We are living the Days of Noah and that is something that can’t be argued...Just like it was in the Time of Noah so it shall be in the same day when Yeshua (Jesus) returns for His Bride...Our time is limited and the warning are in place we are in the Beginning of Sorrows, just like in Noah’s time evil has become good and good has become evil...Our General falling away has begun just like it did for Noah, it’s happening to us...This is just a preview of what’s to come but details with Noah, I believe hold the key to understanding how we can prepare moving forward...We are going to embark on our journey we will explore the Scriptures when it comes to Noah, as well as with the Words of Yeshua (Jesus) Himself, and we will finally understand the times we find ourselves in now, so hold the line and the faith!!!
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
Matthew 13 Study:
Matthew 13:1-9
The Parable of the Sower:
(Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8)
On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
13:1-9: In the OT, metaphors of sowing and harvesting are common (Psalm 125:5, Jeremiah 38:27-30; Hos 2:21-23; Joel 3:12-14), as this was a part of daily life...Here Yeshua (Jesus) reveals Himself as the promised Messiah, the sower in the earth, who had been foretold in Isaiah 55:10-13…
Sower: †σπείρω speírō, spi'-ro; probably strengthened from G4685 (through the idea of extending); to scatter, i.e. sow (literally or figuratively):—sow(- er), receive seed.
Earth: γῆ gē, ghay; contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):—country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world.
“The wicked dwell amongst us and like them we all be judged, but the wicked will be no more just an emptiness inside a fiery furnace, The Lord will separate the bad fish from the good fish very soon we must endure a little longer…”
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
The Mystery of Parables:
Matthew 13:10-16:
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I [b]should heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly; I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it...
13:11: The Mysteries of the Kingdom are not merely obscure concepts or some religious truths only for the elite, nor is the understanding of the parables simply an intellectual process...Even the disciples find the message hard to understand...While Yeshua (Jesus) taught the same message to all, it is simple and innocent who are open to its message...
13:13-15: Referencing John 12:40 and some notes…
John 12:40: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”
Jesus: Ἰησοῦς Iēsoûs, ee-ay-sooce'; of Hebrew origin (H3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:—Jesus. יְהוֹשׁוּעַ Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ, yeh-ho-shoo'-ah; or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ Yᵉhôwshuʻa; from H3068 and H3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader:—Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare H1954, H3442.
Mysteries: μυστήριον mystḗrion, moos-tay'-ree-on; from a derivative of μύω mýō (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites):—mystery.
Kingdom: βασιλεία basileía, bas-il-i'-ah; from G935; properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively):—kingdom, + reign
Heaven: οὐρανός ouranós, oo-ran-os'; perhaps from the same as G3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity):—air, heaven(-ly), sky.
“Seek Him now and call out to Him...The mysteries that surround our faith start with the three pillars, prayer, hope and love, love being the strongest of them all…”
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
“The Mysteries of Heaven surround our faith
The Sower Explained
Matthew 13:18-23: http://bib.ly/Mt13.18-23.NKJV
(Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15)
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
In this Parable: Our Lord reveals Himself as the promised Messiah, the sower, who had been foretold in Isaiah 55:10-13: Many teach that a person is permanently saved at the moment he professes faith...a view never held by the historic Church...The teaching of Yeshua (Jesus) is clear that it is possible to believe for a while and then fall away…
Wicked one: πονηρός ponērós, pon-ay-ros'; from a derivative of G4192; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from G4550, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners:—bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness). See also G4191. One : πᾶς pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), × daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
“Don’t allow yourself to be snatched away the evil one and his puppets...It’s not cool to be part of the falling away, it’s misery to allow yourself to be deceived by these jokers...It’s funny isn’t it how a lie is more widely accepted than the obvious truth, we live in the Days of Noah!!!”
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
The Wheat and the Tares:
Matthew 13:24-30: http://bib.ly/Mt13.24-30.NKJV :
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
13:24-30: This parable builds on the previous parable of the sower...Here Christ gives attention to the enemy who has sown his seed among the seed of Christ...As falsehood came after truth and false prophets came after true prophets, so the Antichrist will come after Christ...Just as the weeds first appear similar to wheat, so the devil fashions his lies to resemble the truth...That the devil sows while men slept indicates that hersey and lies creep in when people are apathetic… This parable also explains why the Church neither condemns nominal members, nor judges those outside the Church ... (1 Corinthians 5:12-13 http://bib.ly/1Co5.12-13.NKJV )...Just as wheat would be destroyed in weeding out the tares, so also, many people who might ultimately find salvation would otherwise be lost if condemned before Christ’s judgement…
Enemy: ἐχθρός echthrós, ech-thros'; from a primary ἔχθω échthō (to hate); hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan):—enemy, foe.
Seed : σπέρμα spérma, sper'-mah; from G4687; something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant (figuratively, as if kept over for planting):—issue, seed.
Men slept: καθεύδω katheúdō, kath-yoo'-do; from G2596 and εὕδω heúdō (to sleep); to lie down to rest, i.e. (by implication) to fall asleep (literally or figuratively):—(be a-)sleep.
Wheat : †σῖτος sîtos, see'-tos; of uncertain derivation; grain, especially wheat:—corn, wheat.
Tares: ζιζάνιον zizánion, dziz-an'-ee-on; of uncertain origin; darnel or false grain:—tares.
Reapers: θεριστής, -οῦ, ὁ, (θερίζω), a reaper: Matthew 13:30, 39. (Bel and the Dragon, 33; Xenophon, Demosthenes, Aristotle, Plutarch, others.)
Barn: ἀποθήκη apothḗkē, ap-oth-ay'-kay; from G659; a repository, i.e. granary:—barn, garner.
“Just like in the Days of Noah the Lord is separating the wheat from the tares, the wicked from the righteous...Christ is coming back for His Bride and that is one Wedding everyone wants to attend...Don’t let those doors shut and you locked out to suffer the Lord’s wrath that is coming...Nothing that has been seen since the creation of our planet, don’t miss the Wedding be part of His Bride…”
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven:
(Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-21)
Matthew 13:31-33: http://bib.ly/Mt13.31-33.NKJV :
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three [a]measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
13:31-33: The mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples who, according to Theophylact, began as just a few men, but “soon encompassed the whole earth…”These also stand for faith entering a person’s soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue...This soul will become godlike and can receive even angels…
Mustard seed: σίναπι sínapi, sin'-ap-ee; perhaps from σίνομαι sínomai (to hurt, i.e. sting); mustard (the plant):—mustard.
Leaven: ζύμη zýmē, dzoo'-may; probably from G2204; ferment (as if boiling up):—leaven.
“Be the Mustard Seed and let Him grow inside you and turn you into a tree that bears righteous fruit…”
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
Parables Fulfill Prophecy
(Mark 4:33, 34)
Matthew 13:34-35: http://bib.ly/Mt13.34-35.NKJV
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
The Wheat and Tares Explained
Matthew 36-43: http://bib.ly/Mt13.36-43.NKJV
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
13:36-43: see my notes on vv.24-30…
Angels : †ἄγγελος ággelos, ang'-el-os; from ἀγγέλλω aggéllō (probably derived from G71; compare G34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:—angel, messenger.
Furnace of fire: κάμινος káminos, kam'-ee-nos; probably from G2545; a furnace:—furnace. πῦρ pŷr, poor; a primary word; "fire" (literally or figuratively, specially, lightning):—fiery, fire.
Wailing : κλαυθμός klauthmós, klowth-mos'; from G2799; lamentation:—wailing, weeping, × wept.
Gnashing of teeth: βρυγμός brygmós, broog-mos'; from G1031; a grating (of the teeth):—gnashing.
The Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price
Matthew 13:44-46: http://bib.ly/Mt13.44-46.NKJV :
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
13:44-46: The parable of the treasure hidden in a field illustrates those who unintentionally stumble onto Christ and His Holy Church, yet receive Him with great eagerness...The parable of the pearl of great price illustrates those who have been searching in their hearts for Him and finally find Him and His Church...The other pearls represent all various teachings and philosophies of the world...These treasures are hidden in that they are neither recognized nor valued by those immersed in worldliness...In both parables, receiving the treasure requires everything else must be sold, that is, a person must surrender all things in order to receive Christ…
Treasure hidden in a field: θησαυρός thēsaurós, thay-sow-ros'; from G5087; a deposit, i.e. wealth (literally or figuratively):—treasure. Hidden : κρύπτω krýptō, kroop'-to; a primary verb; to conceal (properly, by covering):—hide (self), keep secret, secret(-ly). Field : ἀγρός agrós, ag-ros'; from G71; a field (as a drive for cattle); genitive case, the country; specially, a farm, i.e. hamlet:—country, farm, piece of ground, land.
Pearl of great price: μαργαρίτης margarítēs, mar-gar-ee'-tace; from μάργαρος márgaros (a pearl-oyster); a pearl:—pearl. Great : πολύτιμος polýtimos, pol-oot'-ee-mos; from G4183 and G5092; extremely valuable:—very costly, of great price Price: see G4186 for Great translation...
Sold : πιπράσκω pipráskō, pip-ras'-ko; contracted from περάω peráō (to traverse; from the base of G4008); to traffic (by travelling), i.e. dispose of as merchandise or into slavery (literally or figuratively):—sell.
“The Treasures we seek are our spiritual ones that come from Heaven...There is no secret other than just seeking the Lord with all of our hearts...Plant that mustard seed and let it grow, remember to seek the Kingdom of Heaven first, then just watch as you transform through Him…
-JPCE Spiritual Talk
The Dragnet
Matthew 13:47-50: http://bib.ly/Mt13.47-50.NKJV :
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
13:47-50: The image of the fishing net gathering the good and the wicked together is similar to the parable of the wheat and the tares (vv. 36-43)...This parable further emphasizes that even those gathered into the Church are subject to judgement…
Matthew 13:52:
Then He said to them, “Therefore every [a]scribe instructed [b]concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
13:52: St. John Chrysostom notes that Yeshua (Jesus) does not exclude the OT, but rather praises it as a treasure… Those who truly write or speak of the kingdom of heaven will draw from the unity of the new and old Testaments, for both are holy, with the New being the fulfillment of the Old...This indeed is how Matthew composed his gospel…
Rejection at Nazareth
Matthew 13:54-58: http://bib.ly/Mt13.54-58.NKJV :
When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Isn't His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, [a]Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where did this Man get all these things?” 57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
13:54-58: see Luke 4:22-27:
13:55: Brothers: see Matthew 12:46-50