Bible Commentaries: December 30 and 31, 2024

The parables of the kingdom in Matthew chapter 13 are prophecies about the history of the church from its beginning at Pentecost until its rapture. These parables are related to the seven letters that John wrote in the book of Revelation. Let us see a summary here to establish understanding:

1 – Parable of the Sower – Matthew 13:3-8

Letter to the church at Ephesus: Revelation 2:1-7
Jesus spoke about the work of the sower to explain that the work of evangelization would be very difficult, especially in the first century of the church.

2 – Parable of the Wheat and the Tares – Matthew 13:24-30

Letter to the church in Smyrna: Revelation 2:8-11
Period in which the church was persecuted. The first sowers fell asleep (that is, died) and other people began to insert rituals, teachings, doctrines, and customs into the church that were not given by God.

3 – Parable of the Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31-32

Letter to the church in Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-17
Rome takes over the government of the church. Everyone became a Christian by Rome's imposition. From then on, the Christian, who was the result of an experience with the Holy Spirit, becomes one only through baptism in water. Faith dies because it was thrown into the field of Rome's interests. The universal church is born (catholic means universal), where the birds (evil spirits) that tried to steal the good seed in the first period of the church (Ephesus), lodge and build their nests here.

4 – Parable of the Leaven – Matthew 13:33

Letter to the church in Thyatira: Revelation 2:18-29
Yeast makes the dough rot and gives it volume. Jesus warned his apostles, saying: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees.” Jesus is the bread of life, but from that time on, Jesus alone was not enough as the only and sufficient savior. The church that was born in Pergamum began to insert other things into the sound doctrine (they put yeast in the dough and the bread rotted). The church became swollen (it grew a lot), but the government was no longer with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Rome replaced the trinity, which are the three measures of yeast.

5 – Parable of the Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44

Letter to the church in Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6
A man: Martin Luther, when translating the Bible from Latin to German, realizes the deviations of the church and begins to combat its abuses, seeking to correct and bring it back to the original path. Rome does not accept this and the church divides. The movement called Protestant Reformation begins, because the people could no longer bear the slavery imposed by Rome and protest, not only for a true faith, but also for civil rights and against economic abuses.

6 – Parable of the Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13:45-46

Letter to the church in Philadelphia: Revelation 3:7-13
When the treasure was opened, it was discovered what the treasure consisted of: a single pearl. The Word begins to be revealed and Jesus is discovered throughout it. The main subject of the book is Jesus. He is there from the first verse to the last. Jesus is the precious pearl, the despised stone, the cornerstone, the sure foundation of salvation.

7 – Parable of the Net – Matthew 13:47-50

Letter to the church in Laodicea: Revelation 3:14-22
In our days the gospel of salvation is preached throughout the world, like a net cast into the sea. Many people are brought into the churches, just as fish are brought into the sea by the fisherman's net. The good fish are kept in the churches by the Holy Spirit, and the bad fish are thrown back into the filthy waters of the world.

Week 53