The kingdom of the heavens is different from the kingdom of God (Matthew21:33-46; 22:1-14) by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The kingdom of the heavens is different from the kingdom of God (Matthew21:33-46; 22:1-14)

by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce      Christian Art Ministries 

The parables of the King (Matthew 21:28-32) 

The rebellion of the nation

What do you think! There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, “Son, go and work today in the vineyard.” “I will not,” he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. Other son and said the same thing. He answered, “I will, sir,” but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted? : the first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “ I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (vv.28-32)

Insight and understanding

 In Luke 15:1-2,11-32, the Lord likened the leaders of Judaism to the firstborn son, and the tax collectors and sinners to the second son; but here the Lord likened them in the opposite order. This indicates that the Jews were the firstborn of God (Exo.4:22) and had the birthright. However, because of their unbelief the birthright was shifted to the church, which has become God’s firstborn (Heb.12:3).

 The Gospel of Matthew, as the book on the kingdom, stresses the matter of righteousness, for the kingdom life is one of strict righteousness, which we must seek (5:20,6:33). John the Baptist came in the way of such righteousness, and the Lord Jesus was willing to be baptized by John to fulfill such righteousness.

 

The transfer to the kingdom of God (Matthew 21:33-46)

Hear another parable. There was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and put a hedge around it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower; and he leased it out to vinedressers and went abroad. And then the time to harvest the fruit drew near, he sent his salves to the vinedressers to get his fruit. (vv.33-34). And the vinedressers took his slaves and beat one and killed another and stoned another. Again, he sent some other slaves, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. (vv.35-36). Then later he sent to them his son; saying, they will respect my son.(v.37). But the vinedressers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, this is the heir, come let us kill him and take possession of his inheritance. And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. (vv. 38-39). Therefore, whether master of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, He will miserably destroy those evil men and will lease the vineyard to other vinedressers, who will give the fruit to him in their season.(vv.40-41). Jesus said to them, “have you never read in the scriptures: “the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this tone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom if falls will be crushed. (Matt.21:42-44)

Insight and understanding of Matthew 21:33-46

 The householder is God, the vineyard is the city of Jerusalem (Isa.5:1), and the vinedressers are the leaders of the Israelites (v.45). Verse 34 these were the prophets sent by God (2Chron.24:19; 36:15). Verse 35 this was the persecution suffered by the Old Testament prophets (Jer.37:15;Neh.9:26;2Chron.24:21). Verse 37 this is Christ. Verse 38 this statement indicates that the Jewish leaders, wanting the maintain their false position, envied Christ because of His rights. Verse 39 Christ was killed outside the city of Jerusalem (Heb.13:12).

Verse 41 this was fulfilled when the Roman prince Titus and his army destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70. Verse 41 these were the apostles. Verse 42 The stone is Christ, who is for God’s building (Isa.28:16; Zech.3:9; 1Pet.2:4), and the builders are the Jewish leaders, who should have been working on God’s building. Christ is not only the foundation stone (Isa.28:16) and the top stone (Zech.4:7) but also the cornerstone.

Verse 43 the kingdom of God was already there among the Israelites, but the kingdom of the heavens had only drawn near (3:2;4:17). This proves that the kingdom of the heavens is different from the kingdom of God. Verse 43 this is the church.

Verse 44 the builders, this is a person who stumbles on Christ, referring in particular to the unbelieving Israelites (Isa.8:15; Rom.9:32). Verse 44 “whomever is falls” these are the nations, Gentiles, that Christ will smite and break into pieces at His coming back (Dan.2:34-35). To the believers Christ is the foundation stone, the One in whom they trust (Isa.28:16); to the unbelieving Jews He is the stone of stumbling (Isa.8:14; Rom.9:33); and to the nations He will be the smiting stone.   

Chapter 22 parables the kingdom of heaven & the rejection of the nation (Matt.22:1-14)

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “the kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, “Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet. But they paid no attention and went off- one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” (vv.1-7)

Then he said to his servants, the wedding banquet is ready but hose I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invited to the banquet anyone you find. So, the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with quests. But when the king came into see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. “Friend” he asked, “how did you get in here without wedding clothes? The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, “Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (vv.8-14) 

Insight and understanding

 The parable of the vineyard in chapter 21 refers to the Old Testament, in which was the kingdom of God (21:43), whereas the parable of a wedding feast in this chapter refers to the New Testament, in which is the kingdom of the heavens.

In the foregoing parable (21:33-46) the Lord illustrated how the Jews, who were in the kingdom of God, would be punished, and how the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to the kingdom people. Another parable was needed for Him to illustrate how the kingdom people, who are in the kingdom of the heavens, will be dealt with strictly. Both parables indicate that the kingdom is a serious matter.

 Verse 2 The king is God, and the son is Christ. In the foregoing parable the Old Testament was likened to a vineyard, with the focus mainly on the matter of labor under the law; in this parable the New Testament is likened to a wedding feast, with the focus mainly on the matter of enjoyment under grace. Verse 3 these are the first group of New Testament apostles. Verse 4 these are the apostles sent later by the Lord. Primarily the first meal, taken early in the morning, before work. both the oxen and the fatted cattle refer to Christ, who was killed so that God’s chosen people could enjoy Him as a feast.

 Verse 7 these were the Roman troops who, under the leadership of Titus, destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70. verse 8 The rejection by the Jews made them unworthy to enjoy the New Testament (Acts.13:46). Verse 9 because of the rejection by the Jews, the preaching of the New Testament turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46;Rom.11:11)

 Verse 11 This wedding garment is typified by the embroidered garment in Psalm 45:14 and is signified by the fine linen in Rev.19:8. This is the surpassing righteousness of the overcoming believers, mentioned in 5:20. The man not clothed with a wedding garment is saved, because he has come to the wedding feast. He has received Christ as his righteousness that he might be justified before God (1 Cor.1:30; Rom.3:26), but he has not lived Christ out as his subjective righteousness (Phil.3:9), that he might participate in the enjoyment of the kingdom of the heavens. He has been called to salvation, but he has not been chosen for the enjoyment of the kingdom of the heavens, which is for the overcoming believers only.  

 Verse 13 the servants should refer to the angels. (cf.13:41,49). To be cast out into the outer darkness is not to perish; it is to be dealt with dispensationally, to be disqualified from participating in the enjoyment of the kingdom during the millennium, for not having lived by Christ an overcoming life. In the millennium the overcoming believers will be with Christ in the bright glory of the kingdom (Col.3:4), whereas the defeated believers will suffer discipline in outer darkness (ch.8:12).  

Verse 14 to be called is to receive salvation (Rom.1:7;1 Cor.1:2;Eph4:1), whereas to be chosen is to receive a reward. All believers have been called, but few will be chosen to receive a reward.