Matthew 13

A Harvest Story

1 At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach.2 In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat.

3 Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories.4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it.5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots,6 so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly.7 Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.8 Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?"

Why Tell Stories?

10 The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"

11 He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them.12 Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears.13 That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it.14 I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing.15 The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them.

16 "But you have God-blessed eyes-eyes that see! And God-blessed ears-ears that hear!17 A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance.

The Meaning of the Harvest Story

18 "Study this story of the farmer planting seed.19 When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.

20 "The seed cast in the gravel-this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm.21 But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

22 "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.

23 "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."

24 He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.25 That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn.26 When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too.

27 "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, 'Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?'

28 "He answered, 'Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, 'Should we weed out the thistles?'

29 "He said, 'No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too.30 Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'"

31 Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants.32 It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it."

33 Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread-and waits while the dough rises."

34 All Jesus did that day was tell stories-a long storytelling afternoon.35 His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day.

The Curtain of History

36 Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field."

37 So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man.38 The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil,39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels.

40 "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act.41 The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom,42 pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen.43 At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?

44 "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic-what a find!-and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.

45 "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls.46 Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.

47 "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish.48 When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away.49 That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish50 and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good."

51 Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes."

52 He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it."

53 When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there,54 returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?"55 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas.56 All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?"57 They got their noses all out of joint.

58 But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.

Matthew 14

The Death of John

1 At about this time, Herod, the regional ruler, heard what was being said about Jesus.2 He said to his servants, "This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead. That's why he's able to work miracles!"

3 Herod had arrested John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison to placate Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.4 John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias "adultery."5 Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid because so many people revered John as a prophet of God.

6 But at his birthday celebration, he got his chance. Herodias's daughter provided the entertainment, dancing for the guests. She swept Herod away.7 In his drunken enthusiasm, he promised her on oath anything she wanted.8 Already coached by her mother, she was ready: "Give me, served up on a platter, the head of John the Baptizer."9 That sobered the king up fast. Unwilling to lose face with his guests, he did it10 - ordered John's head cut off11 and presented to the girl on a platter. She in turn gave it to her mother.12 Later, John's disciples got the body, gave it a reverent burial, and reported to Jesus.

Supper for Five Thousand

13 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully-someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was.14 When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.

15 Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper."

16 But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper."

17 "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said.

18 Jesus said, "Bring them here."19 Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation.20 They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers.21 About five thousand were fed.

Walking on the Water

22 As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people.23 With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

24 Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves.25 At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water.26 They were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror.

27 But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."

28 Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water."

29 He said, "Come ahead."30 But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"

31 Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, "Faint-heart, what got into you?"

32 The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down.33 The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, "This is it! You are God's Son for sure!"

34 On return, they beached the boat at Gennesaret.35 When the people got wind that he was back, they sent out word through the neighborhood and rounded up all the sick,36 who asked for permission to touch the edge of his coat. And whoever touched him was healed.

Matthew 15

What Pollutes Your Life

1 After that, Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus all the way from Jerusalem, criticizing,2 "Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?"

3 But Jesus put it right back on them. "Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God's commands?4 God clearly says, 'Respect your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.'5 But you weasel around that by saying, 'Whoever wants to, can say to father and mother, What I owed to you I've given to God.'6 That can hardly be called respecting a parent. You cancel God's command by your rules.7 Frauds! Isaiah's prophecy of you hit the bull's-eye:8 These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it.9 They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy."

10 He then called the crowd together and said, "Listen, and take this to heart.11 It's not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up."

12 Later his disciples came and told him, "Did you know how upset the Pharisees were when they heard what you said?"

13 Jesus shrugged it off. "Every tree that wasn't planted by my Father in heaven will be pulled up by its roots.14 Forget them. They are blind men leading blind men. When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch."

15 Peter said, "I don't get it. Put it in plain language."

16 Jesus replied, "You too? Are you being willfully stupid?17 Don't you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated?18 But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart.19 It's from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing.20 That's what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands-that's neither here nor there." Healing the People

Healing the People

21 From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon.22 They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit."

23 Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy."

24 Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel."

25 Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me."

26 He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs."

27 She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table."

28 Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well.

29 After Jesus returned, he walked along Lake Galilee and then climbed a mountain and took his place, ready to receive visitors.30 They came, tons of them, bringing along the paraplegic, the blind, the maimed, the mute-all sorts of people in need-and more or less threw them down at Jesus' feet to see what he would do with them. He healed them.31 When the people saw the mutes speaking, the maimed healthy, the paraplegics walking around, the blind looking around, they were astonished and let everyone know that God was blazingly alive among them.

32 But Jesus wasn't finished with them. He called his disciples and said, "I hurt for these people. For three days now they've been with me, and now they have nothing to eat. I can't send them away without a meal-they'd probably collapse on the road."

33 His disciples said, "But where in this deserted place are you going to dig up enough food for a meal?"

34 Jesus asked, "How much bread do you have?"35 At that, Jesus directed the people to sit down.36 He took the seven loaves and the fish. After giving thanks, he divided it up and gave it to the people.37 Everyone ate. They had all they wanted. It took seven large baskets to collect the leftovers.38 Over four thousand people ate their fill at that meal.39 After Jesus sent them away, he climbed in the boat and crossed over to the Magadan hills.