The World and the Word

                                            The Wheat and the Chaff

In Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:31-32, the "mustard seed" symbolizes the written Word of God. The "field" represents the world. When the Word of God was first written, it had a very small influence in the world because it had to be copied by hand, and this meant there were few manuscripts. But overtime, more scribes began to copy God's Word, and by the time of the Church Age the New Testament was added and enough copies spread over the world that the Church grew like a great tree. As in Matthew 13:4, the "birds of the air" could symbolize all of the evil influences and false doctrines that the Devil has injected into the Church of Christ.

In Mark 4:30-32, Jesus used the phrase, "the kingdom of God" in this same parable. Jesus probably repeated some of His parables from time to time. The phrase "kingdom of God" probably refers to God's entire creations; that is, the universe. the earth, and Heaven. The phrase "kingdom of Heaven" only refers to Heaven itself and all who will live in it; that is, the angels and all saints saved by grace. These two phrases apply equally to both parables since the Word of God effects both salvation by grace and God's Judgment in the end of the world when He will recover and recreate all living souls and spirits confined within the regions of death. John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:5; Revelation 21:1-5.

In Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:33, He likened the kingdom of Heaven to "leaven." He probably used the word "woman" to symbolize the Holy Spirit since He comforts like a woman. The word "leaven" in the Old Testament usually meant evil which has corrupted God's creations. The "unleavened bread" of the Old Testament symbolized God's pure and holy Word. But Jesus used the word "leaven" in this parable in the same sense as He used it in Matthew 16:11 where He meant any doctrine, whether good or bad. In this parable, Jesus meant that the good doctrine of the Word of God will cause the "three measures of meal," which symbolizes the Church, to grow much bigger during the Church Age. In Luke 13:20-21, Jesus used the phrase, "kingdom of God," but the meaning would be the same because the Church grows within God's kingdom making both bigger.

In Jesus' parable of Matthew 13:44, the word "treasure" symbolizes all of God's living souls saved by His grace, and the word "field" symbolizes the world. Jesus' phrase "selleth all that he hath" means that Jesus gave His life on the cross and poured out all His blood and water to purchase His treasure which comprises all living souls saved by grace. But Jesus also taught in  the end of His parable that the buyer, meaning Himself, will also purchase the "field" in order to obtain the "treasure." Jesus' teaching can only mean that He not only will save by His grace all who go to Heaven, but He will also save the rest of humanity. Jesus' teaching in this parable comports with His teaching in John 12:47-48 where He clearly affirmed that He would not judge unbelievers while He was in the world because He came to save the world. God can never fail to do whatever He says He will do. Jesus did prophecy in verse 47 that in the end of the world He will judge by His Word all those who have completely rejected Him. God's record of this Judgment in Revelation clearly demonstrates that those who have rejected Christ are the spiritual dead whom He will separate by the use of His fiery wrath from every living human confined within the regions of the dead for Him to recreate to live on His recreated earth. I Corinthians 3:11-15. God will rescue all living humans from the regions of the dead because He will cause them all to repent and believe in the Lamb of their own free will as recorded in Revelation 5:11-14. John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:5; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-5; Revelation 22:11-12.