Parables of Christ

In the parables of the New Testament the heaven here in this world is often described in terms of plants yielding fruit or seeds of varying quantity. The plants represent people, and the fruit the plants produce is love and the joy that comes from love. Just as some plants produce more fruit, some people give more love and experience more joy.

While the heaven in this world is represented by the fruit of a plant during the plant's lifetime the eternal Heaven is the harvest. The harvest occurs at the end of the season just as eternal Heaven will come at the end of creation.

Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

In this story the enemy which is the devil sowed the tares which are sin to destroy the wheat which is humanity. God plants the seeds of love in the hearts of humans. Satan, in order to destroy humanity, plants the seeds of self-centeredness. The Master which is God took great care to destroy the tares without destroying the wheat. In this parable the wheat and weed have become entwined as if two are one plant. Each child of God contains one wheat and one weed entangled together. At the time of the harvest the weeds and wheat are to be separated which is the separation of flesh and spirit on the Day of Judgment.

This passage is describing the harvest, therefore it is describing the eternal Heaven; but it is immediately followed by a description of a different heaven. What comes next is a parable that talks of the fruit or yield of a plant during the plant's lifetime. This is a description of heaven here in this world.

Matthew 13:31-32 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

By following our heart and obeying the commandments of Christ we have joy and happiness and we spread love to others just as "birds of the air come and lodge in the branches" of the mustard tree.

Just as the heaven in this world is compared to the fruit or yield of a plant during the plant’s lifetime, the hell in this world is compared to a plant that does not yield any fruit.

Luke 13:6-9 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Just as the unfruitful plant was sown with dung there is chastisement or hell in this world for those children of God who ignore their heart. Those who are not children of God are nothing but weed since they have no fruit bearing seed in them. Only fruit bearing plants are expected to grow fruit, and are sown with dung when they fail to do so.

Before there can be a fruit bearing plant there must first be a seed, and God is the farmer who plants all the seeds. There must first be something in the heart, something put there by God, something that might grow and yield great joy or it may wither from neglect. Yet in either case all of the crops are pulled up at the harvest even the ones that produced little fruit before the harvest.

Mark 4:3-20 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Here once again it is the heaven in this life that is compared to the yield of plants. The plants are said to yield fruit in varying quantities up to a hundredfold.

Mark 10:29-30 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

The hundredfold reward is "now in this time". Some fruit bearing plants do not produce a lot of fruit, but they are still fruit bearing plants. By the mercy of God all of the seeds planted by God will be harvested even the ones thrown on stony ground because they are spirits of love that came from God.

Matthew 25:14-30 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In other parables the heaven and hell of this life are compared to the yield of a fruit bearing plant. This time instead of starting out with a seed and turning it into a fruit bearing plant, the spirit given to the child of God is compared to coins. The child of God, by his works, by his own free will, is supposed to cause that money to increase. The increase comes from investing that which is given. It is income that requires an initial investment just as a fruit bearing plant must start with a seed.

The initial investment was given to the servants, but the increase is earned by the servants. This parable must therefore be describing the heaven in this world, because we can not earn admission to the eternal Heaven. Also, the increase occurs before the return of the lord, and it is referring to our righteousness and our joy in the Earth before the return of our Lord and the Day of Judgment. And finally, the initial gift varies from one servant to the next just as the increase does; but in the eternal Heaven, all of God's children will be equal.

Since this parable is describing heaven in this world the punishment it mentions must also be hell in this world. When the unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness, this is not referring to the eternal Hell. In the earlier parable of wheat and tares the tares are symbolic of flesh that is cast into a "furnace of fire" at "the end of this world". This is the destructive Hell to come on the Day of Judgment which destroys all evil.

The unprofitable servant is not cast into the "furnace of fire" which happens at "the end of this world". Instead, he is cast into "outer darkness". An unprofitable servant of God is still a servant of God; he is still a child of God. He was given a coin by his lord meaning he was given a spirit of compassion by the Lord God of Heaven. He may have buried that compassion deep within himself, he may have ignored his inclination to love and help others; but that compassion itself is good and worthy of life. The unprofitable servant is resurrected unto eternal life; "outer darkness" is a description of hell here in this lifetime.

Matthew 20:1-14 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

In this parable the pay given to the laborers is given out at the end of the work day meaning the end of time. This shows that this parable is describing the eternal kingdom of Heaven. The workers are paid based on their “hire” not their work. The workers are paid as they were told they would be; it was not compensation they had earned due to their labor. Likewise, we cannot work our way into the eternal kingdom of God.

Some of the workers did work longer; some gathered more fruit during the work day just as some of God's children experience more joy during this life than others. The reward at the end of the work day was same for all just as all are equal in the eternal kingdom of God which is a gift of God through Christ.

Mark 10:17-27 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Christ was asked "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life", and as far as what we must do to earn it ourselves is be perfect. "With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible". The eternal kingdom of Heaven is provided to us by God not through repentance, not through baptism, not through anything we are capable of doing. It is provided to all who have the seed, which is love, planted in the heart by God. Heaven is provided to that spirit, or seed, itself even for the millions who lived and died without ever hearing the word “Jesus” or the word “YHWH”.