In chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel, we are presented with a series of 7 parables (of the 40 or so that Jesus tells during his recorded ministry) – which provokes a first question – what is a parable? For most of Christian history, parables have been treated as allegories – with many different interpretations available. What later scholarship realised, is that parables are so much richer than this. There can be a single interpretation, but parables are more like pieces of art, music or poetry – so their precise interpretation will always allude us – yet they constantly point to the breaking in of the kingdom of God. They take ordinary images from rural society, but twist this with the radical nature of what the kingdom is always calling us into.
Today, each of the parables invites us deeper into the experience of patience. No one enjoys waiting. Yet the Lord tells us today that waiting is necessary. It takes time for a crop to grow to harvest; for a seed to grow into a tree; for yeast to do its work in the flour. We want things straight away – we want God to deal with sin and evil in the world and in our lives – but he says to wait. This is not a cop-out. God has dealt with sin once and for all through the death and resurrection of Jesus. So this is waiting for the dawn when the first light of day has already appeared on the eastern horizon. The new day will come. All we need to do is continue to wait in hope and expectant trust.