Parables of the Kingdom

The Gospel of Mark provides several examples of the many parables taught by Jesus (“Apart from a parable he did not speak to the crowds”). The dominant theme of his parables is the Kingdom of God that began to invade the Earth in his ministry and continues to grow and produce fruit wherever the Gospel is preached. The “Son of Man” taught the Jewish people in parables, but only as “they were able to hear,” and this clause stresses the responsibility of the listener to hear and heed his words.

Sower and Seed

The Parable of the Sower and its interpretation provide the key to understanding the parables of Jesus. The Kingdom of God began to invade the present age starting with the proclamation of the Gospel by the “Son of Man.” This process commenced with his announcement of the Good News when he was in “Galilee of the Nations.” Since then, the Kingdom has advanced across the Earth though unnoticed by most of humanity.

His Way

Jesus arrived in Galilee proclaiming the “Kingdom of God” – “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” In his ministry, the reign of God was invading the Earth, but his realm was of a different nature than the governments and ideologies of this fallen world, and on more than one occasion, Jesus refused political power, especially when it was offered by Satan.

His Kingdom

When Jesus first appeared in Galilee, he proclaimed the “Kingdom of God” – “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” In his ministry, God’s reign began to invade the Earth. But his realm was of an entirely different nature to the political systems of this world. On more than one occasion, he refused THAT kind of political power, especially when it was offered by Satan who tempted him with rulership over “all the kingdoms of the world.”

The Son of Man

In the three synoptic gospels, the term “Son of Man” is the self-designation found most often on the lips of Jesus. It is derived from Daniel’s vision of the one “like a Son of Man” who received the “dominion and kingdom” from the “Ancient of Days.” According to Jesus, “All the tribes of the Earth” will mourn when “they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of Heaven.”

Opposition Begins

Jesus began to proclaim the Kingdom of God in Galilee following the arrest of John the Baptist, an incident that foreshadowed the opposition he would face throughout his ministry. Resistance to him would culminate in his arrest, trial, and execution in Jerusalem. His message brought fulfillment but also adversity. Unlike the prophets of old, his work did NOT begin or center in Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there.