Breaking the Word

He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat,… Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation (of the world)." … (Mt 13:24-43)

Jesus spoke in parables and only in parables regarding the kingdom. Jesus used parables to reveal the truths about the kingdom. These truths were not the result of search by the intelligent and clever people. These were revelations and the revelations are true to the believing people. People of faith accepted these revelations and they were given the secrets of the kingdom.

One of the secrets of the kingdom is that the kingdom contained in itself both good and the bad. God intended only the good but the evil is present among them. But the labourers of the kingdom are not to be bothered about removing the evil but they should only continue to work and work so that the good may reach their completion. Probably what St. Paul says in Romans 12:21 (overcome evil by doing good) is the result of this revelation.

Second and the third revelations about the kingdom are: 1) the kingdom is so small and insignificant that it may go unnoticed.  However it will be a place of rest and abode for many; 2) the way the kingdom functions is so unnoticed that only at the end one realizes that the kingdom has taken over the whole society. 

But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope." (Mt 12:14-21)

Pharisees took council against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. The reason for this action was that Jesus went about preaching the kingdom and he was curing and doing miracles. Pharisees found this to be strange. Pharisees wanted to maintain the status quo. They wanted the people to remain ignorant and they wanted the people to be in their sicknesses and diseases. Society should go on as it was.

People followed Jesus in great number. Jesus was where the people were. He also did not want the people to make him known to others. Strange though it may look that Jesus wanted the people to know where he was and he wanted the people to come to him and be healed etc. But he did not want his opponents to know where he was. He withdrew from the places of opposition.

All these happened to fulfil the Scriptures. Scriptures foretold about Jesus or the people found in Jesus the Scriptures being fulfilled. He was not a man to disturb others. He would not even disturb by a loud voice (A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench). His aim was to bring justice to victory and be hope of the Gentiles.