree! The birds of heaven signify the evil one, Satan (Matt. 13:4). He is most clever, and he knew where he could settle down. Therefore, how could he let this opportunity pass by? The Roman Catholic Church is truly absurd and thus becomes Satan's headquarters. The Protestant Church also follows in its footstep in things such as Christmas, which is a "bird" that "flew" from the Roman Catholic Church to the Protestant Church.

  What do the birds denote? And what does the tree refer to? Daniel 4:20-22 speaks concerning the power and authority of Babylon. Ezekiel 31:3-6 speaks concerning the power and authority of the Assyrian king. Therefore, the tree here refers to the power and authority of this world, especially in relation to the political aspect. Birds denote sins, which come from Satan. Therefore, the sins in today's church actually include the sins of the entire world. What sin is not found in the church? The church has become Babylon, which is utterly in confusion. She is also like a large department store. Satan is most clever, and he devoured the seed (Matt. 13:4). However, he was not altogether successful. Therefore, he changed his tactics by causing the tree to grow larger so that all the birds could come and lodge there. This is, in effect, hanging up the signboard of Christianity but selling the medicine of Satan.

  What has the Lord ordained for the church? First John 3:1 says that the world does not know us; Galatians 6:14 says that the world has been crucified; and 1 Peter 2:11 says that we are strangers and sojourners. What the Lord has ordained is so small, even having no relationship with the world. To the Christians the world is a pathway when they are alive and a tomb when they die. Mr. Panton once said something to this effect, "When I am living, the world is a pathway; when I die, the world at most will give me a coffin. If it does not give me that, I will not mind either." Actually, how did the church become great? (That is, how did the mustard seed grow to be a tree?) It is because her roots are very long, and they grow deeply into the earth to get nourishment. Thus, the world helps the church to grow. Therefore, a Christian should not obtain glory from the world. For example, the archbishop of the Anglican Church is a member of the House of Lords. When that happens, the mustard seed has become great. Vegetables and trees are different. First, vegetables are annual or biannual herbs, whereas trees are perennial plants. Today the church has lost her sojourning nature. Second, vegetables have leaves, and trees have branches. The church's enterprises are greatly advertised, and the church is divided into sects. Third, the roots of vegetables are only two to three inches deep, whereas the roots of trees are several times longer than their trunks and go down deeply into the earth. This indicates that the church is worldly and has been rooted in the world. Vegetables will die in two or three months, but the trees will not. This means that the church has lost her original attitude of looking to God. God desires the church to return to the principle in Genesis and be a vegetable. Unfortunately, the church prefers to be a tree. The church as a tree has merely an outward appearance and is without reality. Moreover, she has lost her chastity and is unable to lead the world to repentance. Satan is the one who gets the most profit. Hence, we must preserve our "smallness" and not admire others' greatness. Let us surpass others in suffering hardships and yield to others in enjoying comforts. We should have the mind, the determination, to suffer, which is more precious than actually going through the sufferings. We may be poor in our pocket so long as our spirit is not poor. The secret of overcoming is to stand in the position that the Lord has given to us. Saul considered himself to be small, and God used him (1 Sam. 9:21). Later on, when he became great, God turned to David (1 Sam. 15:30: 16:1). God seeks the small vessels, not the large ones (1 Sam. 10:21; Acts 9:15).

  Verse 33: the parable of the leaven. In the entire Bible leaven signifies evil things. This is a principle in the Bible that cannot be overturned. (See Exo. 12:15, 19-20; 13:6-8; Lev. 2:4-5, 11; 6:17; 10:12; Deut. 16:3-4; Amos 4:4-5.) In the New Testament three kinds of leaven are referred to. The first kind is the teaching of the Pharisees (Matt. 16:12), which stressed the outward greatness of ceremonies and rituals. Those who keep rituals are proud of such greatness. The second kind of leaven is the teaching of the Sadducees, who did not believe in the supernatural. The Sadducees were like today's modernists, those who rebel against the Lord. The third kind is the leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15), referring to those who are worldly, who love political activities, and who persecute the church. Leaven refers to teachings or doctrines (Matt. 16:12); it also refers to conduct or morality (1 Cor. 5:6-8). The two are related. First there is the improper doctrine, and then there is the improper conduct. In the Bible woman represents religious organization. There are four women in the Bible whose names are not mentioned: Revelation 12, 17, 19, and Zechariah 5. They all represent religious organizations. The woman here refers particularly to the Roman Catholic Church. In a broader sense, she refers to those who preach or invent heresies. Three measures is the ordinary quantity needed for making meals (cf. Gen. 18:6; 1 Sam. 1:24); one ephah equals three measures (Judg. 6:19). The woman in Zechariah 5:7 is the woman in Revelation 17, which is the Roman Catholic Church and which will eventually move to Babylon. Meal, for making the meal offering, signifies Christ as food to His people. Three measures of meal signifies the manifestation of Christ. (The number one is the number of God, and the number three is the number of God's manifestation.) By combining the two together, it means that the Roman Catholic Church has mixed leaven with the pure food supply given by Christ to His people, so that the whole lump was leavened. In the future the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church will be joined together. The church becomes prosperous through its heresies, such as the social gospel and modern beliefs. Hear the Lord's calling: "Come out from their midst and be separated" (2 Cor. 6:17). Again, "Come out of her, My people, that you do not participate in her sins and that you do not receive her plagues" (Rev. 18:4). Today there is leaven everywhere, and it can be contacted most easily. Hence, we must reject (1) the outward greatness and (2) the inward heresy.

  Verses 34-35: Apart from parables the Lord spoke nothing to them. Because the Jews had rejected the Lord, the Lord spoke to them in parables (not as clear as when He spoke in plain words) so that they could hear but could not understand. Verse 35 shows that the word of Psalm 78:2 is thus fulfilled.

  Verse 36: "Then, leaving the crowds, He went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Make the parable of the tares of the field clear to us." Here, "leaving" should be rendered "sending away." Verses 1 through 35 are by the seashore, while verses 36 through 52 are in the house. The "house" here does not refer to Israel; it refers to the church because the disciples were in the house. Therefore, the seven great parables may be divided into two large categories: (1) the sowing, the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven; and (2) the treasure, the pearl, and the net. The Lord first explained the parable of the tares because, as the first parable of the kingdom of the heavens, it is the most important and the broadest in scope. If one understands this parable, he can understand the others (see verse 51, which says that the disciples understood all these things). The parables spoken inside the house are more precious and intimate, because in speaking to His own people or close friends, He could surely speak in a deeper and more advanced way.

  Verse 44:"The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden [past participle] in the field, which a man found and hid [past tense], and in his joy goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field" (the tense in the second half of the verse is changed to the present). The parables of the tares and the treasure are the most important and the richest in mystery.

  Bible expositors interpret this parable mainly in the following ways. The first kind of interpretation is that the treasure signifies Christ and the field signifies the gospel, and therefore Christ is hidden in the gospel. The man represents the sinner who forsakes all to follow the Lord. If so, we may ask: (1) Since the gospel is for manifesting Christ, how can it be hiding Christ instead? (2) Where does the Bible refer to the field as the gospel? (3) What can a sinner buy? (4) Is Christ a piece of merchandise that one has to pay a price for? (5) Since He was found, why was He covered again? (This is altogether contrary to the fact.) (6) How is He covered? (7) If the gospel can be bought, can it be the gospel? The second kind of interpretation is that the field refers to the Bible, the treasure signifies salvation, and the man is the sinner. Salvation is hidden in the Bible, and when man finds salvation he forsakes everything to get it. We may ask: (1) Does the Bible hide salvation or make it manifest? (2) Is salvation found by man or is it preached to man? (3) Does one have to pay the price to understand the Bible? (4) How much must one pay to buy a Bible? (5) Can one definitely obtain Christ after he buys a Bible? (6) After he has gained Christ, why does he hide Him again? Is he afraid that Christ might be discovered by others? The third kind of interpretation is that the field signifies the world, the treasure signifies the church, and the man signifies Christ, who found the church and gave up everything to obtain her. We may ask: (1) When the Lord was on the earth, where and when did He discover the church? Or does it refer to the glory of the church? (2) When the Lord was on the earth, when did the church manifest her glory? The fourth kind of interpretation is that the treasure refers to sinners. However, (1) when the Lord was on this earth, sinners were everywhere, and thus there was no need to find them. (2) After He found the sinners, why would He hide them again?

  The parable of the treasure. Since the Lord did not explain the treasure, we can find the explanation from other portions of the Scriptures. The treasures (or, storehouses) mentioned in 1 Chronicles 27:25 represent the glory of the kingdom of David. The treasure mentioned in Ecclesiastes represents the riches of the kingdom of Solomon. The glory of a kingdom lies in its treasures. Even during the period of theocracy (from Moses to the judges before Saul), the treasures also represented glory. When a kingdom is strong, the treasures are protected. But when a kingdom is weak, the treasures are captured. The field signifies the world. Why is the treasure hidden in the field? The glory of the kingdom of God has never been revealed on the earth. Furthermore, after the captivity of the Jews, God became the God of heaven. Man has not seen God's ruling of the universe. Even before the captivity, the glory of God's kingdom was hidden to men, with a few exceptions. From before the age of Moses, the kingdom of the heavens was always hidden until John the Baptist, who began to preach that the kingdom of the heavens was near. How long was the kingdom of the heavens hidden? From the creation of the world to the time of John (Matt. 13:35; 25:34). Who hid the glory of the kingdom of the heavens? God did (Prov. 25:2; Rom. 11:33 — "depth" means "hiddenness").

  Continuing the thought in the preceding section, the field is the world; otherwise, the Lord would have given another explanation. By this we know that the kingdom of the heavens will be related to the world. The kingdom of the heavens will appear on the earth (Zech. 14:5, 9; Psa. 8 — a psalm of the kingdom, where verses 7-9 mention the whole earth). Its realm will be on the earth, but the part of the Lord's governing will be in the heavens, and the world will be destroyed after the kingdom. "Which a man found" refers to what the Lord did on the earth. When the world was in a time of confusion, there was a man crying in the wilderness, "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." The Lord also preached this message. Moreover, the teachings of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 5—7) and the power of the kingdom of the heavens (such as healing and miracles) all have been manifested. (Verse 44 does not imply the thought of seeking; it is merely a discovering.) The Lord discovered first; no other person discovered before Him. The "man" refers to Christ. The angels and the prophets could not reveal it (cf. Heb. 2:5-8). Afterward, the Lord hid it. The first half of this verse the Lord spoke in the past tense; from this point on, He used the present tense. From this we know that "hidden" and "found" were accomplished facts. But "hid" here and "sells" and "buys" in the last half of this verse are things to be carried out at the time of the Lord's speaking. Why was it hidden again? It is because of the Jews' rejection. From the middle of chapter eleven they began to reject, and in chapter twelve they carried out the rejection (see Matt. 11:20, 25). Therefore, the treasure is hidden. According to 13:41-44, this thing is now hidden. Afterward the Lord did not perform many miracles. (When He did, He did it for individuals.) The Lord Himself was also hidden (cf. John 8:59; 12:36; Luke 4:30). Why was He hidden? It was because something went wrong (that is, the Jews rejected Him) and because there was danger (Jer. 41:8); the children of Israel had evil intentions. The Lord hides Himself from the entire nation of the Jews, not from the individuals or disciples. The Lord forsook the entire nation of the Jews, yet He did not forsake individuals.

  The Lord rejoices for the glory of the kingdom. (We may refer to Luke 10:17-18 and 21, the only place that records the Lord's rejoicing. The disciples went to preach the gospel and the power of the kingdom of the heavens; they rejoiced because the power of Hades was being cast into the bottomless pit — cf. Matt. 25:21, 23; Heb. 12:2). "In his joy goes" indicates that the Lord went to the cross in Jerusalem. This going is different from the going in verse 46. There it is to go out, to depart; here it is to go back, as in Matthew 5:24; 8:13; 9:6; 19:21; Mark 2:11; 6:38; 7:29; 10:21; John 3:8; 4:16; 6:21; 7:3. This proves that the place where the treasure is found is not in the house but in the field, that is, in the world. Therefore, He had to return to sell all that He had. This means that He had to pay the price and give up Himself. When the Lord came to the earth, He had forsaken a great part of His possessions (though not all), and on the cross He gave up even His life (see Acts 20:28; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 5:9). The purpose of buying is for obtaining the treasure hidden in the field. However, the realm is the world (2 Pet. 2:1). Therefore, the unsaved also are bought. The Lord as the sin offering is for the believers; He is even the propitiation for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). God has great expectations for the earth; therefore, He bought it. The kingdom in the future will be related to the earth — the kingdom will be on the earth (Rev. 11:15; Matt. 6:10) and the Lord's heart is also on the earth (Matt. 6:21). Hence, the Lord will come back to the earth to establish the kingdom of the heavens. In the Bible, when buying and selling are mentioned, sometimes neither the seller nor the cost is mentioned. The spiritual meaning cannot be too material.

  Verses 45-46:Bible expositors have explained the parable of the pearl in the following ways. The first kind of interpretation, which began from the time of Luther and continues to this day, maintains that the pearl refers to Christ and the man represents the believers. But how can the believers buy Christ? Christ is the only Savior. How could He become a pearl of great value among the fine pearls? The second kind of interpretation is that the pearl refers to the choicest parts of the church, which are scattered among the churches. Men would forsake everything to seek for them in the churches. However, men do not need to sell all that they have in order to seek the truth. Both the rich and the poor can seek the truth. The third interpretation, which was given a hundred years ago, is that the pearl refers to the righteousness of God. The fourth interpretation is that the pearl refers to the church. This is partially correct, for the pearl does not refer to the substance of the church but to the parts of the church. Otherwise, the pearl and the church cannot be linked together.

  The parable of the pearl should be interpreted as follows: The pearl signifies the beauty of the church. The beauty of the pearl is the expression of life, not something of human work. The stress of the treasure is more on the Israelites; another interpretation of the field is that it refers to the Jews. Pearls are produced in the sea, not in the field. The sea refers to the Gentiles, the multitudes of peoples. The mystery mentioned in Romans 11:25-26 is related to the Jews; the mystery mentioned in Ephesians 3:4-6 is related to the Gentiles. The treasure is something precious to a nation or a family; a pearl is something valuable to an individual. (Concerning the pearl, see the following references: Job 28:18; Matt. 7:6; 13:45-46; 1 Tim. 2:9; Rev. 17:4; 18:12; 21:21.) From these references we can see that pearls are ornaments for personal beautification and satisfaction. The Lord desires to obtain a good number of pearls. (Seeking the beauty of the pearl is the work of the Lord.) The Lord did not say that no other pearls were found; He only said that one pearl of great value was found. The beauty of the church surpasses everything (see Eph. 5:27). The church is glorious, having no spot or blemish (no stains of sin) or wrinkle (not getting old but staying fresh), just like the infants mentioned in Matthew 11:25. "One pearl of great value." "You have been bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:20). "Sold all" points to the Lord's death. The beauty of the church is the ornament of the Lord. People will see and praise such a beauty.

  The origin of the pearl is that it is produced out of an oyster, which is the ugliest animal. This is just like the church, which is produced out of a most humble Christ. The pearl is produced because of the presence of a foreign object inside the oyster. The oyster spreads over the object with mother-of-pearl. To produce a pearl, the oyster needs to be wounded. The roundness of a pearl completely depends on the tenderness of the oyster's body. The more tender the oyster is, the rounder the pearl is. Christ is most tender (Matt. 11:29). The pearl is in the sea. The pearl of a living oyster is not as good as that of a dead oyster. Therefore, the pearl divers would first kill the oyster. Diamonds are taken out of the mountains. After much grinding, they become shining. Pearls are formed by accretion. Their color is white, signifying pureness. (Even the Pharisees loved to counterfeit pureness — whitewashed graves.) Merchants surely seek pearls.

  Verses 47-50:The parable of the net is the most easily misunderstood. The common interpretations of this parable are as follows: (1) The net signifies the gospel, the sea signifies the world, the fishermen signify the preachers, and the good and the foul species signify the good people and the evil people mixed in the church. (2) The sea is the Gentile world; the fishermen are the gospel preachers, who rescue the unbelievers from the world into the church; the vessels refer to the work in the churches, in which the foul ones are cast out but the good ones are kept in the vessels. According to this interpretation, it is not enough to be in the church only. This interpretation is close, but it is still wrong. During the medieval period, these two kinds of interpretation were very common; the Brethren also believed this.

  This parable has two particular points: (1) Men signify angels (to say that men are gospel preachers is a contradiction to the Lord's explanation; otherwise, as in the preceding passage, the Lord did not have to give a specific explanation). (2) The time of drawing the net refers to the consummation of the age. By understanding these two points, we can see that the two earlier interpretations are definitely wrong. The mistakes of the first interpretation are as follows: (1) It is wrong to say that the fishermen are the preachers of the gospel, since those who cast the net are obviously those who draw the net. (2) "Cast" is in the past tense. (3) The drawing of the net will be at the consummation of the age and will occur only once. However, the gospel net today is being drawn all the time, even daily. (4) The number of times for the drawing — once and for all. (5) If the sea refers to the Gentiles, then this means that the church has only Gentiles and no Jews. (Romans 9:24 clearly says that there are Jews.) (6) The way of judging the tares is by binding them into bundles, which contradicts the way here of picking out one by one. The tares point to the gospel age; however, the foul fish do not refer only to false believers. Concerning the second interpretation, in addition to the preceding six points, the errors are as follows: (7) The net "was filled." But when is the gospel filled? (8) What does "shore" signify? (9) Gospel preachers are not allowed to choose. (10) The drawing of the net here is different from other places. In the text following, the Lord does not say "fish," but "species." (11) If this is the net of the gospel, it should be drawn daily. However, here it is drawn at the consummation of the age. (12) Men surely would not cast out the foul fish. (13) The Lord only said that we would gain people as fish, but He never said that the saved ones are like fish caught in a net (this kind of saying cannot be found in the Scriptures). How can one's being caught in a net be considered his being saved? Unless the fish are under oppression, they are not willing to leave their own place. (14) The gathering is voluntary and is beyond the expectation of the ones casting the net. (15) Drawing the net with the fish in it signifies the flesh leaving its own sphere. (16) The selecting is done in the net. However, the gospel does not judge people; it only accepts. (17) The "consummation" is the fullness of the time.

  In drawing a comparison between the parable of the net and the parable of the tares, the parable of the tares stresses the beginning, in which men slept, whereas the parable of the net stresses the consummation, that is, the fullness of the time, and is therefore given as the final parable. In verse 47, the word "again" indicates that there is new light and, therefore, what follows must be different from the parable of the tares. Three-fourths of the world is sea, representing the Gentiles; one fourth is land, representing the Jews. The sea covered the earth, indicating that there were no chosen people in the beginning. The sea signifies the Gentiles (see Dan. 7:2-3; Isa. 60:5). The land is different from the sea because the land is solid and has substance that can be stood upon. In Numbers 23:9 the people who dwelled alone are different from the nations. In Genesis 22:17 the stars signify the church, and the sand signifies the Gentiles. The net was cast into the sea. The net is the gospel (see Rev. 14:6-13). The age is at its consummation, indicating that during the great tribulation, the angel will preach the eternal gospel, the gospel of judgment. The angel will preach the eternal gospel to the Gentiles. Both the believers and the unbelievers are in the net.

  "Gathering from every species" refers to all the Gentiles (see Ezek. 47:10). "Species" here means "race" (see Mark 7:26). That the net "was filled" means that the gospel has been preached enough and the time also is sufficient. "Brought onto the shore" means that they were gathered by the word of God, and everyone was forced to leave his own place. "Sat down" means having authority (it does not imply rest, since there cannot be rest while fishing and selecting — 1 Kings 1:13, 20; Matt. 5:1; 20:21) and executing judgment (Exo. 18:13; Judg. 5:10; John 19:13), the good ones being kept in the vessels and the foul ones being cast out (according to the distinction in Lev. 11:9-13). Here we see a separation of categories; this is different from the bundling of the wheat and the tares. "Furnace of fire." See Ezekiel 22:18-22 (cf. Isa. 31:5-6, 8-9; Mal. 3:18; 4:1; Isa. 30:33; 66:20, 23-24). The net was cast from the land, and it returned to the land (the earth signifying the Jews). The seashore signifies the area between the Jews and the Gentiles.

  The good fish here are the "sheep," and the foul fish are the "goats," as mentioned in Matthew 25:31-36. The Gentiles who fear and glorify God, do good, and take care of the godly Jews and Christians will be the citizens in the millennium. The citizens in the millennium include the godly Jews and Gentiles. The righteous and the evil here are the righteous and the evil there.

  Verse 51:"Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes." (Matthew 1—13:51 constitutes the first major section, and 13:52 through chapter fourteen constitute the second major section.) The Lord asked this question because in speaking the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, He specifically desired that the disciples understand and that the blasphemers not understand at all (see Matt. 13:11-16). Therefore, the question asked here is a conclusion of verses 11-16.

  Verse 52:The "scribe" refers to those who are familiar with the Old Testament. From this we know that the kingdom of the heavens is surely not the kingdom of the Messiah; otherwise, the scribes would have participated in it. "Every scribe discipled" means that the scribes were taught concerning the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens. (The kingdom of the heavens here refers to the church on the earth today.) The "householder" is the scribe. A house has a boundary, not in the open air but in the inner chamber (see S.S. 1:4). "Old" refers to the Old Testament, and "new," to the New Testament. There is authority in the house to bring forth new and old things, that is, the New Testament and the Old Testament. A "treasure" denotes a storehouse. What we speak should also be brought forth out of the treasure.

  The main subject of the second major section (13:52—14:36) is the four things that the Lord accomplished after His rejection. Yet these things are still spoken in a hidden way. Within the second major section, we can further divide it into four smaller sections.

  The first subsection of the second major section focuses on the rejection of the Lord by two kinds of people — the common people (the men of Nazareth) and the rulers (Herod).

  Verses 53-54:The people of Nazareth acknowledged that the Lord's speaking was with wisdom and was accompanied by works of power, and they greatly admired Him. However, they were wrong when they asked, "Where did this man get ...?" If they acknowledged that the Lord had wisdom and did works of power, then they should have known that He came from God and should not have asked "Where did this man get...?"

  Verse 55:"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?" Because of their doubting in the preceding verse, they were led by the evil one into more erroneous thoughts. Because of the turn in this verse, such people became hopeless.

  Verse 56:"And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" The names of the sisters are not revealed. Some confess the Lord in the flesh; they know the Lord's parents, brothers, and sisters. Hence, they reject Him. Human beings like people or things that are mysterious; they think that someone who is powerful must also be mysterious. If someone is known by everyone, then he becomes common, having nothing extraordinary. This was the situation with the people of Nazareth. They thought that Christ must be mysterious and different from them. "But we know where this man is from; yet when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from" (John 7:27).

  Verse 57:"And they were stumbled because of Him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." The Lord was rejected by the Jews not only because He was too familiar to them, but also because He was not in a territory where prophets would be honored.

  Verse 58:"And He did not do many works of power there because of their unbelief." This is an unfortunate word. Many people hindered the power of God because of their unbelief. God's works of wonders are limited only by our faith. God delights to perform works of power in us; unfortunately, our faith is insufficient. Our faith is like a water bucket, whereas God's power is like water in the well. Without the bucket, we can have no water. Today our faith is like a wicker basket that leaks out the power of God.