God's kingdom and growth
Commentary
In the northern hemisphere, June is an ideal time to think of growing things. As though to accommodate to the season, two of the lessons for this Sunday draw upon nature. They do not indulge in romanticism, as some nature lovers might. They don't even develop a theology of creation as some other sections of the Bible do. Rather, nature is viewed parabolically.
The method calls for referring to something well known and self-evident in order to illustrate truth that is more difficult to understand. Jesus takes something from daily life by speaking about a farmer. Modern readers have difficulty, however, imagining a farmer who does not need to work after sowing the crop until it is ready for harvesting. Yet, the picture in the parable is quite accurate for some of the territory where Jesus was teaching. There was very little chance for irrigation or even for cultivation. Hence, growth went on without much human effort. The sense of miracle and divine providence was very keen.
In our age, with much scientific explanation, growth may seem less mysterious. Since much can be developed in a laboratory and mass-produced, God's involvement may be overlooked. Still, one may legitimately ask, "How much would be possible without God's initial creation?" Without becoming tedious in debate, there is still a great deal of wonder and poetic transcendence in human life.
The Bible saw how the wonder in creation was available to everyone and then pointed through it to even greater wonders. Creation of new relationships with God and among believing people was bringing into being a new kingdom of God.
The kingdom had been expected since the exile of the elect people in the sixth century B.C. The prophet Ezekiel had predicted a restored kingdom that would be like a growing tree.
People wanted a monarchy, a theocracy where the infinite power of God would govern without any hindrance. Jesus had to make a two-fold emphasis. (1) The kingdom, not of a worldly kind, would indeed come by God's action. (2) God's miraculous action did not always occur with startling suddenness. He found the prophet's imagery helpful in describing a kingdom of meager beginnings, but ultimate greatness.
With metaphors from nature, the lessons encourage us. Much has begun. Much more is yet to be realized.
OUTLINE IGod the foresterEzekiel 17:22-24
A. v. 24. The end of the brief poem gives the context: the vanity of nations. This phenomenon is explained in the book by Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, as the result of over-extended resources. Something of an ethical and theological equivalent appears in Ezekiel 31. Assyria is compared to a prospering tree, which "Because it towered ... above the clouds and its heart was proud, ... I (God) have cast it out" (vv. 10-11).
B. The major part of Ezekiel 17 deals with events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem. Babylon, like a great eagle, had taken into exile the king of Judah, who was like the tip of a cedar of Lebanon. Then it had placed another king in Jerusalem. This king was like a lowly vine that was loyal at first and grew toward the governing superpower, but then became rebellious and grew toward Egypt. Because the elect people had thus taken history into their own hands, instead of trusting God to care for them, the prophet said they had brought on their own destruction.
C. vv. 25-26. God will restore the elect people. Like a forester, who cuts a choice sprig and plants it, God will plant Israel. It will grow to be like a mighty tree that bears fruit and shelters all kinds of birds. All the other trees, or nations, will have to acknowledge the greatness of the forester, that is, the Lord God. Although these verses were written for the nation Israel, after the Exile the nation had many characteristics of a church.
OUTLINE IIGod the homemaker2 Corinthians 5:1-10
A. vv. 1-5. First, God is home builder. Earthly life is like living in a tent, because clearly the human body is temporary and inadequate. It gives plenty of reason for groaning during a lifetime. Relief was not sought in the idea of a disembodied soul, however, for Paul had met the resurrected Christ. Consequently, he anticipated a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-53), which would be like new clothes or like a new house built by God. Already, he had a guarantee on this permanent living place from the Spirit in baptism.
B. vv. 6-10. So we contemplate two homes. Now, at home in an earthly body, life is not as controlled by God as it will be. Like many suffering people, Paul longs to be "at home with the Lord." Remarkably, though he must "walk by faith, not by sight," he says twice that he is confident about the home, where God is the unchallenged homemaker. Even more remarkably, he sees a tie between life in the two homes, namely, the same purpose: to please God. The passageway between the two has the "judgment seat of Christ," which emphasizes accountability to God for "what is done in the body." Paul felt the dignity of earthly life, in spite of its inferiority, because he was already working for and under God. While the work would have held less meaning if it had not belonged to an eternal context, the personal relationship with God held the essential reality. The accountability was possible, because God had already given the right relationship by justification through faith.
OUTLINE IIIGod the sowerMark 4:26-34
A. vv. 33-34. Two groups are mentioned here. One, referred to only by the plural pronoun, is the "large crowd" of v. 1. Duly considerate of the limits of their ability to fathom the mystery of the kingdom, Jesus spoke "as they were able to hear." To them, parables took on the character of riddles, another meaning of the term in Greek. As such, the stories were interesting, arousing curiosity, stimulating discussion about possible meanings. To the other group, the disciples, especially twelve of them (vv. 10-11), he "explained everything." They were being prepared to endure difficult times and to take the lead in the church.
B. vv. 26-29. The difficulty in this parable is the penod of apparent inactivity. Perhaps Jesus was opposing suggestions that he should become king by force. Rather, the kingdom would come inevitably, now that he had introduced it. Such assurance was again important at the time of writing Mark's gospel. Since that was 40 years after the beginning of the church, the initial excitement had worn away and Christ's return had not occurred as soon as expected. At such "in between" times, we especially need to hear of the inherent vitality of the kingdom. The parable does not urge passivity, but trust.
C. vv. 30-32. Now, the extremes of divine history receive emphasis. A small beginning would change ultimately to a universal scope, including all peoples. The contrast is so great as to suggest the miracle and mystery that is possible only when God is the sower. Again the message is trust -- and a vision big enough for God.
The method calls for referring to something well known and self-evident in order to illustrate truth that is more difficult to understand. Jesus takes something from daily life by speaking about a farmer. Modern readers have difficulty, however, imagining a farmer who does not need to work after sowing the crop until it is ready for harvesting. Yet, the picture in the parable is quite accurate for some of the territory where Jesus was teaching. There was very little chance for irrigation or even for cultivation. Hence, growth went on without much human effort. The sense of miracle and divine providence was very keen.
In our age, with much scientific explanation, growth may seem less mysterious. Since much can be developed in a laboratory and mass-produced, God's involvement may be overlooked. Still, one may legitimately ask, "How much would be possible without God's initial creation?" Without becoming tedious in debate, there is still a great deal of wonder and poetic transcendence in human life.
The Bible saw how the wonder in creation was available to everyone and then pointed through it to even greater wonders. Creation of new relationships with God and among believing people was bringing into being a new kingdom of God.
The kingdom had been expected since the exile of the elect people in the sixth century B.C. The prophet Ezekiel had predicted a restored kingdom that would be like a growing tree.
People wanted a monarchy, a theocracy where the infinite power of God would govern without any hindrance. Jesus had to make a two-fold emphasis. (1) The kingdom, not of a worldly kind, would indeed come by God's action. (2) God's miraculous action did not always occur with startling suddenness. He found the prophet's imagery helpful in describing a kingdom of meager beginnings, but ultimate greatness.
With metaphors from nature, the lessons encourage us. Much has begun. Much more is yet to be realized.
OUTLINE IGod the foresterEzekiel 17:22-24
A. v. 24. The end of the brief poem gives the context: the vanity of nations. This phenomenon is explained in the book by Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, as the result of over-extended resources. Something of an ethical and theological equivalent appears in Ezekiel 31. Assyria is compared to a prospering tree, which "Because it towered ... above the clouds and its heart was proud, ... I (God) have cast it out" (vv. 10-11).
B. The major part of Ezekiel 17 deals with events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem. Babylon, like a great eagle, had taken into exile the king of Judah, who was like the tip of a cedar of Lebanon. Then it had placed another king in Jerusalem. This king was like a lowly vine that was loyal at first and grew toward the governing superpower, but then became rebellious and grew toward Egypt. Because the elect people had thus taken history into their own hands, instead of trusting God to care for them, the prophet said they had brought on their own destruction.
C. vv. 25-26. God will restore the elect people. Like a forester, who cuts a choice sprig and plants it, God will plant Israel. It will grow to be like a mighty tree that bears fruit and shelters all kinds of birds. All the other trees, or nations, will have to acknowledge the greatness of the forester, that is, the Lord God. Although these verses were written for the nation Israel, after the Exile the nation had many characteristics of a church.
OUTLINE IIGod the homemaker2 Corinthians 5:1-10
A. vv. 1-5. First, God is home builder. Earthly life is like living in a tent, because clearly the human body is temporary and inadequate. It gives plenty of reason for groaning during a lifetime. Relief was not sought in the idea of a disembodied soul, however, for Paul had met the resurrected Christ. Consequently, he anticipated a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-53), which would be like new clothes or like a new house built by God. Already, he had a guarantee on this permanent living place from the Spirit in baptism.
B. vv. 6-10. So we contemplate two homes. Now, at home in an earthly body, life is not as controlled by God as it will be. Like many suffering people, Paul longs to be "at home with the Lord." Remarkably, though he must "walk by faith, not by sight," he says twice that he is confident about the home, where God is the unchallenged homemaker. Even more remarkably, he sees a tie between life in the two homes, namely, the same purpose: to please God. The passageway between the two has the "judgment seat of Christ," which emphasizes accountability to God for "what is done in the body." Paul felt the dignity of earthly life, in spite of its inferiority, because he was already working for and under God. While the work would have held less meaning if it had not belonged to an eternal context, the personal relationship with God held the essential reality. The accountability was possible, because God had already given the right relationship by justification through faith.
OUTLINE IIIGod the sowerMark 4:26-34
A. vv. 33-34. Two groups are mentioned here. One, referred to only by the plural pronoun, is the "large crowd" of v. 1. Duly considerate of the limits of their ability to fathom the mystery of the kingdom, Jesus spoke "as they were able to hear." To them, parables took on the character of riddles, another meaning of the term in Greek. As such, the stories were interesting, arousing curiosity, stimulating discussion about possible meanings. To the other group, the disciples, especially twelve of them (vv. 10-11), he "explained everything." They were being prepared to endure difficult times and to take the lead in the church.
B. vv. 26-29. The difficulty in this parable is the penod of apparent inactivity. Perhaps Jesus was opposing suggestions that he should become king by force. Rather, the kingdom would come inevitably, now that he had introduced it. Such assurance was again important at the time of writing Mark's gospel. Since that was 40 years after the beginning of the church, the initial excitement had worn away and Christ's return had not occurred as soon as expected. At such "in between" times, we especially need to hear of the inherent vitality of the kingdom. The parable does not urge passivity, but trust.
C. vv. 30-32. Now, the extremes of divine history receive emphasis. A small beginning would change ultimately to a universal scope, including all peoples. The contrast is so great as to suggest the miracle and mystery that is possible only when God is the sower. Again the message is trust -- and a vision big enough for God.
