The parable of the wise and foolish virgins: a warning

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During Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem, the disciples pointed out the splendor of the temple and he replied that a time would come when one stone would not be left on top of another. Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew are known as the Olivet discourse, where Jesus described both the destruction of Jerusalem and his second coming. Then he told them four parables, including the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

In the first three, the people in it know something will happen but do not know when: the return of the king, the coming of the bridegroom, and the return of the property owner.… Read the rest

Workers in the vineyard: what is the meaning of their strange wages?

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Matthew’s gospel records nine parables of the kingdom, parables that Jesus began with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” In this post, we’ll look at the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16).

It comes immediately after the story of the rich young ruler and Peter’s response. And it has bookends. The last verse of chapter 19 says (in NIV), “But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.” The parable ends, “So the last will be first and the first will be last.”

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Uncomfortable scriptures: what does God have to do with hate?

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God is love, right? And doesn’t he command us to love our neighbor as ourselves and to honor our parents? So when he says, “Jacob I loved, Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13, quoting Malachi 1:2-3) or “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother. . . such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26), it makes us uncomfortable.

Biblically illiterate people (who, alas, include preachers and the seminary professors who mistaught them) will claim that Jesus said no such thing and that the Old Testament misrepresents God. Let us not forget some important facts:

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The unforgiving servant and the king: parables of the kingdom

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Matthew’s gospel records six parables in Matthew 13 that start, “the kingdom of heaven is like. . .” Three more gospels of the kingdom appear later in Matthew. In this post, we will look at the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35), which starts, “the kingdom of heaven is like a king . . .”

The parable immediately follows Peter’s question about forgiveness. According to typical rabbinic teaching, forgiveness was unnecessary after the third offense. Peter asked if he needed to forgive seven times. In other words, Peter asked if forgiving more than twice as much as other rabbis required is good enough.… Read the rest

Jesus’ government: the image of God on the throne of David

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A familiar Advent scripture says that a child will be born to us and the government will rest on his shoulders. A less obviously Advent-related scripture explains what that government will be like. The child, of course, is Jesus. In both scriptures, he has an extensive list of important titles.

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The riddle of Ezekiel 17: ancient history, nowadays, and the future

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God commanded Ezekiel to pose a riddle and speak a parable to his people, which comprises Ezekiel 17. At the time, it was a commentary on current events. For us, it’s ancient history. Many people these days have trouble grasping why ancient history matters today. In fact, the difference between Ezekiel’s time and ours is no more than window dressing. Today’s societies all exhibit the same sins as his.

The parable concerns two eagles and a vine, which all behave like humans in both their glory and shame. We don’t have to guess what it means for ancient Israel. The chapter explains the allegory in detail.… Read the rest

God’s activity: how is it hidden in the book of Ruth?

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God is at work in your life. It might not be evident to you, though. Does looking through the Bible to discern God’s activity in us seem frustrating? After all, most of the Bible seems to be about dramatic stories of heroes of the faith. Who can really relate to God speaking to Abraham on Mount Moriah or Moses from the burning bush? So let’s look at the book of Ruth instead for more down-to-earth examples.

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The body of Christ: what is it and how does it function?

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body of christ graphicThe Bible uses several metaphors to describe the church. All of Paul’s extended descriptions of God’s gifts give attention to various concepts I like to think of as the giftwrapping. Prominent among them is the metaphor of the human body. The church, that is, is not a building or a random group of people but the body of Christ.

The most extensive description of gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14) includes the most extensive description of the church as the body of Christ. Let’s take a careful look (quoting from CSB).

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Small parables of the kingdom of heaven with large meaning

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The kingdom of heaven is a major theme of Matthew’s gospel, including most of the parables in Matthew 13. The chapter begins with the parable of the sower (or the four soils) and its explanation. All the other parables in the chapter compare the kingdom of heaven to something or someone. Four other chapters include parables that illustrate what the kingdom of heaven is like.

This post will examine the short parables at the end of Matthew 13. He spoke these parables to the disciples alone, not to a crowd.

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Understanding the parable of the four soils in the Bible

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Sower / Millet. parable of the four soilsThe Parable of the Sower appears in all three synoptic gospels. Jesus implied it is the key to understanding his other parables. Today, thinking of it as the parable of the four soils might make it easier to grasp. After all, the sower went out to sow seed, and the parable never mentions him again. It doesn’t really say much about the seed, either, except that it’s apparently some kind of grain. But the soils? They’re crucially important.

The three accounts are a little different, but the differences don’t alter the basic points.

A sower went out to sow seed. In those days, that meant taking a bag of seed and throwing it on the ground.… Read the rest