The Trail of Parables,
Following Matthew's Account,
While Inserting Others
By Jonathan Mitchell
See part two and part three!
Following His genealogy, in Mat. 1:1-16, vs. 17 sets out a pattern that Matthew observes as overlaying the generations which he had just presented:
"Consequently, all the generation from Abraham until David [were] fourteen generations, and from David until the change of abode (the deportation and exile) to Babylon [were] fourteen generations, and from the change of abode to Babylon until the Christ [were] fourteen generations."
Numbers had significance for the Jewish worldview, in that day. Multiples of seven (here, three 14's) speak of a significant completion. Six, being considered to have reference to humanity, six sevens would set out the idea that Jesus' generation (via He, Himself) marked that full story of humanity when seen through the lens of God's plan of the ages. Christ is the goal of humanity's journey.
Mat. 1:18-2:23 outline the events of Jesus' birth through His young childhood, and then chapter 3 begins with the story of His cousin, John, the immerser, when Jesus was about 30 years old. His story begins in vs. 18 with Mary
"found continuing in holding One (as presently having [Him]) within [her] womb (= was discovered to be pregnant) from out of a Set-apart Breath-effect (or: from out of the midst of [the] Holy Spirit; or: from a Sacred Breath)."
So, how is this the beginning of a parable for Matthew's audience? It presents Jesus' human beginning, on the historical level, but we also see His conception as a pattern for His being conceived within our spirits, where we are
"born back up again to a higher place (or: given birth from above)" (Jn. 3:7b).
Jesus' whole life is a pattern for us, in our inward sphere of being.
Mary's betrothed Joseph is informed of Jesus' origin via a dream, in which,
"an agent of [the] Lord [= Yahweh's messenger], down from and in the sphere of (or: in accord with; in correspondence to; = in) a dream, was set in clear light and made to appear to him" (1:20) and tells Joseph all is OK, and tells him to name the boy "Jesus,"
"for he will progressively restore His people to health and wholeness (will salvage, rescue, save and deliver His people and return them to their original state and condition), away from their failures to hit the target (from their mistakes, errors, deviations and sins)."
That announcement and instruction to Joseph let us in on God's plan for us. Mat. 1:22-23 quotes Isa. 7:14 as a witness to what Joseph was told, and the two of them get married (vss. 25-25).
Mat. 2, when Jesus was just a child,
"Great ones (magi: from the Persian magus = great ones, who were often Persian, of the Zoroastrian priestly caste; interpreters of dreams; astrologers; royal spiritual advisors; or: magicians) from eastern regions birthed their presence into Jerusalem [Hebrew: City or Occupation of Peace and Wholeness]. They kept on saying, "Where is He being the one born 'King of the Judeans'? You see, we saw His star (or: luminous heavenly body; meteor; flame of light) in [its] rising (or: within the East, the place of rising; or: we, [being] in the east, saw His star), and we come (or: came) to do obeisance (or: to kiss toward, fall down and give reverence, worship and pay homage) to Him" (2:1b-2).
The news of this worried the present king of Judea. Christ coming into our lives can cause worry for those around us who do not understand this change within us. Our families, or our bosses, may want to eliminate this new change from out lives.
With the birth of Christ, within us, spiritual gifts and riches are brought to us - often via learned teachers. Just as Mary and Joseph had to take flight to Egypt, to escape the king (2:13-15), we sometimes have to change our outward circumstances due to becoming followers of Christ (e.g., leave family or job or former religion - remember how Abram was called to leave his country and family; Gen. 12:1). What happened within us, and the change in our life, can sometimes cause pain, loss or hard situations for others (vss. 16-18; cf Rev. 12:1-17, for a symbolic picture). When those original adverse circumstances may change in our lives, sometimes a return to family, friends, or job may be our path (2:19-23).
Now let us consider Luke's birth-to-youth narrative. In 1:26-38, the agent Gabriel was sent to Mary, and he explained to her what would happen in her, and Mary accepts this as being God's will. This is the great parable of "acceptance." Mary did not ask for this; it was her path and her destiny. In 1:46-55 Mary delivers, in Elisabeth's presence, what had been call her "Magnificat (Song)," which begins,
"My soul (The consciousness which is me) is constantly magnifying (or: is progressively making great... enlarging) the LORD [= Yahweh], [1 Sam. 2:1ff] and the effect and result of my breath expresses extreme joy (or: my spirit and attitude transports supreme happiness and exultation) upon the God [who is] my Savior" (Lu. 1:46-47).
Now THAT is an example of accepting God's will in our lives. We see in Mary's song an allusion to her namesake, Miriam, in Ex. 15:20-21. Both sang of God's deliverance.
Luke chapter 2 covers the Roman taxation, requiring Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, where she gave birth to Jesus,
"and then she wrapped Him in long strips of swathing cloth and made Him lie back in a manger (feeding trough; [note: probably in the house]), because there was not a place for them in the guest room [of the house]" (vs. 7).
There are many who have been born is unchosen circumstance and environments. But here, the parable for us is seeing that His birth within us parallel's this historical situation. Also, for Jesus, being put in a feed trough spoke to His becoming "the Bread of Life" for humanity.
Next, in 2:8-20, there is the visitation by agents, in the atmosphere, to folks guarding sheep during the night. These shepherds and this experience was a parable for Jesus' followers, who became shepherds of God's people, after receiving the Logos of the Christ. This tells us that the agents of the spiritual world (our atmosphere) participate in guiding us to Christ, and environ us continuously (Heb. 12:1-24). The Good News comes not only from Jesus, but from His agents (messengers; folks with the Message) as well. It comes from the realm of Spirit. Lu. 2:21-52 give hits about His early life, His awareness of His Father, His interaction in the temple,
"continuing in sitting within the midst of the teachers, constantly listening to them, as well as repeatedly making inquiries and putting questions to them" (vs. 46),
and then returning home with His parents, until the time for Him to begin His ministry.
Returning to Matthew's account, we find John, the immerser, using a mix of parables in his response to the Pharisees and Sadducees, in turn, coming upon his immersion events. In 3:7, he said to them,
"O offspring (progeny; brood) of vipers (poisonous snakes)! Who secretly pointed out to you people (gave you a private, confidential suggestion) to flee, so as to escape, away from the impending inherent fervor (the internal swelling that gives rise to an impulse and mental bent which may be expressed in strong emotion, such as anger or wrath; a vigorous upsurge of [God's, or human,] nature) which is now progressively about to occur?"
From picturing them as snakes, he immediately switches to the metaphor of trees, in vss. 8 and 10, while in vs. 9 inserting a metaphor of stones. Observe:
8."Produce, then, fruit which has a corresponding value to, and is appropriate of, a change in thinking, attitude and state of consciousness, as well as a turn [toward God].
9. "Furthermore, do not presume to be habitually saying among yourselves, 'We continue having Abraham [as] a father,' for I am now saying to you that God continues able (or: constantly has power) to at once raise up (or: awaken) children to Abraham (or: for Abraham; in Abraham) from out of these stones!
10. "Now you see, the axe is already continuing lying [being focused] toward (or: facing toward) the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree not habitually (repeatedly; = seasonally) producing beautiful (ideal; fine) fruit is customarily being cut out [of the orchard or garden], and is normally thrown into a fire. [comment: to be used for fuel; also: it prefigures AD 70] In vs. 11, he associates his present ministry, of immersing folks in the Jordan River, with the upcoming spiritual/kingdom ministry of Jesus, then switches to the metaphor of grain-harvest activities, in vs. 12:
11. "I myself, on the one hand, continue immersing you folks in water, [which proceeds] into the midst of a change in thinking (a change of perception, attitude, frame of mind, way of thinking, mode of thought, in state of consciousness, as well as a turning back [to Yahweh]). On the other hand, the One progressively coming close after me is (exists being) stronger than I, Whose sandals I am not competent (or: adequate) to lift up and carry off. He, Himself, will proceed immersing (baptizing) you folks within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect and Fire (or: will repeatedly submerge you to the point of saturation, in union with [the] Holy Spirit, even to the permeation of a Sacred Attitude, as well as with [the] Fire) -
12. "Whose winnowing fork (or: shovel) [is] within His hand, and He will proceed thoroughly cleaning up (clearing, scouring and cleansing) His threshing floor and then will progressively gather (bring together) His grain into the storehouse (granary; barn), yet the chaff (straw and husks) He will continue completely burning, in an inextinguishable Fire."
[cf Ezk. 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28; comment: a prophecy aimed at the Judean leadership; chaff, a figure of the old covenant and the first Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), is the part of the plant that bore the Grain, but is no longer useful, as food]
In 3:13, Jesus enters the scene to be immersed by John. John protests, but Jesus counters his protest:
"'Let this situation flow its course and send [Me] off, right now (at present), for it is in this way proper and fitting for us to fulfill all that accords with eschatological deliverance in the Way pointed out, making full "being turned in the right direction," righting covenantal relationship.' Then he let the moment flow on, and proceeded to allow Him (or: At that point [John] yields, and sends Him forth)" (vs. 15).
Now we come to a lived-out parable: Jesus' death to His old way of living and His resurrection into the life of being Israel's Messiah. The following parable presents the event of Jesus being anointed by the Holy Spirit:
16. Now upon being immersed (baptized), Jesus, set for goodness (placed for well-being), immediately stepped back up from the water - and now look and consider! - the heavens at once opened back up again! [or, with other MSS: the atmospheres were opened up to Him!] Then He saw God's Spirit (Breath-effect, which is God; a Breath from God) - as if it were a dove steadily descending - progressively coming upon Him. [cf Gen. 1:2]
17. And then - look and consider! - a Voice (or: sound) from out of the midst of the atmospheres (or: the skies and the heavens), repeatedly saying, "This is My Son, the Beloved One in Whom I take pleasure and imagine thoughts of well-being (or: This One exists being My dearly loved and esteemed Son, in Whom I approve)!"
Jesus and three of His disciples will hear this same Voice in another lived-out parable, in Mat. 17, below.
This is both a figure of death to the old and a birthing/entrance into the new - an acted out allusion to both the Exodus of Israel, under Moses (cf 1 Cor. 10:1-2) and a birth from out of the death and darkness in Egypt, and then forty years later, her birth from the time of testing in the wilderness and the entrance to the Promised Land, under Joshua's leadership. That ancient story of entry into the new Land is echoed by Jesus entering into the fulfillment of that OT type: He enters into a new realm, that of the Christ, by being Anointed by the Breath-effect of God (God's Spirit), within which,
"the heavens at once opened back up again! [or, with other MSS: the atmospheres were opened up to Him!]"(vs. 16)
,and His sonship and favored status is proclaimed by
"a Voice (or: sound) from out of the midst of the atmospheres (or: the skies and the heavens)" (vs. 17).
This lived-out parable became a pattern for His body to later follow, as His called-out folks entered the realm of Spirit/heaven on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
Mat. 4:1-11 reports Jesus' time of testing in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights (these are the beginning days of the new creation that He was bringing into existence, with successive births and deaths, the transition from the old to the new, and echoing Israel's 40-year testing in the wilderness). Jesus has just re-entered Paradise, and the Garden of God's intimate Presence; and, within Himself, He must face His own inner serpent there, so that He would be
"thoughtful, prudent, cautious and discreet (or: = wary and on the alert; = observant, decisive and timely) - as the snakes [are]; and yet [still] unmixed (pure; unblended; guileless; = without negative characteristics added) - as the Dove" (Mat. 10:16),
with the testings for the Last, eschatos, Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) that He might function as the Tree of Life, and as
"a continuously life-making (life-producing; life-creating; life-forming) Spirit (or: Breath-effect; Attitude)" (1 Cor. 15:45b).
The first Adam is the "sowing;" the "Last Adam" is the Resurrection. The Lord's called-out folks, having been born from the Jerusalem which is above (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 12:5-6), also have their wilderness testings, as Christ and His agents do battle with the dragons of Empire and domination systems (Rev. 12:7-9). We see examples of these throughout the book of Acts, and glimpses of them in the Epistles.
When the called-out folks experience the overcoming of Christ and His agents (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21), then comes the actuating of Rev. 12:10-11,
"the present moment [of] the deliverance (the rescue; the return to the original state and condition; the health and wholeness; the salvation), and the power, and the kingdom (or: reign), of our God is birthed (comes into existence [in them]), also the authority (privilege from Being) of, and from, His Anointed."
It is at that point, in their lives, where
"two wings of the Great Eagle (this figure corresponds to the cherubim, in OT imagery) are given to, and for, the Woman, "to the end that she may progressively fly into the wilderness (desert; uninhabited region) - into her place (Jn. 14:3) - where she is there continuously nourished..." (Rev. 12:14).Here, "the wilderness" speaks of being "outside the camp" (Heb. 13:13) - first, outside the camp of Judaism, then later, outside institutional religion. Jesus' lived-out parables are central to the Message of the Christ: for the called-out, and then, for the ethnic multitudes (nations; worlds of cultures and religions). If this seems like an unfounded perception, consider Mat. 4:13-16, where His movement from one place to another is seen as fulfilling prophecy:
14. to the end that the [prophecy; oracle] spoken (declared) through Isaiah the prophet would (could; should) be fulfilled [which] continues saying,
15."O land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali: a pathway associated with [the] Lake (or: Sea), on the other side of the Jordan [River], Galilee-of-the-multitudes (ethnic groups; nations; non-Israelites; pagans; Goyim) -
16.The people continuously sitting within the midst of darkness (the gloomy dimness of the shadow that lacked the light of the Day) saw a great Light. And on (or: to; for; in) those constantly sitting within [the] province (or: region) and shadow of death, Light arises on (or: rose to and among; dawned for or in) them." [Isa. 8:23-9:1; cf Jn. 1:4-5]
Notice the prophecy about the Gospel going to the non-Israelites, in vs. 15-16. So Jesus' acted-out parable pointed to Paul's mission. His move brings us to the first of His spoken Message:
"You folks be progressively changing your thinking (change your frame of mind, mode of thought, perceptions, understanding and state of consciousness, and then turn your focus to [Yahweh]), because the sovereign reign, dominion and activity of exercising the sovereignty of the heavens (or: kingdom from the skies and the atmospheres) has drawn near and now continues being at hand and is close enough to touch (= has arrived and is now accessible)."
Here, He began with a message that was identical to John's, in Mat. 3:2. Moving on, we observe in 4:18-25 was the lived-out parable of Jesus calling people to follow Him, just as we now call people to follow Christ. His life was a parable. We are called to "follow Him," just as He followed the Spirit's lead, and as Paul said in Rom. 8:19b, we are to be,
"constantly receiving and taking away from out of the unveiling of God's sons (or: = the uncovering and revealing of folks who have the character and qualities of God; or: the disclosure pertaining to the sons of God; or: the unveiling and revelation which belongs to God's sons; or, as an ablative: the disclosure from God's sons)," while, "continuously accepting and with our hands taking away from out of (or: fully receiving) a placing in the condition of a son (or: [the] deposit of the Son; a setting in place which is the Son; a constituting as a son; a placing in the Son): the process of the release of our body from slavery" (Rom. 8:23b).
In Mat. 4:24-25, we observe that Jesus' reputation and fame spread, because of the healings and miracles which He did, and so,
"Consequently many and huge crowds followed Him - from the Galilee [province] and Decapolis (the Ten Cities; a league of cities east of the Jordan) and Jerusalem and Judea, as well as [from] the other side of the Jordan [River]."
When Jesus saw the multitudes, He began what is now called, "the Sermon on the Mount," which extends from ch. 5 through ch. 7. In our yet-to-be- published book, Observations on the Gospel of Mark, on Acts, on Philemon, et al, is a verse-by-verse commentary on this Sermon, so here, we will only briefly give excerpts from select verses of those chapters which shed light on the topic of this investigation.
Keeping in mind that John, the immerser, and Jesus both announced that the kingdom/reign of the heavens was present with them, observe that Jesus' opening remark of this long Sermon stated that,
"The destitute folks [are] happy in spirit and attitude, because the reign and dominion of the heavens is continually belonging to, and made up of, them" (5:3; cf The Gospel of Thomas, Logion 54).
This rendering would seem to indicate that He had been demonstrating this fact to them through what He had been doing for folks (4:23, above). You see, prior to this period, the kingdom/reign belonged to the priests, in Jerusalem. We learn this from what He would later say to the chief priests and elders, in Mat. 21:43,
"I am now saying to you men that God's reign (or: the kingdom of God; the influence and activity of God's sovereignty) will be progressively lifted up away from you folks, and it will proceed being given to an ethnic multitude (or: nation; people group; swarm of people) consistently producing its fruit!"
In 8:4, below, after healing a leper, Jesus tells the man,
"See here. You may not tell [this] to even one person, but rather, proceed to depart, leading [yourself] under [this word]. [Then] show yourself to the priest and offer the gift which Moses arranged with a view to a witness for and among them, and provides evidence to [J. Dominic Crossan suggests: = against them]."
The realm of God's sovereign activities still remained with the Judean authorities, until the new creation in the Age of the Messiah had fully replaced the old creation of the Mosaic covenant. To be continued...
See part two and part three!
Jonathan
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