Jesus and the Way In:
Reading the Bible

Sermon by Kelvin Dyck
September 26, 2010

Text: Matthew 13:10-17; Psalm 1

Prayer:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and even hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Introduction

Jesus could be quite annoying. He would go on these long excursions with his followers, teaching them as they went and then tell these ridiculous stories which seemed profound but which seemed as impenetrable and mystifying as a well-told riddle at the same time.

• "A sower went out to sow..."
• (Read Matthew 13:4-10)

Reading the Bible is frequently like reading or hearing parables. You feel you should "get it" (understand it) but something seems to stand in the way. On the surface of things, the Bible seems fairly straightforward:

• There are the first five books, the Torah. It includes a collection of stories about ancient times and origins, some charter or legal documents, and some historical texts.
• Then there are collections of wisdom sayings, songs and poems, and writings which seem to project warnings about the future.
• Then there seem to be a series of “portraits” about a really significant person named Jesus, a whole bunch of letters and finally some strange writings with all kinds of strange, almost mythological characters.

But what does it mean? Is there a meaning? How does one figure out how it all goes together? Is there a key?

There is a belief among the Christian churches, that the Bible’s message is perspicuous in its meaning.  That is, the Bible is plain in its message. I’m afraid I can’t believe that.  As one writer put it:

“Maybe it’s the postmodern in me, or maybe I’m too realistic, but my contact with Christians of all denominations has convinced me that there is no such thing as the plain meaning of scripture at least not as commonly understood…If there were “a plain sense” of Scripture, an obviously clear reading that can’t be missed, a reading that is available if one just tries salvation issues, denominations appealing to the “plain sense” can’t agree.”

Like the story in Acts 8, the Ethiopian eunuch was reading the Scriptures but could make no sense of it until Philip came alongside and explained it to him.  Without Philip’s guidance, the Ethiopian was unable to understand the proper context of the passage from Isaiah.

Our text today is like that.  On the surface it is a text about farming or gardening.  If you don’t plant in the right places or in the right conditions, your crop is doomed from the start.  And yet there seems to be more to this particular story.  What is it?  The disciples wanted to know as well and so they clustered around Jesus, asking him to explain the story.

But as Jesus so often does, he talks about first things first.  The point is that the people wanted to hear the story but not really inhabit the story. They wanted entertainment but they not want to participate in it.

Now, you need to know some things about the nature of parables. The purpose of the parable was to invite or provoke inquiry or even interest in the hearer. In this way, it would “sow the seed” for further engagement.  Conversely, the one who refused engagement stood outside the orbit of spiritual challenge and change .

Others also taught in parables The rabbis taught in parables. Parables were a well-developed method of method instruction.  For example, to illustrate his point about the importance of wisdom, Rabbi Eleazer ben Azariah said:

“Whosever wisdom is in excess of his works, to what is he like?  To a tree whose branches are abundant, and its roots scanty; and the wind comes and uproots it, and overturns it. And whosever works are in excess of his wisdom to what is he like?  To a tree whose branches are scanty, and its roots abundant; though all the winds come upon it, they stir it not from its place.”

But Jesus sometimes uses the parable to confound the hearer. Jesus says in verse 15, quoting Isaiah:

You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; So that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them.

Why would Jesus do that? The point of a parable is to change the hearer’s perspective, “to get them to turn.”  In other words, “If you don’t think I’m telling the truth, don’t listen to me.  But, if you think I am telling the truth or that I might be telling you the truth, you’ll have to do something.”  Truth forces you to respond.  Truth is not neutral.  Truth does not allow one to remain at arm’s length.

Each of Jesus’ parables was intended this way.  “I will tell you about the Kingdom of God.  You will have to do something about that.  If you believe me, you will have to respond.” And so he explains:

• What the Kingdom of God was like
• What the Son of Man was like
• What the times before the end of times were like
• What heaven was like
• What judgment was like

Jesus’ followers were not allowed to remain neutral about them. Some were scandalized by them during his ministry. Some were scandalized at the end of it. In the end, All Jesus followers deserted him.

Jesus will do that to a person.  No compromise, not just another nice man, not just another wise teacher, not just another Messiah trying to rid Israel of the Roman armies.

There is a reason why parables are in the Bible. Parables specifically and the Bible generally demand your full engagement..  If you want to understand, you must make a commitment in order to understand.  You can’t stand at the periphery and pick and choose.  It is all or nothing.

A pig and a hen were once talking about their participation and roles in supplying their farmer with his daily breakfast of eggs and bacon.  They both agreed that for the hen it was a contribution but for the pig it was total commitment.

Not the chicken but the pig! Commitment!  That is what Jesus calls for.  That is what is necessary for understanding.

And so, yes, this parable is about planting seeds.  As the farmer knows, some ground is better than others and so seeds may have different results. 

• Some may not penetrate the ground and get swept away by animals or the wind. 
• Some may get choked by the weeds. 
• Some may flourish for a time but then not have enough soil to provide space for roots.
• Some may bring forth lots of fruit.

This could be true for an individual who hears the words of Jesus.  And so, what kind of soil is your heart made of?

This could also be true of a local church seeking renewal and a new vision of God.

But this could also be true of the people of God who had grown so calloused and incorrigible that it could not hear God any more.  But there may be a few hearts in which the Word of God take root, grows and flourishes.  Those may the ones in whom the Spirit of God will work and bear fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, and some a hundred-fold.

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.  Amen.

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