PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM – THE THIRD - THE MUSTARD SEED - PART 2 of 4
We continue from Part 1 and learn what the Parable of the Mustard Seed really means. The accepted meaning of the parable is not consistent with the scriptures as we began to see in the first Part.
{{Matthew 13:31-32 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field, and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”}}
[6]. RETURNING TO THE PARABLE – WHAT IS THE GENERALLY ACCEPTED MEANING?
The meaning for this parable goes right back for 500 years and that has become the acceptable meaning, but is it correct? What the reformers and the commentators of the time say is this – The mustard seed represents the gospel that grew so large that the whole world came under the gospel. The birds of the air are the converts who came to find shelter in the Church. Therefore, for many of them this mustard tree is the Church sheltering converts.
The Reformers interpret the parable of the mustard seed as a lesson about the kingdom of God, emphasising that it starts from small beginnings but grows significantly over time. Commentators tend to copy each other, one after the other, so what started originally, tends to be copied and regurgitated and copied again.
Pulpit Commentary following the Reformers’ teaching says [[The central thought of the parable is the growth of the kingdom of heaven considered externally. Although it has small beginnings, it is to have a marvellous expansion, so that even those who naturally are outside it are glad to avail themselves of its protection.]]
All that idea could not be further from the truth. In fact the opposite is true. We saw last time the birds of the air were consistently bad and NOT good. Just because some reformers 500 years ago said that, it does not mean it can’t be questioned, for the reformers held onto some teachings of the Roman Catholic Church from which they came. It is almost as if what they said back then has become “gospel truth”. We can’t be of that closed mindset. In nearly every commentary you read, they just follow that line. It becomes dismissive of men of God through the ages who have been led by the Holy Spirit in more and more understanding.
[7]. WHAT DOES THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED MEAN?
Before we answer that, consider the first two parables. In the Sower the Lord was the Sower and preached the good seed. In the Tares, false teaching came in and started to oppose the good seed. False teaching spread to case havoc in the Church for the first two centuries plus.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed that grew up into an unnatural monstrosity is the continuation of the first two parables. I have said already these parables follow each other. The resultant tree is unnatural and a distortion, and an abuse of the faith. Something happened to cause that to materialise.
This distortion of the Church that happened, blossomed in A.D. 312. It goes back to the time of Roman Emperor Constantine who claimed he had a vision and got into the church. He compelled all his soldiers to be baptised into the church when they were not saved. Honestly, I don’t think Constantine himself was saved. He just adopted the Christian dress (maybe through superstition). I will speak more on that later.
When these pagans entered the church they brought with them evil doctrines from their paganism, that, as the years advanced, started to take hold and develop into distinctive Roman Catholic doctrine. These evil doctrines and practices are the foul birds of the air taking up residence in that monstrosity of a tree and nesting there. In other words these doctrines matured and remained in the tree of the church and “built their nests there”. This is going to become much clearer when we look at the period in Church History that the mustard seed represents.
[8]. WE NOW ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM
PART [A]. AN INTRODUCTION
As in the two previous parables we saw how each one matched one of the churches of Asia written to by John. Not only that but each parable matched a specific period of Church History. This is not fanciful. If it was, then one church and parable and church history period might match, but all seven do that and in the same sequence.
*** The Parable of the Mustard Seed matches the Pergamum church ***. To begin with let us look at the opening comment to each church.
For each church, the opening verse describes some aspect of the Lord of the churchs. How is the Lord described for these three churches?
(i) Ephesus – Revelation 2:1. {{“The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands”}}.
(ii) Smyrna – Revelation 2:8. {{“The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life”}}
(iii) Pergamum - Revelation 2:12. {{“The One who has the sharp two-edged sword”}}
For Ephesus, the picture is one of care for the church to watch over it, and communion. For Smyrna, it is Jesus in resurrection for this suffering, persecuted church with its martyrs. For Pergamum, the attitude changes. The two-edged sword is for death and judgement. The Lord is taking issue with this church. It is out of favour with the Lord. We shall see why that was. In this church some filthy birds had come to nest in the monstrosity! (fulfilling the Parable of the Mustard Seed).
PART [B]. A DISSECTION OF THE LETTER
{{Revelation 2:12 “To the angel of THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
Revelation 2:13 “I know where you dwell, WHERE SATAN’S THRONE IS, and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of ANTIPAS, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you WHERE SATAN DWELLS”}}
This was a very unpleasant town for it was dark and satanic, and some in the church had succumbed to the atmosphere of the town.
(A). VERSE 13. “WHERE SATAN’S THRONE IS.”
NOTE:- I am taking some material from one of my books of the 7 Churches of Asia but I can’t identify which book at present. I forget where it is. Sorry.
PERGAMUM was known for science and learning but it was the centre of serpent-worship and the Emperor cult. That made the place very demonic. Daily they acted out the pagan rites of the Babylonian religion. Pergamum was a wealthy & prosperous city. The place attracted people wanting to view Nicephorium, a beautiful grove containing temples to Zeus, Athene, Apollo, Aesculapius and Aphrodite.
It was 18 miles from the sea and about 80 miles north of Smyrna. The citizens worked the fields and partook in breeding stock but the city was more of a cultural centre. The place is modern Bergama, and the whole area is an archaeologist's delight. Old Pergamum numbered over 160 000 people.
[9]. AESCULAPIUS AND SATAN WORSHIP/SEAT
The Aesculapium at Pergamum was an immense area through which ran a sacred spring and it comprised a number of buildings, including a temple, library, theatre, porticoed gallery, amphitheatre, hippodrome and baths. Patients received treatment in various ways, but in the majority of cases sleep was induced, and the priests used their own methods of causing the patients to dream, and then proceeded to decide the drug or method to be employed by interpreting the dreams. Whispered consultations took place in the galleries, and music, singing and plays were used as therapeutic aids.
Bathing also played a considerable part in the treatment, and three sacred pools and a sacred fountain were found in the main courtyard. Over the main gate was the inscription which ran, “In the name of the magnificence of all the gods, death is forbidden to enter the holy place.” Aesculapius was termed “the Saviour” and it was claimed that he had the power to avert death.
At Pergamum one of these health, medical places was said to have acquired from the centaur, Chiron, a knowledge of surgery and herbs and the ability to impart life to the dead. He was originally depicted as a serpent and the Greeks later represented him as holding Hermes’ staff with the two-headed snake. Hermes’ staff, the Caduceus, is still the symbol of doctors and the medical corps and the entwined snakes became the emblem of the city of Pergamum. Live snakes were kept at the Aesculapium and patients, feeling their cold touch, were convinced they had been in contact with a god.
The deification of AESCULAPIUS resulted in the development of a religious cult with its temples, priesthood, and ritual attracting a large number of adherents. THE SNAKE ALWAYS REMAINED THE SYMBOL OF THE GOD AND IT IS WITH JUSTIFICATION THAT IT CAN BE IDENTIFIED WITH “SATAN’S THRONE” AS THE TEMPLE AND WORSHIP OF AESCULAPIUS. (whose symbol is now the present day doctors’ entwined-serpents symbol)
[10]. CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED AND TORTURED
Many followers of Christ had suffered torture and martyrdom for their faithfulness, and one of their number, Antipas, a dentist and physician, had been suspected by Aesculapius of propagating Christianity secretly, and they accused him of disloyalty to Caesar. He was condemned to death and was shut in a brass or copper bull, which was then heated until it was red hot. Every refinement of cruelty was inflicted on those whose compliance could not be secured, but they remained faithful. The Lord Jesus Christ always sets a high value of fidelity to Him. These Christians had not been ashamed to be known by His name and had remained loyal to Him.
The derivation of Antipas is from “anti” against and “pas” related to suffering. This man suffered against the evils of his town.
[11]. TWICE MARRIED AND CONSTANTINE, ROMAN EMPEROR
As in the two previous parables, the name of the church is very significant. PERGAMON MEANS “TWICE MARRIED”. That is TWO MARRIAGES. Let us explain.
How does “twice married” apply to the church? As we know the true Church is married to Christ (as His Bride now), but this church had gone off into another marriage. What was that one?
[12]. INTRODUCING CONSTANTINE
In 28 October AD 312 An important battle took place at Milvian Bridge. Constantine set out to defeat the forces of Maxentius, his rival for supreme power in the empire. His whole future depended upon the outcome of the approaching contest. Constantine believed his father had prospered when he prayed to the God of the Christians, and Constantine, in his extremity, resorted to the same action.
It is stated that on the next day, he and the whole of his army saw a shining cross in the sky with an inscription above it, “in hoc signo vinces” (in this sign, thou shall conquer). Subsequently, in his sleep, he was granted a vision of Christ with the same sign. He made a banner with a shining cross upon it for use as his standard and, with this inscription, he defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, and immediately declared his conversion to Christianity.
The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October AD 312. It takes its name from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the battle and started on the path that led him to end the Tetrarchy and become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire (with dictates over the church). Maxentius drowned in the Tiber during the battle; his body was later taken from the river and decapitated, and his head was paraded through the streets of Rome on the day following the battle before being sent to Africa. Not a nice thing for the victor to allow.
CONSTANTINE ASSUMED HEADSHIP OVER THE CHURCH, repealed the persecution edicts, and advanced Christians to high office in the State. Heathendom was gradually christianised. Pagan temples became Christian churches; heathen festivals were converted into Christian ones; pagan priests slipped into office as Christian priests (foul birds of the air). The name - Pergamum - meaning “twice married” - became extremely pertinent to the church in Constantine’s day.
F.C. Ottman says, [[“The benefits conferred on the church by Constantine were altogether of an external character. His edict of toleration removed many of the obstacles which seemed to prevent the progress of the gospel. He awarded the cities in which heathen temples were destroyed, and became the popular idol of the church. His attitude towards the church had its influence on all ranks of society. Rich and poor, in vast crowds, sought for admission.”
At the same time HE STILL RETAINED HIS ECCLESIASTICAL TITLE AND OFFICE OF “PONTIFEX MAXIMUS” OF THE PAGAN BABYLONIAN RELIGION and he, in fact, combined headship of this religious system with the headship of the church. Therefore, despite his alleged allegiance to Christ, he could still countenance the worship of the queen of heaven, purgatorial purification after death, priestly absolution, dedicated virgins, reservation of knowledge to the priests and all the remaining features of the ancient cult.”]] CONSTANTINE MARRIED THE CHURCH TO PAGANISM. Pontifex Maximus is still the title of the Popes.
[13]. THE CHURCH MARRIED TO THE STATE
The letter to the church at Pergamum reveals the seat of Satan and the terrible conflict for the genuine saints in verse 13. This Church period began with the so-called conversion of Emperor Constantine in A.D. 312, the first Roman emperor to enter the church, an unconverted pagan, who made Christianity a state religion. All the pagans and their heathen practices entered then. Twice married - once to Christ, then again to the pagan world. The church now committed spiritual adultery - Christian and pagan. The mustard seed was becoming a monstrosity.
Much used to be said about the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. That is how it ought to be but no corrupt Government honours that. The State is not supposed to interfere into the affairs of the church but today they do. Constantine did it. Laws are made against churches and Christians. In some places you can’t have prayer meetings in certain places; you can’t speak against homosexuality. I won’t continue. It happens all too much in my nation.
Constantine assumed headship over the Church, repealed the persecution edicts, and advanced Christians (not necessarily converted – just absorbed into the churches) to high office in the State. However he married the church to the State (or the world) and is responsible for the church becoming what it did in the next 1300 to 1400 years.
Heathendom was gradually Christianised. Thus paganism was given a Christian dress and infused its influence into Christianity. The name - Pergamum - meaning “twice married” became extremely pertinent to the church in Constantine’s day. It was Roman Catholicism as the child, and later it grew up.
THE CHURCH WAS BECOMING A MONSTROSITY. This is exactly where the parable of the mustard seed fits. It has nothing to do with the good of Christianity. It has everything to do with the pagans entering the church as birds of the air taking up residence in the branches of this monstrosity. It brought corruption and false, pagan doctrines and they settled in. They nested! How can people ever get this parable so wrong to say what is opposite of the true meaning?
Constantine still retained his ecclesiastical title and office of “Pontifex Maximus” (as do the Popes - the very same thing) of the pagan Babylonian religion and he, in fact, combined headship of this Babylonian religious system with the headship of the church. Church and State. A shocking move which painted all “christianity” from then to the present with compromise and failure, and extremely bad in the Middle Ages and Reformation times.
Why was the church not strong enough to combat all that? Well the church had suffered horribly under 10 repulsive, satanic men – Roman Emperors and we named them in the last church of Smyrna, and was weakened. The last of these was Diocletian, the worst of them all. As well as that, heresy was spreading through the Christian world causing divisions that were not being mended. The last reason, the church knew its position that it was not to take up arms to defend itself. Therefore it was an easy defeat for Constantine, to overcome and marry the Church to the State.
The foul birds of the air came to nest in the monstrosity of the tree and in the branches they remained and still do. That monstrosity is the mustard tree.
