The Key to all the Parables of Jesus

[Johann]

Oh how edifying, how mature...not.

"I laid a foundation" This refers to Paul's initial preaching of the gospel at Corinth. It may be an allusion to Isa. 28:16. Jesus is the foundation!

"and another is building on it" Paul started the church, but others contributed to its growth. Apollos is one example (cf. 1 Cor. 3:5-9). However, in context this must also relate to those leaders in the church who were promoting a factious spirit. They may have been leaders of different house churches.

"each man must be careful" This is literally a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE of blepō, "I see." This is the warning that church leaders will give an account to God of their church work, as will all believers (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10).

3:11 There are two criteria mentioned in this passage (paragraph, v. 10-15) for the church.

the leader's/believer's message must be Christocentric (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-12 and Eph. 2:20-21)
the leader's/believer's life must be Christlike (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12-15)

3:12 "if" This is the first in a series of FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCES which are assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12,14,15,17,18). There were (and are) fruitful and precious leaders and hurtful and destructive leaders!

"any man builds on the foundation" The major interpretive question here is which foundation is Paul speaking about:

the gospel, 1 Cor. 3:11
the church at Corinth, 1 Cor. 3:10
Is he addressing leaders or believers in general? One's interpretation of 1 Cor. 3:10-15 must relate to 1 Cor. 3:16-17, which describes the church as a whole as the temple of God.

"gold, silver, precious stones" The emphasis here is on what is durable, beautiful, and costly and cannot be destroyed by fire. Precious stones may be jewels, semi-precious stones, or polished marble stones.

3:13
NASB  "will become evident"
NKJV  "will become manifest"
NRSV  "will become visible"
TEV  "will be seen"
NJB  "will be shown"
REB  "will at last be brought to light"
Peshitta  "shall be plainly seen"
This clear manifestation of believers' or leaders' ministry (i.e., motives, actions, purposes) is emphasized by a three-fold repetition of VERBS in 1 Cor. 3:13.

become evident (i.e., phainō)
show (i.e., dēloō)
reveal (i.e., apokaluptō)
This open display and judgment of believers must relate to the judgment seat of Christ in 2 Cor. 5:10.

"the day will show it" This refers to the OT "Day of the Lord," which will involve both glorification and rewards for believers and judgment for unbelievers. However, even believers will also give an account before the judgment seat of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 12:36-37; 25:31ff; Rom. 2:16; 14:12; Gal. 5:10; Heb. 13:17).





"will test " This refers to the refiner's fire (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5), which tests with a view toward approval (i.e., dokimazō).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK TERMS FOR TESTING AND THEIR CONNOTATIONS

"the quality of each man's work" In context this must refer to one's church involvement. All the spiritual gifts are for the building up of the church (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7). There is no spiritual distinction between clergy and laity, leader and follower, but there is a task distinction (cf. Num. 16:3). Leaders are more accountable (cf. James 3:1).

3:14 "If" This is the second in a series of FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTTENCES, assumed to be true from the perspective of the writer or for his literary purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12,14,15,17,18).

"he will receive a reward" This passage refers to rewards, not salvation. All of the people addressed are assumed to be believers!

The NT concept of rewards must be distinguished from salvation by merit (cf. Rom. 6:23). In the OT rewards or blessings were connected to obedience (cf. Deut. 11:13-32,27-29; Psalm 1). In a sense, that is still true. However, salvation is a gift, not a reward. The life of faith and obedience is a result of salvation, not a means to salvation. Rewards can be lost, yet salvation retained. Rewards are a recognition of the developing ministry of believers. Paul has now universalized his eschatological evaluation (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19-20; Phil. 2:14-16) to include all believers. Rewards are a way of recognizing those who have ministered effectively and faithfully in the furtherance of the gospel. Rewards are God's gifts through His empowering for His Kingdom. Yet, like all covenant relationships, believers must appropriately and continually respond (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27).



3:15 "If any man's work is burned up" Oh, the tragedy of a fruitless, selfish, factious Christian life. It is a tragedy for the person, a tragedy for the church, and a tragedy for the unsaved!

"but he himself will be saved" This shows the priority of grace even with the possibility of the loss of reward.

This concept may answer the theological dilemma of a free salvation in the grace of God, the finished work of Christ, and the wooing of the Spirit contrasted to the cost-everything mandate of the Christian life. My only fear in using this text as a key concept is how rare in Scripture the theological category of a "back-slidden," carnal, baby Christian is used! The modern church uses this concept to explain an ineffective, apathetic, worldly church, but seldom delineates the NT mandate of spiritual growth (cf. Heb. 5:11-14).

"will be saved" This is has an eschatological orientation.

This, from my pastor.

have a blessed day
Johann.

 

[Waiting on him]

Oh how edifying, how mature...not.

I used eat these as a kid 50 years ago. They were called digum smaccks back then I believe.

 

[Mr E]

I fully concur.
Shalom
Johann.

This from the Afrikaner who threatens people with physical harm, should he ever have the opportunity.

Spare me.

 

[Johann]

Using your standard Nancy…. If you don’t like it…..? Move along.

It’s on point. If you don’t understand the seeds and the soil and how one is ‘planted’ in the other, and the dual nature and relationship between the spiritual and the natural, you simply don’t understand this key that @Episkopos is pointing toward, himself unaware.

But unlike epi…. I don’t care if you agree or not. It doesn’t offend me if you don’t.

There is no forum requirement for agreement. Neither are there little manufactured safe spaces to shelter false teachers from criticism. This forum (and this thread) would be a better place if you also exercised your own advice. I don’t make or take things in a personal way. His teaching is poor. He might be a nice guy, but one doesn’t preclude the other.

Guess you "know it all" don't you? With your stupid laughing emoji's.
You are one of those "intellectual freaks" all in the head, and not where it really matters, the Lev.

 

[Johann]

This from the Afrikaner who threatens people with physical harm, should he ever have the opportunity.

Spare me.

Move on

 

[Mr E]

An example of your error would be how the word "leaven" is used. Sometimes it is in regard to wrongful teaching as in beware the leaven of the Pharisees. But it is also used to describe the rise of the kingdom life. So one is bad and the other is good.

So which is it?

It is both.

Let's look at an examples.

1. Matthew 13-

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.

2. Luke 13-

“To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

Using YOUR KEY..... explain these two accounts. I'll wait. (a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough).

Yes....all the parables can be understood through the key parable...the Sower. Jesus is the Sower.... and he is describing who WE are. And this is from an eternal perspective...something you mock.

The bible is written from an eternal perspective.

So with an understanding of the 4 destinies presented to us, we can look at all other teachings through it.

Great! Let's test your assertion.

Let's start with this one. Use your key of the four soils to explain this one.... John12

I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.

 

[Mr E]

This is where things get muddy for me. Too me the angels that harvest are the same angles that John writes seven epistles too in revelation. In my opinion these are the same seven angels bringing woes upon the inhabitants of the earth, first century Jerusalem.

These angles are the overseeing men of the seven churches. First century. I believe this to be a closing of an age/world

John 18:20 KJV
[20] Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
Jesus tells us here what the world is.

What you read from John's account in Revelation is from a spiritual perspective. He was 'in spirit' and recorded the heavenly things he saw and heard. Like Jesus did in private with his disciples in providing 'a key' of symbols to help them understand his teachings (parables- things with two meanings) he did likewise with John, providing again a key of symbols to be referenced in order to understand the things he was seeing in that heavenly realm, and what they represent. These are given over and over throughout the entire book and are to be used in order for us to make the proper associations between spiritual/heavenly concepts and the physical image/representations below.

We know the angels are harvesters and we know the harvest came at the end of an age. And we know that at the end of (physical) life the spirit returns to God from whence it came. In the beginning of Revelation, through John's record of the event, you are witnessing a judgment of these angels/spirits who were sent with the word, and having run their course- returned to the Father.

"The world" we know from the key that Jesus provided, refers to 'the inhabitants of the earth.' It's no different than if I was to tell you a secret (I've told you several already) and then tell you not to tell the world.... It would mean-- don't tell everyone 'in the world' not in a literal sense, of course, but in a literary /figurative sense that evokes an understanding beyond the literal sense.

 

[Enoch111]

I identify the key right away. The key to all the parables of Jesus is within the parable of the Sower itself. The 4 possibilities or eventual destinies for all who hear the gospel.

This FALSE IDEA was already debunked but you have not abandoned it. There is no such thing as "four eventual destinies" and Christ made that perfectly clear.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on him is not condemned:
DESTINTY #2: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
DESTINY #2: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
DESTINY #2: but he that believeth not shall be damned.

So once again you are teaching false doctrine. You do not believe the Lord Jesus Christ and have manufactured your own BIZARRE theology.

Getting back to the Parable of the Sower, the good soil represents all those who have genuinely repented and believed, and are being spiritually fruitful. And all the other soils are barren (no genuine conversion). Being fruitful also means sticking to sound doctrine, not Gnostic ideas or other nonsense.

 

[Mr E]

The soil is a spiritual reference to the condition of a man’s heart. And we all should know by now that until God himself removes that flesh from the heart, there is only useless soil

Just as you understand 'the world' to be 'the inhabitants" of the world, -the soil, the field, the earth-- even Adam all refer to people. The people of the world.

It's a shame that we've been so far removed from the agricultural understanding that any farmer naturally has. They had no trouble making sense of the allegorical manner Jesus employs using seeds and soil. The earth is worked before planting. The harvest is taken in, the weeds are burned from the field so it is ridden of them, the soil is tilled and then the seeds are planted, watered, grown to maturity and bearing many more seeds, some (the first fruits) are taken and reserved for the next generation (crop) to be planted. There are always some seeds set aside at harvest time and preserved for a new planting to ensure a new season of growth. The plowing and tilling and working of the soil is why -the son of God- (who is spirit) was sent. To work the soil. It's why this spiritual man was placed in the garden in the first place. Some call it tribulation- but it is for a purpose at the end of an age. The gathering in of firstfruits, the harvest, the tribulation, and then a new season.

 

[Episkopos]

Great! Let's test your assertion.

Let's start with this one. Use your key of the four soils to explain this one.... John12

I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.

If you watched the video you would hear the part where I describe getting the flesh out of the way in order to produce an eternal fruit. God is selfless. Jesus is selfless. The ego is selfish by nature...it needs to be crucified to produce an untainted fruit that bears up in the fires of testing.

The concerns of this world are temporal. The weeds of our carnal concerns choke out what could be a perfect fruit. These tend to get in the way of producing an eternal kind of fruit.

The rocky soil is the hard edge of the outer man ...being hardened by sin and against the sin of others. It's a self-protection mechanism that God counsels us to be rid of...as He sends us out as sheep among wolves. What would seem foolish and even suicidal in this world is actually of an eternal benefit as God takes up our cause.

So then we are to pass through the death of both our own carnal capabilities AND the cares associated with this world...sufficiently (hating our own lives....or not loving our lives unto death) in order to be empowered in the inner man of faith.

We present our lives as living sacrifices that God would divide us in two...passing between our inward parts...thus making an eternal covenant with us. In this way the outer man nature is crucified to liberate the inner man into the higher kingdom walk that is without any taint (spot or wrinkle) of sin.

 

[Episkopos]

Let's look at an examples.

1. Matthew 13-

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.

2. Luke 13-

“To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

Using YOUR KEY..... explain these two accounts. I'll wait. (a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough).

The three measure of flour are the three destinies available to believers...that directly concern the kingdom of God and our own participation in it.

When the full number of saints is arrived at (the dough fully risen) then the end will come and the angels will sort out the catch (the parable of the net)...into the three different categories.

The saints will rule from New Jerusalem with God. (the good soil)

The righteous will inhabit the nations (the meek will inherit the earth) (the weedy soil)

The filthy will be cast into outer darkness. (there will be weeping and anger) (the rocky soil)

The seed that fell by the wayside are they who receive the truth and don't understand it. (they are cast into the lake of fire and perish there. This is the second death. )

 

[Jim B]

Yeah and the progressive view cannot understand it .

Why do you go on and on and on ... and on about "the progressive view"? What exactly do you understand that to be? BTW, a "view" cannot understand anything.

 

[Jim B]

View attachment 32568

What does this have to do with "amigo"s post: "Yeah and the progressive view cannot understand it ." Are you equating the progressive view (whatever that is) with "the natural man"?

 

[Episkopos]

This FALSE IDEA was already debunked but you have not abandoned it. There is no such thing as "four eventual destinies" and Christ made that perfectly clear.

You are using an indoctrination about your own salvation to cover up the truth concerning the ways of God with all people.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on him is not condemned:
DESTINTY #2: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Believers are not condemned with the world. salvation causes people to move on into the 3 destines that cover all those who are NOT condemned with the world. The angels will sort out what is caught in the net of the kingdom.

What are they sorting??? They are sorting out the righteous...and the filthy from the saints.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
DESTINY #2: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Whoever believes INTO Christ (New Testament faith...not human beliefs) HAS and experiences eternal life...right now.

Whoever doesn't believe the words of Jesus...will be cast into the lake of fire. (unless that person repents and does what is right)


This above saying of Jesus might be too subtle for the kind of reading skills brought to bear by many here. The two sentences are not speaking of the same thing. The first is about the saints...the second is about those who are unrighteous.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
DESTINY #2: but he that believeth not shall be damned.

All believers are saved...but saved to what end? Whoever has a little wisdom...let him/her hear.

So once again you are teaching false doctrine. You do not believe the Lord Jesus Christ and have manufactured your own BIZARRE theology.

The opposite is true. You have opted for the mainstream Pharisaical position of religious clerics...just as they did in the time of Jesus. So you are unable to tolerate (endure) sound doctrine. Instead your religious flesh gets in a snit.

I picture you as getting offended and red in the face as you post your usual vitriol. A classic example of the shallow soil.

Getting back to the Parable of the Sower, the good soil represents all those who have genuinely repented and believed, and are being spiritually fruitful.

That's like saying nice people are nice because they are nice. Shallow thinking here.

And all the other soils are barren (no genuine conversion). Being fruitful also means sticking to sound doctrine, not Gnostic ideas or other nonsense.

You have a certain kind of fruit, I'll give you that.

 

[amigo de christo]

You are using an indoctrination about your own salvation to cover up the truth concerning the ways of God with all people.



Believers are not condemned with the world. salvation causes people to move on into the 3 destines that cover all those who are NOT condemned with the world. The angels will sort out what is caught in the net of the kingdom.

What are they sorting??? They are sorting out the righteous...and the filthy from the saints.



Whoever believes INTO Christ (New Testament faith...not human beliefs) HAS and experiences eternal life...right now.

Whoever doesn't believe the words of Jesus...will be cast into the lake of fire. (unless that person repents and does what is right)


This above saying of Jesus might be too subtle for the kind of reading skills brought to bear by many here. The two sentences are not speaking of the same thing. The first is about the saints...the second is about those who are unrighteous.

All believers are saved...but saved to what end? Whoever has a little wisdom...let him/her hear.




The opposite is true. You have opted for the mainstream Pharisaical position of religious clerics...just as they did in the time of Jesus. So you are unable to tolerate (endure) sound doctrine. Instead your religious flesh gets in a snit.

I picture you as getting offended and red in the face as you post your usual vitriol. A classic example of the shallow soil.

That's like saying nice people are nice because they are nice. Shallow thinking here.


You have a certain kind of fruit, I'll give you that.

Who ever does not believe Jesus words will be cast into the lake of fire .
True that is . So let me remind us of SOME of his words . WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH in HIM will be saved
But as john once wrote , WHO so ever believes NOT that JESUS IS THE CHRIST , THIS IS ANTI CHRIST .
SO TRY BELIEVING THAT and beware those who give muslims and other religoins who believe not that HE IS THE CHRIST
a free pass . CAUSE that is the work of anti christ . GOTTA BELIEVE IN JESUS TEACHINGS , not what
the progressive social gospel teaches . BUT WHAT JESUS IN THE BIBLE SAID and taught . PONDER YE ON THAT
the next time one be tempted to follow the lie of pope francis and his inclusive social gospel
or the new age priestess oprah wimphrey and her false social all inclusive many path lie to GOD .
The gospel aint what the social gospel says it is . The jesus it follows overlooks THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE .
It might preach do some good works , BUT IT WONT PREACH THE DIRE NEED TO BELEIVE ON HIM . ITS A FAILURE
and falls FAR SHORT of the GLORY OF GOD . And all who loved a lie , will burn the in the lake of fire .

 

[ChristisGod]

This FALSE IDEA was already debunked but you have not abandoned it. There is no such thing as "four eventual destinies" and Christ made that perfectly clear.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on him is not condemned:
DESTINTY #2: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
DESTINY #2: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

DESTINY #1: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
DESTINY #2: but he that believeth not shall be damned.

So once again you are teaching false doctrine. You do not believe the Lord Jesus Christ and have manufactured your own BIZARRE theology.

Getting back to the Parable of the Sower, the good soil represents all those who have genuinely repented and believed, and are being spiritually fruitful. And all the other soils are barren (no genuine conversion). Being fruitful also means sticking to sound doctrine, not Gnostic ideas or other nonsense.

Exactly its made up much the same as the higher/lower walk is made up.

 

[Mr E]

The three measure of flour are the three destinies available to believers...that directly concern the kingdom of God and our own participation in it.

When the full number of saints is arrived at (the dough fully risen) then the end will come and the angels will sort out the catch (the parable of the net)...into the three different categories.

The saints will rule from New Jerusalem with God. (the good soil)

The righteous will inhabit the nations (the meek will inherit the earth) (the weedy soil)

The filthy will be cast into outer darkness. (there will be weeping and anger) (the rocky soil)

The seed that fell by the wayside are they who receive the truth and don't understand it. (they are cast into the lake of fire and perish there. This is the second death. )

Where is your example of Jesus teaching this? This is all YOUR leaven. And it's absolute nonsense. 3 destinies.... 4 destinies.... one fantasy.


Where does he ever indicate that any leaven is good?

 

[amigo de christo]

Exactly its made up much the same as the higher/lower walk is made up.

There is but one walk . THE ONE IN CHRIST JESUS . Epi has lost his mind under the all inclusive social gospel lie .
A lie that giveth hope that cannot save , for it gives not the one true gospel unto the lost .
The BELIEVE YE IN JESUS GOSPEL . rather it gives the just do some good works and believe as thou wilt . IT AINT GONNA save
a soul that believed its lie . The muslim , the buddist , the new ager , the progressive who sold it
cannot save themselves by their good deeds . It teaches pick up thy cross , but wont point to BELIEVE ON HE WHO WAS
CRUCIFIED ON THAT CROSS .
IT says do the works of GOD , but wont teach THE WORK OF GOD that one can work the works of GOD .
IT WILL NOT TEACH TO BELIEVE ON JESUS CHRIST .
So allow me to remind us of what we already know to be true .
BUT LORD how might we WORK the works of GOD . TAKE CLOSE HEED TO THE ANSWER JESUS
gave . FOR HE PREACHED NOT the social gospel to them , HE SAID THIS and THIS ALONE .
THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD , THAT YE BELIEVE ON HE WHOM GOD DID SEND . BINGO . but they wont PREACH THAT .
The social all inclusive progressive gospel IS A LIE FROM HELL that saves none.
IT CANNOT SAVE , BUT IT SURE CAN GRAVE . for all who beleive it will die the second death .
BUT unto those whose faith is in the CHRIST OF GOD , ETERNAL LIFE .

 

[Mr E]

If you watched the video you would hear the part where I describe getting the flesh out of the way in order to produce an eternal fruit. God is selfless. Jesus is selfless. The ego is selfish by nature...it needs to be crucified to produce an untainted fruit that bears up in the fires of testing.

The concerns of this world are temporal. The weeds of our carnal concerns choke out what could be a perfect fruit. These tend to get in the way of producing an eternal kind of fruit.

The rocky soil is the hard edge of the outer man ...being hardened by sin and against the sin of others. It's a self-protection mechanism that God counsels us to be rid of...as He sends us out as sheep among wolves. What would seem foolish and even suicidal in this world is actually of an eternal benefit as God takes up our cause.

So then we are to pass through the death of both our own carnal capabilities AND the cares associated with this world...sufficiently (hating our own lives....or not loving our lives unto death) in order to be empowered in the inner man of faith.

We present our lives as living sacrifices that God would divide us in two...passing between our inward parts...thus making an eternal covenant with us. In this way the outer man nature is crucified to liberate the inner man into the higher kingdom walk that is without any taint (spot or wrinkle) of sin.

This completely violates the teachings of the Christ. He defined the seeds and the weeds... why do you think to overrule him?

The seeds-- the descendants from the kingdom of heaven. (those spirits who come down from heaven)
The weeds-- the spiritual offspring of the evil one.

Both are planted in the same soil (people)

 

[amigo de christo]

Where is your example of Jesus teaching this? This is all YOUR leaven. And it's absolute nonsense. 3 destinies.... 4 destinies.... one fantasy.


Where does he ever indicate that any leaven is good?

Only one place . the bread . but that is very simple to see its good leaven , good rising .
As far as any other place leaven is mentioned is mentioned with sin .
Three loaves was the only mention where leaven is meant for good . BUT again
that was concering the WORD of GOD as RISING UP and FILLING IT , NOT SIN .