Matthew 13 contains several of Jesus' parables about God's kingdom. For that reason the chapter is commonly called "the kingdom parable chapter." For generations prior to Jesus, the Jewish people anticipated the coming of God's kingdom. Common anticipation associated God's kingdom with the restoration of Israel as a nation. First century Israel expected God's kingdom to come into existence with their expectations determining its nature.
Throughout all of Israel's existence, God worked through them as a physical nation. They existed as a nation for centuries. God worked through them as a nation for so long that they concluded, "This is the way God works." For them, it was natural to base their expectations for God's kingdom on the concept of a physical nation.
When Jesus focused teachings on God's kingdom, he addressed a "hot topic." The promised coming of God's kingdom was of primary concern and interest in Israel. It had been for generations. When any occurrence is anticipated for a long period, definite expectations develop. Jesus' declarations and Israel's expectations concerning God's kingdom differed in significant ways.
First century Israel had enormous interest in the coming of God's kingdom. Two facts combined to intensify their interest. The first fact: they were an independent nation less than one hundred years before the first century arrived. The second fact: the Roman empire destroyed their national independence in 63 B.C. Those two facts increased their desire for God's kingdom to come. "Kingdom discussions" were occasions of intense interest. They held high expectations for a return to national independence.
Americans look at the concept of a kingdom as an unknown, mysterious concept. Americans associate specific forms of freedom, rights, and individuality with specific forms of democracy. They cherish these forms of freedom, rights, and individuality. They also rarely associate these forms of freedom, rights, and individuality with a kingdom.
Most American do not associate the concept of a kingdom governed by its controlling king with the concept of freedom.
In a kingdom a king rules his subjects. Early first century Israel correctly understood God was and should be the king. However, they held an incorrect understanding of who the kingdom's subjects were. They held an incorrect understanding of the kingdom's purpose. They were certain they could readily recognize and identify God's kingdom. Jesus declared most of them would neither recognize nor correctly identify God's kingdom. The King intended something they did not expect. What the King could do was not governed by their expectations.
Because of Israel's long existence as a kingdom with a king, they anticipated God's coming kingdom would exist within the context of Israel's nation. In their expectation, Israelites would be the primary citizens in that kingdom. Their way of life, traditions, and culture would primarily be the new kingdom's way of life, traditions, and culture.
Fundamentally, the kingdom of God refers to God's rule over those who belong to Him, and to Him exclusively. These were Jesus' Matthew 13 parables about the kingdom:
The primary emphasis of each of Jesus' parables stood in contrast with common first century Jewish expectations. Note the contrast drawn below.
These parables likely addressed common expectations among first century Israelites. When these stories are contrasted to common expectations, several facts leap out. Belonging to God is a heart matter, not a heritage matter. (Kingdom citizenship would not be determined by ancestry.) Satan would succeed in having his people inside the kingdom. (As God addressed evil, He would not do so at the cost of destroying those who belonged to Him.) The kingdom would have a tiny beginning a slowly become enormous. (God's rule would not begin with an enormous, obvious conquest and subjugation.) God's kingdom would expand slowly through the workings of godly influence. (The means of expanding the kingdom would not be conquest.) Some would accidentally discover the kingdom and its value. (The kingdom would not belong exclusively to those who anticipated its coming.) Some would search for the kingdom guided by correct expectations. (Some had correct insights into God's purposes and objectives.) While both good and evil people would associate themselves with the kingdom, God would separate the good from the evil because God knows hearts. (Determining who are "true citizens" is not a task God gave to people.)
The contrasts between common Jewish expectations and Jesus' emphases were significant. What Jesus said about God's kingdom and their expectations were quite different.
In the parable of the sower, the four kinds of soil represent four basic types of human hearts. (Hearts here are the mental/emotional component of people.) To receive the full impact of Jesus' statement, remember many first century Jews were certain of two things. (1) They were certain God's kingdom and the nation of Israel were inseparable. (2) They were certain they had automatic citizenship in God's kingdom because they were the descendants of Abraham through Isaac.
To gain full perspective on the lessons Jesus taught and reactions he likely received, it is essential to realize Jesus' audience were confident that (1) the kingdom was to be centered around physical Israel and (2) citizenship would show preference to ancestry.
Jesus' point is simple and profound. Citizenship in God's kingdom is neither determined by ancestry nor heritage. Citizenship in God's kingdom is determined by a person allowing God to rule his or her heart.
The fact that Jesus' rejected both expectations likely alienated many in his audience.
Some were hard hearted. Their kingdom expectations and Jesus' teachings about God's kingdom were in fundamental conflict. They gave Jesus' kingdom teachings no opportunity to penetrate their understanding. Satan removed Jesus' teaching before it could take root.
Jesus' Jewish audience would have considered the hard heart to be primarily those outside Israel who worshipped idols.
Some were too shallow. Their kingdom expectations concluded God's objectives and concerns were primarily focused on earthly existence. God was nationalistic. He was concerned about physical realities--who governed, boundary lines, who conquered whom to exercise physical control, how His people would have a physically desirable life. They liked the idea of God ruling, but they had not considered the realities of God's rule. The fact that God's rule did not guarantee a physically desirable life was unacceptable. Their understanding was much too shallow. When the reality of God's rule resulted in affliction and persecution, what began in joyful anticipation ended in death.
Again, Jesus' Jewish audience would have considered the shallow to be primarily those outside Israel who worshipped idols. It likely also included those devoted to evil inside Israel.
Some were too busy to include God's kingdom objectives in their lives. Physical concerns for physical realities overpowered kingdom concerns. Kingdom concerns included far more then the physical. Worries created by physical existence combined with wealth's deceit choked the objectives of kingdom concerns. Visibly, the "plant" existed, but it produced no harvest.
For those who were "too busy to pursue God's priorities," this came much too close to their situation. Jesus' Jewish audience recognized such people existed in Israel. It is doubtful that his audience would include Jewish religious leaders in that group (though it is possible). Even today, it is difficult to realize that some religious leaders who declare dedication to God's will are too busy to focus on God.
Some understood God's objective and priorities. Their hearts belonged exclusively to Him. According to their ability, they produced a harvest. Their lives were committed to producing the fruit of God's Spirit. (See Galatians 5:22-24 and contrast the Spirit's fruit with the deeds of the flesh in 5:19-21. Note the use of the "kingdom of God" in 5:21.)
There were people in Israel whose hearts were open to understanding God's priorities in His kingdom. They were dedicated to serving God's will even if His purposes changed their expectations.
The objectives of God's kingdom begin in a person's heart. God's rule is determined by one's heart response. More is involved than visible compliance with commands and requirements. More is involved than rituals or habits. More is involved than history, ancestry, or heritage. A primary requirement for citizenship in God's kingdom is this: God rules me from the heart out. Repentance and baptism acquire their significance and meaning from the fact that the person places God on the heart's throne. Neither redirection nor immersion have power or significance if the person does not make God the King of his or her life.
Jesus declared an incredible new insight. Belonging to God's kingdom was not a matter of ancestry, but a matter of heart. Hearts that are ruled by God are in God's kingdom. Heritage or ancestry does not determine if one is inside or outside of God's kingdom. God ruling the heart determines who is a citizen and who is not.
When a person crowns God as King as he or she redirects life and is immersed into Christ, God does incredible things in his or her life. The following lessons focus on those things.
What God does in providing and in continuing salvation is incredible. This study will focus on these incredible things.
Possible challenging thoughts:
A long family history in the church of Christ does not create salvation.
God's position in a person's heart creates salvation. The reason for accepting Jesus Christ as Lord is to place God in control of your heart. If God rules your heart, He rules your whole person. See Matthew 6:24 and Mark 7:18-23.
When God rules the heart, people who are nationally and culturally quite different to us are citizens in God's kingdom.
Possible points:
When obedience involves only the person's physical actions (without heart involvement), that obedience easily becomes a response to ritual behavior instead of a response motivated by inner choices and desires.
Obedience that involves the heart results in inner choices and decisions affecting outward behavior. The person is ruled by God inside and out.
The heart can cherish relationship with God even when the person struggles with temptation which makes his or her physical behavior undesirable at times. However, desirable physical behavior that does not involve the heart quickly becomes an insult to God. (For examples, consider Isaiah 1:10-15 and Mark 7:6,7.)
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 1