Matthewchapter 13

A.The Sower and the Four Soilsvv. 1-23

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.” 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. 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.”

B.Wheat and Tares Growing Togethervv. 24-30

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.’”

C.Mustard Seed and Hidden Leavenvv. 31-35

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.”

D.The Tares Explained: the Harvest at the Endvv. 36-43

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.

E.Treasure, Pearl, and Dragnetvv. 44-52

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.”

F.No Honor in His Own Countryvv. 53-58

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.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Discourse 3.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Discourse 3. Parables of the kingdom. Sower and soils, wheat and tares, mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure, pearl of great price, the dragnet. The kingdom hidden then revealed. Jesus interprets the sower and the tares privately for the disciples. Rejection at Nazareth: 'a prophet is not without honour, save in his own country.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Matthew — Matthew overview

A. 1–23 The Sower and the Four Soils
B. 24–30 Wheat and Tares Growing Together
C. 31–35 Mustard Seed and Hidden Leaven
D. 36–43 The Tares Explained: the Harvest at the End
E. 44–52 Treasure, Pearl, and Dragnet
F. 53–58 No Honor in His Own Country

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Matthew 1312 verses
- Matthew 13:1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
- Matthew 13:11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
- Matthew 13:13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
- Matthew 13:18Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
- Matthew 13:21But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
- Matthew 13:30Let 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.’”
- Read Matthew 13: 6 more there →
Mark 49 verses
- Mark 4:2And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
- Mark 4:10As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
- Mark 4:12so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”
- Mark 4:13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
- Mark 4:18Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word,
- Mark 4:24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
- Read Mark 4: 3 more there →
Luke 86 verses
- Luke 8:4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told them this parable:
- Luke 8:11Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
- Luke 8:13The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall away.
- Luke 8:14The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
- Luke 8:15But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.
- Luke 8:18Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
- Read Luke 8 →
Matthew 254 verses
- Matthew 25:1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
- Matthew 25:29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
- Matthew 25:31When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
- Matthew 25:34Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- Read Matthew 25 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

John 153 verses
- John 15:6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- John 15:8This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
- John 15:16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
- Read John 15 →
Ephesians 33 verses
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Ephesians 3:9and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
- Ephesians 3:17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,
- Read Ephesians 3 →
Mark 63 verses
- Mark 6:1Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples.
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Mark 6:5So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.
- Read Mark 6 →
Matthew 112 verses
- Matthew 11:6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
- Matthew 11:15He who has ears, let him hear.
- Read Matthew 11 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.