Matthew 13:10
in Matthew 13Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
KJV
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
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This verse in Matthew 13
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Christ, in these verses, gives a “reason” why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mar 4:10-12; Luk 8:9-10. Mat 13:11 The mysteries of the kingdom - The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood. The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had” not been before made known.
This site's exposition
Why do You speak to the people in parables?
on Matthew 13:10-13
Jesus answers that the knowledge of the mysteries “has been given to you, but not to them”. The crowd had refused the plain teaching, so parables now hide from them what the disciples who ask receive. The words “Whoever has will be given more” state the principle in small.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(Verse 10, 11.) And the disciples came and said to him, 'Why do you speak to them in parables?' He answered them, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
The Evangelist therefore says, came to him, to express that they eagerly enquired of Him; or they might indeed approach Him bodily, though the space between them was small.
We must enquire how they could come to Him at that time when Jesus was sitting in the ship; we may understand that they had at the first entered into the ship, and standing there, made this enquiry of Him.
(Verse 10, 11.) And the disciples came and said to him, 'Why do you speak to them in parables?' He answered them, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.' It is necessary to inquire how the disciples approach him while Jesus is sitting in the boat, unless it is understood that they had recently boarded the boat with him and there, standing, were asking about the interpretation of the parable.
We have good cause to admire the disciples, how, longing as they do to learn, they know when they ought to ask. For they do it not before all: and this Matthew shows by saying, "And they came." And, as to this assertion not being conjecture, Mark hath expressed it more distinctly, by saying, that "they came to Him privately." This then His brethren and His mother should also have done, and not have called Him out, and made a display. But mark their kindly affection also, how they have much regard for the others, and seek their good first, and then their own. "For why," it is said, "speakest Thou unto them in parables?" They did not say, why speakest thou unto us in parables? Yea, and on other occasions also their kindliness towards men appears in many ways; as when they say, "Send the multitude away;" and, "Knowest thou that they were offended?"
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And the disciples came etc. Above, the parable was set down; here its reason is assigned: and regarding this, two things are set down here. First, the question of the disciples is set down; secondly, the response, at who answering etc. He says therefore, the …
(ap. Anselm.) The disciples understanding that the things which were spoken by the Lord to the people were obscure, desired to hint to Him that He should not speak in parables to them. And his disciples came to him, and said, Why speakest thou to them in parables?
The disciples found great obscurity in the words spoken by Christ, and being solicitous of the common people came to Him and asked the question. And He said, "It is given unto you to know the mysteries," that is, since you have willingness and zeal …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 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.
), intimated a desire to have the parable explained for the sake of the people; nor was it any disparagement to their own knowledge to desire it for themselves.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And the disciples came, and said unto him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 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.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προσελθόντες | proselthontes | having come | G4334 → | 86 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθηταὶ | mathetai | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| εἶπαν | eipan | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| αὐτῷ· | auto | to Him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| διὰ | dia | Because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τί | ti | why | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| παραβολαῖς | parabolais | parables | G3850 → | 50 times |
| λαλεῖς | laleis | speak You | G2980 → | 294 times |
| αὐτοῖς; | autois | to them? | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προσελθόντεςhaving come
proselthontesG4334 →86 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
μαθηταὶdisciples
mathetaiG3101 →260 times
εἶπανsaid
eipanG2036 →925 times
αὐτῷ·to Him;
autoG846 →5565 times
διὰBecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τίwhy
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
παραβολαῖςparables
parabolaisG3850 →50 times
λαλεῖςspeak You
laleisG2980 →294 times
αὐτοῖς;to them?
autoisG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Mark 4:10As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
it leads to
- Matthew 13:10–17
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
- Mark 7:17
After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable.
- Luke 8:9–15
Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.
- Mark 4:34
He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
- Matthew 13:36
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.”
- Matthew 13:10–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
About Matthew
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 45; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); 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.