I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world

 

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." 

 

Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  

 

All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

"I will open My mouth in parables;

I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world." 

 

- Matthew 13:31–35 

  

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds):  Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?'  He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'  The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'  But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

 

  Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."  Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  My study Bible cites the commentary of Theophylact, who writes that the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples.  For they began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  They also stand for faith entering a person's soul, which then causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul will become god-like and can receive even angels (the birds of the air come and nest in its branches).  

 

 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."  This quotation is from Psalm 78:2.  For an elaboration on the reason Jesus speaks in parables, see this reading.  

 

 The two very simple parables that Jesus gives in today's reading give us yet more dimensions (so to speak) in which the kingdom of heaven works in our world.  The first, the parable of the Mustard Seed, tells us a story of explosive and surprising growth, leading to developments which are unanticipated from such a small -- even tiny -- beginning.  The mustard seed is unassuming, humble, almost infinitesimal in its smallness.  And yet, the growth that comes from it is towering, as far as plants go; it even spreads enough and grows enough so that it can support other life:  the birds of the air who may take shelter in its branches.  We shouldn't forget that Jesus has already spoken of Himself as the Sower, and so this very tiny little seed is also part of the word of God.  It grows seemingly exponentially, in Jesus' description of the resulting tree-like herb.  The parable of the Leaven describes a different kind of growth.  This growth is not exterior and not exponential.  Rather it is an interior growth.  It describes an enzyme-like movement that entirely changes a substance into something other than what it was.  Elsewhere my study Bible comments that this is a rare instance in Scripture in which leaven is used as a positive influence.  Most often, leaven is used as an adulterating substance, that disturbs the purity of something.  But Jesus uses it positively here, to teach us about the work of the kingdom of heaven within us, and within our families and communities, extending even to to nations and to the world.  Similarly to the metaphors of salt and light to Christians within communities and in the world, leaven as metaphor for the kingdom of heaven gives us an image of even greater depth of influence and transformation.  It teaches us about the kind of change wrought by the presence of the kingdom of God within us, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.  We are meant to be transformed, transfigured.  Even as Christ Himself was transfigured (Luke 17:1-2), we are given an image of the presence of the kingdom of God and its work within us and in our world.  However, as the very act of Christ choosing to speak in parables indicates, these effects also depend on faith, on our capacity for hearing and seeing and recognizing the precious value of the things He offers.  So much depends upon our hearts and our desires as well, a synergy that also depends upon our "yes" as well, our cooperation.  In today's reading, Jesus speaks of small things, easily overlooked, which have a great impact.  Perhaps in them is illustrated the question:  "For who has despised the day of small things?" (Zechariah 4:10).  St. Matthew tells us that by speaking in parables, Jesus fulfills the words of the psalmist, whom he calls a prophet, "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."  All this work of the kingdom of heaven is hidden, secret.  But it takes those with the eyes and ears to perceive and to know its working within us and among us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world

 

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."  Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  

"I will open My mouth in parables;

I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world." 

 

- Matthew 13:31-35 

 

Yesterday we read that, continuing His preaching to the crowds in parables, Jesus put forth to them another, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?'  He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'  The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'  But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' " 

 

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."  Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."   My study Bible comments that the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples, according to Theophylact.  He said that they began as just a few men but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  They also stand for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul, my study Bible says, will become godlike and can receive even angels.  

 

All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."  St. Matthew quotes from Psalm 78:2.  In this context, the fulfillment of the words of the psalm teach us about the tremendous truths revealed in Christ's parables.  In this sense, just like Christ Himself, these truths are hidden in plain sight, so to speak.  They are revealed to those who will find faith, and come to understand; that is, to those with ears to hear.

 

 In today's reading, Jesus tells two parables:  the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the leaven.  The parables are similar in that they both tell of the growth of the Kingdom, although in each one the growth works in a different way.  That Jesus speaks of leaven as an illustration of the work of the word and the Holy Spirit is unusual.  Leaven is found frequently in the Bible, but most often it's used as an example of a bad influence; it's used negatively.  But here, this unusual reference is positive.  Leaven is a natural yeast.  It's enzymatic action works from within to transform the "whole lump" of dough.  St. Paul uses this illustration negatively in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, comparing bread leavened with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, to unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  Jesus uses leaven negatively when He teaches the disciples, "Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:6), indicating their doctrine (Matthew 16:12) and their hypocrisy (Luke 12:1).  Whatever way, positive or negative, that Jesus is using the term in this instance, leaven indicates a kind of surreptitious, hidden, quiet way of working from within, and we can certainly put the word of Christ the Sower into this category, and also the working of the Holy Spirit within us.  Faith works from within, in the changes we can see in people that take place mysteriously through God's working in their lives, in the seed that takes root in the heart to transform people.  There is a kind of quiet choice going on in the inner workings of the soul, in the depths of the heart that only God can reach, only Christ the Judge can know.  This is why we pay attention to the heart, to the inner life:  that is, to the thoughts we nurture, to the ways we spend our time, to our prayers.  We need to nurture and grow that inner life, the seed that may sprout a crop of a hundredfold, sixty, maybe thirty (see again the parable of the Sower).   St. Matthew gives us a quotation from the psalms indicating that Jesus is speaking of "things kept secret from the foundation of the world."   Like the work of the leaven, these hidden, secret things may not be visible nor are they obvious to the world, but they nonetheless work in us, even as we listen to Him.  This is the work of the Logos, the Word, the One who spoke into existence the foundation of the world, who opens His mouth even now for us all, if we can hear.

 

 

 

 

I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world

 

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation  of the world."

 

- Matthew 13:31-35 

 

In yesterday's reading, we read another parable given by Jesus, after He first taught the parable of the Sower:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?  He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'  The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'  But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

 

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." Another parable He spoke to them:  "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  My study Bible comments that the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples who, according to Theophylact, began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  It notes also that these symbols of the mustard seed and the leaven stand for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul will become godlike and can receive even angels (birds of the air).

All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation  of the world."  This quotation by Jesus is from Psalm 78:2, and illustrates once again how He fulfills prophesies about the Messiah.  It also tells us of the hidden truths "revealed" through the parables. 

What are the things kept secret from the foundation of the world?  In Jesus' hands, this quotation from the prophecy in the Psalms indicates the mysteries contained in the parables He teaches.  He is teaching us about the kingdom of heaven, and letting us know, with this language, that the simple stories He tells -- illustrations of the Kingdom -- are giving us great mysteries, truths embedded within them.  This Kingdom is essentially without time and even without space, so its mysteries are thereby eternal -- and kept secret from the foundation of the world, since God's Kingdom pre-existed the foundation of the world.  Let us make note, while we are considering the eternal nature of the Kingdom which He illustrates with His parables, that this also ties Resurrection into the picture.   Moreover, who would know what was kept secret from the foundation of the world except One who was present at the creation of the world?  John's Gospel begins by telling us this story of Christ's divine identity as Son:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:1-3).  So when we hear these simple and charming stories (and they are captivating in their quiet simplicity, the way a beautiful icon works when we behold it), we should consider that the Master Storyteller, who is giving us these parables to teach about the Kingdom, is also the One who was God and with God before the foundation of the world.  In contemplating this "pre-time" reality, we might consider the things the Bible tells us about Him which also existed before time:  He is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8); the One foreordained from before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20); who has suffered often for us since the foundation of the world (Hebrews 9:26); who chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4); and Beloved of God the Father from before the foundation of the world (John 17:24).  The One who has given us these parables has done so through a divine identity and power that not only makes them still speak to us today, but invested these simple illustrations with the power to continually reveal to us truths about our lives in Him and as participants in His Kingdom.  Therefore, when we consider the tiny mustard seed of faith in us, which can have effects to grow great branches which can even give shelter to the birds of the air, let us understand that He's telling us that together with our faith, and our participation in His life and Kingdom, we are capable of producing spiritual beauty and fruit of spectacular heights and reach.  When we think about the leaven that leavens the whole of the grain for bread, let us consider how powerful that means the faith is within us, for its enzymatic action works deeply and thoroughly, and we don't know the depth and extent of our souls, nor how many other souls these factors may touch within the Body of Christ.  It is our eternal Lord who speaks to us in these divine icons of the Kingdom, and in their divine simplicity they reveal so much splendor, given to us in the creation from the foundation of the world, in the love which has been there for us even before the foundation of the world.  This is why we turn to Scripture continually, and to His words, which never stop giving and making new.