Bible Study Lesson, Matthew 13:24-43
In these parables Jesus talks about the end times and what will happen to good and evil.
He explains in this story about the mustard seed; how the good people who are followers of God will be taken into heaven.
The bad, the followers of Satan, will be thrown into the fire and burned.
This Matthew passage does a good job of explaining heaven and hell.
Explanation of Heaven and Hell – What Did Jesus Say about the End Times?
He presented another parable to them, saying,
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds,
but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
The Leaven
He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The Tares Explained
Then He left the crowds and went into the house.
And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world;
and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom;
and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age;
and the reapers are angels.
So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
He who has ears, let him hear. – Matthew 13:24-43 NASB
The Mustard Seed and the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus is describing the kingdom of heaven in these parables.
Don’t let the mentioning of weeds and wheat and mustard seeds confuse you. There are simple explanations of each.
The Weeds ( Tares )
In this parable, the weeds growing among the wheat is a good example, showing the difference between people who are believers in Christ and those who do not believe.
They will remain together for a short while until God decides to separate them.
Heaven
At that time, God plans to bring His believers into heaven to live with Him and enjoy the fruits of everlasting life.
The benefits are never ending with no more suffering, no more sorrow, no more worry.
Hell
Those who choose not to accept Christ will be bundled and thrown into the fire just as the weeds of the field are at harvest time.
All through the Bible, Jesus has said to be watchful, meaning that we should be ready whenever that time comes.
The Mustard Seed
Also a very simple story. The smallest seed a farmer could plant at that time was the mustard seed.
But when it sprouted, it turned into a large tree.
The Seed of Christianity
When Jesus walked the earth as a man, His ministry started with only a few ( the twelve disciples and some others).
Now, Christianity has grown into millions worldwide.
Jesus foresaw this phenomenon and revealed His knowledge about the growth of the kingdom of heaven to the people over 2,000 years ago!
Our Choice – Heaven or Death
The point of all these parables is that God is building His kingdom.
We have choices to make. God allows us to decide whether or not to follow Him.
We can either decide not to follow and hope we are not thrown into the fire.
Or, we can accept Christ as our Lord and enjoy everlasting life.
Pray about this before making your choice.
Love In Christ
– Bob
If you would like information about how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 to learn more.