receiving a full reward in heaven. IV. THE PURPOSE OF THESE PARABLES These parables were given to enlighten Jesus’ disciples concerning the coming into existence of a mystery form of the Kingdom of heaven and to enlighten them concerning the characteristics of this new mystery form of the Kingdom. John the Baptist came preaching that the Kingdom of heaven (the Old Testament Prophetical Kingdom, the Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, Matt. 25:34) was at hand, Matt. 3:2. Sometime later,
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