In ancient times, the end of world history drew the attention of both the Church and pagans like a magnet. In our own time, by contrast, a kind of tacit convention has arisen, and speaking about it has become somewhat improper. The ancients expected that...
In ancient times, the end of world history drew the attention of both the Church and pagans like a magnet. In our own time, by contrast, a kind of tacit convention has arisen, and speaking about it has become somewhat improper. The ancients expected the end to come any day, while we prefer to pretend it will never come. So will it be tomorrow or never?
When the end will come matters only if you are concerned about whether you will have time to prepare for it. Subconsciously we calculate that for a while we can live as we please and then still have time to prepare for the end of the world. During exams, for example, you calculate: there are four days until the next exam, so you can spend two days having fun, one day recovering, and one day reading the textbook. Whether you expect the end of the world very soon or not at all soon is only a quantitative difference, not a qualitative one.
Jesus' words about the last day mostly lie outside this perspective. He emphasizes only that the heavenly Father alone knows that day and hour. The Gospel seeks to bring something else home to our hearts. The essence of what happens at the end, at the Last Judgment, is separation. In today's reading the Lord Jesus says: “and shall sever the wicked from among the just.” The Greek ἀφορίζω, aphorizō, means to separate, set boundaries, define. As He said in the parable of the wheat and the tares, both are left to grow together until the day of harvest, when they will be separated.
From a practical standpoint, what matters for us is this. On the last day the separation, the distinction between the righteous and the wicked—Greek πονηρός, ponēros, one who causes much trouble, bad—will occur as a matter of fact, and it is not clear that our opinions and wishes will be taken into account. But today we can choose on which side of that boundary we will stand. By choosing to trust Jesus today, we enter the day that follows the last, for “he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
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13:44 The three following parables are proposed, not to the multitude, but peculiarly to the apostles: the two former of them relate to those who receive the Gospel; the third, both to those who receive, and those who preach it. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hid in a field - The kingdom of God within us is a treasure indeed, but a treasure hid from the world, and from the most wise and prudent in it. He that finds this treasure, (perhaps when he thought it far from him,) hides it deep in his heart, and gives up all other happiness for it.
13:45 The kingdom of heaven - That is, one who earnestly seeks for it: in verse Mat 13:47 it means the Gospel preached, which is like a net gathering of every kind: just so the Gospel, wherever it is preached, gathers at first both good and bad, who are for a season full of approbation and warm with good desires.But Christian discipline, and strong, close exhortation, begin that separation in this world, which shall be accomplished by the angels of God in the world to come.
13:52 Every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven - That is, every duly prepared preacher of the Gospel has a treasure of Divine knowledge, out of which he is able to bring forth all sorts of instructions. The word treasure signifies any collection of things whatsoever, and the places where such collections are kept.
13:53 He departed thence - He crossed the lake from Capernaum: and came once more into his own country - Nazareth: but with no better success than he had had there before.
13:54 Whence hath HE - Many texts are not understood, for want of knowing the proper emphasis; and others are utterly misunderstood, by placing the emphasis wrong. To prevent this in some measure, the emphatical words are here printed in capital letters. Mar 6:1; Luk 4:16, Luk 4:22.
13:55 The carpenter's son - The Greek, word means, one that works either in wood, iron, or stone. His brethren - Our kinsmen. They were the sons of Mary, sister to the virgin, and wife of Cleophas or Alpheus. James - Styled by St. Paul also, the Lord's brother, Gal 1:19.Simon - Surnamed the Canaanite.
13:57 They were offended at him - They looked on him as a mean, ignoble man, not worthy to be regarded. Joh 4:44; Luk 7:23.
13:58 He wrought not many mighty works, because of their unbelief - And the reason why many mighty works are not wrought now,is not, that the faith is not every where planted; but, that unbelief every where prevails.