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In this message we come to chapter thirteen of Matthew. In order to understand this chapter, we must keep in mind that Matthew is concerned with the doctrine of the kingdom. Whatever is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew is according to the kingdom and according to the history of the kingdom. The sequence of doctrine in this book is according to the history of the kingdom.
We need to remember the main points covered in the first twelve chapters of Matthew. Chapter one covers Christ’s genealogy and birth, and chapter two, the Gentile wise men seeking Christ and worshipping Him, the flight of Christ to Egypt and His return to Israel to be raised in Nazareth. In chapter three we see the recommendation and the anointing; in chapter four, the temptation and the beginning of the King’s ministry to gain the crowds; and in chapters five, six, and seven, the decree of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens. Chapter eight includes the continuation of the King’s ministry in healing the leper, the centurion’s servant boy, and Peter’s mother-in-law, and the Lord’s authority exercised over the wind, the sea, and the demons. Chapter nine covers the King’s authority exercised in the forgiveness of sin; the calling of Matthew; the feast where the Lord is revealed as the Physician, the Bridegroom, the new cloth, the new wine, and the new wineskin; signs with dispensational significance; and the prayer to send reapers into the harvest. In chapter ten we have the appointment and sending out of the twelve apostles, and in chapter eleven, John’s attempt to stir up the King, the King’s answer and His appraisal of John, His rebuke of the stubborn generation, and the calling of people to come to His rest. Finally, chapter twelve covers the breaking of the Sabbath regulations to show that the Lord is the Head and that He cares for the members of His body, the battle for the kingdom, the climax of the King’s rejection, the prophecy of the generation becoming worse, and the forsaking of the Jewish generation and the turning to the believers.
As the Lord continued His ministry, the establishing of the kingdom was accomplished to a certain degree. However, because the Jewish generation utterly rejected the Lord, He was forced to turn from them to His believers. This was a serious move, the turn from Israel to the Gentiles, the turn from the relationship according to natural birth to the relationship in the Spirit. Therefore, the end of chapter twelve marks a division in the Gospel of Matthew.
As we have seen, chapters five, six, and seven reveal the inward reality of the kingdom. We have pointed out that this constitution is divided into seven sections: the nature of the kingdom people (5:1-12); the influence of the kingdom people upon the world (5:13-16); the law of the kingdom people (5:17-48); the righteous deeds of the kingdom people (6:1-18); the dealing of the kingdom people with riches (6:19-34); the principle of the kingdom people in dealing with others (7:1-12); and the ground of the kingdom people’s living and work (7:13-29). In these seven sections we see the heavenly and spiritual reality of the kingdom. This is not behavior or mere outward living; it is the kingdom of the heavens in reality. What is mainly revealed in chapter thirteen is the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The inward reality is one thing, and the outward appearance is another.
Throughout history, only a handful of Christians has seen this matter of the difference between the inward reality and the outward appearance of the kingdom. It was seen by Robert Govett and his student, D. M. Panton. G. H. Lang, a teacher among the Brethren, also saw this matter to some degree, but he did not see it as accurately and clearly as Govett and Panton. We have received considerable help from the writings of Govett and Panton. But we thank the Lord that He has led us on in this matter. We have seen the kingdom of the heavens in more detail and in greater depth. I can testify that especially during the past fifteen years this matter has become very clear to me. In 1936 I put out my first writing on this subject. During the more than forty years since the publication of that little book, I have become more and more clear regarding the kingdom of the heavens.
The basic point concerning the kingdom is the need to differentiate between the inward reality of the kingdom and the outward appearance of the kingdom. If you do not differentiate between these two things, you will not be able to understand this book concerning the kingdom of the heavens.
In addition to the section on the reality of the kingdom, chapters five through seven, and the section on the outward appearance of the kingdom, chapter thirteen, there is a third section equally crucial in understanding the kingdom of the heavens: the Lord’s prophecy given on the Mount of Olives recorded in chapter twenty-four. The reality of the kingdom was revealed on a mountain, the appearance of the kingdom was revealed by the seashore, and the manifestation of the kingdom was spoken of in prophecy also from a mountain. The mountain on which the reality of the kingdom was revealed was not in the region of the administrative center of the government, but in the region related to earning a living, because the reality is intimately related to our daily life. It is not a matter of administration or government.
The geographic features of the land in Israel are significant. The governmental center is in the hill country in the middle of the holy land. At the top of the hill country and in its center is Jerusalem, the capital. In this region the king exercises his administration. To both the north and the south are two regions for farming, for earning a living. The last time we went there I saw this matter clearly. Beersheba, which is in the south, is full of wheat and barley, indicating that is a rich land for farming. The land north of Jerusalem, rather close to Samaria, is a rich, green plain. This also is farming country where people may make a living. In the middle of these two regions is the governmental administration. We have pointed out that the reality of the kingdom was revealed not in the administrative region, but in the region of living. However, it was revealed on a mountain. The manifestation of the kingdom was prophesied on a mountain in the administrative region near the capital. This is meaningful, for the manifestation is related to administration, to government. Do not consider this matter as having no significance. The Lord Jesus deliberately went to these places to speak of the reality, the appearance, and the manifestation of the kingdom. If you are impressed with these three aspects of the kingdom, you will understand the Gospel of Matthew.
Thank the Lord that we have seen the reality of the kingdom. Now we must see the appearance of the kingdom. In chapters five, six, and seven there is no falsehood; everything is pure, genuine, heavenly, spiritual, and, to a certain extent, divine. In these chapters we see the nature of the kingdom people and the influence they exert upon the world. They are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We also see the uplifted law of the kingdom people and the righteous deeds of the kingdom people. These deeds are pure, genuine, and real, performed in secret without any outward show. Furthermore, we see the attitude of the kingdom people toward material wealth and the fact that they have no anxiety regarding riches. Finally, we see the principle of the kingdom people in dealing with others and the ground of their living and work. In this section regarding the reality of the kingdom everything is real, pure, spiritual, and heavenly.
The situation in chapter thirteen, the chapter concerned with the appearance of the kingdom, is altogether different. In this chapter we have the tares (vv. 25-30) and a great tree which is no longer according to its kind (vv. 31-32). In Genesis 1 God created everything, especially the plants and vegetables, according to its nature. For example, a peach is according to the peach nature, and a banana is according to the banana nature. But in Matthew 13 a mustard seed becomes a great tree. This indicates that it changes its nature, that it is no longer according to its nature. Therefore, in this chapter we see something of a façade, an appearance without reality. Along with the tares and the façade, there is also leaven (v. 33). All these things, found in the appearance of the kingdom, cause the appearance of the kingdom to be a mixture.
It is easy to see this mixture in today’s Christendom. Today’s Christendom exactly matches the portrait in Matthew 13 of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. In Christendom there are millions of tares, a great façade, and corrupting leaven. However, none of these things is found in chapters five, six, and seven, where everything is real, pure, spiritual, and heavenly. But what a mixture we see in chapter thirteen!
When we come to chapter twenty-four concerning the manifestation of the kingdom, we shall see that the manifestation is even more strict than the reality, just as the period of examination is a stricter time than that during the regular course of study. The students work diligently during the week in the reality of their schooling, but they may play, go dancing, or attend the movies during the weekend. That is like the appearance of the kingdom. The students should not be so happy and joyful, for they must consider the coming examinations. Furthermore, they must think of graduation, which will be the time of manifestation. By these three things — reality, appearance, and manifestation — we are able to understand the book of Matthew.
At the end of chapter twelve Israel was cut off and the Gentiles were grafted in. At this point certain teachers, including Dr. Scofield, have made a great mistake. They say that after chapter twelve, due to the unbelief of Israel, the kingdom had been suspended. They do not see that, instead of being suspended, the kingdom was given over to another people. The Lord did not say, “From now on, I have no brothers, sisters, or mother.” If He had said this, then the kingdom would have been suspended. What the Lord did was turn from one people to another. The Lord seemed to be saying, “The ones who do the will of My Father, who are born of My Father and live by His life, they are my brother, and sister, and mother.” Hence, the kingdom has not been suspended. Rather, it has been shifted from one people to another.
Matthew 13:1 says, “On that day Jesus, going out of the house, sat beside the sea.” To most Christian teachers, this verse is insignificant. When I read this verse as a young man, it meant nothing to me. But now I realize that this verse is very meaningful. At the end of chapter twelve, the heavenly King, having been fully rejected by the Jewish leaders, made a break with them. On that day He went out of the house to sit beside the sea. This is very significant. The house signifies the house of Israel (10:6), and the sea signifies the Gentile world (Dan. 7:3, 17; Rev. 17:15). The King’s going out of the house to sit beside the sea signifies that after His break with the Jews, He forsook the house of Israel and turned to the Gentiles. It was after this that, on the seashore, He gave the parables concerning the mysteries of the kingdom. This signifies that the mysteries of the kingdom were revealed in the church. Hence, all the parables in this chapter were spoken to His disciples, not to the Jews.
The first three words of chapter thirteen, “On that day,” join this chapter to chapter twelve, just as the words, “At that time,” connect chapter twelve to chapter eleven. The words, “On that day,” refer to the day that the Lord declared that He had forsaken Israel, the day He cut off Israel and grafted in the Gentile believers. On that day He went out of the house, signifying the house of Israel, to the sea, signifying the Gentile world. This move from the house to the sea corresponded to His declaration. He had declared that He no longer had anything to do with His natural relatives but that He had turned to the believing Gentiles. Now He was walking according to His declaration. Therefore, we see that this verse is very meaningful.
Verse 2 says that great crowds were gathered to Him. But this does not mean that all those in these great crowds became His relatives.
Verse 2 also says, “He stepped into a boat to sit and all the crowd stood on the shore.” 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 sea is the Gentile world, and the boat is the church in the Gentile world. It was in the boat, in the church, that the King of the heavenly kingdom, after forsaking the Jews and turning to the Gentiles, revealed the mysteries of the kingdom in parables. Hallelujah, today we are neither the house nor the sea — we are the boat! We are the boat with the King. One day the King stepped into our boat. Now we have the King in our boat, the church. But the crowd stood on the shore. Are you standing on the shore, or are you in the boat with the King? I can testify that I am not standing on the seashore — I am in the boat.
Verse 3 says, “And He spoke to them many things in parables.” He spoke these parables in the boat on the sea. Do you want to know the mysteries of the kingdom? If you do, then you must leave the house and not stand on the seashore, but get into the boat close to the Lord. This is the only place where we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom. Oh, we are in the church, in the boat! The church is neither the house of Israel nor the sea of the Gentiles; rather, it is the boat of the believers. In the church all the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to us.
In order to know the mysteries of the kingdom, we must learn the skill of interpreting the parables. If you do not know how to allegorthe Crowds but Explainedize the Bible, you will not be able to interpret the parables. For example, the boat is a parable. How can you interpret the boat if you do not know how to allegorize it? All the opposers need to follow this way. Then they will know the Bible. However, because they do not have the way to allegorize the Bible, they do not know it. Because we have the way to allegorize the Scriptures, we know the significance of the house, the sea, and the boat. Furthermore, we know all the parables. How happy I am to know the parables!
When I read Matthew 13 fifty years ago, I was bothered by so many things. I had many unanswered questions about what is found in this chapter. I bought some books on Matthew 13, but they were all worthless. These books even said that leaven refers to the power of today’s Christianity and that the tree is the wonderful and magnificent organization of Christianity. But as I read those books, I did not have a good feeling within me; I did not believe what they said. However, I did not have a way to understand this chapter. Therefore I wrote to Brother Nee, telling him of my desire to know the Bible word by word and asking him to recommend the best book to help me in this matter. In his reply he told me that the best set of books was the Synopsis of the Bible by John Nelson Darby. However, he pointed out that Darby’s Synopsis was extremely difficult to understand. When I read Darby’s Synopsis several years later, I discovered Brother Nee was right. I simply could not understand Darby’s writing. To speak the truth, I did not receive any help from Darby’s Synopsis as far as understanding Matthew was concerned. But through Brother Nee himself I received great help in knowing the parables. Now I can say with full assurance that we know the parables in Matthew 13. Nothing is hidden from us. To us, the mysteries of the kingdom are no longer mysteries, for these mysteries have all been opened to us.
Before we consider the parables in Matthew 13, I would like to impress you with some of the warnings found in this chapter. Verses 10 and 11 say, “And the disciples came and said to Him, Why are You speaking in parables to them? And He answered and said to them, Because to you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it has not been given.” The King of the heavenly kingdom revealed the things of the kingdom in parables (v. 34) in order to make them mysteries to the opposing and rejecting Jews, that they might not understand them. From the time the King came to sow the seed until He comes back to reap the harvest, everything concerning the kingdom is a mystery to the natural mind. Only the enlightened mind of a submissive heart can understand these mysteries.
When the disciples asked the Lord why He spoke of the kingdom in parables, the Lord seemed to say, “In order to keep it from them and to let you know. Everything depends on you and on them, not on Me. Whether or not you can understand what I speak in parables depends on you.” In verse 12 the Lord continued, “For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall be in abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” The words “whoever has” refer to the receiver and follower of the heavenly King, to whom the revelation concerning the kingdom will be given in abundance. But the one who does not have is the opposing and rejecting Jew, from whom what the heavenly King has spoken and done will be taken away. This is the real condition of the Jews today. They have no knowledge whatever concerning the kingdom of the heavens. It is altogether a mystery unknown to them.
Verses 13 and 14 say, “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, neither do they understand. And in them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, Hearing you shall hear and by no means understand, and seeing you shall see and by no means perceive.”
Verse 15 says, “For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with the heart and turn around, and I will heal them.” The reason those in that stubborn generation could not understand lay in their heart, which had grown fat. Fat signifies the pride of having something. The heart of those in that stubborn generation was proud. That was the actual situation of the Pharisees. Because their heart had grown fat, their eyes and ears were affected. They could see, but not perceive; they could hear, but not understand. As a result, the mysteries of the kingdom meant nothing to them. All the parables were mysteries simply because of their pride.
This is exactly the situation today. If certain Christian teachers and leaders were to hear a message like this, they would condemn it, criticize it, and reject it. They would listen, but they would not understand. They would see, but they would not perceive. The reason they could not understand or perceive is the pride in their heart of having something. If the Brethren teachers heard this message, they would say, “No, the kingdom has been suspended. This is not the dispensation of the kingdom; it is the dispensation of the church. The dispensation of the kingdom will be in the millennium, in the coming age of a thousand years.” This indicates the fatness of their heart, their pride in having something. This pride keeps people from understanding and perceiving. We must learn the first lesson given in the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (5:3). When we are poor in spirit, we have no pride in our heart. We are not proud of anything. Rather, we are unloaded, empty, and ready to receive something new from the Lord. We all need to prepare ourselves for what is revealed in this chapter.
I believe that the Lord has shown us the true interpretation of all these parables. Throughout these many years, I have not doubted anything regarding our understanding of them. In fact, in these days of working on the Gospel of Matthew I have been all the more confirmed that we have the correct interpretation, for our interpretation matches the history of the church and our experience. Because of the situation of today’s Christianity, we all need to know this crucial chapter, a chapter that is even more crucial than chapters five, six, and seven. We need the enlightenment concerning this chapter in order not to be leavened, mislead, or corrupted.
The Lord also said that His disciples were blessed. According to verse 9, they were blessed to have a hearing ear. Moreover, verses 16 and 17 say, “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to perceive what you are seeing and did not perceive, and to hear what you are hearing and did not hear.” What a blessing it is to see and hear the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom!
