The glory of Jesus Christ continues to be displayed, but there is a bit of a shift. The shift is from the glory of Christ displayed in His works to its display in His words. In His teaching on the significance of the Sabbath (ch. 12), He corrects the wrong thinking of the Pharisees who were so hypocritical in their observance and enforcement of the details of the Law of God. Jesus points out that it is the heart that God is after, not mere externalism! This is highlighted by the use of Hosea 6:6 for the second time (cf. 9:13). God wants our loving loyalty to Him, not just external ritual.
Jesus' teaching continues in chapter 13, but there is a shift to teaching regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. Here are some observations concerning the Kingdom. Its members are fruit-bearing (13:23), genuine (13:30) and righteous (13:49). It has a small start, but its impact is far-reaching (13:31-33). It is a treasure to be desired above all else (13:44-45). In this teaching, it is impossible to miss the warning to those who merely profess to be members of the Kingdom. Jesus Himself predicted that there would be impostors. There are those that might even seem to give signs of life (13:20-22), but the end of these mere professors is damnation (13:42,50). I guess this flies in the face of those who claim that Jesus was all love and no judgment! This is a good time to examine ourselves to see if there is evidence of true life within us that is producing external fruit!
The last verse of chapter 13 is quite an indictment! Let us be a people of faith and see what mighty works God will do among us!
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