Matthew 13:9
in Matthew 13He who has ears, let him hear.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that hath ears, let him hear.
KJV
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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This verse in Matthew 13
Commentary
13 notes on this verseWho hath ears to hear, let him hear. Not externally only, but internally; he that has ears given him to hear, so as to understand, let him make use of them, and seriously consider of, and diligently attend to the use and importance of this parable. It is a way of speaking used by Christ, when anything of moment was delivered, and not so easy to be understood, on purpose to quicken the attention of his auditors, and stir up in them a desire of understanding what was said; which effect this had upon his disciples; see Mar 4:10.
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 Church Fathers3 voices
These ears to hear, are ears of the mind, to understand namely and do those things which are commanded.
(Verse 9.) He who has ears to hear, let him hear. We are prompted to understand these sayings whenever we are moved by these words.
And we are excited to the understanding of His words, by the advice which follows, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The Medieval Church2 voices
He shows that those who have spiritual ears must understand these things in a spiritual sense. For many have ears but do not use them for hearing. This is why He added, "He who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Remember what is said: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. For all who were present there had bodily ears. But he who says to all having ears, If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear, without doubt seeks the ears of the heart. Take care therefore that the word received remains in the ear of the heart.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And because this was said parabolically, he therefore adds, he who has ears to hear, namely, of the heart within, let him hear through understanding.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The place where Christ's hearers now stood represented the characters of most of them, the sand on the sea-shore, which was to the seed like the highway ground. Observe First, What kind of hearers are compared to the highway ground; such as hear the word and understand it not; and it is their own fault that they do not.
The exposition of it we have from Christ himself, who knew best what was his own meaning. The disciples, when they asked, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The chapter which these verses begin is remarkable for the number of parables which it contains. Seven striking illustrations of spiritual truth are here drawn by the great head of the church from the book of nature. By so doing he shows us that religious teaching may draw help from everything in creation. Those that would “find out acceptable words” should not forget this.(Eccl 12:10) The parable of the sower, which begins this chapter, is one of those parables which admit of a very wide application. It is being continually verified under our own eyes.
The chapter which these verses begin is remarkable for the number of parables which it contains. Seven striking illustrations of spiritual truth are here drawn by the great head of the church from the book of nature. By so doing he shows us that religious teaching may draw help from everything in creation. Those that would “find out acceptable words” should not forget this.(Eccl 12:10) The parable of the sower, which begins this chapter, is one of those parables which admit of a very wide application. It is being continually verified under our own eyes. Wherever the Word of God is preached or expounded and people are assembled to hear it, the sayings of our Lord in this parable are found to be true. It describes what goes on, as a general rule, in all congregations. Let us learn in the first place, from this parable that the work of the preacher resembles that of the sower. Like the sower, the preacher must sow good seed if he wants to see fruit. He must sow the pure Word of God, and not the traditions of the church or the doctrines of men. Without this, his labor will be vain. He may go to and fro, and seem to say much, and to work much in his weekly round of ministerial duty, but there will be no harvest of souls for heaven, no living results, and no conversions. Like the sower, the preacher must be diligent. He must spare no pains; he must use every possible means to make his work prosper; he must patiently sow beside all waters, and sow in hope. He must “instant in season and out of season,” he must not be deterred by difficulties and discouragements; “he that observeth the wind shall not sow.” No doubt his success does not entirely depend upon his labor and diligence, but without labor and diligence success will not be obtained.(Isa 32:20 2 Tim 4:2 Eccl 11:4 ) Like the sower, the preacher cannot give life.
Who hath ears to hear, etc. - Let every person who feels the necessity of being instructed in the things which concern his soul’s welfare pay attention to what is spoken, and he shall become wise unto salvation.
The words behind it
4 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔχων | echon | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ὦτα | ota | ears | G3775 → | 36 times |
| ἀκουέτω.¶ | akoueto | he should hear. | G191 → | 425 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἔχωνhaving
echonG2192 →707 times
ὦταears
otaG3775 →36 times
ἀκουέτω.¶he should hear.
akouetoG191 →425 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the…
it leads to
- Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 13:43
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
- Matthew 11:15
He who has ears, let him hear.
- Revelation 13:9
He who has an ear, let him hear:
- Revelation 2:17
Through
Revelation 2:17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone…
it leads to
- Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 62:2
Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
- Isaiah 65:15
You will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but to His servants He will give another name.
- Revelation 2:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 15; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.