- Parable of the Weeds 稗子的比喻 (13:24-30, 35-43)
In the first parable of Jesus, He shows us who the true believers are; in the second, He shows us what will happen to false believers. He again uses the figure of a farmer sowing seed in his field, but the emphasis here is on what happens to the bad seeds that His enemy had intentionally sowed alongside with the good. Although the servants panicked, the experienced farmer allows both wheat and weeds to grow together until harvest as their roots are intertwined, and wheat that had not yet produced heads of grain would be mistaken for weed. At harvest, qualified reapers will then be able to gather the weeds to be burned. This is what will happen to false believers.
在耶稣的第一个比喻中，祂向我们显示了谁是真信徒。在第二个比喻里，祂让我们知道假信徒会有怎样的结局。祂再次使用一个农民播种的例子，但这里强调的是敌人有意将坏稗子撒在好种子之中，但这坏种子最终会有怎样的遭遇。虽然仆人惊慌失措，但有经验的主人却允许小麦和稗子长在一起直至收割，因恐怕薅稗子，连麦子也连根拔起；再者，小麦尚未长出麦穗前很容易被误认为是稗子。收割时，合格的农夫就会将稗子薅出来，捆成捆，留着烧。这就是假信徒的结局。
- Parables on Mustard Seed 芥菜种的比喻 (13:31-32)
According to Jesus, size doesn’t matter. Can God’s people survive, less thrive, in the midst of Satan and his evil forces? Firstly, Jesus gave the parable of a mustard seed growing into a tree, illustrating that though the kingdom of heaven started out small and seemingly insignificant, it would one day grow into a large body of believers. When sperma (seed) is used in the New Testament in reference to plants, it is always used of agricultural plants, and of those plants, mustard had seeds that were smaller than all others. Another lesson is that the kingdom of heaven will be a blessing to the rest of the world. When Christians live in obedience to the Lord, they are a blessing to those around them. Individual believers can become the source of benediction to nations.
对耶稣而言，大小并不重要。那么，神的子民是否能在撒旦和祂的邪恶势力中生存下来，甚至茁壮成长呢？首先，耶稣给了一粒芥菜种子长成树的比喻，说明天国起初虽然渺小，看似微不足道，但总有一天会成长并拥有很多信徒。当新约圣经使用sperma（种子）时，它总是用于指农业植物，即作食物的农作物。而在众多农作物当中，芥菜的种子是最小的。另一个学习点就是：天国将会成为世界的祝福。当信徒遵从主命时，他们将是别人的祝福。各信徒能成为他们国家祝福的来源。
- Parable of the Leaven 酵的比喻 (13:33)
According to Jesus, time does matter. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like leaven and it must be hidden until it was all leavened” (v.33). For everything there is a season (Ecc. 3:1) – spiritual maturity also takes time and we should wait for God’s plan to take its effect in due course.
在耶稣看来，时间是重要的。耶稣说，天国好像面酵，必须藏在三斗面里，直等全团都发起来（太13:33）。凡是都有定时（传3:1）。属灵的成长也需要时间，所以我们应该耐心等待神的计划成熟结果。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- How many times have you wondered why are there so many problems in the church? Do you understand where the problem is coming from? What would your prayer be?
我们多少次会想到教会里为什么有这么多问题？你明白这些问题的来源吗？你的祷告当是怎样的呢？
- There are times we feel discouraged and helpless, but we need to continue growing because when we are fully grown we will be blessing to the people around us. Let’s pray that the Lord will help us preserve even when we are facing ferocious opposition.
我们很多时候会感到气馁、无奈，但我们仍需要继续成长，因为当我们成熟后，我们能成为周围人的祝福。让我们祷告，即便面对激烈的反对，愿神会保守我们。
- Patience is a virtue. We need to wait upon the Lord and not to rely on our own understanding. We view situation from our own perspective yet the Lord view the same situation from eternal prospective. Let’s pray that we will trust the Lord and His timing to carry out His plan, not ours.
忍耐是一种美德。我们需要等候耶和华而不是倚靠自己的聪明。我们往往只从自己的角度看待事物，但主是以永恒的角度看待相同的事物的。让我们祷告我们能够相信神和祂的时序实施祂对我们的计划，而不是实施我们对自己的计划。
