We have postulated, hopefully with success and evidence, that the seven parables of this chapter constitute a large prophecy by Jesus covering the development and experiences of his Church throughout the entire Gospel Age. These seven parables summarize the “seven eyes” of Jesus, the Lamb (Revelation 5:6), as he sees and oversees with wisdom all of the things that will transpire in the development of his “little flock.”
We have seen that the context of these parables actually began in the closing verses of Matthew 12, as Jesus pointed out that his “family” for the Gospel Age to come was not his natural relatives, but rather “whoever does the will of my Father.” Thus, all of the successful characters of these parables are successful because they do the will of the Father.
The final eight verses of the chapter complete the context. They are full of meaning when they are considered as a part of the context of these seven parables’ being one great prophecy.
13:51. Jesus asks his disciples if they understand all that he has said. It had to be a rhetorical question. Surely Jesus knew that they didn’t understand! But, as happens in other places, they innocently blunder into the wrong answer. They say “Yes.”
13:52. Jesus knows the real answer is “No!” So, he uses the opportunity, as he frequently does, to plant the seeds of great understanding for us. He begins with “Therefore.” We might, on the surface, just think he is saying: “Okay. I know you get it all; so, you must go out and explain it all to others.” Yes, on the surface, that could be the meaning. But internal evidence suggests otherwise.
Jesus, in harmony with the context, is saying that there are to be “scribes” — writers who communicate the lessons of the age to others. One of these “scribes” who comes to mind is found in Ezekiel 9:2, 11. It is, indeed, a man “with a writer’s inkhorn” — a “scribe.” That scribe, as we understand it, is the seventh “angel” or messenger to the Church — the “angel” of Laodicea.
But Jesus speaks of scribes (plural). He speaks of the messenger assigned to each of the periods of the Church represented in these parables. Each has become “a disciple of the Kingdom.” The KJV is so good: “… every scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom.” The implication is strong. These “scribes” have special instruction or teaching in the matters of the Kingdom. The thought in the Greek seems to be “initiated into” — as one who is selected for a special service.
Having been “instructed into the Kingdom,” these “scribes” become “like a head of a household.” Does this not remind us of the description Jesus gives of the seventh scribe — the messenger present when Jesus returns — in Matthew 24:45? Jesus’ description of this one is: “…whom his master put IN CHARGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD…” Then Jesus adds, “to give them their food at the proper time.” Is this not a reflection of Matthew 13:52, “who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old”?
This brings us back to Jesus’ question in 13:51. He knew they didn’t and couldn’t understand dispensational truths. So, Jesus’ solution to the problem (paraphrased) is:
“I will send a specially-initiated scribe or messenger to each of the seven Church periods to teach the ‘household’ (my family) what they need to understand at that time. Thus some things will seem new. (The Greek is new in character; not new in time. Thus, some things will not have been clear previously.) The rest of the teaching of the messenger will be the same ‘old, old, story which you have loved so long.’ You will recognize its familiar ring of truth.”
In other words, “No. You don’t understand, but you will because I’ll send somebody to explain it to you as each Church stage begins. It is like my reserving the Wheat and Tare explanation until I was in the house with you alone.”
How much more we see in these two verses with their contextual implications! And how they support the contextual flow of the seven parables!
13:53-58. But it doesn’t even end there! The closing words of this chapter are an allegorical prophecy. They are telling us the experiences-to-be of Jesus’ disciples. Once they had heard Jesus’ teachings (as summarized in these parables) they would “depart from there.” It is like Bible students who depart from receiving the stimulating instruction of a convention and go home. In 13:54, Jesus went home. “Home” for a Christian during the age would seem to be among Christian congregations.
We then attempt to spread the blessings of the Word we have received, going to the very place we think it should be received — Christian congregations — just as Jesus went to the synagogue. But we, as he, have (all through the age) been met with the response: “Where did you get THAT?
You’re not a trained minister, you’re the son of a carpenter, or a farmer, or an automaker! We know your family; you’re just a local kid with your family’s reputation.”
And, as with Jesus (13:57), so it is with us: “They took offense at him.”
Our feelings and our responses are the same as was Jesus’ response: “The Lord has honored me as proclaimer of The Truth; but in my own town of ‘Christianity,’ and with those who claim to be my household (Christians), I have no such honor.”
We, then, find that, like Jesus (13:58), we can have little success — we can neither “buy nor sell” (Revelation 13:17) in the environs of the religion which claims the name which is legitimately ours.
This tour through the first seven parables of Matthew is stimulating to the extreme. Among its many lessons is the lesson that the context of parables is extremely important. We will see this immediately again as we consider the next two parables.
Matthew, being inspired, has carefully arranged the parables so that we see their contextual import. We are much less blessed by the way Mark and Luke handle the parables. Those parables which are exclusive to those books will teach us much, but we will need to struggle more because of the lack of inspiration given to those historians. We must be very grateful to our Lord for what we have received even in these initial contextual parables.