gospel-holy-twelveapocrypha
Gospel of the Holy Twelve 39
Iesus teaches from beneath the fig tree, layering seven parables of the kingdom across a single discourse. The mustard-seed-become-great-tree frames Zion as a covenant shelter spreading until it covers the field and houses all who come. The hidden treasure and the pearl of great price both demand total divestment — the kingdom cannot be partially purchased. The leaven-and-loaf and the wine-into-water parables name transformation by mingling, not addition. The foursquare city on the rock, gates open to all who hold the keys, is Zion literal and architectural. The tares-among-wheat parable sets the harvest sequence: tares gathered first, burned as amendment to the soil, wheat into the barn. The sower closes the chapter as an interpretive key — reception determines yield.
1
AGAIN Iesus was sitting under the Fig tree, and his disciples gathered round him, and, round them came a multitude of people to hear him, and said unto them, Whereunto shall I liken the Kingdom of Heaven ?
2
AND he spake this parable, saying. The kingdom of Heaven is like to a certain seed, small among seeds, which a man taketh and soweth in his field, but when it is grown it becometh a great tree which sendeth forth its branches all around, which again, shooting downward into the earth take root and grow upward, till the field is covered by the tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof and the creatures of the earth find shelter beneath it.
3
ANOTHER parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a great treasure hid in a field, the which when a man findeth he hideth it, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field, knowing how great will be the wealth therefrom,
4
AGAIN is the kingdom of Heaven like to one pearl of great price, which is found by a merchant seeking goodly pearls, and the merchant finding it, selleth all that he hath and buyeth it knowing how many more times it is worth than that which he gave for it.
5
AGAIN, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a woman who taketh of the incorruptible leaven and hideth it in three measures of meal, till the whole is leavened, and being baked by fire, becometh one loaf. Or, again, to one who taketh a measure of pure wine, and poureth it into two or four measures of water, till the whole being mingled becometh the fruit of the vine.
6
AGAIN, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a City built foursquare on the top of a high hill, and established on a rock, and strong in its surrounding wall, and its towers and its gates, which lie to the north, and to the south, and to the east, and to the west. Such a city falleth not, neither can it be hidden, and its gates are open unto all, who, having the keys, will enter therein.
7
AND he spake another parable, saying: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto good seed that man sowed in his field, but in the night, while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade sprung up and brought forth fruit in the ear, there appeared the tares also.
8
And the servants of the householder came unto him and said, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, whence then hath it tares? And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
9
And the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ? But he said, Nay, lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the good wheat with them.
10
Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them and enrich the soil, but gather the wheat into my barn.
11
AND again he spake, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is like unto the sowing of seed. Behold a sower went forth to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured them.
12
And others fell upon rocky places without much earth, and straightway they sprang up because they had no deepness of earth, and when the sun was risen they were scorched, and because they had no root they whithered away.
13
And others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. And others fell upon good ground, ready prepared, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. They who have ears to hear let them hear.
