Matthew 13: Introduction

Transcription

1 Matthew 13:34-35 Introduction We remember this morning that Matthew wrote his Gospel very specifically for Jewish Christians in order that they might be built up in their faith, and in their obedience to God s truth. Paul calls this the obedience of faith. (Faith gives birth to obedience. Obedience flows from faith.) These Jewish Christians were being accused by their fellow Israelites of being unfaithful to Moses and the Prophets and the entire Old Testament (Acts 6:14; 21:21). Whenever a Jew became a member of the Church, he was accused of treason against Israel and of abandoning the faith of their fathers. But Matthew wants to assure these Jewish Christians that nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is the Savior and the Messiah promised in the Law and in the Prophets! The Church is the Messianic community (the true, spiritual Israel) promised in the Law and in the Prophets! In Christ and in His Church we have the true fulfillment of all God s promises to Israel ( already and not yet ). And so Matthew emphasizes this theme of fulfillment for his Jewish Christian readers. He quotes the Old Testament 60 times and alludes to the Old Testament at least 260 times. Out of the four Gospel writers, Matthew is the only one who uses this phrase: This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets, and he uses some variation of this phrase twelve times. We ve already seen this phrase seven times in five different chapters, and now we come to the eighth time here in chapter 13: We find these two verses only in Matthew: I. Matthew 13:34-35 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. This seems simple enough. Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables just like the Old Testament said that He would. So now that we have this interesting little proof text under our belt, we can move on to the next passage! Or can we? Is this really all that Matthew intended? Did he really just mean to say that since Jesus spoke in parables, then He must be the Messiah because the Old Testament said that the Messiah would speak in parables? Well, there are two problems with this! First of all, the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah were never intended to be treated as simple proof texts (which is how many people today treat them). They always had a much fuller, and deeper, and richer significance than this! And this leads us to the second problem. Did the Old Testament really predict that when the Messiah came, He would open His mouth in parables? Let s say that as a good student of God s Word, you were to look up the passage that Matthew is quoting from. Here is what you would find. II. Psalm 78:1-2 A MASKIL OF ASAPH. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old. Who will open his mouth and speak in parables? Asaph will! So is Asaph speaking for the promised Messiah? Is God putting the Messiah s words into Asaph s mouth? No. There is no record of Jesus ever speaking these words. Asaph is speaking only for himself! Asaph will open 1

2 his mouth in a parable and utter dark sayings from of old, and then for the rest of chapter 78, that s exactly what Asaph does! So what does this have to do with the Messiah? What does this have to do with the parables of Jesus? Did Matthew get this wrong? Well, to answer this question, we need to take a closer look at Psalm 78. I believe that this is exactly what Matthew expected that we would do. III. Psalm 78:1-2 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old Now this is very important. As we read on, the first thing we re going to find out is that Asaph s parables were nothing like Jesus parables! For Asaph, a parable was just a wise saying, and not at all a story for comparison like the parables of Jesus. So how can Matthew say that Jesus parables were the fulfillment of Asaph s parables when they were a completely and totally different thing? Well, it s really very simple. We might say that the parable is the box or the container. And if the parable is the box, then the dark sayings are what s in the box. The parable is just the form and the method of communicating the truth. The truth itself is the dark sayings. And so for Matthew, far more important than the box is what s in the box. For both Asaph and Jesus the box happens to have the same name ( parable ) and that s very convenient for Matthew, but it s what s in the box that really matters. So just like Jesus used His parables to reveal to His disciples the secrets of the kingdom (13:11), so also Asaph was using his (very different) parables to utter dark sayings from of old. The main point is not the parables in themselves, but what s inside the parables! Today s English Version and the New Century Version translate Asaph s words like this: Psalm 78:2 (TEV) I am going to use wise sayings and explain mysteries from the past. Psalm 78:2 (NCV) I will speak using stories; I will tell secret things from long ago. So what were these secrets, and mysteries, and dark sayings that Asaph was going to utter? IV. Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. So what s so secret and mysterious and dark about things that people have already heard and known? What s so secret and so dark about the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done? In the rest of the chapter, Asaph goes on to give a long recital of Israel s history a history that was common knowledge to every Israelite! Shouldn t Asaph be a little embarrassed to say that he was uttering dark sayings from of old? What exactly is so mysterious, and so secret, and so dark? What is it really? V. Psalm 78:5-66 A summary of Psalm Psalm 78:5-8 Israel s great privilege and responsibility 2. Psalm 78:9-11 Israel s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion 2

3 3. Psalm 78:12-16 God s merciful and gracious salvation 4. Psalm 78:17-20 Israel s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion 5. Psalm 78:21-29 God s merciful and gracious salvation 6. Psalm 78:30-31 God s righteous judgment 7. Psalm 78:32-37 Israel s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion 8. Psalm 78:38-39 God s merciful and gracious salvation 9. Psalm 78:40-42a Israel s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion 10. Psalm 78:42-55 God s merciful and gracious salvation 11. Psalm 78:56-58 Israel s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion 12. Psalm 78:59-64 God s righteous judgment 13. Psalm 78:65-66 God s merciful and gracious salvation What is it that is so mysterious, and so secret, and so dark? Asaph says that it is the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done (v. 2) specifically in accomplishing the salvation of His people. And why is this glorious, and powerful, and wonderful salvation so mysterious, and so secret, and so dark? It s because there is no human reasoning that can possibly explain it! There is no human power that can possibly compare to it! There is no human understanding that can ever comprehend it! Who can fathom the saving purposes of God especially in the light of man s ungratefulness and wicked rebellion? Who can fathom the saving purposes of God especially in the light of God s righteous and terrible judgments? Who can fathom the saving purposes of God? But there is more. So far we have seen God s saving purposes displayed in the ten plagues, in the parting of the Red Sea, in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, in the provision of water from the rock in the wilderness, in the raining of meat and manna from heaven, in the conquest of Canaan, and in the defeat of all Israel s enemies. But for Asaph, the secret of God s saving purposes came to its fullest and most wonderful expression in the annointing of David and the establishing of his royal kingdom: VI. Psalm 78:67-72 God s merciful and gracious salvation VII. Putting it all together So what do Asaph s parables have to do with the parables of Jesus? What do the dark sayings that Asaph uttered have to do with the secrets of the kingdom that Jesus is now revealing? What do you think? Have you seen it yet? Matthew wants us to see that these secrets of the kingdom didn t just come out of nowhere. They are the culmination of all of God s redemptive acts since the foundation of the world. Asaph left off his recital of God s saving purposes with the anointing of David and the establishing of his royal kingdom. So let me ask you now: What is the kingdom that Jesus proclaims? It is the rule and reign of God through David s greater son, the Messiah Jesus Himself! Jesus parables of the kingdom take up where Asaph left off they complete what Asaph could never finish. If the saving acts of God in the Old Testament could be uttered as dark sayings (and these were merely preparation), then how much more will the culmination of all God s saving acts in Jesus Christ be a great mystery and secret? If an Old Testament prophet uttered dark sayings from of 3

4 old, then how much more can it be said of Jesus that He uttered what has been kept secret and hidden since the foundation of the world? As the great Prophet who was to come (Acts 3:22-26; 7:37), Jesus has fully revealed to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation (cf. Baptist Catechism Q. 27). And so in this way, Jesus is truly the fulfillment of Asaph, and of all the Old Testament prophets. Jesus has fully revealed to us the awesome mystery and secret of God s saving purposes! But even after Asaph had fully recounted God s saving acts, they still remained dark sayings. And even after Jesus had explained the parables to His disciples, the truths of the kingdom still remained secrets. Why is this? Why is it that after the mighty salvation of God has been fully revealed in Jesus Christ, it can still be called a dark saying and a hidden mystery? It s because there is no human reasoning that can possibly explain this salvation! There is no human power that can possibly compare to this salvation! There is no human understanding that can ever comprehend this salvation! Who can fathom the saving purposes of God especially in the light of our ungratefulness and wicked rebellion. Who can fathom the saving purposes of God especially in the light of God s righteous judgments? Who can fathom the saving purposes of God? And so Matthew writes: VIII. Matthew 13:34-35 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Conclusion So then let us listen only and always to Jesus. It was this same pre-incarnate Christ who was speaking to us through the prophets in the Old Testament. And now He has taken to Himself a human nature so that He might speak to us Himself in the flesh. Jesus has spoken. He has uttered what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. He reveals to us the mystery of God s mighty salvation because He is the mighty salvation of God! So then let us pay heed always and only to Jesus. He alone must be the beginning and the end of all our understanding and all our wisdom. The wisdom of the world, the arguments of the world, the reasonings of the world, the philosophies of the world they are all competing for our attention. There are times when the world s wisdom may seem persuasive, and even attractive. The reasonings of the world are always working to produce doubts and unbelief. The philosophies of the world will offer us constant alternatives to true biblical faith. But we know that the world s wisdom has never been able to uncover the things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world. We know that the world s reasonings and philosophies have never been able to discover the saving purposes of God. The world s reasonings and philosophies are vain delusions. The world s wisdom is empty and false. So let us reject the world s wisdom, and let us despise the world s reasonings and philosophies 4

5 And by faith, let us listen only to Jesus for He alone has uttered what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. He alone has made known to us the saving purposes of God the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done (cf. Psalm 78:2). Colossians 2:1-8 (cf. 1 Cor. 1:20-25) For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God s mystery, which is Christ [Messiah], in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Teaching our Children Q. Asaph uttered dark sayings from of old (see Psalm 78:2 under II.). Jesus also spoke about things that had been hidden since the foundation of the world (see Matthew 13:34-35 under I.). What was it that was so dark, and hidden, and secret, and mysterious? A. It was the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done in accomplishing the salvation of His people (see Psalm 78:2-4 under IV.) Q. What is so dark, and hidden, and secret, and mysterious about God s salvation? A. ~ See the outline of Psalm 78 on pages 2-3. If you have time, read Psalm 78 as a family. ~ See also the first paragraph on page 3 Q. Who is the only one who has ever uttered what has been hidden since the foundation of the world? Who is the only one who has fully made known to us the saving purposes of God the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done? A. Jesus alone has done these things! (Note to parents: It was Jesus who spoke through Asaph) Depending on the age of your children, discuss some of the reasonings, and ideas, and philosophies of the world. Ask: How do these things measure up to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hidden in Jesus Christ? See the last full paragraph on page 4. Then read Colossians 2:1-8 above. 5