The Reading of the Week: Matthew 13:1-23.
Have you ever walked in on two people who were in the middle of a conversation, and, based on the limited amount you heard, thought you knew what was going on, only to discover that, without the fuller context, you completely missed the point?
One of the easiest mistakes for us to make when we're reading and interpreting the Bible is to avoid the surrounding context. This is especially true with parables, because Jesus doesn't just randomly spout off these stories because the disciples are bored, rather, they're used to provide insight into the preceding events.
For example, over the next three weeks, we'll be discovering what's behind the parables of Matthew 13, which all come one right after the other, and, therefore, we should expect that they all help shed some light on what's happening right before the parables are told. Moreover, we get a clue from the text that this is the case when Matthew 13:1 begins with, "That same day ..."
So, what's going on before Matthew 13 that the parable of the sower, the weeds, the hidden treasure, and the pearl of great value all expand on? While Jesus spends the bulk of chapters 4-10 focusing on proclaiming the reign of God in both action and word, in chapters 11-12 we discover just how few people respond to his ministry. Be it the doubt of John the Baptist, the unrepentant cities, charges of blasphemy, or his own family not following him, by the time Matthew 13 comes around, from an earthly perspective, Jesus ministry looks like a complete failure.
In response to this situation, Jesus offers the parables of Matthew 13, each of which should shed light on the mysterious ways that God works in our world.