The Word of God is too complicated to understand, is that really true?

[Rocky Wiley]

Is it hard to understand the bible? No.

Is it hard to understand teachers explanation of the bible? In many cases, yes.

So why is it there are so many interpretations of God’s word. For the most part it is because people do not study for themselves and they become just like a parrot, repeating what they have heard.

Here is one example:
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

There are two Greek words used for world, they are:

1. kosmos - adorning, world
2. aion - properly an age;

In Matthew 24:3 aion is used, so we see that the natural world is not what would be coming to an end. It was the end of the age that was coming to an end.

Now, we should ask our selves, to whom are the disciples asking this question and what age are they living in? They ask the question of Jesus and they were living in the age of law, not grace. So it was the age of law that was coming to an end.

Now we should ourselves, what happened that made them ask this question? The answer is that Jesus had just said that the temple would be destroyed.

Do we know if the temple was destroyed? Yes, it was destroyed in 70 AD. If this is what prompted the question, how can we be still be taught that Jesus has not come and we are still waiting.

Here is the disciples question “when shall these things be (when will this happen), the sign of thy coming (when will you return in judgment), and the end of the age (when will our world as we know it end)?”

Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

It is another bible study, but Jesus did not change the subject when he said “Heaven and earth shall pass away” he was speaking on the topic that started his answer. He was saying that the old covenant and the temple that represented the place where God and man meet would pass away.

The bible scriptures backs this up and we are told to let God be true.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

 

[Episkopos]

If we don't obey the Lord in the things that ARE easy to understand...then why should God reveal to us things that we don't?? We are not to grasp the bible with our minds but with our hearts. Most Christians just skip over the easy parts...deeming them too difficult...in order to find parts that can be merely mulled over in the mind. So the easiest parts to understand are the hardest parts to actually live. Surely if we set out to DO what the Lord says we will come into all understanding....and be rewarded for it.

 

[Rocky Wiley]

If we don't obey the Lord in the things that ARE easy to understand...then why should God reveal to us things that we don't?? We are not to grasp the bible with our minds but with our hearts. Most Christians just skip over the easy parts...deeming them too difficult...in order to find parts that can be merely mulled over in the mind. So the easiest parts to understand are the hardest parts to actually live. Surely if we set out to DO what the Lord says we will come into all understanding....and be rewarded for it.

I can't tell if you agree or not, but we surely shouldn't can't say there are not any wolves in sheep clothing teaching and preaching in our churches. We need to understand the word of God for ourselves.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

 

[Episkopos]

I can't tell if you agree or not, but we surely shouldn't can't say there are not any wolves in sheep clothing teaching and preaching in our churches. We need to understand the word of God for ourselves.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

There is what we preach...and then there is how we live. Jesus said to certainly listen to the Pharisees. ..they certainly gave good sermons...but we would be wise to not do as they do. That is the rule.

Matt. 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

 

[Rocky Wiley]

There is what we preach...and then there is how we live. Jesus said to certainly listen to the Pharisees. ..they certainly gave good sermons...but we would be wise to not do as they do. That is the rule.

Matt. 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

I agree that we not only need to study to show ourselves approved of God but we must also live our life as a Christian, which means Christ like.

Had I been living during the time Jesus walked the earth, I would hope that I would not have been following the teaching the the Pharisees.

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

 

[Trekson]

Hi Rocky, I agreed with most of what you said until you asked this question: If this is what prompted the question, how can we be still be taught that Jesus has not come and we are still waiting? This is where preterism separates itself from mainstream eschatology.

These are three separate questions, not a one answer fits all thing. That the destruction of the temple occured in ad 70 and answers the first question certainly shouldn't assume that the other two questions were answered at the same time. Matt. 24's account of this doesn't actually address the answer of the temple; we need to go to Luke 21:20-24 for that.

The answer to the second question :"the sign of thy coming (when will you return in judgment)" is in Matt. 24:4-13 and as you can see this is global in nature and involves much more than a Rome vs. Jerusalem scenario. Regarding vs. 5, I really don't believe an est. 37 (to 70 ad) years would have "many" false Christs and prophets arise. A few, maybe, many, no.

The answer to the third question: " the end of the age (when will our world as we know it end)" is in Matt. 24:27-31.

Your reference: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." can be considered two different ways. Christ is either speaking directly to the generation of that time, or the actual generation that would see ALL these things come to pass. Which in the opinion of most scholars hasn't begun yet.

That the age in question is a law versus grace thing is an educated guess, but by assuming it is the age of law Christ is speaking of, is just that, a guess. He could also be speaking, having already answered the temple question, of when the age of grace ends, which is more in line with the other prophetic scriptures. Seeing as how most historical scholars put the writing of Revelation around 95 AD, some 25 yrs. after 70 ad, the churches of John's time knew that the final two questions have yet to be answered.

 

[Rocky Wiley]

Hi Rocky, I agreed with most of what you said until you asked this question: If this is what prompted the question, how can we be still be taught that Jesus has not come and we are still waiting? This is where preterism separates itself from mainstream eschatology.

These are three separate questions, not a one answer fits all thing. That the destruction of the temple occured in ad 70 and answers the first question certainly shouldn't assume that the other two questions were answered at the same time. Matt. 24's account of this doesn't actually address the answer of the temple; we need to go to Luke 21:20-24 for that.

Hi Trekson,

The only correct way to read the bible with understanding is do not change words to mean something else. If I told you this is the generation that the Lord will return, you would not be thinking I meant 2000 years in the future. The disciples did not think that either. All through the book of Revelation Jesus said I come quickly. That means soon, unless one is saying Jesus didn't know how to communicate with his creation.

The Old Testament was written to the Jews and the coming of Jesus was as their Messiah. Christians want to think that it is all about us, which would be correct if one wasn't looking for the same judgement that Jesus told the Jews was coming upon them.
Mat 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

We are all a product of what we have been taught, but in the case of prophecy it has been wrong.

I appreciate your input.

 

[Trekson]

Hi Rocky, It's a matter of perspective. If we believe that a 1000 yrs. are as a day to God, in the spiritual realm, than for all intents and purposes, Christ has been "gone" a little over two days. "Soon" is a relative term. Even by our standards, if we believe we will live eternally, multiple times of trillions of years+ than a couple of thousand years is "soon", just a blink of an eye, eternally speaking.

 

[Rocky Wiley]

Hi Rocky, It's a matter of perspective. If we believe that a 1000 yrs. are as a day to God, in the spiritual realm, than for all intents and purposes, Christ has been "gone" a little over two days. "Soon" is a relative term. Even by our standards, if we believe we will live eternally, multiple times of trillions of years+ than a couple of thousand years is "soon", just a blink of an eye, eternally speaking.

Trekson,

God made a comment about what a day is to him, but he still knows what a day is to us. When speaking to humans, he will speak in our terms.

Daniel 12 is speaking about the time Messiah would come, which was just a few hundred years away.

Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Here God is telling Daniel to seal up the book, for it is not the end. He also pointed out what would happen in the end:

Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Of course we know that the daily sacrifice was taken away with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and God gave the number of days that would equal 3 1/2 years in the previous verse.

Then in the Book of Revelation Jesus told John:

Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Time is at hand, means soon. Now some people will again try to change the word of God and say he spoke to Daniel one way and to John in another.

I ask you and all others to read God's word for what it says, not what man has taught us for years.

 

[Trekson]

Hi Rocky, Than we're left with two choices. Either God is a liar or your understanding is in error. The fact is, there are several prophecies in both the old and new testaments that haven't been fulfilled. No, God doesn't necessarily speak to us on our level. Even when Jesus taught in parables he knew most of those hearing him wouldn't understand, not even His disciples. He usually had to explain what He was talking about to them afterwards. Regarding prophecies Christ gave, all they knew was that it would be in the future, they had no knowledge of when. Even Christ said at that time that only God the father knew the exact day.

You really can't take an eschatological stance on something the disciples may or may not have assumed in error. They were human just as we are with no greater understanding of scripture than we have. They needed the Holy Spirit's help to do what they did, just as we do.

 

[Rocky Wiley]

Hi Rocky, Than we're left with two choices. Either God is a liar or your understanding is in error. The fact is, there are several prophecies in both the old and new testaments that haven't been fulfilled. No, God doesn't necessarily speak to us on our level. Even when Jesus taught in parables he knew most of those hearing him wouldn't understand, not even His disciples. He usually had to explain what He was talking about to them afterwards. Regarding prophecies Christ gave, all they knew was that it would be in the future, they had no knowledge of when. Even Christ said at that time that only God the father knew the exact day.

You really can't take an eschatological stance on something the disciples may or may not have assumed in error. They were human just as we are with no greater understanding of scripture than we have. They needed the Holy Spirit's help to do what they did, just as we do.

Trek,

When my son came to me and ask me to check out what he had come to believe was truth. I had to do that with an open mind because I believed just like you. What we have been discussing is very hard for one to see. It took me months of study to let scripture intrepret scripture. That is why I try to answer with scripture. If one were trying to make it say something they have any number of prophecy teachers they could quote. Some of those quotes would be "the USA is in the bible, we don't yet know who the antichrist is (the bible says the antichrist is anyone who does not believe Jesus is the Christ), or even we are now in the last days". All of these things have no scriptural backing, but they satisfy the need to go along with the crowd.

This was not posted to create conflict, but to try and get people to study. There is, on the internet, articles on hermenutics that one could read on how to intrepret the bible.

I hope you have no ill will toward me, I certainly don't have any toward you.

May God be with you.

 

[Trekson]

Hi Rocky, Why would you assume there is any ill will? Christians can disagree without becoming disagreeable.

I'm just suggesting maybe a little more study might be needed. About 25 yrs. ago I was an avid pre-tribber and could "debate" from the pre-trib point of view as well as anyone, however, I knew the theory had unexpainable holes in it. I was always praying and seeking answers about prophecy and God led me to a book called, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church" by Marv Rosenthal. What I read confused and astounded me as it seemed the answer to my prayers, however, in my stubborn christian pride I decided to do the research and prove him wrong, at least to myself. I couldn't do it. The more I studied, the more God opened my eyes to the spiritual and prophetical truths in the book, so after a few months I became an avid pre-wrather, much to the dismay of my pastor because I wouldn't keep my mouth shut during bible studies dealing with this issue, lol.

I respect your belief to let scripture interpret scripture as it is one I share. In my studies though I have found out that it's really not that simple. One can get overly involved with semantics, thinking words should have their obvious meaning, but they don't. The use of a single word can have many different meanings and the words aren't always translated correctly. I would suggest reading several bible versions for a better understanding, if you don't already.

 

[tgwprophet]

Trekson wrote: " Hi Rocky, It's a matter of perspective. If we believe that a 1000 yrs. are as a day to God, in the spiritual realm, than for all intents and purposes, Christ has been "gone" a little over two days. "Soon" is a relative term. Even by our standards, if we believe we will live eternally, multiple times of trillions of years+ than a couple of thousand years is "soon", just a blink of an eye, eternally speaking. "

Trekson, consider this possibility... speculation, What if this was explained in a manner man at that time could comrehend. Consider.... when you were a child you were taught as a child.... Now IF man could not fathom a million years and it is a million years for a day... how would God have expressed it. Myself, I believe it ws said a thousand years is as a day and a thousand years is accurate, but...

 

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, Rocky Wiley.

Is it hard to understand the bible? No.

Is it hard to understand teachers explanation of the bible? In many cases, yes.

So why is it there are so many interpretations of God’s word. For the most part it is because people do not study for themselves and they become just like a parrot, repeating what they have heard.

Here is one example:
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

There are two Greek words used for world, they are:

1. kosmos - adorning, world
2. aion - properly an age;

In Matthew 24:3 aion is used, so we see that the natural world is not what would be coming to an end. It was the end of the age that was coming to an end.

Now, we should ask our selves, to whom are the disciples asking this question and what age are they living in? They ask the question of Jesus and they were living in the age of law, not grace. So it was the age of law that was coming to an end.

Now we should ourselves, what happened that made them ask this question? The answer is that Jesus had just said that the temple would be destroyed.

Do we know if the temple was destroyed? Yes, it was destroyed in 70 AD. If this is what prompted the question, how can we be still be taught that Jesus has not come and we are still waiting.

Here is the disciples question “when shall these things be (when will this happen), the sign of thy coming (when will you return in judgment), and the end of the age (when will our world as we know it end)?”

Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

It is another bible study, but Jesus did not change the subject when he said “Heaven and earth shall pass away” he was speaking on the topic that started his answer. He was saying that the old covenant and the temple that represented the place where God and man meet would pass away.

The bible scriptures backs this up and we are told to let God be true.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

I find it ironic that you would make such ado about how easy it is to understand the Bible and how hard it is to understand teachers of the Bible, especially as they are just parroting theological rhetoric, and yet parrot your own theological rhetoric in saying that the disciples were living in the "age of law" and not in the "age of grace." Thus, in concluding that they were living in the "age of law" and believing that we are now living in the "age of grace," you set up a "straw man hypothesis" and have made the obvious assumption that the "age of law" was the end of the age to which they were implying in both their question of Yeshua` and in Yeshua`s answer!

You also implied by rejecting "that Jesus has not come and we are still waiting" that you think He HAS already come and we are NO LONGER waiting. These assumptions, too, come from the teachers YOU have chosen to embrace, every bit as much as futurists have!

Your arguments are not "simple" in that they are easy to figure out; they are SIMPLISTIC in that they are both old spoutings of common, rhetorical arguments and that there's no thought to them! They have no depth, and they border on being condescending!

There are literally HUNDREDS of prophecies in the Tanakh (the OT), many of which were fulfilled quite literally by the Messiah when He came the first time. So, tell me: Why won't the rest of the prophecies, particularly those that promise the Messiah will return physically and the nation of Isra'el the blessings of a future Kingdom under the reign of the Messiah, also be literally fulfilled?

I don't mean to be combative, but I just don't like condescension.

 

[Guestman]

Is the Bible hard to understand ? Yes. Jesus said in prayer to his heavenly Father: "I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden ("carefully hidden", Greek apekrupsas, meaning "to conceal away (i.e. fully); figuratively, to keep secret", Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G613) these things from wise and intellectual ones, and have revealed them to babes. Yes, O Father, because to do thus came to be the way approved by you.(Luke 10:21)

Furthermore, at Daniel 12, an angel told Daniel: "And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant....Go, Daniel, because the words are made secret and sealed up until the time of the end. Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will certainly act wickedly, and no wicked ones at all will understand; but the ones having insight will understand."(Dan 12:4, 9, 10)

Hence, the Bible is written in such a "way" by our Creator, Jehovah God, that it is "carefully hidden" from most, even those who are very scholastically capable. Only those who are like "babes", humble and teachable by God, are able to have insight into the Bible.

Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 54:13, told the Jews: "No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ "(John 6:44, 45) Thus, those who allow themselves to be "taught by Jehovah" are like "babes", carefully listening to his direction. It is these that are able to unlock "the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens".(Matt 13:11)

All others, Jesus said, "looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it; and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, ‘By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it; and, looking, you will look but by no means see."(Matt 13:13, 14)

 

[veteran]

God gave His Holy Writ to us via The Holy Spirit, and no one will really begin to grasp It without the help of The Holy Spirit. That's always the first requirement.

But a scholarly approach is not a problem, unless one turns to the various doctrines of men, for that working exists within the scholarly world of textual criticism also.

So let's be honest here; many not anywhere near a scholarly level of Bible study cannot grasp some of the simple principles in God's Word mainly because of men's doctrines they listen to instead. So why should our Heavenly Father open up their spiritual eyes to understand His Word when... they won't even listen to Him 'directly' in His Word first?

 

[neophyte]

God gave His Holy Writ to us via The Holy Spirit, and no one will really begin to grasp It without the help of The Holy Spirit. That's always the first requirement.

But a scholarly approach is not a problem, unless one turns to the various doctrines of men, for that working exists within the scholarly world of textual criticism also.

So let's be honest here; many not anywhere near a scholarly level of Bible study cannot grasp some of the simple principles in God's Word mainly because of men's doctrines they listen to instead. So why should our Heavenly Father open up their spiritual eyes to understand His Word when... they won't even listen to Him 'directly' in His Word first?

Must be one heck of a lot of Holy Spirits because everyone of you Protestants believe you have the correct One, while every one of you Prots have conflicting interpretations.

 

[Rex]

Must be one heck of a lot of Holy Spirits because everyone of you Protestants believe you have the correct One, while every one of you Prots have conflicting interpretations.

Apparently you haven't spent much time over at catholic answers. Just as much or more controversy, confusion, and mud slinging as any protestant forum.
The difference between this forum and theirs is, they have zero tolerance for protestant doctrine. I would be band in an hour over there, have been BTW.
http://forums.catholic.com/

 

[Guestman]

The Bible interprets itself, with God's holy spirit giving the direction. For example, at Revelation 17, there is seen a "harlot" called "Babylon the Great". By allowing "Scripture to interpret Scripture", it can be deciphered who this "Babylon the Great " is, by not being biased. These look at the accounts concerning ancient Babylon and what it was that propelled it, such as at Jeremiah chapters 50 and 51, as well as Isaiah 47.

Jesus said that those whom he has appointed, called "the faithful and discreet slave", that these ones would provide sound and solid spiritual "food", or "meat (Greek trophe, meaning literally "food", that is also used at Matthew 3:4, Acts 9:19, and Hebrews 5:14) in due season".(Matt 24:45, King James Bible) These would be the ones who would unlock "the mysteries of the kingdom".(Matt 13:11)

In speaking with his disciples, Jesus said: "To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."(Matt 13:11, 12) Hence, Jesus genuine disciples are given the privilege of understanding "the sacred secrets of the kingdom", whereas to all others, "it is not granted".

In giving several illustrations concerning the "kingdom" at Matthew 13, Jesus used the lemma Greek word syniemi some six times (Matt 13:13, 14, 15, 19, 23, 51), both in a negative and positive sense. For example, at Matthew 13:13, 14, Jesus says: "This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because, looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it ("get the sense of it", Greek syniousin, meaning "to mentally put the pieces together", G4920, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, "to set or join together in the mind", Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg 605); and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, ‘By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it (Greek synete); and, looking, you will look but by no means see."

In concluding his several illustrations regarding the "kingdom", Jesus asked his disciples: "Did you get the sense (Greek synekate) of all these things ? "(Matt 13:51) They said "Yes". Hence. Jesus now said: "That being the case, every public instructor, when taught respecting the kingdom of the heavens, is like a man, a householder, who brings out of his treasure store things new and old.”(Matt 13:52)

The teachings and training provided by Jesus would build his disciples into mature Christians who could bring forth from their ‘storehouse’ an endless supply of rich spiritual food. Much of this related to God’s Kingdom. Jesus made it clear that “getting the sense of ” the Kingdom would bring not only blessings but also responsibility.

He commanded: “Go therefore and make disciples ("disciple", Greek matheteusate, meaning "intransitively, to become a pupil, transitively, to disciple, i.e. enroll as a scholar", G3100, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, "to make a disciple; to teach, instruct", Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg 386) of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”(Matt 28:19, 20)

Thus, those that "get the sense of " the "kingdom" not only become disciples themselves, but, in turn, go and "make disciples", teaching others by instructing them accurately regarding what the Bible really teaches. Proverbs 14:6 says: "The ridiculer has sought to find wisdom, and there is none; but to the understanding one knowledge is an easy thing."

 

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, Guestman.

The Bible interprets itself, with God's holy spirit giving the direction. For example, at Revelation 17, there is seen a "harlot" called "Babylon the Great". By allowing "Scripture to interpret Scripture", it can be deciphered who this "Babylon the Great " is, by not being biased. These look at the accounts concerning ancient Babylon and what it was that propelled it, such as at Jeremiah chapters 50 and 51, as well as Isaiah 47.

Jesus said that those whom he has appointed, called "the faithful and discreet slave", that these ones would provide sound and solid spiritual "food", or "meat (Greek trophe, meaning literally "food", that is also used at Matthew 3:4, Acts 9:19, and Hebrews 5:14) in due season".(Matt 24:45, King James Bible) These would be the ones who would unlock "the mysteries of the kingdom".(Matt 13:11)

In speaking with his disciples, Jesus said: "To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."(Matt 13:11, 12) Hence, Jesus genuine disciples are given the privilege of understanding "the sacred secrets of the kingdom", whereas to all others, "it is not granted".

I don't know what version of the Bible you are using for this rendition of Matthew 13:11, but to translate "musteerion" (using "ee" for eta) as "sacred secrets" is taking liberties by those to whom such liberties are not granted! The word usually translated "holy" ("sacred") in the New Testament is the Greek word "hagion," but that word IS NOT THERE! I'd be EXTRA careful using that version, if I were you!

In giving several illustrations concerning the "kingdom" at Matthew 13, Jesus used the lemma Greek word syniemi some six times (Matt 13:13, 14, 15, 19, 23, 51), both in a negative and positive sense. For example, at Matthew 13:13, 14, Jesus says: "This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because, looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it ("get the sense of it", Greek syniousin, meaning "to mentally put the pieces together", G4920, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, "to set or join together in the mind", Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg 605); and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, ‘By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it (Greek synete); and, looking, you will look but by no means see."

In concluding his several illustrations regarding the "kingdom", Jesus asked his disciples: "Did you get the sense (Greek synekate) of all these things ? "(Matt 13:51) They said "Yes". Hence. Jesus now said: "That being the case, every public instructor, when taught respecting the kingdom of the heavens, is like a man, a householder, who brings out of his treasure store things new and old.”(Matt 13:52)

The teachings and training provided by Jesus would build his disciples into mature Christians who could bring forth from their ‘storehouse’ an endless supply of rich spiritual food. Much of this related to God’s Kingdom. Jesus made it clear that “getting the sense of ” the Kingdom would bring not only blessings but also responsibility.

It is ALSO important that one realize that these parables in Matthew 13 are NOT about the present NOR about the "Church" at all! This passage is about the Messiah's Kingdom, an extension of David's Kingdom, that will be re-instated within the nation Isra'el when our Lord returns! Thus, these particular verses are not about something that we might be able to see today; they are about the future millennium (chilia etee) that will be inaugerated with the return of the King, Yeshua` haMelekh Yisra'el. These "one thousand years" are not all there is to His Kingdom, either, by the way; they are the FIRST 1000 years of His Kingdom that shall not end.

He commanded: “Go therefore and make disciples ("disciple", Greek matheteusate, meaning "intransitively, to become a pupil, transitively, to disciple, i.e. enroll as a scholar", G3100, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, "to make a disciple; to teach, instruct", Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg 386) of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”(Matt 28:19, 20)

Thus, those that "get the sense of " the "kingdom" not only become disciples themselves, but, in turn, go and "make disciples", teaching others by instructing them accurately regarding what the Bible really teaches. Proverbs 14:6 says: "The ridiculer has sought to find wisdom, and there is none; but to the understanding one knowledge is an easy thing."

This is true; however, don't forget what His KINGDOM is! It is the Kingdom of heaven, that is, it is the Kingdom from the sky (hee basileia toon ouranoon). It is the Kingdom of God (hee basileia tou Theou), that is, it is GOD'S Kingdom! It is the Messiah's Kingdom (or Christ's Kingdom, tee basileia tou Christou; Ephesians 5:5), that is, it is the Kingdom promised to the heir of David (Luke 1:30-33) that shall grow until it fills the earth (Dani'el 2:35 cf. Dani'el 2:44-45). Thus, its size will greatly increase (the parable of the mustard seed) and its influence will likewise increase (the parable of the leaven).

(Just as a note, I use "e" for epsilon, "ee" for eta, "o" for omicron, and "oo" for omega, and I do not discriminate for an iota subscript.)