Page 632 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

TALKING - TARPELITES

TALKING, FOOLISH. [See Foolish Talking.] rejected. This is exactly what has happened in church
TALMAI (a furrow). Nu. 13:22. history.
TALMON (violent oppression). 1 Ch. 9:17. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mt. 13:31,32)
TALMUD. “A collection of Jewish writings of the early depicts the growth of an abnormal and unwanted
Christian centuries. There is a Palestinian Talmud, and a product of the sowing process. The mustard seed is
later, more authoritative, much longer Babylonian planted and produces a tree instead of a mustard plant.
Talmud” (Compact). The Talmud contains Jewish The mustard seed typifies the true churches of Jesus
traditions and explanations of the O.T. Scriptures, many Christ which, in the eyes of the world, were small,
of which are false. It also contains blasphemies against common, and of little value. The glory of the true
the Lord Jesus Christ. [See Judaism.] church is hidden from the eyes of unsaved men. All they
TAMAR (palm tree). Ge. 38:6. see is a motley band of ordinary people who are zealous
for Jesus Christ and the Bible and who have strange
TAMMUZ (Eze. 8:14). [See Idolatry.] habits and beliefs. This is what God intended the church
TANACH (progress in traveling). Jos. 21:25. to be, but it was made into a magnificent apostate
TANHUMETH (his comfort). 2 Ki. 25:23. religion by heretics. The lowly mustard plant became a
TAPHATH (oil of myrrh, drop). 1 Ki. 4:11. proud tree. Apostate religion has reared its magnificent
TAPPUAH (an apple tree). 1 Ch. 2:43. cathedrals, adorned itself in glorious robes, collected
gold and silver and precious stones, developed men-
TARAH (a wretch, a banished man). Nu. 33:27. pleasing humanistic philosophies, and otherwise made
TARALAH (his increase). Jos. 18:27. itself into something the unsaved man can appreciate.
TAREA (delay of joy). 1 Ch. 8:35. The Parable of the Leaven (Mt. 13:33) depicts the
TAPESTRY. A woven blanket, carpet, or hanging (Pr. rapid spread of error throughout professing
7:15). Christendom. How perfectly this parable has been
TARES. “A weed, or bearded darnel, that in the blade fulfilled. Even during the days of the Apostles, apostasy
state could not be distinguished from wheat but in the was beginning to blossom. It quickly spread throughout
ear state was quite dissimilar and could then be easily a majority of the churches. The prophecies of these
separated” (Mt. 13:25-30) (Analytical). The parable of amazing parables have been fulfilled precisely in church
the wheat and tares has been incorrectly interpreted as history.
teaching that God does not want believers to exercise The Parable of the Wheat And Tares (Mt. 13:24-30,
judgment against sin and error. That this is not the 36-43) depicts exactly the same thing. As the Gospel has
meaning Christ intended is obvious by the many been proclaimed throughout the world, the devil has
commands in the N.T. regarding church discipline and sown tares in the midst of it. The kingdom of heaven in
separation from error. The Lord Jesus Christ was its mystery form is all of professing Christendom, lost
describing the conditions in the world during His and saved, apostate and true. It includes the Roman
absence in heaven. The kingdom of God will assume a Catholic Church, the Protestant denominations, the
mystery form, meaning a form not revealed in O.T. cults, as well as the sound apostolic congregations.
prophecy (Mt. 13:11). Mystery means the revelation of When Jesus says that the tares must not be rooted out
truth hidden in prior ages. It refers to N.T. church truth until the end of the age, He is referring to the fact that
which was hidden from the O.T. prophets. apostasy cannot be destroyed until that time. The
The O.T. describes the coming kingdom of God on churches are not to put heretics to death or burn down
earth, but it did not foresee this present interlude the apostate cathedrals! God will take care of error as
between the first and second comings of Christ, the far as rooting it out of His kingdom when Christ returns
church age during which Christ is calling out a people in power and glory. The field is not the true churches;
for His name from among the nations. In the parables in “the field is the world” (Mt. 13:38). To interpret the
Matthew 13, the Lord taught that the conditions in this Parable of the Wheat and the Tares as applying to the
church age will be that of increasing apostasy and N.T. church is a great error and contradicts the rest of
wickedness. the N.T. Scriptures. [See Apostasy, Church Discipline,
The Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:3-9) depicts the Covenant, Ecumenical Movement, False Teaching,
spread of the Gospel and the fact that only a small Heresy, Kingdom of God, Mystery, Nicolaitan, Parables,
fraction of the seed sown will produce good fruit. The Prophecy, Revelation, Separation, Timothy, Unity.]
scattering of the seed will not fill the world with fruit, TARGET. (1) A shield (1 Ki. 10:16; 2 Ch. 9:15;
but will result in a fruitful crop here and there as it is 14:8). (2) Small spear (1 Sa. 17:6). [See Military,
received in good hearts. According to this parable, for Shield.]
the most part the Seed of the Word of God will be TARPELITES (ravishers). Ezr. 4:9.

632 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity