BIBLE STUDY LESSON 06
SERIES R --- THE GOOD SHEPHERD
MORE KINGDOM PARABLES
A HARVEST OF WEEDS AND THE END OF THE WORLD
From Matthew 13:34-43
Whatever Yeshua taught the crowds was given through these parables. As an Old Testament prophecy had predicted, He often taught them through such stories. Many years before, the Psalmist had said about the coming Moshiach, [I will speak to them in parables, I will reveal secrets hidden from the beginning of the world.] When the crowds had left and Yeshua had gone home, the disciples came to Him and asked, [Tell us the meaning of the story of the thistles.]
Here is the answer that Yeshua gave: [I am the one who sows the good seed. The field is the world and the good seeds are those who belong to My Kingdom. The thistles are those who belong to Satan, and the enemy who sowed the thistle seed is Satan himself. The harvest is the end of time and the reapers are the angels. As the weeds are gathered into bundles to be burned, so it will be at the end of time. I will send out My angels and they will gather those who practice evil and burn them in a fiery furnace, where people cry and grind their teeth. Then those who belong to YHVH will shine like the sun. If you have ears, you should listen!]
BURIED TREASURE
From Matthew 13:44
Once again Yeshua told a parable. [The Kingdom of heaven is like some treasure which a man found buried in a field. He hid it again, then went away and joyfully sold all that he had so that he could buy that field.]
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PEARL OF ALL
From Matthew 13:45-46
Here is another story that Yeshua told about heaven: [The Kingdom of heaven is like a pearl buyer who travelled to many places to buy pearls. On one trip, he found a pearl that was worth more than any other. The man immediately went home and sold everything he had so that he could buy that beautiful pearl.]
A STORY OF A NET
From Matthew 13:47-50
[The Kingdom of heaven is like a great net that is let out into the sea, gathering many kinds of fish into it. When it is full, men pull it to the shore and sit down to sort the fish. The good fish are put into their vessels and the worthless ones are thrown away. This is the way it will be at the end of time. Angels will come to separate the evil people from the godly people and will throw the evil people into a great fire. Then there will be much crying and grinding of teeth.]
TREASURES NEW AND OLD
From Matthew 13:51-52
[Do you understand what I am saying?] Yeshua asked. [Yes,] the people answered. [We do understand.] Then Yeshua replied, [Every disciple of Mine who first studies the Law is like the master of a house who has both old and new treasures in his storehouse.] Yeshua was saying that both the old covenant and the new would be like treasure houses to such a person.
COMMENTARY
FISHING ON THE SEA OF GALILEE
Fishing was not playing; it was hard work. The fisherman did not sit with a pole in hand, waiting for fish to bite his bait. Instead, he went out with other fishermen in boats to look for their catch. Since a pole, line and hook were too slow, they used nets to sweep up hundreds of fish. Some of the same methods used in Bible times are still used today, as may be seen in the pictures on these pages. Two kinds of nets were most common -- the drag net and the cast net. The drag net is a long strip, several feet wide, pulled between two boats. The boats gradually brought the ends of the net together, forming a circle. Then the net, fish and all, were hauled onto the boats. The cast net was about ten feet wide and shaped in a circle. Thrown into the water, the lead weights at the bottom caused the net to sink and trap the fish inside it.