Introduction
One of the challenges of posting a commentary each week is sometimes I’m working a little ahead of my work with the Spirit. I write the commentary before I’m fully thinking about how I’m going to preach the text. Full transparency, sometimes (not often) I go in a completely different direction. But sometimes it also means that in my heart I know what I’m trying to say in the commentary, but I haven’t thought of the right words yet.
So, I want to explain one of my thoughts a little more thoroughly.
Matthew’s parable of the Wheat and the Weeds is talking about the end times and Judgement Day. At the end times, Matthew believes there will be judgment for the Wheat and the Weeds. Matthew’s explanation tells us that the good seed represents the children of the kingdom, and the weeds are the children of the evil one. So, yes, this parable is about Judgment Day.
However, while the Gospel of Matthew is talking about the end of world in this parable, the implication for why it matters, is that we are to think about our lives right now. What good does it do to talk about a parable of Judgment Day just to describe it? The implication is for us to look at ourselves and our lives right now.
Matthew’s Jesus is here as a prophet to encourage the world to turn. To repent and return toward right living with God and our neighbor. The purpose of a Judgment Day parable is to encourage that repentance (just like the prophets of old did with prophecies of destruction).
Now, the wonderful grace in all of this, is that Jesus has already shown us that the judgment is different than we expect. In 9:11-13, “When the Pharisees saw this, they said to the disciples,
‘Why does you teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when Jesus heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. God and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
Jesus came not for the righteous but for sinners. These parables are taught for us to examine ourselves and if we take even the slightest amount of time (mustard seed) and reflect on how we need God and are of need of repentance and forgiveness then we bear the fruit of repentance. Judgment Day is not about being perfect. Judgment Day is knowing and embracing that we are sinners in need of redeeming grace of God.
So, why am I starting with all of this redundancy?
Because this week’s parables are sandwiched in between, and we can only understand them in the context of all of chapter 13.
The Small Parables of 13 with Preaching Possibilities
Take any of these parables and turn them over again and again. Change out the characters. Change out the scenarios and have fun with them.
But, when looking at them altogether, the interpretation that makes the most sense to me is that WE are NOT the ones doing the finding. We also may be a weird tree/shrub.
The Finding Parables, Finding Sinners
Jesus is the one who “calls” the sinner. Jesus has come for the sinner.
The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, a treasure hidden in the field, a merchant in search of fine pearls. While it could be us “finding the kingdom” what makes more sense in the trajectory of Matthew is that Jesus/God is finding us. When God finds a sinner who is willing to repent and admit that they need God, that is the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus finds a tax collector who is willing to aside his coin and take up the work of the cross, that is the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus takes a fisherman and hands the keys to the kingdom, that is a fine pearl and is the kingdom of heaven.
I think we can talk about the kingdom of heaven being around us and us catching glimpses of it. That is a perfectly reasonable interpretation of these. However, how much wonderful grace is there (in between the parable of the sower and the parable of the wheat and weeds) to hear that it is God that is trying to find us?
Mustard Seed
I think we can make a similar move with the mustard seed. Yes, the mustard seed could be the kingdom, the love, the grace of God. Wide and spread out for all. It does make a good connection with the wideness of God’s mercy and how we sinners have a place to rest our wings.
But we could also be that mustard seed. A weird tree/shrub that isn’t perfect, but when we thrive, we represent the kingdom of heaven. A person and place for others in the world to find refuge and safety. This can easily be expanded to talk about the whole church and in fact, that is probably more theologically faithful. We as the church can be the mustard seed for others.
Micah Krey 
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