Matthew 13:44-58 Kingdom Mysteries, Miracles and Faith

In the teaching last week, Mysteries of the Kingdom: Sowers and Reapers, Yeshua interpreted the parable of the tares upon request by His disciples. Yeshua spoke additional parables and explained further mysteries of the Kingdom as His disciples listened intently and informed Him that they understood when Yeshua asked if they did. 

Upon completion of the parable teachings, Yeshua turns His attention toward His hometown where He and His disciples went, and He taught in the synagogue.

In His hometown, Yeshua amazes them with wisdom and miracles and exposes a profound prophetic revelation of how true prophets are treated amongst those who are familiar with them and the importance of faith.

In Matthew 13:36, Yeshua sends away the multitude, goes back into the house and His disciples came to Him and asked Him to explain to them the parable of the tares of the field.

After explaining the parable of the tares, Yeshua proceeds to share with them additional parables starting in verse 44.

Mt 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

In the first parable, He speaks about the treasure hid in a field and how valuable the Kingdom of Heaven is to those who find it that they’re willing to invest everything they have for it. 

Mt 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 

Mt 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

Yeshua speaks additionally about the merchant man who finds a pearl that is of such great value that he sold everything he had in order to buy it. This parable again emphasizes the value of the Kingdom being worth everything we have. 

Both of those parables would be a reminder of the straight gate and narrow way and how few find it.

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The next parable, His disciples, as fishermen, would’ve understood easily concerning good and bad fish caught in the net and how separating the bad fish from the good fish was equivalent to what would happen between the wicked and the just at the end of the world.

Mt 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 

Mt 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 

Mt 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 

Mt 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

 Mt 13:51 Yeshua saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 

 Once the disciples assured Yeshua that they understood the parables, He transitions and focuses on those who are experts in the law, the scribes.

Mt 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 

Scribes – 1122 γραμματεύς grammateus {gram-mat-yooce'} Meaning:  1) a clerk, scribe, esp.a public servant, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states 2) in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. 

Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people. See a Bible Dictionary for more information on the scribes. 3) a religious teacher: so instructed that from his learning and ability to teach advantage may redound to the kingdom of heaven Usage:  AV - scribe 66, townclerk 1; 67

Yeshua is saying that once the experts in the law are instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven/God they would be like that householder which brings forth out of his treasure things new and old. The scribes, who would hear the message of the Kingdom of Heaven/God as taught by Yeshua, would now be able to see the New Testament, if you would, in the Old Testament. 

The scribes would be able to connect the dots, could see, hear, understand, and expound on the Scriptures in ways they had not been able to expound on before.

The scribes who had been taught about the Kingdom would actually see Yeshua in the Tanakh, for the Tanakh speaks of Him, and therefore they would be able to understand and teach the Kingdom of Heaven/God teachings as taught by Yeshua.

The scribes, the teachers of the law, had to be taught the Kingdom of Heaven/God message in order to teach the Kingdom of Heaven/God message as revealed in the Law and the Prophets.

Remember the Gospel of the Kingdom had not been taught before Yeshua came. The teachers of the law had to be born again and taught the understanding of the things they were teaching. In other words, they were teaching without understanding. Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, was teaching but did not understand the Law and the Prophets. 

The scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees were teachers of the law and the prophets, but they did not understand the Law and the Prophets and could not see Yeshua in the Law or the Prophets as He appeared. 

For whatever reason, or a variety of reasons, they expected the Messiah to manifest differently than how He manifested, even though it is clear from the Law and the Prophets that the Messiah would suffer, be mistreated, and that the Messiah would be slaughtered like a lamb (or a goat).

Mt 13:53 And it came to pass, that when Yeshua had finished these parables, he departed thence. 

The Kingdom of Heaven/God is filled with mysteries as revealed by Yeshua and could not be understood apart from Yeshua’s teachings. Those who rejected His teachings could not understand or comprehend the depth of the mysteries or secrets. The teachings of Yeshua, as taught to Nicodemus that faithful night, required being born again in order to see the Kingdom.  If one is not born again, they could not see it, and if they could not see it, they certainly could not enter into it.

Jn 3:2 The same came to Yeshua by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 

Jn 3:3 Yeshua answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Jn 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 

Jn 3:5 Yeshua answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

One of the truly great mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven/God is … not only can one see it and enter into it by being born again, but the Kingdom of Heaven/God enters into you when you are born again.

Lk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 

Lk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

When Yeshua goes to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue and did mighty works in their presence.

Mt 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 

The word country is the Greek 3968 πατρίς patris {pat-rece'} 

Meaning:  1) one's native country 1a) one's fatherland, one's own country, a fixed abode or home 1b) one's own native place i.e. a city 

Usage:  AV - (one's) own country 5, country 3; 8

Mt 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 

Mt 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 

Mt 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Yeshua said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 

Offended – 4624 σκανδαλίζω skandalizo {skan-dal-id'-zo} ("scandalize") 

Meaning:  1) to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend 1a) to entice to sin 1b) to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey 1b1) to cause to fall away

1b2) to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority 1b3) to cause one to judge unfavourably or unjustly of another 1c) since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed 1c1) to cause one displeasure at a thing 1c2) to make indignant 1c3) to be displeased, indignant 

Usage:  AV - offend 28, make to offend 2; 30

Some people get offended at some teachings from the Bible because of their belief systems. 

People get offended when I talk about speaking in tongues and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As a result, they will not see the benefits of speaking in tongues and the baptism of the Holy Spirit because of their unbelief.

Some people get offended when I talk about healings and miracles. As a result, they will not see the benefits of healings and miracles because of their unbelief.

Some people get offended when I talk about giving Tithes, Offerings, Firstfruits, 3rd Year Tithes, etc.  Because they get offended, they will not hear or obey. As a result, they will not see the benefits of giving Tithes, Offerings, Firstfruits, and  3rd Year Tithes because of their unbelief.

They will reap what they sow. 

God is not mocked, Whatever a man sows is what he will reap.

If you want a financial harvest, you must sow financial seeds.

1st Tithes are not seeds to sow; this Tithe belongs to God. The seeds you have to sow are the Offering, and from the remaining 90%, (Or the 80% remaining during the 3rd and 6th year of the 7-year Shemitah cycle.)

Mt 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Offenses can rob you of your faith.

During the life of Yeshua, His ministry attendance numbers went up and down. Some days He would preach to thousands and on other days it would be only His disciples.

On one particular occasion, after preaching a message on eating His flesh and drinking His blood, (speaking of Himself as the bread of life, the Word made flesh) all of His disciples left Him except the twelve.

Jn 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

Jn 6:67 Then said Yeshua unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 

Jn 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Yeshua’s brothers and sisters did not follow His ministry while He was alive. Yeshua’s ministry appeared to have died with Him when you look at what happened to His disciples after He was captured and the small group of people who dared show themselves at His crucifixion. 

It wasn’t until after His resurrection did Yeshua’s ministry gain momentum and began to grow and spread. 

It wasn’t until after His death, burial and resurrection did His family come on board and believed the Gospel of the Kingdom.

There is an old adage, familiarity breeds contempt. 

Many people in your life now, who may think you have lost your mind, or that you are brainwashed, fanatical, fallen from grace, or a heretic, may not see the true value of your ministry and what you stand for until after you are dead and gone.