Most of these parables point to one event: Judgement.
There are 4 parables shared here: the weeds, the mustard seed, the pearl and the net. The first and fourth one talk about the end of days when God will separate those who will enter into heaven from those who will not. The first part of the chapter discusses what should happen when we hear God’s word, and gives an explanation for times when it doesn’t happen. The second parable talks about how the kingdom will spread and grow, and the third parable talks about how we should value the knowledge of the kingdom more than anything else.
If that sounded scattered to you (I don’t blame you) consider this: In this one chapter Jesus has covered most of what will happen in all of Christianity. One Chapter!
The kingdom should be of great value to everyone who hears about it, but people will receive it in different ways. Those who take God’s word to heart will grow and blossom produce fruit, all the while there will be others who will not believe living all around them. When the time is right, God will come back to earth and separate those who received Him and produced fruit from those who didn’t believe or who believed and fell away. Those who didn’t produce or fell away will be cast into hell, and the fruitful will enter into heaven.
Jesus could have covered this whole chapter in those few words, but instead He chose to speak in parables. I wonder why? I suppose if He hadn’t they would have crucified Him much earlier…and He wouldn’t have been here long enough for the disciples to be trained. After He entered ministry, He could have offered himself as a sacrifice any time, but He waited until the disciples were trained and ready.
So when they asked him “why do you speak to the people in parables?” He could have said “because of you. You are reason I do it. Your training isn’t complete and I can’t accomplish my second purpose for being on earth until this first purpose is completed.”
Maybe that’s also why we don’t experience God moving as quickly as we would like. We aren’t ready. God’s certainly ready, and positively wanting us to be reunited with Him in heaven. Our growth and development probably factors into his decision on when to return, and when and how to answer our prayers.
Moving along,
PR