The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Jesaira
- Chapter 192 -
The parables of the tares among the wheat, and the mustard seed. The disciples' non-comprehension. Ahab's commendable quote from Isaiah regarding the Messiah. The uncomprehending people are sent home. The Pharisees upon the stormy sea.
I now however speak loudly enough for those standing upon the shore to hear, 'Now then, he who has ears, let him hear, and he who has eyes - in the heart, let Me emphasize - let him see! I want to give you another parable on the kingdom of God: hearken!
2
The kingdom of heaven also is like unto a man who sowed good seed upon his ground. (Matt. 13:24) But while his servants slept, the owner's adversary came, casting sheer weeds among the wheat, which then sprang up with the wheat. (Matt. 13:25) Wherever the wheat came up with its fruit, there the weeds also came up. (Matt. 13:26)
3
When the servants saw this they came to the landlord and said, "Lord, did you not cast prime wheat upon the field? Wherefrom came the weeds?" (Matt. 13:27)
4
The landlord however spoke, saying, "This my enemy has done!" And the servants replied, "Lord, shall we go and weed it out?" (Matt. 13:28) And the lord said, "Let it be, so that you would not trample and pull out the wheat with the weed. (Matt. 13:29) Let them both grow together till harvest! At harvest time I shall say to the cutters, "Gather up the tares into bundles first and remove them from the field to a place for burning, but afterwards gather the clean wheat into my barns!" (Matt. 13:30) 'Behold, this is an appropriate parable of the kingdom of heaven! But hear Me further! I want to give you more parables, which all depict the kingdom of God. Hence hearken!
5
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a mustard seed which a man took and cast into his field. (Matt. 13:31) This seed of a truth is known to be among the smallest among the seeds. But when it grows it is the biggest among the herbs, and finally a very tree, so that even the birds of the air come to build their nest among its branches.' (Matt. 13:32)
6
Here the disciples looked at each wide eyed, saying, 'What's this; who can grasp this? Now the kingdom of heaven resembles a mustard seed?!'
7
Say I, 'Wonder not but hearken further! Yet another parable I want to give you on the kingdom of God.
8
The Kingdom of heaven also resembles leaven, which a woman took and mixed into three measures of wheaten flour, until all was leavened.' (Matt. 13:33)
9
All the disciples as well as the twelve wakeful apostles once again looked at one another, saying among themselves, "Who can grasp and understand this? Or does He want to have the people on, because of the Pharisees? It is impossible to understand why He now talks in these most muddled images?"
10
Ahab however, who was exceedingly well-versed in Scripture, overhearing the disciples talk, said to them, "If this One is what I now firmly believe Him to be, then the following prophecy of Isaiah would probably apply to Him, which speaks about Him constantly, speaking in parables: (Matt. 13:34), 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.'
11
Behold, thus spoke once the great prophet, and so sang David once in his Psalm, 78: verse 2, and this, besides a lot of other things, exactly applies to Him; and despite of this, you can still ask: how so?, being with and around Him for a considerable time now. He shall, if necessary, reveal these parables to us indeed; and if not necessary, well, then we can still boast that we are ourselves able to see and hear, what all the patriarchs and prophets would have much liked to see and hear.'
12
All the disciples are quite happy with this interpretation; the people however, now that I kept silent during Ahab's talk, asked Me whether I am going to say more of such incomprehensible things, or whether they should go about their business, - 'they, who are tarrying at the shore for a good teaching' - but which has not eventuated!
13
But I said, 'Let you return home, for it was not on your account that I opened My mouth, knowing full well your uncomprehending heart. Wherefore also your children once shall be your masters and judges.' Therewith all the people soon departed from the shore, and each went to their dwelling.
14
Only the Pharisees, noticing that Kisjonah was getting his boat ready, soon boarded their ship, held in readiness, and took to their oars ahead of us. But secretly, My will was that they should be seized by a strong wind. And behold, a mighty wind soon began driving their boat, completely covering it with waves time after time.