Matthew13

Jesus taught great multitudes by the sea, speaking many things in parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. He explained to His disciples that parables reveal spiritual mysteries to those given understanding, while obscuring them from others who are spiritually dull, fulfilling prophecy. Key parables included the Sower, the Tares, the Mustard Seed, and the Leaven, illustrating the nature, growth, and challenges of the Kingdom. Later parables emphasized the Kingdom's supreme value and the final separation of the righteous from the wicked.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Jesus Teaches by the Sea

1
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ​
2
Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
3
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ​
4
And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5
Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
6
But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
8
Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
9
He who has ears, let him hear.” ​

The Purpose of Parables Explained

10
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” ​
11
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ​
12
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ​
13
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ ​
14
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. ​
15
For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
16
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17
For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. ​

Interpretation of the Sower

18
Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
19
When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ​
20
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21
But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ​
22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ​
23
But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

The Parable of the Weeds

24
Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ​
25
But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. ​
26
When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
27
The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28
‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29
‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them.
30
Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’” ​

Parables of Growth and Influence

31
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.
32
Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” ​
33
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.” ​
34
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
35
So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.” ​

Interpretation of the Weeds

36
Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” ​
37
He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38
The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ​
39
and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40
As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.
42
And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ​
43
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Parables of Value and Judgment

44
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. ​
45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46
When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it. ​
47
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. ​
48
When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away.
49
So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous,
50
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51
Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.
52
Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” ​

The Rejection at Nazareth

53
When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.
54
Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked. ​
55
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? ​
56
Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57
And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” ​
58
And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief. ​

Study Notes for Matthew 13

Verse 1

Jesus moves from teaching privately (in the house, 12:46) to teaching publicly by the sea, signifying a major shift in His ministry focus toward broader audiences.

Verse 3

Parables (Gk. *parabolē*) are earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus uses them extensively in this chapter to describe the nature and growth of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Verse 9

This concluding phrase is a call for spiritual discernment, indicating that the message requires deep thought and a receptive heart to grasp its true meaning.

Verse 10

The disciples’ question highlights the shift in Jesus’ public teaching style, which had become more enigmatic since the rising opposition detailed in chapter 12.

Verse 11

The 'mysteries of the kingdom' refers not to secrets previously hidden, but to the nature of God's rule as currently revealed through Jesus, contrasting with prevailing Jewish expectations.

Verse 12

This principle emphasizes spiritual responsiveness: those who respond to truth receive more revelation; those who reject truth lose the understanding they possess.

Verse 13

Parables function as both revelation and judgment, clarifying truth for disciples while obscuring it for those hardened by unbelief.

Verse 14

Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10. This prophecy shows that Israel’s rejection of God’s message is not accidental, but the sad fulfillment of a divine judgment against spiritual hardness.

Verse 17

The disciples are blessed because they are witnessing the long-awaited fulfillment of covenant promises that many prophets and righteous figures of the Old Testament could only anticipate.

Verse 19

The 'word of the kingdom' is the seed. The wayside listener hears without understanding, allowing Satan ('the wicked one') immediately to steal the truth.

Verse 21

Lack of root suggests a shallow commitment based on emotion rather than deep conviction; it cannot endure the inevitable pressures of tribulation or persecution.

Verse 22

Worldly concerns—specifically financial anxieties and the alluring deception of riches—are identified as major obstacles that suffocate spiritual vitality and prevent fruitfulness.

Verse 24

This parable addresses the problem of evil and hypocrisy within the visible community of the Kingdom before the final judgment.

Verse 25

The 'tares' (Gk. *zizania*) refers to darnel, a weed that looks exactly like wheat in its early stages, making separation difficult until harvest.

Verse 30

This instruction demonstrates God's patience and prevents human error in judgment. Prematurely rooting out false believers could harm genuine believers (the wheat).

Verse 32

The mustard seed, though small, represents the unexpected, explosive growth of the Kingdom, which starts humbly but expands to become a vast spiritual refuge.

Verse 33

Leaven (yeast) signifies the pervasive, silent, and transforming influence of the Kingdom as it works internally to change the whole lump (representing humanity or the church).

Verse 35

Matthew specifically ties Jesus' use of parables to the fulfillment of Scripture (Psalm 78:2), emphasizing that this teaching method was part of God’s predetermined plan.

Verse 36

Jesus withdraws for private instruction, reinforcing the theme that the deeper, eschatological meaning of the Kingdom is for those committed to discipleship.

Verse 38

This interpretation provides the key eschatological elements: the field is the world, the good seed are believers, and the harvest is the end of the age (Gk. *sunteleia tou aiōnos*).

Verse 42

'Wailing and gnashing of teeth' is a fixed phrase in Matthew, denoting intense, futile agony and regret associated with eternal separation and judgment.

Verse 44

The treasure parable emphasizes the immense, surpassing value of the Kingdom, which demands immediate, joyful, and total sacrifice of all earthly possessions.

Verse 46

Like the treasure, the pearl parable stresses the Kingdom's supreme worth. The merchant is one who diligently searches for truth and recognizes its unparalleled value when found.

Verse 47

The dragnet represents the broad scope of the gospel, gathering all types of people into the visible community, anticipating the final, decisive separation at the judgment.

Verse 52

The instructed scribe is the ideal disciple, who can draw from both the Old Testament (the 'old') and the new revelations of the Kingdom taught by Jesus (the 'new').

Verse 54

Jesus returns to 'His own country' (Nazareth). The people were astonished by Jesus' power, but their familiarity prevented them from accepting his divine authority.

Verse 55

This list confirms Jesus' humanity and humble origins, identifying his family members, which became the source of the townspeople's skepticism and rejection.

Verse 57

The people were 'offended' (Gk. *skandalizō*), meaning they stumbled over Jesus' humble background. This proverb encapsulates the difficulty of being honored in one's place of origin.

Verse 58

Unbelief limits the manifestation of God’s power, not because God is unable, but because miracles often require a context of faith to be effective instruments of salvation and revelation.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options