PARABLES OF YESHUA

　

1. The Parable of the Sower - Matt 13.18-23
* The mystery kingdom age will be characterized by the sowing of the Gospel seed.

* The age will be marked by different preparations of the soil.

* The sowing of the seed will receive opposition from the world, the flesh, and the devil

* The age is marked by four different responses to the seed that is sown:

+ the wayside response - unbelief

+ the rocky ground response - belief but not rooted in the Word

+ the thorny ground response - belief but failure to overcome

+ the good ground response - belief, rooted in the Word, conquer spiritual warfare and reproduce.

2. The Parable of the Seed - Mark 4.26-29
* The seed will spring to life of its own accord. Inexplicably, the growth of the seed does not depend on the sower.

3. The Parable of the Tares - Matt 13.24-30
* The true sowing will be imitated by a false counter sowing

* There will be a side-by-side development as a result of the two sowings

* The judgment at the end of the mystery kingdom age will separate the two with the wheat entering the Messianic Kingdom and the tares being excluded.

4. The Parable of the Mustard Seed - Matt 13.31-32
* There will be an abnormal external growth of the mystery kingdom until it becomes a monstrosity.

* This monstrosity becomes a resting place for birds--agents of Satan--various cults within the faith.

5. The Parable of the Leaven - Matt 13.33
* A woman symbolically represents a religious entity--ex. Rev 2.20; Rev 17 Jezebel and the harlot.

* Leaven used symbolically means sin

*The point is that false teaching will be introduced into the mystery kingdom resulting in corruption of doctrine

*Christendom eventually splits into three major units: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism-

All three contain a lesser or greater degree of false doctrine.

6. Parable of the Hidden Treasure - Matt 13.44

* The word treasure used symbolically represents Israel--ex. Ex 19.5; Deut 14.2; Ps 135.4

* It teaches that there will be a Remnant that will be saved out of Israel; there will be Jews coming to Jesus during the period of the Mystery Kingdom (from Jesus time until the end of the age).

7. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price - Matt 13.45-46
* While the treasure represents Israel it is natural that the pearl would represent the Gentiles. The pearl originates

in the sea and when sea is used symbolically it represents Gentiles/nations--ex. Dan 7; Rev 17

* The main point of this parable is that Gentiles will also come to a saving knowledge of Yeshua the Messiah

8. The Parable of the Net - Matt 13.47-50
* The sea is a biblical symbol for the world of the Gentiles

* This age will end with the judgment of the Gentiles--ex Joel 3.1-3; Matt 25.31-46

+ the righteous will enter into the Messianic Kingdom

+ the unrighteous will be excluded

9. The Parable of the Householder - Matt 13.52
* Some aspects of the mystery form of the Kingdom have points of similarity with the other four facets of God’s Kingdom Program

* Other aspects are brand new never seen before - hence the mystery

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY OF THE PARABLES

1. The Sower - Sowing the gospel seed throughout this age.

2. The Seed - The sown seed has inner energy to spring to life of its own accord.

3. The Tares - The true sowing imitated by false counter-sowing.

4. The Mustard Seed - The mystery kingdom assumes huge outer proportions. (A result of parable 3)

5. The Leaven - It will be marked by inward doctrinal corruption. (A result of parable 3)

6. The Treasure - The Lord will gain a Remnant from Israel. ( A result of parable 1 and 2)

7. The Pearl of Great Price - God will also gain a people from among the Gentiles( A result of parable 1 and 2).

8. The Net - This age will end with the judgment of the Gentiles.

9. The Householder - The Mystery Kingdom has both similarities and dissimilarities with the four facets of God’s Kingdom Program.

Notes from: The Life of Messiah from a Jewish Perspective by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum