Servants of the Kingdom

SERVANTS OF THE KINGDOM

12-16-2018

The Parable of Vineyard Laborers

Matthew 20:1-16 NET Laborers In The Vineyard:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. (2) And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) When it was about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. (4) He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.' (5) So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o'clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. (6) And about five o'clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why are you standing here all day without work?' (7) They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go and work in the vineyard too.' (8) When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the workers and give the pay starting with the last hired until the first.' (9) When those hired about five o'clock came, each received a full day's pay. (10) And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. (11) When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, (12) saying, 'These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.' (13) And the landowner replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for the standard wage? (14) Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. (15) Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' (16) So the last will be first, and the first last."

All of the parables included in the gospels distinguish various aspects of the Kingdom of God.  Note that the gospel of Matthew employs the phrase, “The Kingdom of Heaven”.  It is claimed by some that Matthew wrote his narrative specifically for the Judeans (Jews) and they expected the kingdom to come from heaven.  This does not give evidence that people will be raptured away to live in heaven, but rather that the glorification of heaven will be presented on the earth by God.  Luke employs the phrase, “The Kingdom of God” because Jesus Christ returning from heaven will rule the earth as King and this (the earth) will be His kingdom.

The first verse makes it clear this parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven (or God).  The first or beginning workers who symbolically agreed to be kingdom workers would literally be the apostles and several others around Judea.   The next group would be the crowd who spoke several different languages as Peter and other apostles preached after receiving an anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit allowed Peter to speak to speak to the crowd and all understood him in their native language.  This is the true meaning of “speaking in tongues”.  The modern babbling instances border on heresy.  About 3000 believers accepted the message concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and were baptized into the faith.

Acts 2:41 NET So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

As the apostles, including Paul, and other believers spread the word other sincere believers came forward and repeated the actions of the apostles.  This process of preaching and explaining the gospel message of Jesus Christ has continued down to the present time.  All true believers (i.e. Kingdom workers) regardless of the length of their service prior to death will be paid (rewarded) the same.  Length of service is not an issue but the quality of service, as will be explained in the next parable, is very important.

There are many claiming to be believers of the gospel message but are all believers actually kingdom workers?  Does salvation automatically merit you a glorified body in the first resurrection?  Unfortunately it does not.  Salvation will allow you to receive little or no punishment at the second resurrection but it will not necessarily grant you access to the first resurrection.  Only the sincere, completely forgiving kingdom workers with the mind of Christ (and other things to be discussed later) will partake of the first resurrection to be appointed preachers, teachers, and Melchizedek priests under the leadership of Jesus Christ.

The Parable of Ten Minas

In the parable of the minas given to slaves (i.e. servants), verse 19:15 claims that the King (Jesus) had returned to his land (earth) after receiving the kingdom.

Luke 19:15-21 NET The Parable of the Ten Minas:  When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. (16) So the first one came before him and said, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.' (17) And the king said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.' (18) Then the second one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' (19) So the king said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.' (20) Then another slave came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. (21) For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.'

Mina:  An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value.  A weight containing 50 shekels, according to Hebrew usage.

The King had given each servant a certain amount of minas which is symbolic of the express authority and ability to transmit the gospel message.  Each servant had been given equal amounts of ten minas.  The first subject doubled the amount of minas.  The second subject only earned five minas.  The third reported subject buried his mina and did not attempt to earn anything.

The first who doubled his amount was awarded authority over ten cities, the second was awarded five cities, and the third reported servant had his minas taken away and given to another.  The first and second will be a part of the first resurrection and the first will receive more authority than the second one due to his kingdom work ethic. 

The third will have to wait for the second resurrection.  Although at that time, he will receive a glorified body (i.e. abode or mansion in the KJV) with little or no punishment (i.e. the fire of God) he will not be given any authority.

It is generally believed by many that all unbelievers are punished in “hell,” while all believers receive “eternal life.” There appears to envision a type of divine democracy, where all individuals 00are treated equally, depending only on whether or not they believe in Jesus Christ.  However, there are two resurrections; and all the elect of the first resurrection will not receive the same reward or authority.

The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:13-40 This parable is similar in content to the parable of the minas.  However, this version uses talents as a value of currency rather than minas.

Talent:  If the talent was silver it would be equivalent to 3,000 shekels, 6,000 denarii,

or 94 3/7 pounds of silver.

This parable features a man going on a journey rather than a King receiving a Kingdom which could be a parallel feature or issue.  Also each of three servants were given differing amounts:  5 talents; 2 talents; and one talent.  Each servant was told to invest their talents and earn even more.  The 5 talents earned 5; the two talents earned two; and the third servant with one talent buried it in the ground and earned nothing.

Verse 25:14 is the key verse which says, “To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability”.  This implies that if a person can manage well at his/her level of ability he/she can be trusted to manage even more.  The first two mentioned servants were both put in charge “of many things”.

Robertson’s Word Studies:  According to his own ability. Each had all that he was capable of handling. The use that one makes of his opportunities is the measure of his capacity for more.

Fire; Hell; Judgment

The source of the fire in the “lake of fire” which most believe is “hell” is the throne itself. Thrones symbolize authority and law, or more specifically, the administration of the law by one in authority. To be seated upon a throne signified that the king was issuing decrees or judgments in an official capacity according to the laws of the nation or in this case, the laws of God in the Kingdom of God.

Man punishes; God judges.  Burning people alive in hell is not justice, it is punishment. True justice is never fully accomplished until all the victims of injustice have been recompensed and the sinner restored to grace. This cannot happen in a human devised prison system, nor could it happen by torturing sinners forever, nor could it even happen by annihilating all sinners in fire. All of these alternative methods represent punishment, not divine justice.

The Elect, Chosen, Saint, Overcomer

The Jubilee year was called every fifty years and was a time for forgiveness.  It stood as a reminder of God's providence and mercy.  The dedication of a year for this emphasis provided the community with a time to come back into right relationship with one another and with God. 

The Jubilee was a season of total forgiveness and the complete evisceration of all debts:  legal, monetary, and criminal.  All land was restored to its rightful owner; all slaves and indentured servants due to unpaid debt were set free with no recurring penalties for that particular debt. 

A better word that is easily understood is “forgiver”.  An overcomer is essentially a person who forgives or lives by the principles and standards of the Jubilee as written above.  It is a person who is living or growing up into the Kingdom of God which is the laws and standards of Jesus Christ.  It is one who is coming into a state of maturity in Him. An Overcomer is putting on His Father’s mind and is coming to agree with what God does in the earth and how He accomplishes those goals. He is learning to say “Amen” to all that God does, bearing witness to Him in all things, and not disagreeing with Him. An Overcomer is one who is coming to understand the Father and His ways.

Revelation 3:21 KJV  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 3:21 YLT He who is overcoming--I will give to him to sit with me in my throne, as I also did overcome and did sit down with my Father in His throne.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14 NET Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: (2) "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. (3) He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. (4) Again he sent other slaves, saying, ….”Come to the wedding banquet."  (5) But they were indifferent and went away, …..(6) The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. (7) The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire. (8) Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. (9) So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' (10) And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (11) But when the king came in ….. he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. (12) And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But he had nothing to say. (13) Then the king said to his attendants, 'Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!' (14) For many are called, but few are chosen."

The Kingdom was first offered to the Judeans (Jews).  The kingdom was described as a wedding banquet (i.e. the true Church will be the metaphoric “bride of Christ”).  Jesus and his disciples spread the gospel of the Kingdom and Jesus taught many lessons and performed many miracles, but the religious leaders and many of the population did not respond. 

The religious leaders declared war on the believers and proceeded to beat, imprison, and kill many of them throughout Judea and further north as they delivered the gospel word.

In 70 AD the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and set the remainder on fire.  Most of the Christians in the area, heeded the words of Jesus found in Matthew 24 and fled the city to a northern location.  The believing group then traveled to various places.  One apostle went to India, another to Egypt and other apostles and believers spread out into the Roman world of Turkey, Greece, and other European areas.  They garnered many believers throughout the land and the majority were descendants of the northern ten tribes of Israel who had been forced to leave the Canaan area and later migrated to European areas.

Verse 14, “For many are called, but few are chosen" refers to the above discussed “Elect, Chosen, Saint, Overcomer” group and not to everyone who claims to have made a statement of faith.  One person is indicated who did not receive the first resurrection and he was to be 'Tied up and thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

The “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is not literal pain but rather it symbolically represents regret, dismay, remorse, and anguish which again is not literal.  The dead souls do not think or express emotion, but the verse serves to imagine their thoughts.

The Vineyard, the Nobleman, the Potter, & the Desolation of Jerusalem

THE VINEYARD, THE NOBLEMAN, THE POTTER, AND THE DESOLATION OF JERUSALEM

Some, or perhaps many, people view the parables of Jesus as a paradigm of a general spiritual lesson.  It is my opinion they should be construed as modern real-world issues and as historical prophecies given in an anecdotal story.  It could be considered as the figurative treatment of one subject under the guise or story line of another.  Why did Jesus portray many spiritual and historically prophetic truths as parables?  So that the subjects of the Kingdom would understand but the unbelieving outsiders would not understand or possibly misunderstand.

The Parable of The Vineyard

Matthew 21 records a parable of Jesus in which He describes:  God’s establishment of the nation of Israel; the return of Judah, i.e. after the Babylonian captivity, to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple; the sending of God’s Son, the Messiah Jesus; a prophecy of the death of Messiah Jesus at the hands of the priests and leaders; and the end result of the above things.

Matthew 21:33 NET  "Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.

Although this is recorded as a parable, it is an allegorical story portraying real events of the past and the prophesied future.

Verse 33 speaks of a landowner, who is God the Father.  The vineyard, fence, pit, winepress, and watchtower is Jerusalem and the surrounding area.  This area was originally given to the Hebrew Israelites as a home.  The parable states the vineyard was leased to tenant farmers.  All they were required to do was to worship only the God of Heaven and follow the laws given to Moses.  If a law was broken, which of course would always happen, they were to offer a sacrifice and ask for forgiveness.

The harvest time and God’s portion can be described as several things and events the tenants failed to perform.  Prophets were sent to the inhabitants with messages concerning correction and repentance for their evil and unlawful thoughts and procedures.

When God, the landowner, sent His servants (i.e. prophets) for the fruits of the Kingdom, they were killed in various manners such as beaten and stoned.  Almost each time a prophet-messenger was sent they were killed or imprisoned.  Finally, God, the landowner, sent His Son, which they were anticipated to respect.  This son is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who came to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and to activate people to bear fruit for the Kingdom.

Matthew 21:37-39 NET  Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  (38)  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and get his inheritance!'  (39)  So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

However, as can be seen in the Gospel books, the priests, religious leaders, and many of the citizens had no respect for the Son nor for His message of the coming of the Kingdom of God (or Heaven, depending on the Gospel).  They handed the Son to the Romans on false and trumped up charges and demanded that He be crucified.

The reason for the crucifixion of Jesus is not an unknown secret because it is given in the parable:  “This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and get his inheritance!”  The religious leaders behind the crucifixion did not want to lose their positions and the esteem they believed they were receiving from the common people.  They did not want to lose their fine clothes, houses, wealth, and their abundance of food and privileges.  They also desired a warrior Messiah who would deal with the Romans and make them the rulers of the world at that time, similar to the Khazarian Jews of today.

Notice in verse 39, the tenants threw the son out of the vineyard where they killed him.  Jesus was verbally considered a heretic and was therefore crucified outside the city of Jerusalem.

In verse 40, Jesus asked the surrounding crowd this question:  Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

Without realizing the story described the history of Israel-Judea and their current thoughts and future actions they unwittingly replied:  "He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest."

Although the crowd’s reply was unwitting, they uttered a prophetic truth.  God will destroy the Judean tenants and will give the Kingdom of God vineyard to another group which will be called the Church.  This prophecy was partially fulfilled with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, and the expulsion of the Jews from the area.

After their unwitting reply, Jesus answered them with a quote from Psalms 118:22-23:

Matthew 21:42 NET  Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Psalms 118:22-23 NET  The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.  (23)  This is the LORD's work. We consider it amazing!

In a scathing rebuke, Jesus says the Kingdom will be taken away from them.  Not for a few days or a few years but forever.  As noted above the Kingdom will be given to a group of people who will “produce its fruit.”

In the next few verses, Jesus appears to reference a prophecy in Daniel 2:44-45 which indicates the initiation of the Kingdom of God (the Millennium) will destroy or invalidate all false Biblical concepts and ideas.

Daniel 2:44-45 NET  In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.  (45)  You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable."

At the end of Jesus’ parable, the religious leaders finally realized He was speaking about them.  Their fear factor reached a high point and although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of a reaction from the crowd because the surrounding people considered Jesus to be a prophet.

Parable of the Nobleman and the Kingdom

Beginning at Luke 19:12 Jesus tells another parable concerning the Kingdom of God, and it is also a prophecy concerning the ascension of Jesus and His return as the King of the Kingdom. 

The story begins with a nobleman who went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return as king and ruler.  Of course this is about Jesus, the King of the Kingdom, who was resurrected from death by crucifixion and ascended into the presence of God in heaven where He received His kingdom which is all of creation.  He will later return from His distant country (heaven) as King of the world (or Kingdom) and pronounce His judgments onto the subjects of the kingdom. 

Luke 19:12-15 NET  Therefore he said, "A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.  (13)  And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business with these until I come back.'  (14)  But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to be king over us!'  (15)  When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading.

Some of the parabolic citizens did well with their given gifts and others did not do so well.  All of the gifted citizens would be Church people or Christians.  There was also a group of citizens who hated the nobleman and sent a proclamation stating they “did not want this man (aka Jesus) to be king over them” which would be anyone referring to themselves as a Jew, an agnostic, atheist, and many others. 

Luke 19:14 NET  But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’

The group of citizens who did not want this (or that) man (Jesus) to be their king were slated to be destroyed in the presence of the king.

Luke 19:27 NET  But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’

If Jesus will actually allow the Jews, or the Edomite Jews, or the Khazarian Jews to be literally slaughtered is open to debate.  However, one point should be clear and apparent:  The so-called Jews and the modern nation of Israel are not “the apple of God’s eye”; they are not the wonderful fulfillment of prophecy as considered by the Christian Zionists; they will not all be saved at the second appearance of Jesus Christ:  and they will not rule the world as subordinates of Jesus Christ during the Millennium.  The ones ruling with Jesus will be the overcomers (i.e. an elect group of Christians).

Most modern teachers tell us that Jesus will come to save Jerusalem and its Jewish inhabitants, but in fact He comes to Jerusalem to “slay them in My presence” according to Luke 19:27.  His enemies are not Arabs or Russians or Chinese troops, but those Jewish leaders and their supporters “who did not want this man (Jesus) to reign over them.”

Jesus was speaking of the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem when He spoke of them being slaughtered in His presence.  It can be said the command to “bring them here” suggests they were not in Jerusalem at that time which makes this a prophecy of a future time.

Therefore, this parable suggests that the underlying purpose of modern Zionism is for God to bring a representative group back to the old land for sentencing (and possible destruction) at the scene of the crime.  This event has happened.

Additional material and information may be found at the following link:  Jerusalem is a Desolate House

The Clay Pots

Prior to a brief commentary of “the clay pots” prophecy of Jeremiah, a few definitions need to be inserted so the reader can better understand the storyline.

Gehenna:  An actual valley between Old Jerusalem and Mount Zion.  A place of sacrifice of children burned alive for Moloch.  During the days of Jesus it was a dumping area for refuse, the remains of temple animals, dead criminals, and filth.  A constant fire burned and was known as the place where the “worm never dies”.

Israel:  The northern nation created by separation at the beginning of the reign of Rohoboam after the death of Solomon.  The majority of these northern Israelites were deported by Assyria starting in 640 BC.  Although the modern nation of Israel stole the name, they are not descendants of the ten tribes of ancient Israel and probably very few are Judeans, if any.

Judah:  The southern nation created at the beginning of the reign of Rohoboam which consisted of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and enough Levites to initially operate the temple.

In Jeremiah 18 and 19, God tells the prophet, on two different occasions, to go to the potter’s shop.  In the first instance, Jeremiah is to watch the potter at work preparing a vessel with fresh wet clay.  If the shape does not suit the potter then he can remold it with his hands in just a few minutes.

Jeremiah 18:3-6 NET  So I went down to the potter's house and found him working at his wheel.  (4)  Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit.  (5)  Then the LORD said to me,  (6)  "I, the LORD, say: 'O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter's hand.'

God states to the prophet that Israel, i.e. the deported ten northern tribes, can be reshaped and reformed as the wet clay in the hands of the potter.

In the second instance, Jeremiah is instructed to get a finished dry clay pot, i.e. an earthen bottle or a finished work of hard dried clay.  Then he is to take the older citizens and the older priests of the city of Jerusalem and go to the valley of the son of Hinnom or Gehenna.  Upon arriving he is to give a discourse on the nation’s collective sins of idolatry, murders, and heathenism to the listeners.  Jeremiah is to smash the pot into many pieces and shards.  The end of the discourse states that the valley of Hinnom will one day be called the valley of slaughter. 

Jeremiah 19:10-11 NET  The LORD continued, "Now break the jar in front of those who have come here with you.  (11)  Tell them the LORD who rules over all says, 'I will do just as Jeremiah has done. I will smash this nation and this city as though it were a potter's vessel which is broken beyond repair. The dead will be buried here in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.'

The entirety of chapter 19 focuses on the unlawfulness of the Judean people and the destruction that will be brought upon them.  The prophecy was partially fulfilled by the Babylonian army and several hundred years later by the Roman army.  The city of Jerusalem and the area of Judea/Samaria has been re-inhabited by so-called Jews since the 1930’s and the prophecy awaits its final fulfillment.  Jerusalem and its inhabitants are to be destroyed in such a way that it will never again be repaired (rebuilt).  The world must wait for the new Jerusalem.

Additional material and information may be found at the following link:  Gehenna and Jerusalem

The manner of judgment will be according to each person’s level of knowledge and covenant (vow) that he claims before the judge to whom he appeals. The verdict from the divine court will also depend upon each person’s identity when each identifies himself in court.

Those who claim fleshly identity as a son of the old Adam or of fleshly Israel will be judged accordingly by the Old Covenant standard. Those who claim spiritual identity as one that has been begotten by the Spirit is a New Creation that is sinless (1 John 3:9, literal translation) and will not be judged.