1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them].
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.
53 And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this [man] this wisdom, and [these] mighty works?
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things?
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Overview of Matthew Chapter 13
Matthew Chapter 13 is a pivotal chapter in the Gospel of Matthew, featuring a series of parables that Jesus uses to convey spiritual truths about the Kingdom of Heaven. This chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding and responding to God’s Word, and it illustrates the varying responses of people to the message of the Gospel.
Structure of the Chapter
The chapter can be divided into several key sections:
- The Parable of the Sower (verses 1-23)
- The Parable of the Weeds (verses 24-30)
- The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (verses 31-33)
- The Purpose of Parables (verses 10-17)
- The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (verses 36-43)
- Further Parables (verses 44-52)
The Parable of the Sower (Verses 1-23)
In this parable, Jesus describes a sower who scatters seeds on different types of soil, representing various responses to the Gospel:
- Path: Seeds that fall on the path are eaten by birds, symbolizing those who hear the message but do not understand it.
- Rocky Ground: Seeds on rocky ground sprout quickly but wither due to lack of roots, representing those who receive the Word joyfully but fall away in times of trouble.
- Thorns: Seeds among thorns are choked by weeds, symbolizing those who are distracted by life’s worries and wealth.
- Good Soil: Seeds on good soil produce a fruitful harvest, representing those who hear, understand, and bear fruit in their lives.
The Purpose of Parables (Verses 10-17)
After sharing the parable, Jesus explains to His disciples why He speaks in parables:
- Parables reveal truths to those who are open to understanding.
- They conceal truths from those who are not receptive, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah.
- Jesus emphasizes the blessedness of those who see and hear the truths of the Kingdom.
The Parable of the Weeds (Verses 24-30)
This parable illustrates the coexistence of good and evil in the world:
- A farmer sows good seed, but an enemy sows weeds among them.
- When the plants grow, the weeds are discovered, leading to a discussion about whether to pull them out.
- The farmer advises to let both grow until the harvest, when the weeds will be gathered and burned, symbolizing the final judgment.
The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (Verses 36-43)
Jesus provides a detailed explanation of this parable:
- The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man.
- The field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the weeds are the children of the evil one.
- The harvest represents the end of the age, and the reapers are angels who will separate the wicked from the righteous.
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (Verses 31-33)
These two short parables illustrate the growth and influence of the Kingdom of Heaven:
- The Mustard Seed: A tiny seed grows into a large tree, symbolizing the Kingdom’s humble beginnings and expansive growth.
- The Yeast: A small amount of yeast permeates the dough, representing the transformative power of the Kingdom in the world.
Further Parables (Verses 44-52)
Jesus concludes the chapter with additional parables that highlight the value of the Kingdom:
- The Hidden Treasure: A man finds treasure in a field and sells everything to buy it, illustrating the incomparable worth of the Kingdom.
- The Pearl of Great Price: A merchant seeks fine pearls and sells all he has to acquire one of great value, emphasizing the sacrifices made for the Kingdom.
- The Net: A dragnet collects fish of all kinds, symbolizing the final judgment where the good are separated from the bad.
Conclusion
Matthew Chapter 13 serves as a profound teaching moment for understanding the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven and the varied responses to God’s message. Through parables, Jesus communicates complex spiritual truths in relatable terms, urging listeners to reflect on their own receptiveness to His Word and the implications of their choices.
