Parable of 4 Fields, Mustard Seed, Wheat vs Weeds 🌳 🌾

Ps: 我用英文学习圣经，所以有关圣经的分享，我都会用英文分享。

Jesus speaking in parables *

Why Jesus Spoke in Parables

1. To fulfil Old Testament Prophecy

[Psalm 78:2] 
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—

2. To test the hearts of man - only those with humble seeking hearts can understand the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven [See Parable of Sower]

[Matthew 13:10-15]
The disciples came to him (Jesus) and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
He (Jesus) replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:
         “Though seeing, they do not see;
         though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
         In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
         “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
          you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
         For this people’s heart has become calloused;
          they hardly hear with their ears,
          and they have closed their eyes.
         Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
          hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts
         and turn, and I would heal them.’

Parable of the Sower / 4 Fields

Spiritual Harvest ^

References: Matthew 13:1-23; Luke 8:4-15

Matthew 13: 1-9

Then (Jesus) told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Parable of the Sower Explained

Luke 8:11-15

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

spiritual seed = word of God

spiritual bird = spirit

Rock = hardened soil / hardened heart [Jeremiah 23:29] “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? God's word = fire that will penetrate a person's heart

When God's word is shared with us, there are 4 outcomes / "4 fields effect":

1. Our hearts are so hardened that satan is allowed to immediately takes away the word from our hearts
   

2. We hear but do not truly understand, so fall away in times of trials To truly understand is to let God's word take root in our hearts. Fun fact: เข้าใจ (khao jai) in Thai = understand เข้า (khao) = enter ; ใจ (jai) = heart; to understand = to enter the heart To put in effort / your heart to understand God's word = 用“心” ，用心明白上帝的道
   

3. We hear but do not truly understand, so fall away due to other temptations Refer to blog post to understand why so many generations failed to keep God's covenant.
   

4. We hear, and let God's word take root in our hearts to yield a crop 😊

Spiritual field = Christians

[1 Corinthians 3:9] For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Physical war between countries: fighting for physical land

Spiritual war between God vs satan: fighting for spiritual "fields"/land --> fighting for our hearts

"Spiritual Vocabulary"

Simple Diagram of Tree *

Parable of Wheat vs Weeds

To be God's wheat field yielding a harvest ^

Reference: Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “

The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

spiritual wheat = good seed / truth

spiritual weeds = bad seed / lies

Prophecy & Fulfilment in OT, 1st Coming & 2nd Coming

Jeremiah 31:27
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals.

• Old Testament Era: Prophecy that there will be 2 kinds of seeds planted (Seed of people/wheat vs seed of animals/weeds).

• 1st Coming: Jesus came to sow the seeds of people/wheat. Enemies came to sow the seed of animals/weeds.

• 2nd coming: Harvest time. Seed of people/wheat are gathered into God's barn. Seed of animals/weeds are destroyed by "fire".

Parable of the Mustard Seed

God's "Tree" ^

Reference: Matthew 13:31-32

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Kingdom of Heaven:

God's seed planted --> grows into God's tree --> God's spirit perches on the tree

where "tree" = person / organization

God's kingdom vs satan's kingdom

Shincheonji Class Notes: Spirit working through flesh

There are 2 kinds of "spiritual trees" / 2 kinds of kingdoms

1. Tree of Life [TOL] --> Representing God's kingdom Refer to Genesis 3:22

2. Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil [TKGE] --> Representing satan's kingdom / babylon Refer to Genesis 2:17, Daniel 4

In Revelation 22 when God's work of restoration is finally completed, only the Tree of Life remains. The Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil is destroyed.

Ephesians 6:12 
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Food for thought: Which world do you belong to?

*ps: This section belongs to another class, but the notes I remembered from this class is way too skimpy to constitute a standalone post 😞

---

*Image Source: https://asanefaith.com/parable-of-the-sower/

^Image Source: Wix Image Gallery