One of Jesus' parables as recorded in the Urantia Book
Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:10 am +0000
The Third Sower Parable
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while he slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and hastened away. And so when the young blades sprang up and later were about to bring forth fruit, there appeared also the weeds. Then the servants of this householder came and said to him: `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Whence then come these weeds?' And he replied to his servants, `An enemy has done this.' The servants then asked their master, `Would you have us go out and pluck up these weeds?' But he answered them and said: `No, lest while you are gathering them up, you uproot the wheat also. Rather let them both grow together until the time of the harvest, when I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn and then gather up the wheat to be stored in my barn.'" (151:4.1)
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while he slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and hastened away. And so when the young blades sprang up and later were about to bring forth fruit, there appeared also the weeds. Then the servants of this householder came and said to him: `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Whence then come these weeds?' And he replied to his servants, `An enemy has done this.' The servants then asked their master, `Would you have us go out and pluck up these weeds?' But he answered them and said: `No, lest while you are gathering them up, you uproot the wheat also. Rather let them both grow together until the time of the harvest, when I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn and then gather up the wheat to be stored in my barn.'" (151:4.1)
Re: One of Jesus' parables as recorded in the Urantia Book
Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:36 am +0000
This parable came at a time of great tribulation in the earth life of the Master. It is small wonder that he used this example of those who deliberately flout the laws of heaven. Those who operate thru life with their "eyes wide shut" shall reap what they have sown. I, personally, do not believe that this was meant to include those who unknowingly stray from the path, even those who stay very far. I think that both those erstwhile religionists who have been taught all kinds of weird and wonderful things and those who approach religion with caution and, viewing the antics of the above religionists, distaste, will all be given ample opportunity in the next chapter to re-write their stories.
Re: One of Jesus' parables as recorded in the Urantia Book
Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:56 am +0000
alwilliams767 wrote:This parable came at a time of great tribulation in the earth life of the Master. It is small wonder that he used this example of those who deliberately flout the laws of heaven. Those who operate thru life with their "eyes wide shut" shall reap what they have sown. I, personally, do not believe that this was meant to include those who unknowingly stray from the path, even those who stay very far. I think that both those erstwhile religionists who have been taught all kinds of weird and wonderful things and those who approach religion with caution and, viewing the antics of the above religionists, distaste, will all be given ample opportunity in the next chapter to re-write their stories.
I agree that this must not apply to those who "unknowingly stray from the path", or even to those who knowingly stray because of the poor example of those claiming to represent the path. I was seeking a personal answer this morning and this parable popped into my head, and when I looked for it I was happy to find that it is included in the UB as an actual parable the Master used in His teachings.
As we have seen from the history of the Lucifer rebellion and its consequences, it was allowed to run its course and even though many were contaminated by it and even angels etc were led astray, in the long run (and I do mean long!) the decision to allow Lucifer and his followers to continue as long as they did will be vindicated by the results. I don't understand God's mercy but I rejoice in it. I don't know the answers but I am thrilled to know where the answers are found.
Re: One of Jesus' parables as recorded in the Urantia Book
Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:46 pm +0000
I'm very interested in the Parables of Jesus too....always have been since childhood!
One of my favorite books is The Parables of Jesus: Complete Teachings From the Uranita Book
https://www.amazon.com/Parables-Jesus-C ... d+parables
Wonderfully illustrated and top quality book!! There are a few parables in the UB that weren't included.
Also, if interested, is the Foundation's Study Aids related to the parables:
https://www.urantia.org/jesus/part-iii-parables
As to the parable posted: I found the explanation by Jesus of the original parable of the sower (same Paper Section 1) to be very enlightening. That one is not about the seed or the harvest but about the experience and expectation of the sower. I think it encouraging to be taught that the act is ours but the results are God's and we should not worry much about where or when we sow our seeds of service and love and kindness and generosity and sympathy and hope....the sharing and caring seeds we sow as we walk by.
Some seed will reap 1000 or 100 fold and some will land on rock or clay and not sprout. It's not up to us to worry about, cultivate, or measure the harvest to come, but only to sow seeds of hope and faith wherever we go.
As to the tares and wheat parable of the sower: I think it a real warning to the enemies of truth and the wolves in sheep's clothing. Do you remember the warning about the mill stone? Those who sow doubt and doom and discord intentionally play a dangerous, even deadly game. For their hearts and intentions are known and what they do is evil and sinful....they are called enemies in the parable!! For a reason.
I certainly agree that those who throw out some tare seed as they pass by (who doesn't?) And who do so simply by error and immaturity and lack of wisdom which certainly contributes a certain amount of tare seed to life.
I believe that this TruthBook study group is a truth/wheat field. And there have certainly been those enemies of Truth who have come here with the intent to disrupt, disturb, perturb, interrupt, and sow doubt and discord in the community. And many of us, including myself, have also added our tares by the factors above - immaturity, error, and lack of humor and wisdom.
I know I have added some tares to this field...regrettably. I hope the wheat will crowd out the tares but I trust the Lord will not allow such evil/error to have more than a local and temporal effect of no great significance.
I think an important element of the parable is that the wheat is not threatened by the tares - the wheat will be purged of tares by the harvest of time. But those who intentionally sow such tares are an enemy of truth!! They are they ones in danger!
Or so I understand it.
One of my favorite books is The Parables of Jesus: Complete Teachings From the Uranita Book
https://www.amazon.com/Parables-Jesus-C ... d+parables
Wonderfully illustrated and top quality book!! There are a few parables in the UB that weren't included.
Also, if interested, is the Foundation's Study Aids related to the parables:
https://www.urantia.org/jesus/part-iii-parables
As to the parable posted: I found the explanation by Jesus of the original parable of the sower (same Paper Section 1) to be very enlightening. That one is not about the seed or the harvest but about the experience and expectation of the sower. I think it encouraging to be taught that the act is ours but the results are God's and we should not worry much about where or when we sow our seeds of service and love and kindness and generosity and sympathy and hope....the sharing and caring seeds we sow as we walk by.
Some seed will reap 1000 or 100 fold and some will land on rock or clay and not sprout. It's not up to us to worry about, cultivate, or measure the harvest to come, but only to sow seeds of hope and faith wherever we go.
As to the tares and wheat parable of the sower: I think it a real warning to the enemies of truth and the wolves in sheep's clothing. Do you remember the warning about the mill stone? Those who sow doubt and doom and discord intentionally play a dangerous, even deadly game. For their hearts and intentions are known and what they do is evil and sinful....they are called enemies in the parable!! For a reason.
I certainly agree that those who throw out some tare seed as they pass by (who doesn't?) And who do so simply by error and immaturity and lack of wisdom which certainly contributes a certain amount of tare seed to life.
I believe that this TruthBook study group is a truth/wheat field. And there have certainly been those enemies of Truth who have come here with the intent to disrupt, disturb, perturb, interrupt, and sow doubt and discord in the community. And many of us, including myself, have also added our tares by the factors above - immaturity, error, and lack of humor and wisdom.
I know I have added some tares to this field...regrettably. I hope the wheat will crowd out the tares but I trust the Lord will not allow such evil/error to have more than a local and temporal effect of no great significance.
I think an important element of the parable is that the wheat is not threatened by the tares - the wheat will be purged of tares by the harvest of time. But those who intentionally sow such tares are an enemy of truth!! They are they ones in danger!
Or so I understand it.