First of all, it is important to emphasize that Jesus’ parables were a means of conveying the kingdom of God. In some cases, speaking in parables was a way of bringing understanding only to people who had an open heart and mind to the kingdom of God. The primary intention of telling parables was to facilitate spiritual understanding, provoke reflection and curiosity in listeners, and reveal truths about the kingdom of heaven to people who had an open heart.
After all, the use of parables was a means of conveying moral and spiritual lessons about the kingdom.
The book of Matthew and Luke is one of the books that speaks most about parables and each one of them brings reflection that we can take for constant spiritual growth.
For example, you may have read in the Bible about “the kingdom of heaven” and also about “the kingdom of God”. Although the words are similar, each one fits differently into the story. In other words – the kingdom of heaven speaks about establishing the kingdom of God on earth, a process of establishing. On the other hand, the expression “kingdom of God” points to something already established. Generally speaking, one describes a process and the other describes something already completed.
I know, this seems difficult.
Actually, it really is.
I would like to share a small excerpt of my understanding about this. From the same point of view, the expression about two different terms of words is “see the kingdom” and “enter the kingdom” spoken by Jesus. However, this may go unnoticed by some, but seeing the kingdom is totally different from entering the kingdom.
- Seeing the kingdom: All those who were saved by Jesus will be able to see the kingdom. It is not about doing something to “see the kingdom”, but about believing in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Many are called, but few are chosen. To be called, it is not necessary to do anything. However, to be chosen, it will be necessary to do everything and more.
- Entering the kingdom: the process of entering the kingdom is to do something for the kingdom, that is, to dedicate your time and strength to serve God according to His will. Jesus chooses people to work for Him according to their hearts. Not everyone is born to serve, but we are all always wanting to be served by someone. An interesting concept about this is the beggar and the servant. Have you ever asked God to give you a house, a car or something material? Indeed, yes. Think about it, when we are asking for this, we are asking for something that will benefit us (the famous people who will only see the kingdom). On the other hand, those who work for the kingdom are the people who only ask for things that will bring spiritual growth. These are the ones who will enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not a crime to ask, but dedicate 80% to asking for things that will benefit the kingdom.
These two concepts deal with salvation and the kingdom of heaven. To be saved, it is not about me, but about what He has already done. Now, the idea of the kingdom of heaven is something I need to do to enter (the people who got closer to God and walked in white).
So, that was a little illustration about the kingdom. Now, let’s dive into the parables and bring out some concepts that we can take away for moral and spiritual growth.
1. The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed
Jesus told several parables and each one of them brings a powerful teaching for our lives, he said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch on its branches.
According to some studies, the mustard seed can grow up to 2 to 3 meters tall. Its growth takes 2 to 3 months, this will depend a lot on the soil. That is – for a believer to start working for the kingdom, it is necessary for him to grow for a period. It is not recommended that a new convert do something immediately for him, everything has a time. The period of 2 to 3 months will depend a lot on the relationship he has with God and His word. Here in the text of the parable he says that when the word enters, it is necessary to water it so that there is constant growth. After all, if you are not careful, your faith may quickly fade.
- You may want to read about (Smoking is a sin)
2. The Kingdom of God is like a treasure
A treasure is something very important to us. Some people consider their treasure to be something material, others point out that their greatest treasure is their family, and still others consider their greatest treasure to be the Kingdom of Heaven.
Which of these are we in?
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then, in his joy, he went and sold everything he had and bought that field.
In this parable we can see that the man who found the treasure is not on his property, but on someone else’s property. When he found the treasure, he did not take it with him, because the treasure was not his.
Not everything we find is ours; in order for it to be ours, we must pay a price. Everything that God gives us requires some kind of price, and many times it will cost us everything we have. This is because a life in the Kingdom is a new life, a new mentality.
Salvation costs us nothing, but the Kingdom costs us everything.
3. How the Kingdom of God is like Leaven
This parable of yeast is mentioned in two texts of the synoptic gospels. That is, in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20, which says the following:
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
This comparison of Jesus is connected with the fact that yeast with very little quantity is capable of leavening the whole dough. The purpose of yeast is to make the bread rise and be shared so that everyone can eat.
The invisible action of yeast. Yeast acts in a way that no one can see, this indicates that transformation based on eternal principles is based on growing from the inside out and not from the outside in.
Consequently, this parable describes that yeast has the power to reach the three levels of man, which are body, soul and spirit. The yeast described in this parable is accompanied by three measures of flour – this describes that human nature is incomplete and needs to seek continuous growth.
Note: In some contexts, leaven will represent “sin.” In fact, in most of the Old and New Testaments it represents sin.
4. The Parable of the Net
This parable emphasizes the daily life of a fisherman, where he begins to fish and is not necessarily able to choose the fish that will enter his net, whether in the sea or in the river. He begins to separate the good from the bad, and only after the quality of the fish that was caught in the net is revealed to him does he make the separation.
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the lake and gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up onto the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of time. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This specific text speaks of the end of time, the furnace and the place where people will gnash their teeth. It points out that in the gospel it is like this, we should not choose who we will preach to or transmit a message to – at the end of time the angels will make this separation.
Big, beautiful fish are not always edible – sometimes, they are so poisonous that they will kill the person who eats them. After all, there are people who are useless, only to bring other people to ruin.
5. The Parable of the Teacher Who Became a Disciple
A teacher who becomes a disciple will always be more useful in the kingdom of heaven. The teacher who knows when to become a disciple is the kind of teacher who will have the greatest concentration of understanding and wisdom stored within him.
“Yes!” they answered. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse both new and old.” (Matthew 13:52)
Consequently, all teachers of the law who have left their concepts about God behind will become disciples of Christ and will take the baggage they already had from before and consolidate it with what was being taught. This event is called spiritual maturity—where you know the exact moment to be the teacher and the student.
Therefore, here he is saying that a teacher who becomes a student is one who has the knowledge of the law and the prophets with the teachings of Jesus. A marriage of these two will cause him to grow in deep biblical understanding.
Conclusion
Therefore, the kingdom of heaven makes us understand that the deeper we get to know God, the higher our spiritual level will be. Understanding the parables is crucial to understanding God’s actions on earth. In all the parables, something is taken from our Comtean and our lives.
After all, the Bible is full of great pearls of wisdom and it describes them in comparison with something we know here on earth. That is why its argument is always “the kingdom of God is like…” always looking for scenarios to compare. It is only about comparison, it is not about being the kingdom of God.
