30/07/2017: PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

30/07/2017 | PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 105:1-5

1 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

3 Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

4 Look to the LORD and his strength;

seek his face always.

5 Remember the wonders he has done,

his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.

SCRIPTURE READING

Matt. 13: 31-33, 44-52

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”[1]

[1] All Scriptures taken from: New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

STUDY QUESTIONS

  1. What is the subject of these five parables?
  1. What is the basic theme shared by the first two parables: verses 31-33? What do you think that theme would have meant to the first readers of this Gospel in the first century? What does it mean to you today?
  1. What is the basic theme shared by the two parables in verses 44-46? What do you think that theme would have meant to the first readers of this Gospel in the first century? What does it mean to you today?
  1. How does the parable in verses 47-48 differ from the others? How does this parable reflect the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43?
  1. From what aspects of daily life did Jesus draw his images in these parables? If you were to state in one sentence what these parables mean to you, what would you say?

[1] All Scriptures taken from: New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

[1] Copyright © 2017, Lutheran Bible Ministries. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to make photocopies for use in church-related study groups. http://www.bibleministries.org/