Day #22: January 22, 2009 - Matthew 13:44-14:12

Jesus continues to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus described it as a treasure found hidden in a field. The man who discovered the treasure in the field stumbled upon it by accident but knew its value when he found it. Some have wondered about the morality of a man obtaining a treasure in this way, but Jesus was not teaching a moral lesson. He was merely showing the value of this treasure that is worth every sacrifice and commitment to obtain. The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than anything else we can have, and a person must be willing to give up everything to obtain it.

Next, Jesus teaches about the Parable of the Pearl Merchant. This parable and the previous parable of the hidden treasure are a pair and should be studied together. In the previous parable, Jesus described a man stumbling upon a treasure. In this parable, Jesus pictured a wealthy pearl merchant. Pearls were especially valued in the Near East. A pearl of great value could obviously set up this merchant for life. Knowing pearls, this merchant searched earnestly for one of great value. When he found it, he sold everything he had to buy it. Some may discover the Kingdom. Some may seek earnestly and finally obtain it. In both cases, the men recognized the value of what they had found and willingly invested everything to find it. The Kingdom of Heaven is so valuable that it calls for a total investment (radical discipleship) from those who find it. (as opposed to the half-hearted, lukewarm commitment seen in so many followers of this culture)

Next, Jesus Tells the Parable of the Fishing Net.The parable of the fishing net deals with the dividing of people much as the parable of the wheat and weeds does. This parable pictures a dragnet perhaps drawn between two boats and dragged through the waters. Fish of every kind are caught and the fishermen drag the net to the beach where they sort the fish. They put good fish into crates and throw the bad ones away. While the parable of the wheat and weeds highlighted the length of time during which good and evil people must coexist before the judgment, this parable focuses on that final judgment. As the net catches all kinds of fish, the gospel message will go out to all kinds of people. At the end of the world, the wicked will be separated from the godly. (those who have received Christ will be separated from those who rejected Christ) Like the fish that are thrown away, the wicked will be thrown into the fire (a metaphor for judgment.

The disciples understood God’s real purpose in the law as revealed in the Old Testament; therefore, they had a real treasure. The disciples would bring this treasure “out of the storehouse” in that their responsibility would be to share what they had learned with others. This by the same responsibility that each of His followers bear today. Don't keep to yourself the truth of the scriptures and the truth about Jesus and heaven and salvation - share it. Teach these truths to others.

In the rest of chapter 13, we see that the People of Nazareth Refuse to Believe in the deity of Jesus. While Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, but he had been reared in Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:39-40). This was not the first time he had spoken and taught in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30). A previous visit to Nazareth by Jesus to teach had been given a less than positive response; in fact, the people had tried to kill him. This trip to Nazareth, therefore, is significant. The people of Nazareth were about to receive a second chance to believe; unfortunately, they again rejected the Lord. When He taught in the synagogue, the people were astonished at his wisdom and his miracles, but they wondered about the source, (the options were either God or Satan) and how Jesus could do them. Their unbelief is astonishing in itself, but then to take offense is mind boggling. Jesus had come to them as a prophet, but they saw only a hometown boy. Their rejection of him is really an example to us today of how our families and friends might possibly treat us when they see our commitment to Jesus. It is also a reminder that we need to proclaim the gospel. At times, however, we need to move on, to other towns and people.

Chapter 14 gives the story of a government leader’s misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity. Herod thought that Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist, who had been arrested just prior to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Because John had ministered in Perea (“east of the Jordan River,” John 1:28), he was under Herod’s jurisdiction. The arrest marked the end of John’s public ministry. He was imprisoned for some time prior to his death.

Herod Antipas ruled over the territories of Galilee and Perea. He was the son of Herod the Great, who had ordered the killing of the babies in Bethlehem. Eventually he would hear Jesus’ case before the crucifixion (Luke 23:6-12). Herod’s guilt over John’s death led him to think that his worst nightmares had come true: John the Baptist had come back to life again. John had done no miracles (John 10:41); he had simply preached and prepared the way for Jesus. But Herod identified Jesus with John.

Herod’s personal guilt was well placed, for he had ordered John to be arrested and imprisoned. Ironically, this “powerful” king did this in response to pressure from Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). Philip was Herod’s half brother. When Herod Antipas met Herodias, his brother’s wife, he divorced his first wife and married Herodias. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, another half brother. Thus, Herodias was a half niece to both Philip and Herod (and they, in turn, were her half uncles). She married her half uncle Philip and then divorced him to marry another half uncle, Herod. Thus, in marrying, Herodias and Herod had committed adultery, as well as a type of incest. John the Baptist condemned Herod and Herodias for living immorally. It was illegal for Herod to be married to her.

Rebuking a tyrannical Roman official who could imprison and execute him was extremely dangerous, yet that is what John had done. In addition, there was political tension over Herod’s divorce of his first wife—the daughter of the king of a neighboring country. This was explosive enough without John bringing up the illegal marriage. John’s public denunciation of the incest and adultery of Herod and Herodias was too much for them to bear, especially Herodias, whose anger turned to hatred. Mark’s Gospel focuses on Herodias, who was both wicked and ruthless in her attempts to kill John the Baptist. While Matthew’s account seems to say that Herod would have executed John, we can combine the accounts to see a wicked yet weak ruler who was not in a hurry to kill John because he was afraid of the people, who believed John was a prophet. For Herod to put to death one of the Jews’ prophets could have caused a huge revolt in his territory and certainly would have created great discontent.

That Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist was not enough for the angry Herodias. She continued to nurse her grudge against John for speaking publicly about her sins, biding her time until she would get her way and have John killed. Then on Herod’s birthday, the opportunity arrived. Mark wrote that Herod gave a banquet for many notable men from governmental, military, and civil positions in Galilee (Mark 6:21). According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herodias’s daughter (by her marriage with Herod Philip) was Salome, a young woman in her middle teens. Herodias sent Salome into the banquet hall to dance. Afterwards, the king promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted. Apparently, Salome had already been prompted by her mother, so she responded, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” Herod, faced by drunk and smirking officials who waited to see what he would do, was too weak to object. Herodias would have her way. Herod caved in under the social pressure and John’s death was sealed.

Herod was sorry because he had put himself in this position in front of his guests, and yet he considered John a holy man whom he both respected and feared (Mark 6:20). Herod had made a promise and had sealed it with an oath. Such words were considered irrevocable. To back out on the promise would show his important guests that Herod was not a man of his word or that he was afraid of this “unimportant” prisoner in a dungeon. So, John was beheaded. An executioner beheaded John and brought his head to the girl on a tray. Herod fulfilled his oath and saved face before his guests. But he had been manipulated by his wife and was left with great fear over what he had done in killing a holy man. Herod’s guilt could not be assuaged. Thus, when Jesus came on the scene, Herod thought that John had come back to life.

John the Baptist apparently still had disciples, even though many had left him to follow Jesus (which John was content for them to do, see John 1:35-37). When they heard that John had been beheaded, they came, took away his corpse, and gave it a proper burial. Then, they told Jesus.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read?)

There is so much to digest here in these passages. The value of my eternal life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. How often do I not even give that great gift a second thought? How often do I take for granted my place in the Kingdom and what awaits me in heaven? Lord, forgive me. Today and all the days after, remind me of what awaits me after my life here is done. Further, remind me that I am living that eternal life right now. Teach me to live for the eternal and not the temporary. And Lord, once again, when I think of the destiny that awaits those who reject You (parable of the net) my heart is broken. Make me bolder than ever before to love people and speak to people and teach people and reach out to people. Help me die to myself today.

Finally, when I read about John the Baptist and his boldness to speak the truth, even though he had to know the consequences that awaited him - Lord give me that kind of boldness in my preaching/teaching.

PRAYER

Let me live for the approval of You and You alone. Build a great ministry here at COV, where Your people are challenged and where Your people are built. Give us a ministry where people don't get comfortable or lazy in their faith walk. Grow disciples here at COV. Grow men and women and students and children who will love you with all of their heart. Build people at our church who want to cross the line and pay the price to grow.