Parables of Regeneration
1. And in that same day, Jesus, going out from the house, sat by the sea.
2. And many crowds gathered together to Him, so that stepping into a ship, He sat; and all the crowds stood on the shore.
As this next episode begins, it is still the Sabbath. Jesus has gone out to sit by the sea, perhaps to rest. But He does not rest for long. While He is there, many crowds of people begin to press towards Him, so many that Jesus gets into a boat and from there He begins to preach to the people. As it is written, “And many crowds were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and all the crowds stood on the shore” (13:2).
In the previous episode, when the religious leaders asked for a sign. Jesus said that no sign would be given “except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” On one level, the story of Jonah. who spent three days in the belly of the whale, foreshadows the Lord’s resurrection on the third day. On another level, however, it also describes the miracle of spiritual growth as we pass through the three stages of repentance, reformation, and regeneration. 1
In this next episode, Jesus tells seven parables which describe this process in greater detail. The seven parables describe the only true miracle we should seek—the miracle of regeneration. This is a miracle that we can both understand and be a part of, for this is the miracle whereby we are changed from natural beings into spiritual beings. In the seven seamlessly connected parables which now follow, Jesus will reveal the details of this process.
The Sower: The First Parable of Regeneration
3. And He spoke to them many [things] in parables, saying, “Behold, there went out a sower to sow;
4. And in his sowing, some [seeds] indeed fell along the way, and the birds came, and devoured them.
5. And other [seeds] fell on rocky [places], where it had not much earth, and straightway it sprang up, on account of not having depth of earth;
6. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7. And others fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up, and choked them.
8. But others fell on the good earth, and gave fruit, indeed some a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.
9. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10. And the disciples coming, said to Him, “Why speakest Thou to them in parables?”
11. And He answering said to them, “Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens; but to them it is not given.
12. For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13. On this account I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, neither do they understand.
14. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who says, ‘By hearing you shall hear and shall not understand, and looking you shall look and shall not see.
15. For the heart of this people has become gross, and with [their] ears they hear heavily, and their eyes have they closed, lest [at any time] they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.’
16. But happy [are] your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
17. For amen I say to you that many prophets and just [men] have longed to see what you look upon, and have not seen, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard.
18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19. When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom, and understands not, the wicked [one] comes, and seizes upon what was sown in his heart; this is he that was sown along the way.
20. And that which was sown upon rocky [places] is he that hears the Word, and straightway with joy receives it.
21. And he has not root in himself, but is temporary; and when affliction or persecution comes because of the Word, he is straightway caused to stumble.
22. And that which is sown among thorns is he that hears the Word; and the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23. And that sown upon the good earth is he that hears the Word, and understands, who also bears fruit, and does, indeed some a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.”
The regeneration process begins in the same way that life begins: a seed is sown in fertile ground. As Jesus says, “Behold, a sower went out to sow” (13:1). The sower who goes forth to sow is God, and the seeds that He scatters are the truths of His Word. Now sometimes these seeds fall by the wayside and birds devour them before they can take root. This is what happens when people have no understanding of the Word. Even the seeds that would tend to take root are snatched away quickly by the birds. Spiritually seen, these “birds” are our flights of imaginative fantasy in which we invent distorted, self-serving notions of what the Word is really teaching. 2
And then there are the seeds that fall on stony places. Though there is little depth of earth, these seeds take root and spring up quickly. But when the sun comes out, they easily get scorched and wither away. These are compared to those times when we initially understand the Word, and are excited about our new insights. But when trials and temptations come, we cannot bear the heat. We have not taken these new teachings to heart. And so, lacking depth of root, we are not able to endure the heat of our trials. Our faith dries up and withers away.
Other seeds fall among thorns. When the thorns grow up, the new plant is smothered and choked. This represents the times when we get caught up in the cares of the world and the accumulation of riches. These materialistic concerns pile up until we are so pre-occupied with earthly life, that we care little for heaven. The cares of the world have choked out the possibility of our beginning a new life.
However, there are some seeds that fall on good ground. These represent what happens when we hear the Word, understand it, and do it. These are the seeds that “fell into good ground and brought forth fruit” (13:8).
Often regarded as the “parable of all parables,” this simple story is about the first step in the regeneration process. The Lord is the divine sower, and His desire is to plant seeds of goodness and truth in each of us. But these seeds can only be received in good ground—that is, in the charitable attitudes of people who desire to learn truth from the Word of the Lord, to deeply understand it, and to put that truth to use in their daily life.
Spiritual life, then, begins with the desire to learn, to understand, and to grow. This God-given desire has nothing to do with personal gain, social esteem, or public honor. Rather, it is a desire given to us by the Lord, silently and secretly, so that we may learn to love more deeply, act more justly, and serve more wisely. This is the first step in the process of our spiritual development. 3
Wheat and Tares: The Second Parable of Regeneration
24. Another parable He set before them, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens is likened to a man sowing good seed in his field.
25. And while the men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went [his way].
26. And when the blade sprouted, and bore fruit, then appeared also the tares.
27. And the servants of the householder, coming, said to him, ‘Lord, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then has it the tares?’
28. But he declared to them, ‘A man, an enemy, has done this.’ And the servants said to him,’Willest thou then that we go and collect them?’
29. But he declared, ‘No, lest while you collect the tares, you root up the wheat together with them.
30. Let both grow together even to the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First collect the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Jesus then proceeds to relate a second parable. While the first parable in the series emphasizes the sowing of good seed by God, this second parable emphasizes the sowing of evil seed by the enemy.
As Jesus says, “And while the men slept, the enemy came, and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went his way” (13:25).
Eventually, the grain sprouted along with tares. Seeing that the grain and the tares had sprouted together, the men went to the owner and asked whether they should go and weed out the tares. “No” said the owner, “lest while you gather up the tares you will root up the wheat along with them” (13:29). Instead, the owner advised them to let both the wheat and tares grow together until harvest time. At that time, the owner will say to his servants, “First gather the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn” (13:30).
It’s interesting that the tares are not to be removed until the harvest. On the literal level, one might expect that the tares should be plucked out as soon as they sprout up. But in the realm of spiritual development, we need to be more cautious. In the early stages of our spiritual development, truth is not fully understood. Therefore, good ideas are mixed together with false ideas, and good motives are mixed together with selfish motives. In many cases, it is difficult to discern between the two. There is a danger in plucking up false ideas and selfish motives too soon and too quickly. This is because true ideas and good motives which have not had a chance to become deeply enrooted may be plucked up as well.
Therefore, this is a time to focus on what is good and true in others and in ourselves. As mentioned in the previous chapter, a bruised reed should not be broken, and smoldering flax should not be snuffed out. The Lord is gently bending falsity towards genuine truth and selfish ambition towards selfless service. But this occurs gradually. While the Lord fully intends to remove the tares, doing so too soon might uproot the wheat. That’s why the owner of the field, who is the Lord, says, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” 4
This is the second step in the process of our spiritual development.
The Mustard Seed: The Third Parable of Regeneration
31. Another parable set He before them, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man taking, sowed in his field,
32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than [the] herb, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come, and nest in its branches.”
The next parable in the series speaks of the third step in the regenerative process. Jesus says, “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 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” (13:31-32). In this parable Jesus gives a beautiful picture of how a single, small seed can grow into a large tree. A little bit of truth can go a long way.
In this context, the mustard seed represents how a small amount of truth in each of us can grow and develop. It is “small” because we still believe that the good things we think and do are from ourselves. Initially, God allows us to think in this way because it produces an affection for learning truth and doing good. 5
As more good is done and more truth is acquired, the tree continues to grow taller and taller. Gradually the person is touched by higher truths as well as more interior affections. As Jesus says, “The birds of the heavens nest in its branches” (13:32). While most translations say, “birds of the air” or “birds of the sky,” this can also be translated as “birds of the heavens.” The Greek word is ouranou [οὐρανοῦ] which can be translated as “air,” “sky,” or “heaven.” Birds that fly high above the earth, often have keener sight and broader vision. Because of their “bird’s-eye vision,” they often correspond to the human capacity for higher thoughts. 6
All this represents the proliferation of goodness and the multiplication of truth as we continue to evolve spiritually. During this time of spiritual growth, we are rising higher and higher, like a tree that was once just a tiny mustard seed. This is the third step in the process of our spiritual development.
It is, however, only an intermediate step. Even while we are rising to greater heights of understanding, we still cling to the belief that these higher truths and more interior affections originate within us. There is still something of personal glory and merit that must eventually be identified and removed. This becomes the focus of the next parable in the series. 7
Leavened Bread: The Fourth Parable of Regeneration
33. Another parable spoke He to them: “The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman taking hid in three satas of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
34. All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; and without a parable spoke He not unto them,
35. That it might be fulfilled what was declared by the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will pour forth things which have been hidden from the founding of the world.”
36. Then leaving the crowds, Jesus came into the house, and His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37. And He answering them, said unto them, “He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man;
38. And the field is the world; and the good seed, they are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the wicked;
39. And the enemy that sows them is the Devil; and the harvest is the consummation of the age; and the reapers are the angels.
40. Therefore just as the tares are collected and burnt up by the fire, so shall it be in the consummation of this age.
41. The Son of Man shall send out His angels, and they shall collect out of His kingdom all offenses, and those that do iniquity,
42. And shall cast them into the furnace of the fire, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then shall the just give forth brightness as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Jesus now gives the fourth parable in the series, saying that “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened” (13:33). The people listening to Jesus do not understand everything that He means by this brief parable, but they probably get the general idea—that heaven is a place where things keep on getting better and better. Just as good ideas generate more good ideas, good things continue to expand like warm bread rising.
At a more interior level, the parable of the leavened bread speaks about the necessity and inevitability of temptation for all those who are willing to be regenerated. The truth that we have acquired as described in the parables of the sower, the wheat and the tares, and the mustard seed, must be tried in the fires of temptation. This is the next step in the process of our spiritual development.
In this context, leaven represents false ideas which attack the true ideas that are with us from God. As these false ideas collide with true ones, a fermentation process begins, representative of the temptation combats we now undergo. In the process of fermentation, the activated yeast causes carbon dioxide gases to be released, traveling upwards. This, in turn, causes the bread to rise. Eventually the gases are driven off, leaving a beautiful, delicious loaf of leavened bread, ready to be eaten. The yeast remains in the loaf, but it gradually becomes less and less active. Meanwhile, it has served an important purpose.
Similarly, the struggles of temptation bring us to the point where we see and understand that we can do nothing that is truly good from ourselves. This is when the desire for personal glory and merit are driven off, like gas escaping through the dough, leaving behind only the desire to do good because it is good, without any need for praise, recognition, or recompense. This is because we are beginning to understand that all good is from God, and nothing from ourselves.
This is the purpose of temptation. It reduces us to such sanity that we honestly believe we merit nothing. The ego concerns that have been driving us, especially the need to be acknowledged, recognized, esteemed, or rewarded for what we do become less and less active, like yeast in risen bread. 8
When we come into this state, we are ready to serve others without thought of reward. This is the beginning of a new state of life. The mustard seed becoming a tree whose branches are filled with birds is an image of the proliferation of goodness and the multiplication of truth in our life—a necessary and important stage in our regeneration. But in the parable of the leavened bread, as the bread rises and becomes fuller and fuller, we see an image of growing goodness as the life of charity and useful service becomes our essential focus. Like bread, which nourishes and supports life, we become life-givers to others.
Most importantly, we acknowledge that the highest thoughts we think, the inmost affections we feel, and the benevolent acts of service we perform all have their origin in God. Because we understand that God is working through us, we have no desire to seek credit for our “good works.” We are like “a risen loaf of bread”—warm, nutritious, and ready to provide nourishment for others. This is the fourth step in the process of our spiritual development.
A practical application
The time comes when we realize that we can only go so far in the belief that our noble thoughts and benevolent deeds have their origin in our native intelligence and original goodness. Eventually, we come to see that we cannot think a true thought or do a good deed without the Lord. And yet, we can only come to this realization by going through the combats of temptation, as represented by the leavening process. As a practical application, then, know that the Lord allows you to experience difficulties, not as a punishment, but rather as a vital and necessary aspect of your spiritual development. Therefore, allow every difficulty to be an occasion to call upon the Lord for His wisdom and strength, realizing that without God you can do nothing. In this way, you will experience the further refinement of your soul.
Treasure Hidden in a Field: The Fifth Parable of Regeneration
44. “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man finding, he hides, and from the joy of it goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”
After giving the parable of the leavened bread, Jesus and His disciples leave the crowd and go into a house. It is here that the disciples say to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable about the tares of the field” (13:36). After explaining the parable to them, Jesus continues the series of parables, this time telling His disciples about treasure hidden in a field. “The kingdom of heaven,” He says, “is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man finding, he hides; and from the joy of it, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field” (13:44).
In order to understand the meaning and application of this next parable, it’s important to remember that the previous parable was about the leavening of bread. The leavening process represents what goes on within us when there is a conflict between truth and falsity, good and evil. This is temptation. When we are victorious in temptation, acknowledging that the Lord alone has led us to victory, we find ourselves in a new state of life. We emerge with a new appreciation for the power of truth in our life, especially as the Lord acts through that truth to save us from spiritual death and lead us into spiritual life. 9
This new appreciation for the power of truth in our lives is comparable to the joy people might feel when they unexpectedly find treasure hidden in a field. This is what occurs within us when the Word comes alive, and we see it for the rare and wonderful treasure that it is. We begin to see that the Lord acts through the truth we call to mind, giving us the power to refute falsity and overcome evil. When this happens, we are no longer satisfied with only a few truths. We want to understand all of the Lord’s Word—not just a part of it. We want to buy the whole field. 10
It should especially be noted that in order to buy the whole field, the man in the parable must first “sell all that he has.” It is the same for each of us. Before we can truly understand the Word of God, we must be willing to sell all of our possessions, that is, everything we believe to be our own. This includes our own ideas of what we believe to be true, our prideful attitudes, and our selfish desires. At an even deeper level, this type of surrender includes the willingness to give up the belief that we can know what is true or do what is good without the love, wisdom, and power of the Lord. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit’ says the Lord God almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).
As we let go of our self-serving habits and our false beliefs, especially the delusion that we can know what is true from ourselves, our hunger for genuine truth increases. There are two aspects to this kind of hunger. We want to know what is true so that we can defend ourselves against falsity and evil; and we want to know what is true, so that we can be of greater service to our neighbor. As this love for the truth continues to grow in us, we joyfully sell all that we have in order to buy the whole field.
In so doing we keep discovering new treasures—wonderful truths that will defend us in times of temptation, and support us in our efforts to serve others more fully. The more we give up, the more we gain. This is the fifth step in the process of our spiritual development.
A practical application
After undergoing the combats of temptation, as represented in the parable of the leaven, we emerge with a renewed appreciation for sacred scripture. We realize that the more truth we have taken to heart, the greater are our chances of being victorious in times of temptation. That is because the Lord fights for us through the truths that come from Him. When we come to this point in our spiritual development, we realize that the Word of God is like a field that is filled with hidden treasures—truths that can defend us in times of temptation as well as truths that can lead us into greater and greater happiness. Seeing how valuable these truths are in our life, and realizing how much joy they bring, we desire to buy the whole field. As a practical application, then, spend time acquiring truth from the Lord’s Word. See it as a vast treasury of divine truths that can be used to defend you in times of temptation, and as an immense field that is filled with hidden truth. Dig deep. 11
The Pearl of Great Price: The Sixth Parable of Regeneration
45. “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls;
46. Who, finding one very precious pearl, went away, [and] sold all that he had, and bought it.”
As we continue to search the Word, we find the greatest of all treasures; it is the one pearl, exceedingly precious, called “the pearl of great price.” As it is written, “And when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it” (13:45). The pearl of great price is not only the acknowledgment that God exists, but more specifically, it is the right understanding of God’s true nature as revealed through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. When this is known, every story, every parable, even every jot and tittle in God’s Word takes on new meaning, revealing the infinite love, endless wisdom, immeasurable power, and tender mercy of God. 12
While it must be acknowledged that the literal sense of the Word speaks of a separate Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, these terms refer to the three central aspects of the One True God. The sacred term, “Father,” describes the infinite, but invisible love of God. The sacred term, “Son,” describes how that love comes forth to view in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. And the sacred term, “Holy Spirit,” describes how God inspires everyone with the ability and power to keep the commandments.
In this regard, the three aspects of God can be summed up as love, wisdom, and the power to perform useful services for others. Like the soul, body, and useful things that a person does, these aspects of God are not three, but one. We can think of His soul as divine love, His body as divine truth, and His Holy Spirit—the very breath of God—as inspiration and power for useful service. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). 13
When He is seen in this way, Jesus Christ is the infinitely loving God who came to earth Himself and took on a divinely human form in order to save us from our sins and lead us into heavenly life. This knowledge is the most precious knowledge we could ever discover. Therefore, among all the treasures to be found in the Lord’s Word, this is the most valuable truth of all. That’s why it’s called the “pearl of great price.”
There are, of course, many pearls of wisdom in the Lord’s Word. There are many “treasures in the field.” But the pearl of great price is the greatest treasure of all because it shows us the inner beauty of every other pearl. Guided by a proper understanding of God, we learn how to “dig up” precious treasures that had lain hidden in the good ground of the literal sense of the Word; we come to see the wonders contained within every story.
Just as the twelve gates to heaven are made of one pearl, a true knowledge of God is the gateway to an understanding of all other truths in the Word. As our understanding grows, we see how all the other pearls are connected, how they are perfectly arranged, and how every pearl has its own special place in God’s Word. Just as the soul orders and arranges the many organs, systems, and cells of the body, a right understanding of God’s true nature reveals the perfect order of the Word. The way we see God becomes, therefore, a touchstone, not only for the way we see the Word, but also for the way we see the world. 14
Once we have a true understanding of God’s nature, we will no longer be led astray by teachings that lead us to believe that God is angry, or wrathful, or unforgiving, or that He demands a sacrifice in order for us to get back into His good graces. All He asks is that we keep His commandments, believing that He gives us the power to do so. In doing this, we open the way to receive the heavenly blessings that He makes available to us at all times, and in every moment. 15
Therefore, a right understanding of God is surely the “pearl of great price.” Once we gain this priceless knowledge, we are filled with gratitude. Like the merchant in the parable, we become willing to sell all that we have, surrender all selfish desires, and, in exchange, receive the blessings of God’s love, wisdom, and power for useful service. This leads to the seventh and final stage in the process of our spiritual development. 16
The Dragnet: The Seventh Parable of Regeneration
47. “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a seine cast into the sea, and gathering of every kind;
48. Which, when it was full, they brought [it] up to the shore, and sitting down, collected the good into vessels, and cast out the bad.
49. So shall it be in the consummation of the age; the angels shall come forth, and shall separate the wicked from the midst of the just,
50. And shall cast them into the furnace of the fire, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
51. Jesus says to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They say unto Him, “Yes, Lord.”
52. And He says unto them, “On account of this, every scribe instructed for the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, and a householder, who puts forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.”
As Jesus begins the final parable in this series, He says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (13:47-50).
Spiritually speaking, the phrase “furnace of fire” refers to the fiery heat of self-centeredness. The phrase “gnashing of teeth” refers to the inordinate need to be right, and the violent arguments that follow. During the time that the wheat was growing together with the tares, it was not yet time for this separation. But here, in this final step, the time has come for a final judgment—a final separation. 17
For everyone, a final judgment takes place in the next world, immediately after death. There, in a temporary abode between heaven and hell, good people have the opportunity to rid themselves of the false notions that prevented them from being all they could be. Because they are good, they love truth and are therefore easily prepared for heaven by angel instructors.
On the other hand, people who are essentially evil refuse all instruction, believing that they already know what’s best. Even if they had pretended to act like good people while in the natural world, they eventually put aside their hypocritical masks and become who they truly are. When this happens, they take their places in a world where everyone else thinks they know what is best—a world filled with argumentation and strife. All the people there take the greatest delight in defending their false beliefs as if those beliefs were the very truth. In biblical language, this incessant disagreement and discord of falsity against falsity is called “wailing and gnashing of teeth.” It’s not a punishment; it’s just what some people choose as a way of life. 18
In this seventh and final parable, the “dragnet cast into the sea” describes what happens within each of us after death. Most of us are a mixture of good and evil, truth and falsity, noble aspirations and selfish desires. All this is described by the dragnet which is cast into the sea and brought to shore, filled with “some of every kind.” However, if our heart is in the right place, and if we sincerely desire to learn what is true and do what is right, our false beliefs and misguided desires can do us no permanent harm. God’s gentle leading does not end at death.
Instead, we continue on, fully human, but without material bodies. Depending on the decisions we made while on earth, we continue to learn, grow, and become the finest version of ourselves. Angel instructors guide and teach us as we continue to be prepared for heaven. They help us to gradually discard the false ideas and vain ambitions that we held onto because we didn’t know any better. And they teach us new truths that we can use as vessels to receive God’s goodness as we continue to learn more about heavenly life.
Eventually, there will be a final separation of that which is good in us from that which is evil. At that point, evil and false things will be separated and removed far from our consciousness, while all that which is good and true in us will become a part of our essential nature. This is the final stage in the process of spiritual development. It is a process that begins on earth and continues throughout all eternity. While we will never be regenerated to the point where we can say, “Now, I am perfect,” we continue to move closer and closer to the Lord forever. 19
As Jesus concludes this series of parables, He says to His disciples, “Have you understood all these things?” (13:47). At this point, their simple, sincere response is sufficient. They say, “Yes, Lord.” Jesus does not question their response or examine them on their understanding. Instead, He speaks to them as though they are now well-instructed scribes, saying, “Every scribe instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like a man, and a householder, who puts forth out of his treasure things new and old” (13:52).
Biblical scholars mostly agree that this refers to the Hebrew scriptures (“old”) and the teachings of Jesus (“new”). But it could also refer to the letter of sacred scripture (“old”) and the spirit of sacred scripture which is continually new as the Lord reveals increasingly more interior truths. When the new and the old are seen as one, these teachings contain incredible power—power given to guide, protect, and bless us as we continue to grow and evolve forever. 20
A practical application
The Last Judgment is often portrayed as a cataclysmic “end of times” event when the Lord will come to earth again and cast the evil into a furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. At the same time, the good will be uplifted to heaven where they will dwell with the Lord forever. While the idea that there is a heaven and a hell is true, it should be understood that the Lord casts no one into hell, and that goodness is its own reward, especially as heavenly blessings flow in. While there is a separation that happens after death, there is also a separation that takes place here on earth. As a practical application, then, if you find yourself in a heated discussion verging on an argument, ask the Lord to call to mind His truth—truth that will help you make a separation between what you should say and what you should not say. Rely on the Lord to guide your thoughts as you continue to choose your words. Notice how this can bring about a change in the tone of your voice, a willingness to see things differently, and a diminished need to be right. This indicates that a separation is taking place within you. Instead of “gnashing teeth” with others, you will be allowing the Lord to guide your thoughts as you choose words that will not only be kind, but also true and useful. Although there will be a judgment when you pass from this world into the next, it will be based on the choices you have made while you are here. While we all make decisions, in the end our decisions make us. In this regard, then, the Last Judgment is not just about the separation of good people from evil people. It is also about the separation of good and evil, truth and falsity, within yourself. 21
“Where did this man get this wisdom?”
53. And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, He passed thence.
54. And coming into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they wondered, and said, “Whence has this [Man] this wisdom, and [these] powers?
55. Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56. And His sisters, are they not all with us? whence then has this [Man] all these things?”
57. And they were offended in Him; but Jesus said unto them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.”
58. And He did not many [works of] power there, because of their unbelief.
As Jesus began the series of seven parables, He was speaking not only to His disciples, but also to the crowds that were gathered on the shore. After giving the parables about the sower, the wheat and tares, the mustard seed, and the leavened bread, Jesus and His disciples left the crowd and went into a house. It was there, in a private place, that Jesus continued the series, adding the parables of the treasure hidden in a field, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet. These final three parables were told only to the disciples—the men who were willing to follow Jesus and listen to His words.
When Jesus gave the first four parables of regeneration, He was speaking both to the crowd and to His disciples. But in giving the last three parables in the series, He was speaking only to His disciples, that is, to a receptive audience. In the next episode, however, things change. When Jesus goes home to Nazareth, He is confronted by an audience that is far less receptive. In fact, they are doubtful, skeptical, and even hostile.
The scene is a synagogue in His own country. He has entered the synagogue in an attempt to instruct the people there, but they are not open to His teaching. They see nothing of His divinity and cannot imagine that His wisdom and power come from heaven. Instead, they say, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works”? (13:54). This question is not asked because of their respectful awe, rhetorical interest, or willingness to learn. Rather, it is said contemptuously, for we read that they are “offended” (13:57). They still see Him as the carpenter’s son, the son of Mary, and one of five brothers.
The contrast between the receptivity of the disciples, with their simple, “Yes, Lord,” and the rejection at Nazareth is striking. In a previous episode, Jesus told the religious leaders that “a prophet greater than Jonah” is in their midst, as well as a man of wisdom “greater than Solomon” (12:42). Though Jesus is indeed a prophet greater than Jonah, and a man of wisdom greater than Solomon, He also understands that “a prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house” (13:57). And because of this it is written that “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (13:58).
A practical application
The story of Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth speaks to each of us about the subtle ways that we, too, may reject Him. In our early reading of God’s Word, the literal stories may delight us in a childlike way, but we may never go any further than regarding them as stories for children. We do not see that each and every story of the Word is a parable that can be opened to eternity, and that the Word of God is a field filled with hidden treasures. We may simply regard it as a book for children, delightful perhaps, but not divine. This is to regard it merely as a book about a “carpenter’s son” and to see Jesus as merely the son of Mary. The tendency to explain away the holiness of the Word and the divinity of Jesus leaves us in a position where we can derive little inspiration from its teachings or from Jesus’ message. And so, God can do no mighty works in us because of our unbelief. As a practical application, then, as you continue to read, keep in mind that Jesus is much more than a carpenter’s son and His teachings are much more than stories for children. This is God incarnate offering you His love, wisdom, and power for useful service. According to your belief, “mighty works” can be done in you, and through you. 22
Imibhalo yaphansi:
1. TCR 647:5: “The faith of the former church teaches that repentance, forgiveness of sins, renewal, regeneration, sanctification, and salvation follow of themselves. According to that belief, faith is given and imputed, without the person participating in these processes. But the faith of the New Church teaches that people co-operate [with the Lord] in repentance, reformation, and regeneration.” See also TCR 673: “Even if you wash with rainwater, dew, and the streams of the purest fountains, or, as the prophet says, if you are cleansed with lye, hyssop, and soap every day, you will still not be purified of your wickedness unless you avail yourself of the means of regeneration. These were covered in the chapters on repentance, reformation, and regeneration.” See also HD 203: “All regeneration is effected by the Lord, through the truths of faith, and a life according to them.”
2. AC 988: “In the Word ‘birds’ signify intellectual things. Birds that are gentle, useful, and beautiful, signify intellectual truths, and those which are fierce, useless, and ugly, signify intellectual falsities, or falsities of reasoning.”
3. Life 90: “The seed in the good ground is with those who from the Lord love the truths which are in the Word, and who from Him practice them, and thus bring forth fruit.” See also AC 3310:2: “The ‘seed’ is the Word of the Lord, thus truth, which is said to be of faith, and the ‘good ground’ is the good of charity. This is evident, for it is the good in person that receives the Word.” See also SE Minor 4637: “When holiness and good descends from the Lord through angels into people and the delights of their life, it is like a seed that falls into the ground. If the delight is pride, or the love of self, then it falls into evil ground… But if goodness and holiness from the Lord fall into the delight of charity, or into the affection of justice and righteousness, or into disregard for riches and honor except for the sake of use, then it falls into good ground and bears much fruit.”
4. AE 426:3: “The separation of the good from the evil is effected by a gentle and moderate influx of the divine proceeding from the Lord, while the casting out of the evil into hell is effected by a powerful and intense influx of the divine.” See also AE 849:2: “Here the separation of the good from the evil, which was to take place at the time of the Last Judgment, is foretold by the Lord, and is meant by ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect the tares to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ The ‘tares’ mean the evil, who will then be cast into hell, and the ‘wheat’ means the good, who having been separated from the evil will be raised up into heaven.”
5. AC 4145:2: “Every person who is being regenerated is first in mediate good, in order that it may serve for introducing genuine goods and truths; but after it has served this use, this good is separated, and the person is brought to good which flows in more directly. Thus, the person who is being regenerated is perfected by degrees.
6. AC 5149:3: “By ‘birds’ are meant things of the understanding such as thoughts, ideas, reasonings, principles, consequently truths or falsities…. ‘The birds of the heavens’ that dwelt in the branches of the tree signify truths.”
7. AC 4063:3: “In order that people may be brought from the state of the old person into that of the new, the lusts of the world must be put off, and the affections of heaven must be put on…. Therefore, when people are being made new, it is not done in a moment, as some believe, but through a course of many years; nay, during their whole life, even to its end. This is because worldly lusts have to be extirpated, and heavenly affections have to be insinuated…. Seeing, therefore, that the states of life have to be so greatly changed, it must needs be that people are long kept in a kind of intermediate good, that is, in a good which partakes both of the affections of the world, and of the affections of heaven. Unless they are kept in this intermediate good, they cannot otherwise receive heavenly goods and truths.”
8. AC 2273:2: “The temptations in which people overcome are attended with a belief that all others are more worthy than themselves, and that one is infernal rather than heavenly; for while in temptations such ideas are presented to a person. If after temptations people come into thoughts contrary to these … similar temptations must be undergone, and sometimes more grievous ones, until people are reduced to such sanity that they believe they have merited nothing.”
9. AC 8409:2: “In the Word, what is ‘dead’ is so called from evil, for spiritual death is from evil; and what is ‘alive’ is so called from good, for spiritual life is from good.” See also AC 10596: “The life of hell is for those who have loved themselves and the world above all things; and the life of heaven is for those who have loved God above all things and the neighbor as themselves. These are they who have faith; but the former are they who have not faith. The life of heaven is what is called ‘eternal life,’ and the life of hell is what is called ‘spiritual death.’”
10. AC 6344:4-5: “People in possession of truth that comes from good, that is, of faith derived from charity, possess power that comes through truth from good. All angels possess that power, which also is why in the Word angels are called ‘powers.’ For they have the power to restrain evil spirits; even one angel can restrain a thousand together…. This power that angels possess comes to them through the truth of faith derived from the good of charity. But because the faith they have comes from the Lord, the Lord alone is the power that resides with them. They have this power by means of the truth that is of faith from the good that is of charity. But as they have their faith from the Lord, it is the Lord alone who is the power in them.”
11. NJHD 191: “Spiritual combats are fought by means of the truths of faith which come from the Word. People must use them to fight against evils and falsities. If they use other means than these, they do not win, for it is only in these that the Lord is present.” See also NJHD 195: “It is only the Lord who fights for people in temptations. If they do not believe that it is the Lord alone who fights for them and wins for them, then they undergo merely external temptation, which does not do them any good.”
12. AR 916:1-2 “The words ‘each one of the gates was of one pearl’ signify that the acknowledgment of the Lord and [true] knowledge about Him conjoin into one all the teachings about truth and good that are derived from the Word, and introduce into the church…. The reason why ‘each one of the gates was of one pearl’ is because all the teachings about truth and goodness that are signified by ‘the gates’ and ‘the pearls’ relate to one major teaching which holds them all together, and this one teaching is [true] knowledge about the Lord. It is said ‘one teaching,’ although there are many spiritual truths making up that one teaching. This is because the truth about the Lord is the universal of all the truths of the doctrine and consequently of all the things of the church…. The reason why the acknowledgment of the Lord and [true] knowledge about Him conjoins all the spiritual truths in the Word into one is because there is a connection of all spiritual truths…. Their connection is like the connection of all the members, viscera, and organs of the body. Therefore, just as the soul holds together all those [physical]things in their order and connection, so that they are not felt otherwise than as one, in like manner the Lord holds together all the spiritual truths with a person.”
13. TCR 184: “The divine trinity is like the pearl of great price; but when it is divided into Persons, it is like a pearl divided into three parts, which is thereby completely and irretrievably ruined.” See also TCR 163: “These three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are the three essential components of one God. They are one in the way that our soul, our body, and the things we do are one.”
14. TCR 163: “A right idea of God is like the sanctuary and the altar in a church building…. The entire body of theology depends on it the way a chain hangs from its hook. Believe it or not, we are even allotted our own place in heaven depending on our idea of God. It is like a touchstone for testing the quality of gold and silver, that is, the goodness and truth in us.” See also AR 916:2: “That the acknowledgment of the Lord and [right] knowledge of Him is the pearl of great price is understood by these words of the Lord, “The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant seeking beautiful pearls who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it’ (13:45-46). The ‘one pearl of great price’ is the acknowledgment and knowledge of the Lord.”
15. TCR 56: “As God wills only what is good, He can do nothing but what is good…. Therefore, it can be seen how deluded those are who think, and still more those who believe, and still more those who teach, that God can damn anyone, curse anyone, send anyone to hell, predestine any soul to eternal death, avenge wrongs, be angry, or punish. He cannot even turn Himself away from man, nor look upon him with a stern countenance. These and like things are contrary to His essence; and what is contrary to His essence is contrary to His very Self.”
16. AE 1044:3: “The ‘one precious pearl’ means the knowledge respecting the Lord and His Divine. The words, ‘He sold all that he had and bought it’ signify to reject what is one’s own [proprium] in order to receive life from the Lord.”
17. HH 573: “Since hellfire means all the craving to do evil that flows from love for oneself, that same fire also means the kind of torment that occurs in the hells. This is because the impulses that arise from that love are urges to wound people who do not offer respect and deference and reverence. To the extent that rage takes charge, and the hatred and vengefulness that come from rage, people are driven to attack others viciously. When this impulse is inherent in everyone in a community where there are no external restraints, no fears of the law or of loss of reputation or position or profit or life, everyone attacks everyone else out of sheer malice…. These acts of savagery and torture are what are meant by hellfire, because they are the results of their obsessions.”
18. HH 575: “The gnashing of teeth in the hells is the constant clash and strife of false convictions with each other. It is the constant warfare of individuals who hold false convictions, are in contempt for each other, in hostility, derision, mockery, and blasphemy…. They are all defending their own false convictions and calling them true. From outside the hells, these clashes and battles sound like gnashing teeth.”
19. AC 894: “There is no definite period of time when anyone is regenerate enough to be able to say, ‘Now I am perfect.’ In fact, an unlimited number of states of evil and falsity exist with everyone, not only simple states but also varied and complex ones which have to be disposed of in such a way that they do not recur. In some states people can be called fairly perfect, but in countless others they cannot. People who have been regenerated during their lifetime, and in whose lives faith in the Lord and charity towards the neighbor have been present, are in the next life being perfected all the time.”
20. DeVerbo 20: “All the holiness of the Word is in its literal sense, and there is no holiness in the spiritual sense without the literal sense. This would be like a house without a foundation … like a human body with no skin … like wine with no vessel to hold it…. All the power of divine truth lies in the literal sense of the Word; the spiritual sense without the literal sense has no power, but the literal sense containing the spiritual sense has power.”
21. AC 4663: “One who is unacquainted with the internal sense of these words [regarding the separation of the sheep and the goats] cannot but think that these words were spoken by the Lord of some last day, when all in the whole world will be gathered before Him, and will then be judged…. The Lord judges no one to eternal fire, but people judge themselves, that is, they cast themselves into it.” See also HH 548: “The Lord draws every person to Himself by means of angels and by means of influx from heaven. But those people who are in evil completely resist. They tear themselves away from the Lord, being drawn by their own evil, thus by hell, as if by a rope. And as they are so drawn, and by reason of their love of evil are willing to follow, it is established that, from their freedom, they cast themselves into hell…. From these things, it can now be seen that the Lord casts no one into hell, but people cast themselves into hell, both while they are living in the world and also after death.”
22. CL 521:5: “After that I turned the conversation to more serious matters, and I asked whether [these devils] ever considered that adultery is a sin. ‘What is sin?’ they replied. ‘We do not know what it is.’ I asked whether they ever remembered that adultery is against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue. They replied, ‘What is the Decalogue? Is it not the catechism? What does that children’s booklet have to do with men like us?’”
