Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

Matthew 13:3

in Matthew 13

And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

KJV

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

⋯

This verse in Matthew 13

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 420.

And it is to be noted, that He spake not all things to them in parables, but many things, for had He spoken all things in parables, the people would have departed without benefit. He mingles things plain with things dark, that by those things which they understand they may be incited to get knowledge of the things they understand not. The multitude also is not of one opinion, but of divers wills in divers matters, whence He speaks to them in many parables, that each according to their several dispositions may receive some portion of His teaching.

This site's exposition

a sower went forth to sow

on Matthew 13:3-9

A sower went forth to sow pictures Palestinian farming where seed was often scattered before plowing, so that the path across the field, the shallow limestone shelf beneath a thin skin of soil, and the roots of uncleared thorns each claimed part of the seed before the plow ever turned it under. The bench reads the parable's climax in the last soil alone, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold, an ordinary yield made extraordinary against three prior failures, the harvest guaranteed despite the loss along the way. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear closes the parable with a call that separates the merely curious crowd from the disciple willing to ask what it means.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices
In parables - The word “parable” is derived from a Greek word signifying “to compare together,” and denotes a similitude taken from a natural object to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate. In early ages it was much used. Pagan writers, as Aesop, often employed it. In the time of Christ it was in common use. The prophets had used it, and Christ employed it often in teaching his disciples.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, &c.--These parables are SEVEN in number; and it is not a little remarkable that while this is the sacred number, the first FOUR of them were spoken to the mixed multitude, while the remaining THREE were spoken to the Twelve in private--these divisions, four and three, being themselves notable in the symbolical arithmetic of Scripture.

The words behind it

13 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Mark 4:2–9And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,10 worksPsalms 78:2I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,6 worksMark 4:13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?6 works2 Samuel 12:1–7Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.5 worksEzekiel 24:3–14Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.5 worksMark 4:33With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.5 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 13:10–13Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”5 worksMatthew 13:53When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.5 worksMatthew 13:34–35Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.5 worksMark 12:12At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.4 worksJudges 9:8–20One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’4 worksMatthew 24:32Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.4 worksLuke 8:5–8“A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it.4 worksPsalms 49:4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:4 worksIsaiah 61:11For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.4 worksLuke 15:3–7Then Jesus told them this parable:3 worksMark 12:1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.3 worksMark 3:23So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Psalms 78:2

    I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,

    it leads to

    • Matthew 13:34–35

      Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.

    • Matthew 13:11–13

      He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

    • Mark 4:34

      He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

    • Psalms 49:4

      I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:

    • Proverbs 1:6

      by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

  • Through

    Mark 4:13

    Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?

    it leads to

    • Revelation 3:19

      Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.

    • Matthew 16:8–9

      Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?

    • Luke 24:25

      Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Where this verse is studied

About Matthew

John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Matthew: the study guide →Read Matthew 13 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament.

Read on in Matthew 13 →