Penasquitos Stake Institute

Regarding the gospel of Matthew containing an array of Jesus’ discourses:

 

“The third discourse, a collection of parables, is recorded in chapter 13 of Matthew.  Some have wondered why these parables were placed together like beads on a string.  The finest explanation can be found in the Documentary History of the Church, where the Prophet Joseph explains that this discourse is an outline of the events of the kingdom, from Jesus’ own day until his second coming (DHC, vol. 2, pp. 264-72). The importance of ‘leavening’ the world is apparent in these parables.

 

“The parable of the sower describes the gospel going forth. The parable of the tares describes the apostasy.  The parable of the mustard seed describes the rise of the Church in the last days. The parable of the leaven suggests revelation in the Church, which ultimately permeates the whole.  The parable of the pearl teaches about an inheritance in Zion, and the parable of the fishnet suggests that the descendants of Joseph are taking the gospel throughout the earth. The meaning of these parables cannot be restricted to one place or one nation.”