Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus
“The Parable of the Reed and the Oak� By Dr. Richard Booker Modern scholars have greater access to documents and research developments relating to first-century Judaism than at any other time in history. Many scholars, who only a few years ago were trying to disprove the Bible, are now working together to gain a better understanding of the ancient culture in which Jesus lived. Archaeological finds have become so plentiful that some have hailed these times as the beginning of a golden age of biblical archaeology. All of these discoveries have not only given us further proof of the veracity of the Bible, but have given us a greater understanding of the period in which Jesus lived out His life on the earth and further evidence of the Jewishness of His teaching. He was Jewish and His teachings reflect His Jewishness. The church at Rome was admonished by Paul that the Christian faith was never intended to be a repudiation of its Jewish roots, but rather, the engrafted Gentile Church was actually a branch that grew out of these roots (Rom. 11:18). The essence of these teachings is that without Judaism there would be no Christianity. Perhaps the most convincing evidence of the thorough-going Jewishness of Jesus is His method of teaching. Over the past fifty years, studies of the Jewish nature of the early Church have brought to light many new insights into the first century documents, especially concerning the idioms and Galilean teaching methods of Jesus. In these articles we will study some of the more common idioms in the life of Jesus and His disciples. One of the most powerful idioms was referred to as The Parable of the Reed and the Oak. This concept is seen in Jesus reply to the Jewish crowd in Matthew 11:7, concerning John the Baptizer. He Asks, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?" There was a well-known parable during first-century Judaism. The Reed and the Oak Tree was often used by teachers to illustrate an important truth regarding conviction and commitment. Without an understanding of this parable it is difficult for us to grasp the imagery behind this passage.
According to the parable, a giant oak tree and a thin reed were both planted by the river. Whenever a storm came, the deep roots of the oak kept it firmly established, enabling it to withstand most winds. It could, however, be blown over by a wind of sufficient strength. There was nothing wishy-washy or compromising about the oak. The reed, on the other hand, would bend to the right or left, even with a slight breeze. Blowing in the Wind The conclusion of the story was that the oak, because of its refusal to compromise, could end upon losing its life in the storm, but the reed, though it might survive, could only do so by continual bending. Jesus was clearly pointing to this familiar Jewish story when He asked, "Did you expect John to be a reed blowing in the wind?" In other words, Did you expect this prophet of God to be a weak-kneed compromiser? The Jews who heard this immediately understood what Jesus was saying and asked no questions. The Priestly Family An interesting Jewish concept is seen after the resurrection of Jesus, when Peter and John rushed to the empty grave. John 20:5 records that Peter went in immediately, but John stooped down and waited. Was John stopping to catch his breath after the dash to the tomb or was there more to the story? A Hesitating Priest The reason John hesitated was because he was from a family of priests, and according to Jewish law, he would have been defiling himself had he entered a room where there was a dead body. He waited to get the report from Peter who was not from the priestly line. On another occasion John was permitted to enter the high priest's quarters while Peter had to stay outside (John 18:15-16). In Acts 4:6 we are informed that John was a kinsman of the high priest. We read, "And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and as many were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem" (Acts 4:5-6). Unfortunately, because several individuals in the New Testament are named John, the text is often unclear as to which person is being discussed. Although scholars are
not certain which John accompanied Peter to the tomb of Jesus, there is general agreement that it was this same John because of his actions. Personal Application As people in covenant with God, we should be firm in our convictions and commitment to the rule of God in our lives. We should stand firm like the oak rather than blowing with every wind of compromise. As priests of the most high God we should be careful to live our lives in such a way that we do not touch death by our words and deeds. We should be full of God's life in order to minister His power and mercy to those around us.
About Dr. Richard Booker Richard Booker, MBA, Ph.D., is an ordained Christian minister, President of Sounds of the Trumpet, Inc., and the Founder/Director of the Institute for Hebraic-Christian Studies. He is the author of thirty books which are used by churches and Bible schools around the world. He has also developed many seminars and Bible college level courses and writes regularly for Christian magazines. Dr. Booker has traveled extensively for over thirty years teaching in churches and at conferences on various aspects of the Christian life as well as Israel and the Hebraic roots of Christianity. Dr. Booker and his wife, Peggy, lead yearly tour groups to Israel where, for eighteen years, Dr. Booker was a speaker at the International Christian Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem attended by over 5,000 believers from 100 nations. Dr. Booker’s teachings are designed to help believers better understand the Bible and their covenant God. He has a God-given ability to communicate the Scriptures in clear, easy-to-understand language with practical application for everyday Christians that brings life out of the Bible and into people’s hearts. Dr. Booker and Peggy founded the Institute for Hebraic-Christian Studies (IHCS) in 1997 as a ministry to educate Christians in the Hebraic culture and background of the Bible, build relationships between Christians and Jews, and give comfort and support to the people of Israel. Their tireless work on behalf of Christians and Jews has been recognized around the world as well as being represented at the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus. Dr. Booker has a daily television program which can be seen on the internet at www.godslearningchannel.com and around the world via satellite. He has produced over 350 programs. Dr. Booker is a spiritual father to many believers around the world.
Visit Dr. Richard Booker online: www.drrichardbooker.com or www.rbooker.com Sounds of the Trumpet, Inc. Institute for Hebraic-Christian Studies 4747 Research Forest Dr., # 180-330 (For Mail & Packages ONLY) The Woodlands TX 77381