Matthew The discovery of the kingdom of heaven it will change your life - Author: Evert Jan Hempenius

Transcription

1 Matthew The discvery f the kingdm f heaven it will change yur life - Authr: Evert Jan Hempenius Fr any questins abut this Scripture passage r the ntes, please cntact us thrugh the Cntact Us tab n the website. Intrductin Did yu already discver, the treasure, the value, and the richness f the Christian faith? Jesus tld tw very small stries, parables, t shw what happens when smene discvers what the kingdm f heaven is all abut. It is abut life in its fullness and the prmises f Gd. It is abut wisdm, peace, grace, and salvatin. It is abut righteusness and mercy. It is abut faithfulness, steadfastness, and perseverance. It is abut the jy, which Gd will prvide. It is abut knwing Gd, thrugh Christ Jesus, and living in his new cmmunity, created by his Spirit. It is abut a new family f brthers and sisters, wh share the same faith. The cntext, frm and structure, thelgical, technical and hermeneutical ntes given in this sermn utline verlap with ther sermn utlines taken frm the Gspel f Matthew. This makes it pssible t use this sermn utline as a stand-alne. Yu can als fit this utline int a series f sermns. Cntext Matthew 10:1-11:1 The missin f the twelve t prclaim the Kingdm f Gd

2 Jesus and the Crwds Matthew 11:2-6 Matthew 11:7-24 Matthew 11:25-27 Matthew 11:28-30 Jhn the Baptist has questins abut the identity f Jesus Jesus rebukes the crwds because f their unbelief Jesus praises the Father, wh revealed the identity f Jesus t little children Jesus calls the weary t find rest and learn frm him Jesus and the Pharisees Matthew 12:1-12 The identity f Jesus A healing The Pharisees resist Jesus Matthew 12:13-21 Jesus fulfils the prphecy f Isaiah 42:1-4 Matthew 12:22-37 A healing The identity f Jesus The Pharisees resist Jesus Matthew 12:38-45 The Pharisees ask a sign frm Jesus t prve his identity Jesus, the Crwds, and his disciples Matthew 12:46-50 Matthew 13:1-52 Matthew 13:53-56 Wh is my mther, and wh are my brthers? 7 Parables Unbelief in Nazareth. Isn t this the carpenter s sn? Isn t his mther s name Mary, and aren t his brthers James, Jseph, Simn and Judas? Aren t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? The cntext reveals the fllwing: Jhn the Baptist, the crwds, and the Pharisees are questining Jesus identity. The Pharisees resistance against Jesus increases. Jesus clarifies the reasn behind their resistance and their unbelief: At that time Jesus said, I praise yu, Father, Lrd f heaven and earth, because yu have hidden these things frm the wise and learned, and revealed them t little children. Yes, Father, fr this was yur gd pleasure. All things have been cmmitted t me by my Father. N ne knws the Sn except the Father, and n ne knws the Father except the Sn and thse t whm the Sn chses t reveal him (Mt 11:25-27).

3 This is why I speak t them in parables: Thugh seeing, they d nt see; thugh hearing, they d nt hear r understand. In them is fulfilled the prphecy f Isaiah: Yu will be ever hearing but never understanding; yu will be ever seeing but never perceiving. Fr this peple s heart has becme callused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have clsed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I wuld heal them. But blessed are yur eyes because they see, and yur ears because they hear. Fr I tell yu the truth, many prphets and righteus men lnged t see what yu see but did nt see it, and t hear what yu hear but did nt hear it (Mt 13:13-17). Parable Theme Addressed t the Crwds and the Disciples. 1. Mt 13:3-9 The swer. The receptin f the gspel. 2. Mt 13:24-30 The weed. The harvest and the judgment. 3. Mt 13:31, 32 The mustard seed The grwth f the Kingdm 4. Mt 13:33 The yeast The hidden pwer f the Kingdm Addressed t The disciples. 5. Mt 13:44 The hidden treasure The discvery f the Kingdm and jy 6. Mt 13:45, 46 The merchant and the pearl The discvery f the Kingdm and jy 7. Mt 13:47, 50 The fish. The catch and the Judgment. These seven parables can be gruped in three pairs f tw and ne cncluding ne. Frm and structure Bth parables shw a similar threefld structure: The cmparisn Actin (1) Actin (2) The kingdm f heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man fund it, he hid it again, and then in his jy went and sld all he had and bught that field. The cmparisn Again, the kingdm f heaven is like a merchant lking fr fine pearls.

4 Actin (1) Actin (2) When he fund ne f great value, he went away and sld everything he had and bught it. There are sme similarities: A treasure is hidden in a field = a merchant lking fr fine pearl = the kingdm f heaven When a man fund it = when he fund it He sld everything he had and bught it (the field with the treasure) Althugh jy is nt mentined in the secnd parable, it is nt absent. There is ne majr difference: In the first parable, the man was nt lking r searching fr a treasure, it is by accident he fund it. The treasure is passively lying under the surface f the field. In the secnd parable, the merchant was lking fr fine pearls. The man knws that there must be sme. He is actively lking fr it. Technical, hermeneutical and histrical ntes These tw parables are part f a larger sectin (see abve). Jesus cncluded the previus passage with: He wh has ears, let him hear. At the same time, it is a strng appeal t the disciples t listen and t take time t think abut the fllwing shrt parables. When Jesus finished these in ttal three parables, he asked his disciples: Have yu understd all these things? The previus and the next parable are abut the end f the age and the harvest f the righteus and the wicked. S it will be at the end f the age. The Sn f Man will send ut his angels, and they will weed ut f his kingdm everything that causes sin and all wh d evil. They will thrw them int the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing f teeth. Then the righteus will shine like the sun in the kingdm f their Father (Mt 13:40-43). This is hw it will be at the end f the age. The angels will cme and separate the wicked frm the righteus

5 and thrw them int the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing f teeth (Mt 13:49-50). These parables are addressed t the disciples in private. They were the first hearers. As we read these parables, we belng t the next generatins f hearers. Cmpare the themes f the parables with the themes f Psalm 1: The righteus and the wicked The jy f the righteus The fate f the righteus and the wicked Blessed is the man wh des nt walk in the cunsel f the wicked r stand in the way f sinners r sit in the seat f mckers. But his delight is in the law f the Lrd, and n his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams f water, which yields its fruit in seasn and whse leaf des nt wither. Whatever he des prspers. Nt s the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blws away. Therefre the wicked will nt stand in the judgment, nr sinners in the assembly f the righteus. Fr the Lrd watches ver the way f the righteus, but the way f the wicked will perish. There is prbably a strng cnnectin with the Bk f Psalms and Prverbs. Ntice Davies and Allisn remark: Cmmentatrs have lng discussed whether the finder f the treasure acts immrally r unlawfully when he cvers it up and seeks t make it his wn. Sme have defended his actins as abve reprach. Others have thught him t behave immrally. It is nt easy t assess the issue. The stry des nt infrm us n certain key pints. What is the status f the finder? What is he ding in the field? Hw is the treasure discvered? Hw did it cme t be where it is? What kind f treasure is it? Wh wns the field? Hw did the wner cme t wn the field? Withut knwing such details ne is hesitant t evaluate the legal r mral situatin and even uncertain as t the value f discussing such. Certainly Jesus failure t remark n them makes ne wnder hw imprtant they can be. 1 It is nt necessary t identify all aspects f these shrt parables. 1 Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004, Vl. 2, p. 436).

6 Expsitin Befre and after Verse 44 These parables were addressed t the disciples. It is necessary t bear in mind that the pening and the clsing verse f the whle passage are imprtant: He wh has ears, let him hear (Mt 13:43). Have yu understd all these things? (Mt 13:51). Jesus tld these tw and the ther parables after the crwds started questining the identity and the authrity f Jesus. Therefre we might draw the fllwing cnclusins. The treasure f the Kingdm remains hidden t the crwds (Mt 13:34). The great value f the Kingdm is nt understd by the crwds (Mt The kingdm f heaven. This is the new cmmunity f Christ and his kingdm (Mt 28:18-20). This new cmmunity acknwledges Gd as the heavenly Father and each f its members as mthers, brthers and sisters: Is like a treasure. Fr whever des the will f my Father in heaven is my brther and sister and mther (Mt 12:50). It is a learning cmmunity: teaching them t bey everything I have cmmanded yu. And surely I am with yu always, t the very end f the age (Mt 28:20). This cmmunity is characterized by mutual lve (Jn 15:9, 10), frgiveness (Mt 18:21-35), serving each ther (Mt 23:11), righteusness, grace, and mercy. This cmmunity is ruled by the Spirit f Gd (1 Cr 12:12, 13). When we take all these aspects f the Kingdm f Gd int accunt, we can easily understand why Jesus cmpares the kingdm f heaven with a treasure and a valuable pearl. Anther aspect f this treasure is wisdm, the WISDOM f Gd. Turning yur ear t wisdm and applying yur heart t understanding, and if yu call ut fr insight and cry alud fr understanding, and if yu lk fr it as fr silver and search fr it as fr hidden treasure, then yu will understand the fear f the Lrd and find the knwledge f Gd (Prv 2:2-5; Prv 16:16).

7 The WISDOM f Gd is Jesus Christ (1 Cr 1:31): It is because f him that yu are in Christ Jesus, wh has becme fr us wisdm frm Gd that is, ur righteusness, hliness and redemptin. The apstle Paul wrte: My purpse is that they may be encuraged in heart and united in lve, s that they may have the full riches f cmplete understanding, in rder that they may knw the mystery f Gd, namely, Christ, in whm are hidden all the treasures f wisdm and knwledge. (Cl 2:2, 3). With me (wisdm) are riches and hnr, enduring wealth and prsperity. My fruit is better than fine gld; what I yield surpasses chice silver. I walk in the way f righteusness, alng the paths f justice, bestwing wealth n thse wh lve me and making their treasuries full (Prv 8:18-21; See als Prv 3:13-18). This treasure (the kingdm f heaven) is ppsed t earthly wealth: D nt stre up fr yurselves treasures n earth, where mth and rust destry, and where thieves break in and steal. But stre up fr yurselves treasures in heaven, where mth and rust d nt destry, and where thieves d nt break in and steal. Fr where yur treasure is, there yur heart will be als (Mt 6:19-21). This treasure is fund in the LAW, the wrd f Gd: He said t them, Therefre every teacher f the law wh has been instructed abut the kingdm f heaven is like the wner f a huse wh brings ut f his strerm new treasures as well as ld (Mt 13:52). The rdinances f the Lrd: They are mre precius than gld, than much pure gld; they are sweeter than hney, than hney frm the cmb (Ps 19:10). This wisdm is needed t teach and understand the righteusness, mercy, faithfulness, and grace f the kingdm f heaven. Hidden in a field. The image f a treasure hidden in a field was nt unknwn t the disciples. Peple hid their valuables in the grund, especially in times f danger. The kingdm f heaven is hidden: fr thse wh dn t believe the crwds. Fr Jhn came neither eating nr drinking, and they say, He has a demn. The Sn f Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Here is a gluttn and a drunkard, a friend f tax cllectrs and sinners. But wisdm is prved right by her actins. (Mt 11:18, 19).

8 fr the Pharisees, because they wanted a sign as prf. fr the peple f Nazareth, because they think that they knw the family backgrund f Jesus. Cming t his hmetwn, he began teaching the peple in their synaggue, and they were amazed. Where did this man get this wisdm and these miraculus pwers? they asked. Isn t this the carpenter s sn? Isn t his mther s name Mary, and aren t his brthers James, Jseph, Simn and Judas? Aren t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? And they tk ffense at him. But Jesus said t them, Only in his hmetwn and in his wn huse is a prphet withut hnr (Mt 13:54-57). The kingdm f heaven is revealed t: At that time Jesus said, I praise yu, Father, Lrd f heaven and earth, because yu have hidden these things frm the wise and learned, and revealed them t little children. Yes, Father, fr this was yur gd pleasure (Mt 11: 25, 26; cmpare 1 Cr 1:27-29). When a man fund it, he hid it again It was by accident, that this man fund the treasure. He was nt searching fr it. It was nt his field. And, he culd nt claim the treasure as his, after he has fund it. Befre he can call the treasure his wn, he needs t hide it again, s n ne else can discver what he has fund and by the field. See als Matthew 25:25. And then in his jy went We can imagine his jy! Finding Christ, the wisdm and the truth, the new cmmunity f Gd, is accmpanied with jy! Yu have made knwn t me the path f life; yu will fill me with jy in yur presence, with eternal pleasures at yur right hand (Ps 16:11). The precepts f the Lrd are right, giving jy t the heart. The cmmands f the Lrd are radiant, giving light t the eyes (Ps 19:8). Jesus said t his disciples: But blessed are yur eyes because they see, and yur ears because they hear. Fr I tell yu the truth, many prphets and righteus men lnged t see what yu see but did nt see it, and t hear what yu hear but did nt hear it (Mt 13: 16, 17). And sld all he had and bught that field. The wner f the field was nt aware f the existence f this treasure, therwise, he wuldn t have sld the field t this man. The man needs t buy this field in rder t

9 becme the new wner f the field including the hidden treasure. Otherwise, he might have been accused f stealing the treasure frm a field, which was nt his wn. The treasure has mre value than all his previus pssessins tgether. Yu need t give up everything yu had. The same theme is fund in the stry f the yung rich and in the Bk f Prverbs: Jesus answered, If yu want t be perfect, g, sell yur pssessins and give t the pr, and yu will have treasure in heaven. Then cme, fllw me (Mt 19:21). See als Luke 14:27, 33. Buy the truth and d nt sell it; get wisdm, discipline and understanding (Prv 23:23). Wisdm is supreme; therefre get wisdm. Thugh it cst all yu have, get understanding (Prv 4:7). Verse Again, the kingdm f heaven is like a merchant lking fr fine pearls. The difference with the previus parable is, that this merchant is diligently lking fr fine pearls. Seeking is an imprtant aspect f the kingdm f heaven. But seek first his kingdm and his righteusness, and all these things will be given t yu as well (Mt 6:33). Cme, all yu wh are thirsty, cme t the waters; and yu wh have n mney, cme, buy and eat! Cme, buy wine and milk withut mney and withut cst (Isa 55:1, 2). Cmpare: D nt give dgs what is sacred; d nt thrw yur pearls t pigs. If yu d, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear yu t pieces (Mt 7:6). Smene wh is thrwing his pearls t pigs, desn t understand the precius value. He even despises the kingdm f Gd (= pearls). When he fund ne f great value, he went away and sld everything he had and bught it. Pearls were mre valued by the ancients than they are by us, and several cmmentatrs have suggested that pearls nce held the place that diamnds d nw. 2 2 Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004, Vl. 2, p. 439).

10 See fr further explanatin the previus parable. Applicatin General Tell the tw parables vividly and reflect n yur wn experience as preacher when and hw yu discvered the value, the greatness f the kingdm f heaven. Invite the peple t make the same r ther discveries. It is pssible t tell abut the ptins the man had after he has fund the treasure. Luz writes: Imprtant is rather what the man nw des. Here t the narratr can chse amng varius ptins. The man culd, fr example, have stlen the treasure secretly. Or he culd have beyed the law and have had his discvery annunced in rder t find ut wh the wner was. Hwever, he cvers it up again. That was clever, fr nbdy is t discver his find in the intervening time until the purchase f the field has been cmpleted. Whether his actin was legal r mral des nt interest the narratr. Then he bught the field. Here t the narratr wuld have had ther ptins. The man culd have withdrawn his mney frm the bank, sld a part f his pssessins, r brrwed mney. He des nne f thse, but he sells everything he has. This variatin is nt accidental, especially since it is repeated in the fllwing parable. Everything is bviusly pinted tward this gal. That is why the man must first find the treasure, and that is why he must cver it up again. The issue fr the narratr is the deliberate risk f the finder wh gives up everything else in rder t gain the Kingdm f Heaven The treasure and the pearl: Finding Christ and his wisdm, and discvering the Gspel f Salvatin, means finding life in all its fullness. With regard t his intentin, there is als general agreement. The parable, by reference t a nce-in-a-lifetime discvery, t an event ne nly dreams abut, expresses the incmparable wrth f the kingdm and the necessity t d all ne can d t gain it. One gladly risks everything t take advantage f the unexpected pprtunity presented by the presence f Gd s salvific kingdm with all its blessings. 4 3 Luz, U. (2001, p ). 4 Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004, Vl. 2, p. 435).

11 Describe the jy f the kingdm f heaven. Jy: because f salvatin, the visin f Christ, the new life, frgiveness f sins. Hidden: The great value f the kingdm f heaven is ften hidden frm the eyes f peple. Reasns might be: Peple are disappinted in the church and ther Christians. Peple are disappinted in life generally. Peple are questining the truth f the Bible thrugh scientific f philsphical reasning. Fund: Sme peple discver the kingdm f heaven by accident. It is a gift frm Gd. Other peple are lking fr the values f life. The Hly Spirit: It is imprtant t acknwledge that sme peple are hnestly lking fr answers t life s questins, fr wisdm, fr philsphies, fr peace. Pray fr the Hly Spirit. He will shw us all the richness f the Gspel. I keep asking that the Gd f ur Lrd Jesus Christ, the glrius Father, may give yu the Spirit f wisdm and revelatin, s that yu may knw him better. I pray als that the eyes f yur heart may be enlightened in rder that yu may knw the hpe t which he has called yu, the riches f his glrius inheritance in the saints (Eph 5:17, 18). Questins t be asked He wh has ears, let him hear (Mt 13:43). > Did yu find the treasure in the field already? > Did yu find the pearl f great value already? > Did yu leave everything behind yu fr the sake f the Kingdm? Have yu understd all these things? (Mt 13:51). > D yu understand the meaning f the treasure? > D yu understand the value f the pearl? > D yu understand why yu need t leave everything behind yu fr the sake f the Kingdm?

12 Bibligraphy Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicn f the New Testament and ther early Christian literature (3rd ed.). Chicag: University f Chicag Press. Blmberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vl. 22). Nashville: Bradman & Hlman Publishers. Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004). A critical and exegetical cmmentary n the Gspel accrding t Saint Matthew (Vl. 2). Lndn; New Yrk: T&T Clark Internatinal. Luz, U. (2001). Matthew: a cmmentary. (H. Kester, Red.). Minneaplis, MN: Augsburg. Nlland, J. (2005). The Gspel f Matthew: a cmmentary n the Greek text. Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternster Press. Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek grammar beynd the basics: An exegetical syntax f the New Testament with scripture, subject, and Greek wrd indexes. Grand Rapids: Zndervan. Wenham, D. (1996). The parables f Jesus. Dwners Grve, IL: InterVarsity Press.