Tag: parables

Christ’s Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
“The Sower” by Vincent Van Gogh, 1881

…Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories.

“What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”…

“Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.

“The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

“The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.

“The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.” (The Message)

It takes focused attention to listen well. Allowing the understanding of Christ’s words to awash over us – drinking-in the life-giving good news – is required for the act of listening to achieve its intended purpose.

It is most necessary that we all develop the skill of effective listening, so as to understand what is being said. And yet, understanding, as important as it is – all by itself – is inadequate. If hearing isn’t accompanied by obedient follow-through, then all the listening comes to nothing.

Christian discipleship (following the words and the ways of Jesus) demands that the believer takes Christ’s words and walks faithfully in the way of the good news, which has been absorbed into the mind and heart through effective listening.

Failing to both listen and put the words into practice is like the person who looks into the mirror and then walks away forgetting what he looks like.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. (James 1:22-25, MSG)

Appropriate and fruitful action begins with, and is dependent upon, attentive and effective listening – which is why the ability to hear the words of Jesus are so very vital to our lives.

“The Sower” by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

The Parable

Our ears are the soil of our lives. Ears that are attentive and devoted to listening to Jesus are good soil; ears that are distracted, inattentive, and/or stopped up with ear wax are the bad soil. 

Receptive listening to the Word of God brings a fruitful harvest of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Christ’s parable lets us know that planting the Word is important. It is sown on four different soils:

  1. The seed on the road. A path is for walking; and for us, a road is for driving – which is why the seed never takes root. Here there is no real listening. When we act without listening, our actions will inevitably be misguided. 
  2. The seed on gravel. Here there is no deep listening. A lack of attentive hearing results in a shallow person who perhaps relies more on Christian clichés or on one’s personality or abilities, instead of the planted Word.
  3. The seed in the weeds. Here there is some significant listening. However, there are too many voices being heard, and not enough singular listening to the sown Word. Listening to the wrong voices will cause an unfruitful life, so we must be careful to whom we choose to give our listening ears to!
  4. The seed on good earth. A devoted listening to the Word without distraction leads to a productive, fruitful believer.

The Parable Interpreted

The interpretation of the parable which Jesus provided to his disciples focuses on the experience of the seed in a variety of soils, as well as the outside powers which act on the message. It all demonstrates that the words of Jesus – the good news of Christ – is central to our lives, and needs to be received well.

  1. The road is the person who hears the message yet is unable to hear Christ’s words because their heart is hard. The forces of evil snatch up the message before any real understanding, and therefore action, can take place. We must observe that the forces of evil are real; they have the ability to influence people with listening issues.
  2. The gravel is the person who hears just enough to respond with joy but drops out when hard circumstances come around. “I didn’t sign up for this!” is their cry. What they needed was to count the cost of discipleship before responding to the message. This is the mere professing Christian, nothing more. Rather than listening well, and internalizing Christ’s words, there is only positive affirmation without any action or practice. Therefore tomorrow, the message is gone.  When difficulty comes, there are no supporting words to draw from. The person then fades away, unable to navigate life successfully.
  3. The weedy soil hears and responds to the message; and is also a professing Christian, nothing more. The issue with such persons is that they also listen to the voices of worry and wealth. Like some sort of spiritual A.D.D., there is no ability to filter all the voices calling out; and so, there is no growth. The words of Jesus for us must reign supreme; there cannot be two thrones of Wealth and Word, nor two Masters of both God and Money.
  4. The good earth listens with the full intention of understanding, and then puts into practice the message heard. This is what brings about the fruit of righteousness and peace in both the individual and the community. Receiving the implanted word through careful listening brings about spiritual growth.  The first priority must be to listening well to this word. And when an entire group listens well and acts accordingly, then it creates a greenhouse effect in which people cannot help but grow in the Lord.

Conclusion

Jesus was not saying anything new, or what wasn’t already in the First Testament:

How well God must like you—
    you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
    you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
    you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom. (Psalm 1:1-3, MSG)

We live in a time of great conflict – largely due to the refusal to listen well to one another, and to Holy Scripture, especially the New Testament Gospels.

Esoteric and harmful interpretations of the Bible result from failing to hear what Scripture itself is saying to us, especially the words of Jesus. Ignoring the Gospels and myopically focusing on particular parts of the Bible is a sure prescription for poor hearing, and thus, misguided decisions and actions.

This is just one reason why reading Scripture aloud with others in a communal setting is important. Robust discussion around the spoken word is what helps us to move in the sort of directions which the Spirit is leading us.

It is what Jesus and his original disciples did. We must do no less.

O Ancient and Wise Gardener, your holy word is planted in our hearts as good seed in fertile soil. So, nurture us, so that we may bear fruit abundantly, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
Good Samaritan, by Olga Bakhtina

An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” 

And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

“But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 

“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 

He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (New Revised Standard Version)

The Good Samaritan, by Paula Modersohn-Becker

Let’s establish upfront that the chief point of Christ’s parable is mercy shown from one person to another. Mercy is at the heart of Holy Scripture. Mercy is the very heart of Christ – even more than routine obedience:

“Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7; Hosea 6:6)

The message of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible continually reinforces mercy to those who are in need – mercy to immigrants, strangers, the poor, the infirmed, and foreigners.

Therefore, any system – no matter whether church, neighborhood, or government – which seeks to ignore, round up, or get rid of those in need of mercy, is in direct contradiction to the instruction of Jesus, the message of the prophets, and the consistent teaching of the early church fathers (and mothers).

We get in trouble whenever we distinguish between people who “deserve” our help from those who don’t. In truth, there is no such thing. Everyone needs mercy and deserves mercy, simply because they are created in the image and likeness of God.

There are no exceptions. And if we think there ought to be, we are playing the judge and trying to take the reins of decision-making away from God, so that we ourselves can execute our own standard of who deserves mercy and who deserves judgment.

In today’s Gospel lesson, the expert in the law started out by testing Jesus. Then, he changed tactics by trying to justify himself as one who deserves to be recognized as worthy of mercy. He believed that, as one who strictly observes the law and obeys the commandments, he is more deserving than others who are less observant.

It’s this privileged mentality which continually connects adjectival words to humans, and even Christians – when, in truth, there are no adjectives to being a human and/or a Christian.

But, in order to justify ourselves, many people like their adjectives, so they can make sure to distinguish before God who is worthy and right, and who is not. The following are just a smattering of adjectives I’ve heard in the church throughout the years:

  • Backslidden Christian
  • Lukewarm Christian
  • Weak Christian
  • Liberal Christian
  • Conservative Evangelical Christian
  • Real Christian
  • Born Again Christian
  • Committed Christian
  • Fairweather Christian
  • Christmas and Easter Christian
  • True Christian
  • Baptized Christian

Yet, in reality, a Christian is a Christian. If we feel the need to add adjectives in describing how less or more of a Christian they are, then we are no longer describing Christianity at all.

When it comes to the word neighbor, there are a plethora of adjectives that we might use to describe our neighbors. Again, all the words are meant to distinguish between “us” and “them.”

I once lived in a very diverse neighborhood. One day I was outside praying, and looking at all the various houses. I prayed for my neighbors by affixing adjectives to them: my black neighbor; my nerdy neighbor; my lesbian neighbors; my single neighbor; my agnostic neighbor; my mean obnoxious neighbor.

On and on I went, until I heard that still small voice of God whisper to me saying, “Tim, these are not your neighbors with adjectives. They are just your neighbors.”

I got the message. I was praying on my holy hill for all these other folks who were different than me, using my adjectives to keep separate from them. My neighbors, however, are simply my neighbors. We live together in the same neighborhood. We are neighbors – nothing more, nothing less.

Even though my neighbors have many differences about them, we all share the need for receiving mercy and giving mercy. Without mercy, neighborliness vanishes.

My sacrificial offerings of prayer for my neighbors didn’t make me better. But both my attitude of mercy and my actual extensions of mercy toward my neighbors, no matter how little, meant a great deal to them.

The priest and the Levite who passed by the man in need, likely only saw that they would become unclean by helping this needy person. “Besides,” they may have pondered, “there’s nothing in it for me.”

There was no way for the man lying in the ditch to reciprocate or pay back the priest or the Levite. A Samaritan (despised by both priests and Levites) ended up being the one to show mercy to the man.

It didn’t matter who helped the victimized person – whether it was a priest, a Levite, or a Samaritan. It didn’t matter how any of them might describe the other. Only mercy mattered.

I admit that I desperately want to see my national government have at least a little neighborly sense. When I observe the opposite, it’s hard for me to live with. I find myself not wanting to see any mercy extended to them, to the current administration.

Yet just because politicians may not show mercy, doesn’t infer that I should withhold it from them. I really do want to take my cues from Jesus by loving my enemies and doing good to them – even if they ignore, mistreat, or oppress others.

God will sort out the judgment thing. As for me, I’m called to a gospel of grace, not a gospel of judgment.

Nobody can justify themselves. In Christianity, only God can justify the person.

Christ’s mercy is not dependent on what kind of people we are but is based simply on need. God graciously gives us the gift of faith and the mercy of deliverance.

Divine Judge, You framed the earth with love and mercy, declaring it good. Yet we, desiring to justify ourselves, judge others harshly without knowledge or understanding. Keep us faithful so that we may be filled with the knowledge of Your will, and not ignore or pass by another’s need, but plumb the depths of love in showing mercy. Amen.

The Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12:1-12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Parable of the Vineyard Workers, from Unknown Artist in the Middle Ages

Then he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went away. 

When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 

And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 

He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 

What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
    and it is amazing in our eyes’?”

When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away. (New Revised Standard Version)

Parable of the Wicked Tenants, by Maarten Van Valckenborg (1535-1612)

Jesus was at the temple in Jerusalem. While there, the religious leaders confronted him over his supposed ministerial authority. Jesus, rather than become defensive, took the initiative by telling a parable.

The parable’s imagery comes directly from the second chapter of the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. It, too, was a parable concerning a vineyard. Isaiah leveled an accusation against the entire nation of Israel.

Jesus picked up the same imagery and directed his accusation against the people in front of him, the Jewish religious leaders. The connection between the parable of Isaiah and the parable of Jesus would not have been lost on those leaders.

In many ways, I can relate to the parable’s setting in the land. I grew up on a farm, and appreciate the deep connection of working the land and caring for it. I know something of owning land and having renters work it, since that it was my family did in my parent’s later years.

Anytime there is a relationship between owners, and renters or tenants or servants, it is an unequal relation. And whichever situation you relate to will affect your perspective of the parable.

If you understand what it means to be a landowner, with all of the rights and responsibilities of that ownership, and with the people who work that land, then you likely resonate with the landowner in Christ’s parable. You also will likely detest what the tenants in the parable do.

Perhaps you relate more to being a renter or a tenant. Having an understanding of what it means to rent from another, you may likely see the how the tenants in the parable think, and why they do what they do.

Having personal experiences on both sides of the owner/renter situation – for both good and bad – I can easily see how the violence in the parable could happen. I have my own stories of justice and injustice when it comes to each, the owners and the renters/tenants.

Much like today, ancient power dynamics were a fundamental part of life for many people. And those relations were, and are, fraught with all sorts of inequality.

Christ’s parable is a rather violent story. It’s not really bedtime reading. Notice that the owner has slaves, whom he sends to collect what is due him. Several of them are beaten and/or killed.

There is no backstory to the tenants situation. Yet, at the time of Christ’s ministry, there were many lower class folk who lost their land to unscrupulous owners, in a system of inequity. It’s possible that some of the men Jesus was talking to owned some land. And the religious leaders in the Gospels are rarely presented in a positive light.

Even today, there are violent struggles regarding land, especially in the Middle East. And the power dynamics and inequities are rife with injustice which is claiming to be justice. There are no easy answers to quelling the constant violence.

Feelings of hatred, anger, and fear are common. The desire to kill too often overcomes the desire for life. A group of people are outraged for being the brunt of murder, killing, and evil. Another group already feels neglected and have been the victims of unjust usury and death. They feel justified in their violence toward those they view as perpetrators.

Imagine how people on this earth, such as Palestinians, Israelis, Native Americans, and Ukrainians – just to name a few – feel about land. Land involves life, because the land has water, the potential for farming, trees, and a place to live. Thus, whoever controls land, in many ways, controls life. Agribusiness owns large chunks of land in the United States – and not the smaller family farms. Ah, but that is a topic for another time….

In Christ’s parable, everybody suffered in some way. Servants died. The landowner’s son died. The tenants were destroyed. Life was permanently altered for all involved.

Is that how any of us really want to live?

If we take a theological perspective, God owns everything. But we think we own the land and its resources. We believe we have the right to do whatever we want with it. And that is where the problem arises.

Until we truly hold to the notion that we humans are a society of equals, and that we are all subject to a God who owns everything, then we will continue to experience the effects of injustice, war, and death.

Can we, at least, change our minds? Yes, we can. And Christians are called to do just that:

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:2-3, NRSV)

The religious leaders of Christ’s day needed to change their minds about Jesus. Yet, no matter what they did, he would still become the cornerstone, if they rejected him as just one of the stones in the edifice of God’s kingdom.

Today, the parable is still meant to speak to people, to you and me. We have the chance to embrace the Prince of Peace, and walk in the way of peace, not violence. We still yet have the opportunity to be peacemakers, and live in a way that promotes human flourishing, and not human carnage.

If, like the parable of the prophet Isaiah, Christ’s parable is meant to speak to everyone, then it is most necessary that we heed the words of Jesus.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them peace, which is the fruit of righteousness, so that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-34)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Again he [Jesus] said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (New International Version)

Working with Seeds

I grew up on a rural Mid-West America farm. Working with seeds was our livelihood. Even though my farming father worried incessantly about the weather, there was one thing he was never anxious about: seeds.

My dad knew that when we planted seeds in the Spring, there would be a harvest in the Fall. That’s because he knew the seed already has within itself everything it needs to germinate, take root, grow, and produce a harvest. His role was simply to tend to it all by keeping the fields free of weeds, worms, and critters.

Since I was the youngest, I typically got the grunt work of our massive family garden. I was always excited when we planted things because I knew what was coming in a few months: some delicious veggies on my dinner plate which were fresh from the garden that I myself tended. I never wondered whether there would be food on the table, or not.

Seeds are, of course, small. If you think about it, they appear quite unimpressive. Yet, we know better. We understand that when planted, watered, and cultivated, those seeds turn into amazing plants. 

But it takes time. Even as dumb little kid, I clearly knew that my planting seeds would not result in seeing anything above ground the next day. I understood it would take a few weeks before new growth would break the ground.

Seeds and the Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God, Jesus told us, is like a mustard seed – a very small seed which can grow into a tree big enough for birds to nest. Unlike the mighty Roman Empire, or contemporary powerful national governments, the kingdom of God had humble beginnings. It grows, over a long period of time, to become a force greater than anything the world can produce.

While our world races forcefully on with the speed of the hare, Jesus is carefully and patiently building his Church at the pace of a tortoise. In the end, the kingdom of God will rule over all creation, while the kingdoms of this world shall no longer exist. 

Even though many of us now live in a society where quicker, faster, better, and stronger dominate everything, still the best things in life come as a result of tedious perseverance over an extended period of time. 

We are in such a hurry to accomplish our goals, make as much money as we can, and keep constant vigilance over our work. And for what purpose?

When we forget to slow down, or worse yet, believe slowness to be laziness and/or stupidity, there is a price to pay.

Lessons of the Seed

In graduate school, I typically read an average of 200 books per semester. Yes, you read that right. I had to keep up. I was on the clock with deadlines for papers and projects. In the factory, where I did a stent as a worker, I did piece work at the rate of 100 per hour for 8-10 hours. I had to go fast to survive and keep my job, let alone thrive. All of this, of course, impacted my mind, body, and emotions – in very uncaring ways. It was all done at the cost of my physical and mental health.

Indeed, our modern capitalist societies generate an unparalleled level of wealth and standard of living. But this has been achieved at the cost of devouring our planet faster than she can replenish herself. The stress we have put on mother earth we would never think of putting on our own mothers.

Even our attempts at leisure and self-care are anything but. We often end up racing to have as much fun and relaxation as we can cram into a few days or weeks of our “time off.” A return to the normal rat race has us telling each other, “I need a vacation from my vacation.”

There is such a thing as death by overwork. So, we desperately need to come back to the words and ways of Christ – to embrace the slow developing rhythms of grace. We need to age like a fine wine or an expensive bourbon, getting wiser as we get older.

Time is a precious gift given to us by a good and wise God. And that gift must be stewarded well. All the things that bind people together and make our lives worth living – family, faith, friendship, and community – all thrive on having copious amounts of time with each other (and God) in relational connection.

We are, I believe, in a pandemic of having no one to listen, of profound loneliness, and of incredible lostness of soul. The only real prescription for these debilitating maladies is slowing down and taking the time to be, and to be with each other.

Seeds are Slow

Instant gratification will not do the trick. We need to plant small seeds, and then take the time to nurture them and watch over them. While the rest of the world rages and roars on with their disease of speed, believers must carefully cultivate spiritual practices which foster healthy growth and development.

Whether we like it, or not, we serve a slow God. And what’s more, because slowness is built into the very nature of the world, decelerating our lives actually works. Life eventually becomes better, not worse.

You and I have the God-given right to determine our own pace and tempo – without anxious systems of power squeezing every ounce of speed and activity out of us, sucking our souls to serve a worthless idol.

I, for one, would not be opposed to creating a society known as “The Royal Order of Sloths,” or joining a group of slow walkers who label themselves as “Sauntering for Sanity,” or simply be straightforward with an organization known as “The Society for the Propagation of Slowness.”

That’s because the best things in life take time; and those things need us to slow ourselves enough to notice and enjoy them. Eventually, we shall find that the world is blessed because of our commitment to embracing the small and the slow.

Let us pray for all the world, and also for ourselves, knowing that what we ask in the name of the Lord, will be heard according to God’s mercy and patience.

Almighty God, we pray for faith, even as small as a mustard-seed, and for the love to nourish and nurture it, so that it may grow and flourish. We pray for the church throughout the world – that people of faith may work together in unity and in prayer to overcome evil and to promote true love among all people.

O Lord, you are the beginning of all our good, the wellspring of all our love and the source of all our freedom. Let your grace continue to work in us, that your will may be done through us, and that we may always rejoice in your presence. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.