Matthew 13:1-53

Matthew 13:1-53

[1] The same  day  went  Jesus  the house,  and sat  by  the sea side.  [2] And  great  multitudes  were gathered together  unto  him,  so that  he  went  into  a ship,  and sat;  and  the whole  multitude  stood  on  the shore.  [3] And  he spake  many things  unto them  in  parables,  saying,  Behold,  a sower  went forth  to sow;  [4] And  when  he  sowed,  some  seeds fell  by  the way side,  and  the fowls  came  and  them  up:  [5] Some  fell  upon  stony places,  where  they had  not  much  earth:  and  forthwith  they sprung up,  because  they had  no  deepness  of earth:  [6] And  when the sun  was up,  they were scorched;  and  because  they had  no  root,  they withered away.  [7] And  some  fell  among  thorns;  and  the thorns  sprung up,  and  them:  [8] But  other  fell  into  good  ground,  and  brought forth  fruit,  some  an hundredfold,  some  sixtyfold,  some  thirtyfold.  [9] Who  hath  ears  to hear,  [10] And  the disciples  came,  and said  unto him,  speakest thou  unto them  in  parables?  [11] He answered  and  said  unto them,  Because  it is given  to know  the mysteries  of the kingdom  of heaven,  but  to them  not  given.  [12] For  whosoever  hath,  to him  shall be given,  and  he shall have more abundance:  but  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall be taken away  even  that  he hath.  [13] Therefore  speak I  to them  in  parables:  because  they seeing  not;  and  hearing  not,  neither  do they understand.  [14] And  them  is fulfilled  the prophecy  of Esaias,  which  saith,  By hearing  ye shall hear,  and  understand;  and  seeing  and  [15] For  people's  heart  is waxed gross,  and  their ears  are dull  of hearing,  and  their  eyes  they have closed;  with their eyes,  and  hear  with their ears,  and  should understand  with their heart,  and  should be converted,  and  I should heal  them.  [16] But  blessed  eyes,  for  they see:  and  ears,  for  they hear.  [17] For  verily  I say  That  many  prophets  and  righteous  men have desired  those things which  ye see,  and  not  them; and  to hear  those things which  ye hear,  and  not  heard  [18] Hear  therefore  the parable  of the sower.  [19] When any  one heareth  the word  of the kingdom,  and  understandeth  it not,  then cometh  the wicked  one, and  catcheth away  that which  was sown  in  his  heart.  This  he which received seed  by  the way side.  [20] But  he that received the seed  into  stony places,  the same  he that heareth  the word,  and  with  joy  receiveth  it;  [21] Yet  hath he  not  root  in  himself,  but  for a while:  for  when tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of the word,  he is offended.  [22] He also  that received seed  among  the thorns  he that  heareth  the word;  and  the care  world,  and  the deceitfulness  of riches,  choke  the word,  and  he becometh  unfruitful.  [23] But  he that received seed  into  the good  ground  he  that heareth  the word,  and  understandeth  it; which  also  beareth fruit,  and  bringeth forth,  some  an hundredfold,  some  sixty,  some  thirty.  [24] Another  parable  put he forth  unto them,  saying,  The kingdom  of heaven  is likened  unto a man  which sowed  good  seed  in  his  field:  [25] But  while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares  among  the wheat,  and  went his way.  [26] But  when  the blade  was sprung up,  and  brought forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the tares  also.  [27] So  the servants  of the householder  came  and said  unto him,  Sir,  not  thou sow  good  seed  in  thy  field?  from whence  then  hath it  tares?  [28] He said  unto them,  An enemy  hath done  The servants  unto him,  Wilt thou  then  that we go  them  up?  [29] But  he said,  Nay;  while ye gather up  the tares,  ye root up  also the wheat  with  them.  [30] Let  both  grow together  the harvest:  and  in  the time  of harvest  I will say  to the reapers,  Gather ye together  first  the tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them:  but  gather  the wheat  into  barn.  [31] Another  parable  put he forth  unto them,  saying,  The kingdom  of heaven  like  to a grain  of mustard seed,  which  a man  took,  and sowed  in  his  field:  [32] Which  indeed  the least  of all  seeds:  but  when  it is grown,  among herbs,  and  becometh  a tree,  so that  the birds  of the air  come  and  lodge  in  the branches  thereof.  [33] Another  parable  spake he  unto them;  The kingdom  of heaven  like  unto leaven,  which  a woman  took,  and hid  in  three  measures  of meal,  till  the whole  was  leavened.  [34] All  spake  Jesus  unto the multitude  in  parables;  and  without  a parable  spake he  unto them:  [35] That  it might be fulfilled  which  by  the prophet,  saying,  I will open  mouth  in  parables;  I will utter  things which have been kept secret  from  the foundation  of the world.  [36] Then  the multitude  away,  and went  into  the house:  and  his  disciples  came  unto him,  saying,  the parable  of the tares  of the field.  [37] He answered  and  said  He that soweth  the good  seed  the Son  of man;  [38] The field  the world;  the good  seed  are  the children  of the kingdom;  but  the tares  the children  of the wicked  [39] The enemy  that sowed  them  the devil;  the harvest  the end  of the world;  and  the reapers  the angels.  [40] As  therefore  the tares  are gathered  and  burned  in the fire;  so  in  the end  world.  [41] The Son  of man  shall send forth  his  angels,  and  they shall gather  out of  his  kingdom  all things  that offend,  and  them which do  iniquity;  [42] And  shall cast  them  into  a furnace  of fire:  there  wailing  and  gnashing  of teeth.  [43] Then  shall the righteous  shine forth  as  the sun  in  the kingdom  of their  Father.  Who  hath  ears  to hear,  [44] the kingdom  of heaven  like  unto treasure  hid  in  a field;  the which  when a man  hath found,  he hideth,  and  for  joy  thereof  goeth  and  selleth  all  that  he hath,  and  buyeth  that  field.  [45] Again,  the kingdom  of heaven  like  unto a merchant  man,  seeking  goodly  pearls:  [46] when he had found  one  pearl  of great price,  went  and sold  all  that  he had,  and  bought  it.  [47] Again,  the kingdom  of heaven  like  unto a net,  that was cast  into  the sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind:  [48] Which,  when  it was full,  they drew  to  shore,  and  sat down,  and gathered  the good  into  vessels,  but  cast  the bad  away.  [49] So  at  the end  of the world:  the angels  shall come forth,  and  sever  the wicked  from  among  the just,  [50] And  shall cast  them  into  the furnace  of fire:  there  wailing  and  gnashing  of teeth.  [51] saith  unto them,  Have ye understood  things?  They say  unto him,  Yea,  [52] Then  said  he unto them,  Therefore  every  scribe  which is instructed  the kingdom  of heaven  like  unto a man  that is an householder,  which  bringeth forth  out of  his  treasure  things new  and  old.  [53] And  it came to pass,  that when  Jesus  had finished  parables,  he departed  thence. 

What is the context of Matthew 13:1-53?

What does Matthew 13:1-53 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

"The die is cast. The religious leaders have openly declared their opposition to their Messiah. The people of Israel are amazed at the power of Jesus and His speech, but they fail to recognize Him as their King. Not seeing the Messiahship of Jesus in His words and works, they have separated the fruit from the tree. Because of this opposition and spiritual apathy, the King adapts His teaching method and the doctrine concerning the coming of the kingdom to the situation." [1]
Jesus had occasionally used parables to illustrate His teaching (e.g, Matthew 7:24-27; Matthew 9:15-17; Matthew 11:16-19; Matthew 12:43-45). Rising opposition led Him to use them more. Now He began to use parables to reveal new truth about the kingdom. [2] Chapter13contains Jesus" third major discourse in Matthew , His Parables about the Kingdom. [3] Matthew presented the first two discourses as uninterrupted monologues by Jesus, except for a question and answer at Matthew 18:21-22. He interrupted this third discourse frequently with narrative introductions.
John and Jesus had previously announced that the kingdom was at hand. Jesus stopped saying that when Israel"s rejection of Him was firm (i.e, after chapter12). Instead He began to reveal new truth about the kingdom because of Israel"s rejection of Him and His rejection of the nation. This new truth, revelation not previously given, was a mystery. The term "mystery," as it occurs in the New Testament, refers to newly revealed truth. It has nothing to do with spookiness. God had previously not revealed it, but now He did.
Kingsbury perceived the theme of this speech as "instruction in the secrets of the Kingdom" and outlined it as follows: (I) On the Secrets of the Kingdom as Being Revealed to the Disciples But Not to Israel ( Matthew 13:3-35); and (II) On the Secrets of the Kingdom as Urging Disciples to Obey Without Reserve the Will of God ( Matthew 13:36-52). [4]
As elsewhere in Matthew , references to the kingdom indicate the future messianic (millennial) kingdom. However, Jesus taught some things here about the unseen growth and development of the kingdom in the inter-advent age that precede the establishment of that kingdom.
Matthew presented this discourse in a chiastic (crossing) structure. [5] This structure is common in the Old Testament and in other Jewish writings. It enhances the unity of the discourse and focuses attention on the central element as what is most important. A diagram of this structure follows.
AThe introduction Matthew 13:1-2BThe first parable to the crowds Matthew 13:3-9CAn explanatory interlude: purpose and explanation Matthew 13:10-23DThree more parables to the crowd Matthew 13:24-33EAn explanatory interlude: fulfillment and explanation Matthew 13:34-43D"Three parables to the disciples Matthew 13:44-48C"An explanatory interlude: explanation and response Matthew 13:49-51B"The last parable to the disciples Matthew 13:52A"The conclusion Matthew 13:53
This structural analysis reveals that the discourse consists of two sections of four parables each, the first four to the multitudes and the last four to the disciples. In each section one parable stands out from the others. In the first group this is the first parable and in the second group it is the last one. The central section between the two groups of parables explains the function of the parables and explains one of them.
"Modern readers are so used to thinking of parables as helpful illustrative stories that they find it hard to grasp the message of this chapter that parables do not explain. To some they may convey enlightenment, but for others they may only deepen confusion. The difference lies in the hearer"s ability to rise to the challenge. Far from giving explanations, parables themselves need to be explained, and three are given detailed explanations in this chapter ( Matthew 13:18-23; Matthew 13:37-43; Matthew 13:49-50). But that explanation is not given to everyone, but only to the disciples ( Matthew 13:10; Matthew 13:36), and Matthew not only makes the point explicit in Matthew 13:34 (only parables for the crowds, not explanations), but also confirms it by a formula quotation in Matthew 13:35 : parables are "hidden things." In this way the medium (parables) is itself integral to the message it conveys (the secrets of the kingdom of heaven)." [6]
"Perhaps no other mode of teaching was so common among the Jews as that by Parables. Only in their case, they were almost entirely illustrations of what had been said or taught; while, in the case of Christ, they served as the foundation for His teaching." [7]