Jesus Taught About the Kingdom of Heaven Through Parables

John the Baptist preached that the Kingdom was "at hand" or close (Matthew 3:2). 

Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom was upon us.

• (Matthew 12:28)  "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

The Parables, in His Own Words is one of the ways Jesus taught people about the Kingdom of Heaven. These are the parables that appear only in the gospel of Matthew, and they are all about the Kingdom of Heaven.

• The Wheat and the Tares (13:24-30)
• The Hidden Treasure (13:44)
• The Pearl of the Great Price (13:45-46)
• The Dragnet (13:47-50)
• The Unforgiving Servant (18:21-35)
• The Workers in the Vineyard (20:1-16)
• The Two Sons (21:28-32)
• The Wedding Feast (22:1-14)
• The Wise and Foolish Virgins (25:1-13)
• The Talents (25:14-30)

The Wheat and the Tares (13:24-30)

• When the wheat and tares grow they look the same, but when they are fully grown they look completely different. Some people are in the church and look like other Christians, but Jesus knows the difference and when judgment day comes Jesus will separate the hypocrites from the Christians. The tares that get burned represent the people who go to Hell and the wheat represents the people who go to Heaven.

The Hidden Treasure (13:44)

• When the man finds the treasure he finds it and the hides it in a field. Then he goes and sells everything he has and buys a field. When he sells everything he has that represents giving up everything you have just to get into Heaven.

The Pearl of the Great Price (13:45-46)

• This parable has the same idea as the parable about the hidden treasure. When he sells everything he has that represents giving up everything you have just to get into Heaven.

The Dragnet (13:47-50)

• The good were put into the vessel and the bad were thrown away. When judgment day comes the Angels will separate the evil from the good and the evil will be thrown into a furnace of fire where there will be whining and gnashing of the teeth.

The Unforgiving Servant (18:21-35)

• Just like the servant who was thrown into prison you will be treated the same way if you do not forgive your brother from the heart.

The Workers in the Vineyard (20:1-16)

• The people who are put on front by other people should humble themselves. They will be the last ones. The people who are humble will be first.

The Two Sons (21:28-32)

• We are all sinners. Some of us are sorry for our sins and repent. Some of us choose to live a life of sin. The two sons show the different attitudes. Those who repent will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Wedding Feast (22:1-14)

• Many people were invited to go to the wedding, but they didn’t want to come. When the man came into the wedding hall he didn’t have a wedding garment meaning he was invited but did not want to wear the right clothing. The Master told his servants tie his hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. Everyone is called to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But we must all enter the same way. Some people want to be saved but only on their own terms.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins (25:1-13)

• The wise virgins were ready to go to the wedding, but the foolish virgins were not. Be ready for when Jesus Christ comes.

The Talents (25:14-30)

• The Master made the servants who gained more talents and were faithful over a few things rulers of many things. The servant who hid his talent had it taken away and he was cast into outer darkness. Use your talents. The people who use their talents bear good fruit and the people who don’t do not bear good fruit.

Image credits: Jesus: In His Own Words CD Collection by Henry O. Arnold  and Cross GIF.  Content also published Medium.com.

Women of the Bible: Rahab - The Noble Harlot

In the History of the Jews, Rahab was a Canaanite Harlot Who Believed.  The genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew mentions five women. One of them is Rahab.

{Before you read this I have a couple of questions that are not answered in the Bible about Rahab, but it would be interesting to know the answers. QUESTION:  When the spies entered Rahab’s house or “business”, she told them she believed the account of an incident that had occurred 40 years ago.  It was not breaking news on CNN.  So … how old was Rahab?  Was she about 50 years old?  Was she older than 50?  Older than 50 and turning tricks?  (“Turning tricks” means still servicing customers.) ANOTHER QUESTION:  Because of her actions in hiding the spies, she saved her father, her mother and her brothers.  Would you not say her family was incredibly trusting and really had a lot of confidence in her?  But she was a whore!  Hoes get no respect!  Her family put their lives in her hands? To think of it, the story of Rahab is a remarkable story!]
 

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(Image credit: Tissot_The_Harlot_of_Jericho_and_the_Two_Spies.jpg )


Rahab (alternately spelled Rachab) was a Canaanite harlot who lived in Jericho . Her house was on the city wall. Though forty years has passed and Moses, the great Jewish leader and prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt had died, Rahab spoke to the Jewish spies who came to her house, about the parting of the Red Sea as if it were a current event. (The writers impression.) She mentioned the event along with another happening, the destruction of Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites and informed the spies that the people of Jericho were afraid for their lives, as was she.

Unlike the inhabitants of the land of Jericho, Rahab's heart did not melt. Rahab had decided (because she believed the reports about Jehovah, God of the children of Israel) that since the destruction of Jericho was as certain to become an historical event as had the other two events she referenced, she could only bargain for her life and those with her, and hope that the Israelites would honor the agreement. The Jewish spies promised her protection. They agreed that when they attacked the city of Jericho, she and whoever was in her house with her their lives would be spared. This they promised because Rahab had risked her life by hiding them from the kings messengers and helped them to escape. When the Israelites captured Jericho they kept their promise to Rahab.

Indeed Rahab was afraid but her survival instinct seems to have overruled her fear. Or was it her faith? The kings messengers could have discovered her secret and what would have been her end? The Jewish spies could have just as easily broken their promise and what would have been her end? Why did she do what she did? Was it fear? Or was it faith? Faith in a God she had only heard reports of, about incidents she had not witnessed. No scriptures for her to read. No prophet to guide her. No one to teach her the difference between the gods she likely had been taught to worship versus Jehovah.

In Christian (New Testament) scriptures, Rahab is listed as one of the heroes of faith (Heb 11: 31) and commended for her example of faith (James 2: 25). Rahab was accepted as a proselyte (convert) to the Judaism and became an ancestor of King David, the beloved second monarch who ruled over the united kingdom of Israel. Though Matthew the Apostle and Saint Luke both trace the lineage of Jesus, only Matthew mentions Rahab a prostitute who became the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz, the grandmother of Obed, the great grandmother of Jesse, who was the father of David, King of Israel. (Matt 1: 5, 6) 



References:

• The scriptural references provided can be used to piece together Rahab's real life story. JOSH 2: 1; 6:17, 25; MATT 1: 5; HEB 11: 31; JMS 2: 25

• "Seekers of the Promised Land." Great People of the Bible and How They Lived. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Association, 1974.

• Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1995. 

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Rahab’s Story: A Novel (Women of the Bible)

Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter

Women of the Bible: Tamar - The Noble Harlot

In the History of the Jews, Tamar was a dutiful widow who played the harlot.  The genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew mentions five women. One of them is Tamar.

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(Image credit: Gelder, Aert de - Tamar and Judah; Public Domain)

Tamar (alternately spelled Thamar) was the wife of Er, the firstborn of Judah, who was the fourth son of Jacob. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. Jacob fathered twelve sons who became the twelve tribes which comprise the nation of Israel. Er died and according to the Law of Moses regarding marriage, a man was required to marry the widow of his brother, if the brother dies with no male heir. (Note 1) This was to be done to preserve the name and estate of the deceased. Therefore, Onan, Ers brother married Tamar. But Onan also died. 

Judah, the father-in-law had a third son, Shelah. At the time of Onans death, Shelah was too young to marry. Being fully aware of the law and its requirements, Judah promised Tamar that when Shelah was old enough, he would give her to him in marriage. But when the time came, Judah did not honor his word and obey the law. In desperation to conceive a son who would preserve her late husbands name and estate, Tamar disguised herself as a harlot (a prostitute) and offered her services to Judah. She became pregnant with twin sons. Months later, when Judah was informed of Tamars pregnancy, he demanded that she brought out publicly and put to death; the penalty for whoredom. IT WAS THE LAW!!! 

When Tamar proved that Judah, her father-in-law, was the father of her unborn, Judah publicly acknowledged his own guilt. Because he had not allowed Shelah to marry Tamar, he was the outlaw. Tamar was fully vindicated. She had obeyed the law and was judged as not having committed any act deserving of punishment; particularly punishment by death. Tamar was acknowledged as being righteous, because she was determined to preserve her late husbands family line. The names of the twin sons were Perez (or Phares) and Zerah (or Zara) recorded in the Gospel of Matthew as follows: And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar (Matt 1: 3) 

Tamar understood her duty, and she also knew her rights and the rights of the dead. The scriptures do not indicate that she conspired or consulted with anyone for advice. She determined what needed to be done in order to right a wrong and had the courage to follow through. 

Note 1: Among the Hebrews marriage with a brother's widow was forbidden as a general rule (Lev. xviii. 16, xx. 21), but was regarded as obligatory (Deut. xxv. 56) when there was no male issue, and when the two brothers had been dwelling on the same family. 


References:

• The scriptural references provided can be used to piece together Tamar's real life story. GEN 38: 6, 24; RUTH 4: 12; 1 CHRON 2: 4; MATT 1: 3

• "Seekers of the Promised Land." Great People of the Bible and How They Lived. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Association, 1974.

• Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1995. 

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Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter

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