In an era of religious and political despotism, the teachings of Christ Jesus came as a ray of hope to the oppressed, an intellectual challenge to the learned, and a rebuke to the hypocrite. To the materialistic thinker, expecting the coming of a temporal ruler and the establishment of an earthly kingdom, it was unprecedented to be told that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, followed by the even more surprising statement that it was actually within one.
At no time did Jesus intimate that there was a time element or waiting period involved in his healing ministry. On the contrary, he emphasized the immediacy of good and wisely chose a comparison that was meaningful to his hearers by admonishing them (John 4:35), "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
The economy of Palestine was agrarian, and the harvest was an occasion of vital importance. Drought, insects, or war frequently damaged the crops or eliminated them altogether, and a successful harvest of material food was indispensable to the survival of the populace. The prospect of an immediate harvest of spiritual food was welcome news, albeit somewhat beyond their comprehension.
