Section 52: Luke12--Part 1

Section 52 -
CONCERNING HYPOCRISY, WORLDLY ANXIETY, WATCHFULNESS, AND HIS APPROACHING PASSION
 (Galilee.) 
LUKE 12:1-59

First, here's some broader context for Luke's entire twelfth chapter which encompasses several difference audiences and lessons:

"Unto his disciples first of all (pros tous mathētas autou prōton). This long discourse in Luke 12 is really a series of separate talks to various groups in the vast crowds around Jesus. This particular talk goes through Luk_12:12."-RWP

Be Honest with Yourself, Others, and God

"...He began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops." Luke 12:1-3

 "Be sure your sin will find you out," the Word declares (Num_32:23)—not because God will track us down, but because our sin itself will." -Jon Courson

 "The true Christian, like the nightingale, sings in the night; but the hypocrite has all his songs in the day, when he can be seen and heard of men." -Biblical Illustrator

"The same is true with righteousness. Jesus shone on the Mount of Transfiguration because He was light. Thus, the real miracle of the Transfiguration is not that Jesus was shining. The real miracle is that His humanity was able to conceal His divinity for so long. Indeed, that which is inside a man comes out eventually." -Jon Courson

The Parable of the Rich Fool, by Bertram Poole

Focus on Heaven

"Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  -Luke 12:13-15

"Jesus, however, here, as on other occasions (see Joh_8:3-11), firmly refuses to interfere in secular matters." -Pulpit Commentary

 "Because the man was covetous, he could see in Jesus nothing more than a rabbi who might influence his brother. Our sense of want largely shapes our conception of Christ. Many to-day see in Him mainly a social (and economical) reformer, because our notion of what we and the world need most is something to set social conditions right, and so to secure earthly well-being. They who take Jesus to be first and foremost ‘a judge or a divider’ fail to see His deepest work or their own deepest need. He will be all that they wish Him to be, if they will take Him for something else first." -Andrew MacLaren

"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke 12:33-34

"Some might argue, from the sequel of the story, that God looks with disfavour on riches as riches. St. Augustine replies to such a mistaken deduction, "God desires not that thou shouldest lose thy riches, but that thou shouldest change their place" (’Serm.,’ 36.9).

"Possessions are dangerous because they can possess us. Did you get a new car—or did it get you? You used to be free on Saturdays to toss a ball with your kids. But now you have to wax your car, tune it up, keep it running. Small men seek to get. Great men seek to be." -Jon Courson

"In the world's stock market, the word is "Buy." In God's, it's "Sell." This doesn't mean you shouldn't have a home or a boat or a car. But if anything begins to possess you, leaving you less time and energy for the things of the Lord, sell it and invest in people, in heaven, in the kingdom." -Jon Courson

"He forgot Solomon’s words, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow" (Pro_27:1). Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. "Extremes meet," suggests Dean Plumptre; "and the life of self-indulgence may spring either from an undue expectation of a lengthened life" (as was the ease here), "or from unduly dwelling on its shortness, without taking into account the judgment that comes after it. The latter, as in the ’carpe diem’ of Horace (’Odes,’ 1.11. 8), was the current language of popular epicureanism" (see St. Paul’s reproduction of this thought, 1Co_15:32); "the former seems to have been more characteristic of a corrupt Judaism." -Pulpit Commentary

"God has given us all things not to possess, but to enjoy. The birds sing because they don't have to pay taxes, work on their wardrobes, or paint their houses. They simply enjoy what God gives. Do we do the same?" -Jon Courson

On Parables and Seed

"The parable mode of teaching was adopted by Jesus who, as Heart-reader, was aware now by sad experience and still sadder foreknowledge, that his glorious news rather repelled than attracted the ordinary hearer. They did not want to be disturbed from their earthly hopes and loves and fears. They preferred not to be healed as God would heal them." -Pulpit Commentary

"The veil which it (the parable) throws over the truth becomes transparent to the attentive mind, while it remains impenetrable to the careless" -Godet, PC

Lord, keep us uncomfortable with our sin and complacency.  Keep us curious and careful, especially when looking into your Word.

This passage bothers me:

"Lest at any time they should be converted." Mark 4:12

Doesn't the Lord want all to be saved? Here's a thought from Jon Courson to consider:

"Why would Jesus teach in such a way that truth would be concealed? Simply because He will honor the wishes of every person. Therefore, if a person does not want to see, the Lord won't force His way upon him."  Jon Courson
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Considering the larger context of this parable through the eyes of MacLaren has also been helpful:

"Luke is particular in dating this parable as spoken at a time when crowds resorted to Jesus, and the cities of Galilee seemed emptied out to hear Him. No illusions as to the depth or worth of this excitement beset Him. Sadly He looked on the eager multitudes, because He looked through them, and saw how few of them were bringing ‘an honest and good heart’ for the soil of His word. Just because He saw the shallowness of the momentary enthusiasm, He spoke this pregnant parable from a heavy heart, and as He tells us in His explanation of it to the disciples (ver. 10), uses the parabolic garb as a means of hiding the truth from the unsusceptible, and of bringing it home to those who were prepared to receive it. Every parable has that double purpose of obscuring and revealing. The obscuring is punitive, but the punishment is meant to be remedial. God never cheats men by a revelation that does not reveal, and the very hiding is meant to stimulate to a search which cannot be vain." -Alexander MacLaren

Our natural state:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." Ephesians 2:1-3

I.
WHAT IS A PARABLE? It is a mode of instruction founded on the resemblances or analogies between spiritual and natural objects or events.
1. The form of the parable is a direct or indirect statement of a fact, or a narrative of either some possible or real event, that had occurred once or frequently. The growth of the mustard-seed is a fact of constant occurrence. The parable of Scripture differs from ordinary figurative language, not in its nature, but in its subject. And it might perhaps be correctly defined—a figurative description of religious doctrine.
2. To pass to the substance of the parables. We find their themes mainly to be—the sublime truths of grace, redemption, and retribution; the soul, its responsibilities and its destiny; the Church, and its destiny.
II. WHY DID THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TEACH BY PARABLES?
1. He designed to show the union between nature, human life, and the gospel. His presence among men was itself a manifestation of the Divine in the human, the invisible in the visible, the supernatural in the natural. The parable is a similar clothing of the unknown in the known, the heavenly in the earthly.
2. To unveil the mysteries of redemption.  -E.N. Kirk, BI

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The Word, even when rejected, is not of effect:

"The gospel rejected or perverted does not lose its power, but now goes right on in driving the soul into deeper rebellion and hardness." -BI

Parallels between the Word of God and seed:

And the Word of God is so compacted in the seed-form, because it needs to be unfolded in the teaching and life of man. H. Macmillan, D. D.

The Spirit operating upon the heart apart from the Word would be only to give a vague inclination without an object as its end and purpose. And therefore all religion that does not spring from the seed of God’s Word is a dim abstraction of an unreal sentimentality. It is aimless and powerless, the continual ploughing and harrowing of a field without putting any seed into it.

And let us remember that we must give our own life in the sowing, as the plant gives its life in the seed. H. Macmillan, D. D.

The Parable of the Sower--Broad Lessons

Lesson #1:

"It is no light thing to hear the Scriptures preached and taught. Those who hear are made more responsible than they ever were before. If they shrug off the message, or consider obedience an optional matter, they do so to their own loss. But if they hear and obey, they put themselves in a position to receive more light from God." -Believer's Bible

Lesson #2

II. AN HONOURABLE OCCUPATION MAY HAVE DISASTROUS RESULTS.
l. Unsuccessful results do not lessen the value of the seed.
2. Unsuccessful efforts should not be taken as the measure of the sower’s capacity and faithfulness.
3. Unsuccessful efforts must then be studied in relation to the sphere of operations.
4. The best seed will do no good on some lands.
5. The most skilful workman cannot turn a rock into a fruitful garden.

III. AN HONOURABLE OCCUPATION MUST HAVE BLESSED RESULTS, There will be patches of good ground in every farm. There are honest and good hearts in every community. No true teacher will have entire failure. -W. Burrows, B. A.

These are good reminders---our faithful work will bear some fruit, but we should not take the results as a direct reflection of our efforts.

Lesson #3

"The broad outstanding fact of the parable is tragic. Three failures and one success! It may be somewhat lightened by observing that the proportion which each ‘some’ bears to the whole seed-basketful is not told; but with all alleviation, it is sad enough. What a lesson for all eager reformers and apostles of any truth, who imagine that they have but to open their mouths and the world will listen! What a warning for any who are carried off their feet by their apparent ‘popularity’! What a solemn appeal to all hearers of God’s message!" -Andrew MacLaren

I think this applies to teaching and parenting too.  Jesus did not take his mission lightly, but neither did he romanticize the people's response or become personally offended by the poor results.  If it is our job to preach, to teach, we should rest in the value of our broader mission, not our learners' responses.

The Parable of the Sower--Commentary on the Three Fails

Along The Path
 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it."  Luke 8:5

"Those by the wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." Luke 8:12

The Pulpit commentary views this group as those who nod to religion, but in truth disregard it:

"The wayside hearers represent the great outer circle of men and women who more or less respect religion. It must be carefully borne in mind that in none of the four classes pictured in the parable are despisers of God, declared enemies of religion, portrayed." -Pulpit

Man's will is involved:

"Where the word of God is heard carelessly there is commonly a contempt put upon it too. It is added here in the parable that the seed which fell by the way-side was trodden down. They that willfully shut their ears against the word do in effect trample it under their feet; they despise the commandment of the Lord."  -Matthew Henry

The Shallow Ground

"It is the type of emotional hearers, who are superficially touched by the Gospel, and too easily receive it, without understanding what is involved. They take it for theirs ‘with joy,’ but are strangers to the deep exercises of penitence and sorrow which should precede the joy. ‘Lightly come, lightly go,’ is true in Christian life as elsewhere.

Emotion is good, if there are roots to it. But ‘these have no root.’ The Gospel has not really touched the depths of their natures, their wills, their reason, and so they shrivel up when they have to face the toil and self-sacrifice inherent in a Christian life." -Andrew MacLaren

The Weeds

"The man represented has not made clean work of his religion. He has received the good seed, but has forgotten that something has to be grubbed up and cast out, as well as something to be taken in, if he would grow the fair fruits of Christian character. He probably has cut down the thorns, but has left their roots or seeds where they were. He has fruit of a sort, but it is scanty, crude, and green. Why? Because he has not turned the world out of his heart. He is trying to unite incompatibles, one of which is sure to kill the other. His ‘thorns’ are threefold, as Luke carefully distinguishes them into ‘cares and riches and pleasures,’ but they are one in essence, for they are all ‘of this life.’ If he is poor, he is absorbed in cares; if rich, he is yet more absorbed in wealth, and his desires go after worldly pleasures, which he has not been taught, by experience of the supreme pleasure of communion with God, to despise." -Andrew MacLaren

"Mark that this man does not ‘fall away.’ He keeps up his Christian name to the end."
 -Andrew MacLaren

The Mystery of the Word--Sown Along the Path

The Parable of the Sower, JESUS MAFA, 1973

Three of the four gospels include the Parable of the Sower. Luke's account of the seed on the path reads as follows:

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it."  Luke 8:5

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." -Luke 8:11-12

Matthew adds the significant phrase "and does not understand it."

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path." Matthew 13:19

Mark specifies the timing of this snatching, immediately:

"And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them." Mark 4:15

Our culture rejects the concepts of sin, hell, and the devil, belittling them as primitive, unenlightened.  The parable of the sower puts them squarely back in our court of nasty realities.

My immediate thoughts:

1. The 'trampled underfoot" suggests to me that the Word was not valued.

2. The Word of God is clearly critical in the lives of men.   It's the seed, the key element in this story.  It's the prize, valued by Satan and Jesus alike.

3. The Word can be taken from our hearts if and when we do not understand it.  There is something supernaturally different about understanding this word as opposed to understanding other writings.  We are told that a spiritual wrestling occurs over it and that "the devil," or "Satan," as Mark has it, sometimes wins, taking the Word away.

This clearly teaches that "spiritual warfare," a term that makes me wince a bi if I'm honest t because it is tossed around so carelessly in emotionally-driven Christian culture, is---whether we like it or not---a biblically sound reality.

4. Mark's "immediately" teaches that the stolen Word is not contemplated then rejected.  It doesn't linger in the mind or have a chance to begin germination.

4. Hearing the Word precedes and is key in salvation, for we are told the devil takes the word "so that they may not believe and be saved."

5. Belief precedes salvation.

6. People will hear and reject the Word, and the devil is the cause.

Questions I have:

Is the soil, the condition of our hearts?

Can the Word be taken from Christians too at other times?  Does the battle over it extend beyond salvation and into the process of sanctification impacting our continued growth and belief?

Mark 4 Re: Parables

Briggs and I were discussing parables the other day.  Did God seek to veil the truth from some through these?  Did their own hardness of heart prevent them from seeing, believing, and being saved?  It's a complicated issue.   From Bible Knowledge Commentary on this:

"They were like the Israelites in Isaiah’s day (Isa_6:9-10). Isaiah said that this spiritual blindness and deafness that comes to people is God’s judgment. He particularly referred to Israel as a nation (cf. Mar_6:9, “this people”) for rejecting God’s revelation, especially as expressed in Jesus. They would see or hear the imagery of a parable but they would not understand its spiritual meaning. Otherwise (mēpote, “lest perhaps”) they might turn to God (repent) and be forgiven by Him.
Jesus’ audiences were not denied the opportunity to believe in Him. But after they persistently closed their minds to His message (cf. Mar_1:15), they were excluded from further understanding of it by His use of parables. Yet even the parables, which veiled the truth, were meant to provoke thought, enlighten, and ultimately reveal it (cf. Mar_12:12). They uniquely preserved people’s freedom to believe, while demonstrating that such a decision is effected by God’s enabling (cf. Mar_4:11)." -BKC

Dual nature of the Kingdom:

"Thus the parable displayed God’s kingdom as both present but veiled and future but openly glorious (cf. Mar_1:14-15)." -BKC

"In this parable Jesus pointed out the self-evident fact that a lamp, a lighted wick in a shallow clay bowl full of oil, was not meant to be lit and then hidden under a measuring bowl (as was done at bedtime) or a bed (lit., “dining couch”). Rather, it was to be placed on its stand where it would give light. Then Jesus explained (gar, for) whatever was hidden or concealed (during the night) was meant to be brought out into the open (for use in the day). This story from everyday life conveyed a spiritual truth for anyone willing to learn from it." -BKC

Mar 4:33  With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 

Mar 4:34  He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. 

Matthew 25

"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom." -Matthew 25:1



Until this morning, I have never taken time to fully understand the historical custom behind this verse. It's actually a lovely symbolism:

"The whole imagery of the parable is drawn from Eastern marriage customs. The betrothal, which took place some time before the marriage, was a kind of solemn marriage contract, but preliminary to its final consummation. When the time for the celebration of the marriage came, the bridegroom came to the house of the bride and brought her by night to his own house. The virgin bridesmaids awaited his coming and attended the bride to the marriage feast." -People's New Testament

I think I much prefer it: the way that the bridesmaids are actively involved and waiting with the bride seems much better than them just standing up at the front of a church like so many statues. Also, so sweet how their are two parts to it--the preliminaries, but then the groom comes to seek his bride. How affirming it must have been for the bride to be surrounded by friends, awaiting the time when her husband would seek her out and bring her to his home. Rich in meaning, this imagery is less about "attending" a wedding or being a statutory piece of a ceremony, but being involved in its outworking in a beautiful way.

The Lord seeks to involve us too in His second coming in such a fashion. In the Middle East, the bridesmaids would look for the groom's arrival and when they would see him coming, they would go out with their lamps to greet and escort him. How encouraging to know that we are more than mere pawns, active participants in His grand plan. We are dignified by our role of watching for His arrival and going out to greet Him.

It's all an encouraging counterpoint to the horrible scenes and images that are so prevalent regarding the Second Coming. Yes, Earth and heaven must necessarily recede. However, the groom has come, and we are all on our way to the most amazing celebration beyond anything we could have guessed or fathomed.

A call to press on from Geneva Bible Translation Notes:

"We must desire strength from God's hand which may serve us as a torch while we walk through this darkness, to bring us to our desired end: otherwise, if we become slothful and negligent because we are weary of our pains and travail, we shall be kept from entering the doors."

Our walk on this earth can be terribly difficult and tenuous at times, but we must remember our purpose here--it's not to sleep or carry on with anything else. We are called to watch and wait upon the bridegroom's arrival and be ready to go to Him.

Ah the sweet loyalty of Christ to us:

The Bridegroom is our Lord Jesus Christ; he is so represented in the 45th Psalm, Solomon's Song, and often in the New Testament. It bespeaks his singular and superlative love to, and his faithful and inviolable covenant with, his spouse the church. -Matthew Henry

Love this from Matthew Henry too:

Joh 12:26 "Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me."

"We must follow him as honorary servants do their masters, Joh_12:26. Hold up the name, and hold forth the praise of the exalted Jesus; this is our business. (2.) Expectants of Christ, and of his second coming. As Christians, we profess, not only to believe and look for, but to love and long for, the appearing of Christ, and to act in our whole conversation with a regard to it. The second coming of Christ is the centre in which all the lines of our religion meet, and to which the whole of the divine life hath a constant reference and tendency." -MHenry



"The gospel is light, and they who receive it must not only be enlightened by it themselves, but must shine as lights, must hold it forth." Phi_2:15, Phi_2:16. Matthew Henry

I love light imagery in the Word. These verses in Philippians are worth looking up:

"Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless." -Philippians 2: 15-16

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The second parable in this chapter is equally, if not more, haunting. Probably because I am the type of person who likes to be prepared and do a good job when given a task, it troubles me greatly to think of the fearful or lazy servant. He says it is out of fear, but of course, how can we read another's heart?




"Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.' -Matthew 25:24-25

So was he an excuse maker, or was he truly troubled by the character of God and the successful execution of the task?

One encouraging bit from each is that the groom took a long time and the master was away for a long time. Admittedly, I sometimes wonder about His time table and wonder about His tarrying. These details confirm the need to wait it out and be faithful for the long haul; they acknowledge the length of the waiting.

"For the truth is, the more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him for making use of us, and enabling us, for his service." -Matthew Henry

Excellent point. And another:

"And it is observable that he who had but two talents, gave up his account as cheerfully as he who had five; for our comfort, in the day of account, will be according to our faithfulness, not according to our usefulness; our sincerity, not our success; according to the uprightness of our hearts, not according to the degree of our opportunities." -Matthew Henry

It is this willingess to give back what we have been given, to acknowledge the chain of opportunity as from the hand of God, that makes the difference here--not the quantity or degree of resources, but the willing or unwilling condition of the spirit to engage with what we DO have. Good food for thought.

These verses in particular are sobering:

"For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me." Matthew 25:35-36

Matthew 21--Fig Trees & Mountains

Then Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it." -Matthew 21:21-22

"This is the only miracle in which Christ cursed rather than blessed—destroyed rather than restored life. This has been raised as a difficulty. Such criticism betrays an ignorance of the Person of Christ. He is God, the Sovereign of the universe. Some of His dealings are mysterious to us, but we must begin with the premise that they are always right. In this case, the Lord knew that the fig tree would never bear figs and He acted as a farmer would in removing a barren tree from his orchard."  -Believer's Bible Commentary

My own notes:

*fig tree represented Israel, was symbolic.  Should have bore pre-fruit, because it didn't it was a sign that it wouldn't bear fruit in season either.  This was symbolic of the Jews who were not only not bearing fruit, but openly hostile to Christ.

*claim about throwing the mountain into the sea and the power of prayer is always puzzling to me:

It's a puzzling promise to me, even with "context"

You can tell me all day long that you have to consider the context of what Jesus is saying here, but I cannot but help stack the high words of this promise up against the manipulative attempts of many Christians to "harness"  the power of God and His Spirit through too literal attempts to apply this verse.  I have no doubt that God invests His believers with power, but clearly there is a disconnect here between how we are trying to receive this verse and how He intended it.

Matthew 13

Parable of the Tares

"The tares appeared not till the blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, Mat_13:26. There is a great deal of secret wickedness in the hearts of men, which is long hid under the cloak of a plausible profession, but breaks out at last. As the good seed, so the tares, lie a great while under the clods, and at first springing up, it is hard to distinguish them; but when a trying time comes, when fruit is to be brought forth, when good is to be done that has difficulty and hazard attending it, then you will return and discern between the sincere and the hypocrite: then you may say, This is wheat, and that is tares." –Matthew Henry

I've been particularly intrigued by this parable this time around.  At first, I thought that the field was the world.  Then I thought the field was the Church.  Now I am not sure.  One interesting point is that an Enemy planted the tares.  As much as I like to minimize Satan (just in general don't like to dwell upon dark things and prefer to hem it all in with the thought that God is in ultimate control), this thought makes it clear that the enemy is at work in this field.  There is an Enemy and he is at work.  I'm not sure why this is such a hard thought for me, but the parables are good because they hold firm against the wishful thinking...  For me, it brings the same feeling that comes from being robbed.  I remember the first time something of mine was stolen, from a locker at school, at I recall how evil it felt to think that someone had been malicious and had evil intentions when I was unaware of it all.  The Enemy sowing tares brings that same feeling to mind.

I also wonder about the tares in general---are they just hypocrites?  Does this parable have a wider application to all of our work?

Another point is that the workers complained to the Master about the weeds?  Do we complain to Christ about the hypocrites in the church?  Are these hypocrites EXPECTED?  I think this parable alludes to that as well.  God is not caught off guard by those who bear his name but inwardly are far from him.  

[4.] The servants, when they were aware of it, complained to their master (Mat_13:27); Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?  How then does it have weeds? -

More explanation by Matthew Henry:


"This parable does not justify, as some mistakenly suppose, the toleration of ungodly people in a local Christian church. Remember that the field is the world, not the church. Local churches are explicitly commanded to put out of their fellowship all who are guilty of certain forms of wickedness (1Co_5:9-13). The parable simply teaches that in its mystery form, the kingdom of heaven will include the real and the imitation, the genuine and the counterfeit, and that this condition will continue until the end of the age. Then God's messengers will separate the false, who will be taken away in judgment, from the true, who will enjoy the glorious reign of Christ on earth."

I guess what confuses me in this parable is if the field is the WORLD or the CHURCH.  Henry definitely comes down on the field being the world and this keeps with Christ's interpretation as well:

"The field is the world."  -Matthew 13:38

So the distinction is between those who follow Christ and those who follow the Enemy.  This dissonance will not be resolved until the final judgement.

Mustard Seed 

"The seed represents the humble beginning of the kingdom. At first the kingdom was kept relatively small and pure as a result of persecution. But with the patronage and protection of the state, it suffered abnormal growth. Then the birds came and roosted in it. The same word for birds is used here as in verse 4; Jesus explained the birds as meaning the evil one (v. 19). The kingdom became a nesting place for Satan and his agents. Today the umbrella of Christendom covers such Christ-denying systems as Unitarianism, Christian Science, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Unification Church (moonies).

So here the Lord forewarned the disciples that during His absence the kingdom would experience a phenomenal growth. They should not be deceived nor equate growth with success. It would be unhealthy growth. Though the tiny seed would become an abnormal tree, its largeness would become “a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird” (Rev_18:2)." -Matthew Henry