You will recall Christ's parable likening the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that was planted and then became a great tree with outstretched branches. The parable tells us that the gospel begins in relative obscurity but then extends to the entire world. One interesting statement that Christ makes is that birds take refuge in the …
You will recall Christ's parable likening the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that was planted and then became a great tree with outstretched branches. The parable tells us that the gospel begins in relative obscurity but then extends to the entire world. One interesting statement that Christ makes is that birds take refuge in the tree's shelter. This symbol has more than one interpretation, and that is appropriate for a parable. But the symbol of "birds" taking shelter in a tree that grew from a tiny seed echoes another parable--the parable of the sewer. He was casting seeds to plant in his field, but some seeds fell upon hard ground, and these were devoured by birds. In this parable, birds refer to the demonic that snatches the message of the gospel from hardened hearts lest it would take root. In this case, the symbol of birds is not a positive sign.
But in the parable of the mustard seed, that symbol reappears after the seed had been intentionally planted in a field. Now the seed grew into a great tree, and now the birds take shelter under its branches. In my view, this also suggests the demonic. The birds ate up the exposed seeds on hard ground to prevent the gospel from entering hearts, now in the growing tree when the gospel has given life to human hearts they take refuge in the church to do damage.
That may seem startling interpretation, but Christ is describing what the Church would be like through history. It did grow throughout the world, but as it did, as we know from Paul's epistles, false teachers did arise to spread heresy in the first century. In fact, as Christ describes the growth of the tree, the fantastic spread of its growth suggests problems. Inspired by the demonic, false teachers take refuge in the tree, just as the tares grow up alongside the wheat in another parable. Consequently, though the tree, itself, is blessed, just as that field of wheat contaminated by tares is blessed, the Church will be blessed but will still endure heresies and false teachers. They will pretend to part of us, but their presence is demonic. In fact, the Church, as your article indicates, endures these things to this very day.
You will recall Christ's parable likening the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that was planted and then became a great tree with outstretched branches. The parable tells us that the gospel begins in relative obscurity but then extends to the entire world. One interesting statement that Christ makes is that birds take refuge in the tree's shelter. This symbol has more than one interpretation, and that is appropriate for a parable. But the symbol of "birds" taking shelter in a tree that grew from a tiny seed echoes another parable--the parable of the sewer. He was casting seeds to plant in his field, but some seeds fell upon hard ground, and these were devoured by birds. In this parable, birds refer to the demonic that snatches the message of the gospel from hardened hearts lest it would take root. In this case, the symbol of birds is not a positive sign.
But in the parable of the mustard seed, that symbol reappears after the seed had been intentionally planted in a field. Now the seed grew into a great tree, and now the birds take shelter under its branches. In my view, this also suggests the demonic. The birds ate up the exposed seeds on hard ground to prevent the gospel from entering hearts, now in the growing tree when the gospel has given life to human hearts they take refuge in the church to do damage.
That may seem startling interpretation, but Christ is describing what the Church would be like through history. It did grow throughout the world, but as it did, as we know from Paul's epistles, false teachers did arise to spread heresy in the first century. In fact, as Christ describes the growth of the tree, the fantastic spread of its growth suggests problems. Inspired by the demonic, false teachers take refuge in the tree, just as the tares grow up alongside the wheat in another parable. Consequently, though the tree, itself, is blessed, just as that field of wheat contaminated by tares is blessed, the Church will be blessed but will still endure heresies and false teachers. They will pretend to part of us, but their presence is demonic. In fact, the Church, as your article indicates, endures these things to this very day.