Matthew 13:36-43 has Jesus discussing with the disciples what he said back in vv. 24-30. This is like Matthew 13:10-23 when Jesus explained to the disciples what he meant in Matthew 13:1-9.
Jesus explained the wheat are the people of the kingdom and the weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The harvest is the end of the world when the two are identified and separated.
I react at many levels.
On a theological level, I wonder how does this all work?
Does the good seed have a choice to be good seed? When does the harvest happen? Soon?
Tough nut to crack, eh?
Don't have any answers to these questions. Religious belief is partly rational as some aspects are intellectually accessible but we have to be honest and say some parts aren't. For those, we must accept it as is.
As a matter of doctrine, Christians believe that at some future point in time good will be separated from evil (harvest the wheat from the weeds). This is a source of hope because we know evil though often triumphant now will ultimately be defeated.
As a matter of doctrine, Christians believe that Jesus, the Son of Man, through his life, death and resurrection has planted the good seed of the kingdom that will grow into wheat to be collected at the end of all things. This is a source of hope because God hasn't abandoned the world.
In today's sermon at church, the speaker mentioned that in the past, people would see the terrible condition of the world and say, "God must be punishing us." There was an assumption that god exists.
Today, the question is, "Is God there?" There is an assumption that god might not exist.
The preacher went on to say, people look at death and suffering and say, is god out there? And the answer is, look at the Cross. Jesus, who claimed to be God, laid down his life and took up the Cross, he took up death and suffering.
With that, he planted the good seed of the kingdom and in the fullness of time, the wheat and weeds will be harvested and evil defeated.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:43, "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand."
No comments:
Post a Comment