Nehemiah 4:1-23

Hostile Plots

4:1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. 2 He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish–and burned ones at that?" 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "That stone wall they are building-any fox going up on it would break it down!" 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders.

6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work.

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, 8 and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10 But Judah said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall." 11 And our enemies said, "They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work." 12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, "From all the places where they live they will come up against us." 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

Defensive Measures

15 When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. 20 Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us."

21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his servant pass the night inside Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day." 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me ever took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in his right hand. (Nehemiah 4:1-23, NRSV)

The following comments are rewritten with some reference to the comments of October 29, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One):

Yesterday we learned that Nehemiah and the leaders of the Jerusalem Jews agreed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 2:17-18), a decision that aroused the scorn of neighbors, “Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab” (v. 19), which Nehemiah countered with his confidence in “the God of heaven [who is the one who will give us success” (v. 20a). As the reading closed, Nehemiah expressed their determination to build, for “we his [i.e., God’s] servants are going to start building; but you” (w^elākem, plural) he added, “ have no share or claim or historic right in Jerusalem” (v. 20b).

So Nehemiah gets down to work. In the interval between yesterday’s reading and today’s, Nehemiah and his fellow Jews make a significant beginning in restoring the walls of Jerusalem: as Tamara Cohn Eskenazi summarizes it, “restoring Jerusalem’s northern boundary” (3:1-5), “restoring Jerusalem’s western boundary” (3:6-14), and “restoring Jerusalem’s southern and eastern boundaries” (3:15-32) (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on these sections, respectively). But the completion of the work is not reported until later: “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul [August-September], in fifty-four days” (6:15). According to Eskenazi, this indicates “the zeal and dedication of the volunteers under Nehemiah,” but, she adds, “Excavated remnants of Nehemiah’s wall reflect the haste of the builders” (on 6:15).

But readings for today and tomorrow report difficulties encountered by the builders. The first “obstacle” is “intimidation” (Eskenazi, on 4:1-21). Sanballat’s mockery continues (cf. 2:19). “Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, ‘What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish–and burned ones at that?’ ” (4:1-2). Tobiah joins Sanballat in mocking the Jews. “That stone wall they are building–any fox going up on it would break it down!” (v. 3). But Nehemiah reports his response as a prayer. “Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders” (vv. 4-5). As his report continues, though he has further opposition to report, Nehemiah anticipates the completion of the wall. “So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half it’s height; for the people had a mind to work” (v. 6; cf. 6:15, as noted above).

But reports of progress in the work by the Jews, angered their opponents, including, not only the leaders, Sanballat and Tobiah, but the peoples, “The Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites” (v. 7), who “all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night” (v. 8). And the response of the Jews was twofold: “So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night (v. 9).

Another difficulty is the complaint of the workers themselves. Nehemiah reports that “Judah said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall’ ” (v. 10). By “Judah,” is meant, “the Jewish community” (Eskenazi, on v. 10). And another is the confidence of their opponents. “And our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work’ ” (v. 11). The intimidation of the Jews is reflected in a repeated complaint. “When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, ‘From all the places where they live they will come up against us’ ” (v. 12, my emphasis). Then Nehemiah makes plans to protect his workers. “So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows” (v. 13). After surveying the situation, Nehemiah challenges the people to be courageous in defending their families and homes: “the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people,” he says, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (v. 14).

So the work on the wall, which had been temporarily halted due to these difficulties, resumes. Nehemiah reports, “When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work” (v. 15). But the workers’ attention and efforts were divided between work on the wall and defense against the enemies. “From that day on,” says Nehemiah, “half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, who were building the wall” (v. 16, 17a). In some cases, a worker would build with one hand and defend with the other. “The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon” (v. 17b). “And each of the builders,” says Nehemiah, “had his sword strapped at his side while he built” (v. 18a). Beside Nehemiah is a trumpeter who is ready to warn the workers of an enemy approach (v. 18b). Nehemiah says “to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us’ ” (vv. 19-20).

The work thus continues “due to improved security measures” (Eskenazi, on vv. 15-23). Nehemiah reports, “we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out” (v. 21). He also gives orders to the people: “Let every man and his servant pass the night inside Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day” (v. 22). Nehemiah and his helpers remained clothed and on guard for the duration of the work, “each [with] his weapon in his hand” (v. 23).

or Lamentations 5:1-22 (alternative reading, Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from October 29, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One):

Although the alphabetic acrostic pattern is discontinued in the last chapter of Lamentations, it has twenty-two lines (verses), which would be one for each letter of the alphabet. Chapters 1 and 2 have three lines for each alphabetic stanza; chapter 3 has three alphabetic lines in each stanza, with each line of a stanza beginning with the same letter. Chapter four follows the pattern of chapters 1 and 2, but has two lines per stanza. One might call this a poetic crescendo to chapter three, with a gradual decrescendo to the end. This pattern would call special attention to the words of assurance found in chapter three (compare the Christian hymn, Great is thy Faithfulness, words by Thomas O. Chisholm; cf. the web site http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/i/gisthyf.htm, accessed Nov. 2, 2007:

The steadfast love of the LORD (HV!HY4 YDeS4h1, chasdê YHWH) never ceases,

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new (MYwD!h39, ch^adāšîm) every morning;

Great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion (yq9l4H@, chelqî),” says my soul,

“Therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:22-24, NRSV)

The interruption of the desolate lamenting tone continues through what F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp calls sapiential consolation continues for a while (3:25-39), reflecting on “reasons for hope in the face of adversity and suffering, drawing on wisdom traditions (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on 3:25-39). “For (yK9, kî) the Lord / will not reject forever” (v. 31). “Although (-Mx9 yK9, kî ’im-) he causes grief, he will have compassion / according to the abundance of his steadfast love” (v. 32); “for (yK9, kî) he does not willingly afflict or grief anyone” (v. 33). When prisoners are “crushed under foot,” asks the poet,” and human rights are perverted, “does the Lord not see it?” (vv. 34-36). It is the Lord who “can command and have it done” (v. 37), for “good and bad” come “from the mouth of the Most High” (v. 38). “Why (hm!, māh) should any who draw breath complain / about the punishment of their sins?” (v. 39).

But the desolate and lamenting tone returns and chapter 5 (today’s reading) concludes the book with a graphic description of Jerusalem’s distress, and a final prayer for the LORD’s mercy. “Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us,” says the people’s prayer; “look, and see our disgrace!” (5:1). “Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, / our homes to aliens,” they pray (v. 2). According to Werner E. Lemke, revised by Kathleen O’Connor, “Our inheritance [is] the land God gave Israel (see Deut. 4:38; 25:19; 26:1. Israel in turn was called God’s inheritance (see Deut. 4:20; 9:26, 29; 32:1)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Lam. 5:2). The people protest that they have become “orphans, fatherless; / and their “mothers are like widows” (v. 3). They say, “We must pay for the water we drink; / the wood we get must be bought (Lam. 5:4). More than that, “With a yoke on our necks we are hard driven; / we are weary, we are given no rest” (v. 5). They must deal with Egypt and Assyria simply “to get enough bread” (v. 6). They “bear [the] iniquities” of their “ancestors” (v. 7). According to Lemke and O’Connor, “this verse could be read as a complaint about unmerited suffering caused by the ancestors, i.e., as a denial of present responsibility–but see v. 16 (see also 1:14, 18; 3:42)” (Ibid., on v. 7). Daniel Grossberg, commenting on the translation, “Our fathers sinned and are no more; / And we must bear their guilt” (Lam. 5:7 NJPS), says, “better, ‘bear their punishment’ (see Exod. 20:5; 34:7. With v. 16, the recognition that rebelliousness against God is the cause for catastrophe and that Israel has a long history of rebelling against God” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 1601, on Lam. 5:7).

The people’s lament complains that they are ruled by slaves (v. 8), they struggle at peril of sword to get bread (v. 9), and they are blackened by the sun (v. 10). Their “women are raped in Zion, / virgins in the towns of Judah” (v. 11). “Princes,” they say, are humiliated, that is, “hung up by their hands” and elders are shown no respect (v. 12). Forced child labor has boys staggering “under loads of wood” (v. 13). There is no music or dancing (vv. 14-15). “Mount Zion . . . lies desolate; / jackals prowl over it” (v. 18). This complaining prayer concludes with questions and a final appeal in which doubt seems to overcome faith. “But you, O LORD, reign forever; / your throne endures to all generations. / Why have you forgotten us completely? /Why have you forsaken us these many days?” (vv. 19-29). “Restore us to yourself, O LORD,” the people pray, that we may be restored; / renew our days as of old–unless you have utterly rejected us, / and are angry with us beyond measure” (vv. 21-22).

F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp compares the concluding prayer to some of the Psalms, but with a difference; it is “not a straightforward hymn of praise as in other communal laments (e.g., Ps. 44:1-8; 74:12-17; 89:1-18)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Lam. 5:19-22). The word “unless,” says Dobbs-Allsopp, “is difficult”:

Perhaps “but instead” (as in Vg [the Vulgate]; cf. Num. 24:22; 1 Sam 21:6; 2 Sam. 13:33), underscoring the LORD’s rejection and anger; or even more literally, “for if,” in which case the conditional clause’s apodosis [the “then” clause, expressing the result if the condition is met] has been intentionally withheld. Either sentiment runs contrary to the traditional concluding lines in communal laments and, when combined with the brevity of the prayer in v. 21, undoes whatever hopefulness inheres in the prayer. Therefore the poem, and the book, ends pessimistically, even tragically. (on v. 22)

Have mercy on us, O Lord!

Revelation 7:(4-8) 9-17

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel:

                   5.   From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

                  6.    from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

                  7.    from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

                  8.    from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed. (Revelation 7:4-8, NRSV)

A Multitude from Every Nation

9. After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honor

and power and might

be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and worship him day and night within his temple,

and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat;

17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17, NRSV)

The following comments are combined with editing and adaptation with comments from October 29, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One), with comments on Revelation 7:1-8 from October 23, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two), and with comments on Revelation 7:9-17 from October 24, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two).

As noted yesterday, there is an interlude between the opening of the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17) and the seventh (8:1-5). Bruce M. Metzger says that in this “interlude between the sixth and seventh seals, [there are] two visions ([7:]1-8 and vv. 9-17) which provide assurance that God’s people are secure from the plagues and judgments” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., on Rev. l;7:1-17). John hears “the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel” (v. 4). The number given here does not limit the number of the redeemed, but “symbolizes completeness; not one of the redeemed is missing” (Metzger, on 7:4). According to Jean-Pierre Ruiz, “The symbolic number 144,000, which is the square of 12 multiplied by 1000, has been interpreted variously as a reference to the faithful remnant of Israel; the church; the martyrs; the remnant of Christians who survive the eschatological turmoil; all the redeemed (14:1, 3)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Rev. 7:4). In the list of tribes which follows (vv. 5-8), Ruiz notes the reference to “every tribe” but the omission of Dan and Ephraim. Since Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph’s sons (Gen., chap. 48), perhaps “Joseph” (Rev. 7:8b) stands for Ephraim. Thus, only Dan would be omitted of those sons blessed in Genesis, chapter 49). Since the 144,000 appear in chapter 14 with the Lamb as those “who have been redeemed from the earth” (14:3), we are told that, in both chapters, the number is “a symbolic expression for the whole number of the faithful” (Metzger, on Rev. 14:1-5), not some kind of inner circle of the elect. The book ends with Jesus’ invitation: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come,’ / And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come,’ / And let everyone who is thirsty come. / Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift” (Rev. 22:17). God is in the business of including all who do not resist him, not arbitrarily excluding people. As C. S. Lewis once said (in The Great Divorce), “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way’” (cf. The Freeman Institute, Quotable Quotes, an Internet web site: http://www.freemaninstitute.com/quotes.htm, accessed again Nov.2, 2007).

In the present context, John looks again, and sees “a great multitude that no one could count” of redeemed people “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Rev. 7:9) rejoicing in heaven. “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v. 14). This multitude praises God, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (v. 10). The angels around God’s throne respond with a “sevenfold ascription of praise to God” (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^nd ed., on v. 12) bless him with singing (v. 12). It is explained to John that “these, robed in white” (i.e. the multitude), “are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v. 14), which “cleanses from Sin” (Metzger). Worship in heaven is described, with these redeemed people “before the throne of God” (v. 15a), “a favored position because of their faithfulness” (Metzger, on v. 15). Metzger also notes the paradox in verse 17, where “the Lamb is their Shepherd,” which reminds me of the Commencement Address given when I graduated from George Fox College by T. Canby Jones. He refers to that occasion in an address given to the Friends United Meeting Triennial this year (2005), which is available online:

I've been struggling to remember when I first became enamored with this Quaker way of describing the eternal struggle against evil into which Christians are called. Since I gave the commencement address at George Fox College, Newberg, Oregon, in June 1960 on “The Lamb's War” it must have been before that. Hugh Barbour and Arthur Roberts must have introduced me to the idea in their volume, Early Quaker Writings, which contains James Nayler's 1657 essay, “The Lamb's War and the Man of Sin.” Without their efforts and my concern, I wonder if we would be reviving the concept of enlisting in and fighting a nonviolent Lamb's War today? (http://www.fum.org/about/triennial%202005/canby.htm, accessed again Nov.2, 2007).

John depicts a life and death struggle between the powers of darkness, led by Satan, and the powers of light, led by the Lamb. The enemy was at least personified by Lord Caesar and his Empire, but that was the side ultimately to be defeated. Are we fighting the Lamb’s war with the weapons of peace? T. Canby Jones has more to say about the Lamb’s war:

If we are committed to the Lamb's War and engaged in nonviolent force, Jesus’ command to love enemies is an inescapable demand on us. However difficult, this command is a must! If we cannot practice reconciling love toward enemies, we not only are not fit to engage in the Lamb's War, but we are also not worthy of experiencing his transforming presence and power in our lives.

I must bear personal witness to the fact that just as the act of forgiveness is a gift of sheer grace so is the act of loving our enemies. I find it extremely hard to practice such love. I am tender toward those who try but fail at it. By the same token, I am jubilant and my faith in the Lamb's War is confirmed when I observe someone actually loving an enemy or an oppressor.

It is well to remember in such difficult circumstances that Jesus has promised he will not lay on us such heavy burdens or tasks without giving us the grace and strength to carry them out. (from the online address cited above)

Matthew 13:31-35

The Mustard Seed (Mk 4.30-32; Lk 13.18-19)

31 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

Yeast (Lk 13.20-21)

33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."

Use of Parables

34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:

"I will open my mouth to speak in parables;

I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:31-35, NRSV)

On Matthew 13:24-34a from May 13, 2007 (the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year One), comments from earlier dates were referenced as follows: Today’s reading presents a parable from Matthew with no parallel in Mark or Luke, the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (Mt. 13:24-30); a parable with parallels in both Mark and Luke, the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mt. 13:31-32; Mk 4.30-32; Lk 13.18-19), and a parable with a parallel in Luke, the Parable of the Yeast (Mt. 13:33; Lk. 13:20-21). Comments on these parables are based on comments of May 1, 2005 (the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year One), comments of October 28 and 29, 2005 (Friday and Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One).

Consider what Matthew has done in chapter 13. He has presented eight parables (or comparisons), three with parallels in canonical Gospels, and four explanatory paragraphs (Purpose of Parables, Mt. 10-17; the Sower explained, vv. 18-23; the Use of Parables, vv. 34-35; and an explanation of the parable of the weeds, vv. 36-43). An outline of these parables is found in a separate file, Parables, Matthew 13 and Parallels. All of these (brief paragraphs) have parallels or similar parable parallels in the canonical Gospels or in the Gospel of Thomas, sometimes both, except the statement about the Christian scribe (vv. 51-52). It is likely, of course, that Matthew, or traditions used by Matthew, is Thomas’ source rather than the reverse. Matthew certainly did not make use of the Gospel of Thomas as a source. But Matthew, not inventing sayings of Jesus, but gathering them from various sources, has shown us how Jesus drew upon the agriculture and local business activity to illustrate his conception of the kingdom of heaven. This he does to “proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world” (v. 35).

Matthew’s parable of the Weeds among the Wheat and the one in the Gospel of Thomas are very similar, but the eschatological interpretation of it (Mt. 13:36-43) has no parallel in the Gospel of Thomas, though both refer to separation of the weeds from the wheat and burning the weeds. The parables are compared in the following table:

I grew up in the wheat country of western Kansas, where farmers sometimes hired boys to walk through the wheat fields and pull up the rye–usually taller than the wheat–and throw the stalks out of the field. :Perhaps something like that was done in the country that Jesus knew, but the timing is different in his parable. The modern wheat farmer’s harvesting machine (the combine) could not separate the rye from the wheat at the time of harvest, so the separation is done prior to the harvest. But Jesus says, “Let both of them grow together” (Mt. 13:30). Some have seen the parable as reflecting “concern over the character of some members of Matthew’s church” and as teaching tolerance,

but vv. 24-30 do not clearly address a situation in the Christian community. Augustine used this parable to argue against the Donatists, who wanted to exclude the lapsed from the church. 13:36-43, however, quite plainly identifies the field with the world, not the church. (Dale C. Allison, Jr., The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 862, on Mt. 13:24-30)

Given the larger context in the Book of Matthew, the parable clearly pictures judgment and separation. The good news is that God does not lightly cast away his people, but does all that he can to redeem them.

In the Parable of the Mustard Seed, of which we have four versions, there are few significant differences. In each the seed represents the kingdom of heaven (Mt., GT) or of God (Mk., Lk.). In three versions attention is called to the mustard seeds very small size, something perhaps taken for granted by Luke. In Mark it becomes “the greatest of all shrubs,” in Matthew “the greatest of shrubs,” in Luke, “a tree.” The Gospel of Thomas says “ it puts forth a great branch (and) becomes a shelter (skepē) for the birds of heaven.” It also says that the seed “falls on the earth which has been cultivated.” According to Dennis C. Duling, “the point of the parable is the contrast between small beginnings and great endings” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Mt. 13:31-32), a statement that could well apply to the versions of Mark and Luke.(cf. Christopher R. Matthews, HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Lk. 3:18-21). The Gospel of Thomas reference to cultivated earth perhaps shifts the emphasis somewhat from the end result to the process.

In this parable, in which Matthew and Luke say the kingdom “is like yeast,” the Gospel of Thomas says the kingdom “is like [a] woman” who used the leaven (yeast), which she made “into large loaves.” One presumes that, as Matthew and Luke say, if “all of it was leavened,” it would have the desired effect, which the Gospel of Thomas spells out, “large loaves.”

So, in the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast or Leaven, the point is the amazing results–good results! The “smallest of all seeds” becomes “the greatest of shrubs . . . a tree” which becomes a home for the birds (Mt. 13:32). The kingdom of heaven will grow and prosper–amazing growth! According to J. Andrew Overman (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Mt. 13:31-32) “the reference to ‘the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches’ alludes to the image of God’s rule over the kingdoms of the earth (Ezek. 17:23-24).” The parallel in Luke 13:18-19 omits the emphasis on “smallest and “greatest” found in Matthew and Mark, but still reports the transformation of “a grain of mustard seed” into “a tree.” Marion Lloyd Soards (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Lk. 13:19) compares it to different Old Testament images of God’s kingdom. “The last phrase of this verse [i.e. ‘the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches’] reflects the wording of Ps. 104:12; Dan. 4:12, 21.” Psalm 104 is about God’s creation and what it provides for creatures such as the birds. Daniel 4 is Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Before his fall, he had “grown great and strong” (Dan. 4:22) to provide branches for the birds’ nests (v. 21). The point is the image of the greatness of his kingdom at its high point, not after his fall.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net