In the first group of parables, the Lord Jesus Christ
delivers the Divine Teaching about the spreading of the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven amongst people. These
names stand for Christ’s Church on the earth, the Church that initially
consisted of the twelve Apostles and the closest disciples of Christ, but which
started to spread rapidly throughout the countries of Apostolic preaching after
the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the Apostles on Pentecost. By its spiritual
essence, the Church of Christ is not limited by any territory, race, culture, language
or other external distinctions, for the Grace of God penetrates into and
resides in the souls of people, illuminating their mind and conscience and
directing their will toward the good. In the parables, people who become
members of the Church of Christ are called the "sons of the Kingdom," as opposed
to non-believers and impenitent sinners who are referred to as the "sons
of the evil one." The conditions of the spreading and strengthening of the
Kingdom of God in people are described in the parables about the sower,
the tares, the seed growing in the ground, the mustard seed, the leaven and the
treasure in the field.
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