Matthew 13 Bible Commentary

13:1  On that day went Jesus out of the house¹, and sat by the sea side². THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) A. INTRODUCTION Matthew 13:1-3; Mark 4:1,2; Luke 8:4
On that day went Jesus out of the house. It is possible that Matthew here refers to the house mentioned at Mark 3:19. If so, the events in Sections 48-51 all occurred on the same day. There are several indications in the gospel narratives that this is so.
And sat by the sea side. By the Sea of Galilee.

13:2  And there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat¹; and all the multitude stood on the beach.
He entered into a boat, and sat. See Mark 4:1.

13:3  And he spake to them many things in parables¹, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow²;
And he spake to them many things in parables. See Mark 4:2.

THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) B. PARABLE OF THE SOWER. Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-25; Luke 8:5-18
Behold, the sower went forth to sow. See Mark 4:3.

13:4  and as he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side¹, and the birds came and devoured them:
And as he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side. See Mark 4:4.

13:5  and others fell upon the rocky places¹, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: Matthew 13:5,6
And others fell upon the rocky places. See Mark 4:5.

13:7  And others fell upon the thorns¹; and the thorns grew up and choked them:
And others fell upon the thorns. See Mark 4:7.

13:8  and others fell upon the good ground¹, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
And others fell upon the good ground, etc. See Mark 4:8.

13:9  He that hath ears, let him hear¹.
He that hath ears, let him hear. See Mark 4:9.

13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables¹?
Why speakest thou unto them in parables? See Mark 4:10.

13:11  And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven¹, but to them it is not given. Matthew 13:11,12
Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, etc. See Mark 4:11.

13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given¹, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, etc. See Mark 4:25.

13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not¹, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Because seeing they see not, etc. See Mark 4:12. The language here is an elaboration of the thoughts contained in Matthew 13:12.

13:14  And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah¹, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear², and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: Matthew 13:14,15
Unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. See Isaiah 6:9,10. In the original passage which Matthew quotes, Isaiah is apparently commanded to harden the hearts of the people. If read superficially, it might seem that God desired to harden their hearts. The true meaning is that God commanded Isaiah to teach, even though the people, by hardening themselves against his teaching, should be made worse rather than better by it. Thus, though rebellious, Israel might not be blessed by Isaiah's teaching; they might, by their examples, waken a wholesome fear in their posterity, and cause it to avoid like a sin.
By hearing ye shall hear, etc. See Mark 4:25.

13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross¹, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
For this people's heart is waxed gross, etc. See Isaiah 6:9,10.

13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see¹; and your ears, for they hear.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, etc. Jesus here addresses his disciples, who were a cheering contrast to the unbelievers.

13:17  For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see¹, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.
Many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, etc. Our Lord here gives us a glance into the very hearts of the prophets, and reveals to us their desire to be witnesses of Messiah's ministry. But knowing they were not to see their visions realized, they contented themselves with trying to understand the full meaning of their visions, that they might anticipate the days which were to come (1 Peter 1:10-12).

13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side¹.
This is he that was sown by the way side. See Mark 4:15.

13:20  And he that was sown upon the rocky places¹, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; Matthew 13:20,21
And he that was sown upon the rocky places, etc. See Mark 4:16.

13:22  And he that was sown among the thorns¹, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
And he that was sown among the thorns, etc. See Mark 4:18.

13:23  And he that was sown upon the good ground¹, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
And he that was sown upon the good ground, etc. See Mark 4:20.

13:24  Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) D. THE PARABLE OF THE TARES. Matthew 13:24-30

13:25  but while men slept¹, his enemy came and sowed tares also² among the wheat, and went away³.
But while men slept. While they innocently rested, not while they were negligent.
His enemy came and sowed tares also. Darnel, which closely resembles our cheat, that is the common chess or bromegrass ("Bromus secalinus"), widely distributed as a weed.
Among the wheat, and went away. Though not common, there have been instances of such malignant mischief as is here indicated.

13:26  But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also¹.
Then appeared the tares also. The difference between darnel and wheat does not become apparent until the two kinds of grain are nearly ripe.

13:29  But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them¹.
Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. The roots of wheat and darnel so intertwine that they cannot be separated without pulling up both. Jesus' explanation of this parable will be found in subdivision F. See Matthew 13:36.

13:31  Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed¹, which a man took, and sowed in his field: THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) PARABLES OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND LEAVEN. Matthew 13:31-35; Mark 4:30-34
Like unto a grain of mustard seed. See Matthew 17:20.

13:32  which indeed is less than all seeds¹; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs², and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.
Which indeed is less than all seeds. See Mark 4:31.
But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs. See Mark 4:32.

13:33  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven¹, which a woman took², and hid in three measures of meal³, till it was all leavened⁴.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven. In Oriental housekeeping, yeast is not preserved in a separate form. A piece of leavened dough saved over from the last baking is added to the new dough to ferment it.
Which a woman took. A woman is named because baking was part of her household duties.
And hid in three measures of meal. Three measures contained the quantity usually taken for one baking.
Till it was all leavened. Leaven represents the quickness, quietness, thoroughness, and sureness with which gospel truth diffuses itself through human society.

13:34  All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes¹; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them²:
All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes. See Mark 4:33.
And without a parable spake he nothing unto them. See Mark 4:34.

13:35  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet¹, saying, I will open my mouth in parables²; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet. At Psalms 78:2 which is usually attributed to Asaph, who is called a seer (2 Chronicles 29:30).
I will open my mouth in parables, etc. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in a notable manner, being the only teacher in history distinguished in any marked degree by the use of parables.

13:36  Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field². THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) F. THE PARABLE OF THE TARES EXPLAINED. Matthew 13:36-43
Then he . . . went into the house. Probably Simon Peter's house.
Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. This parable and its explanation are sometimes urged as an argument against church discipline, but such a use of them is clearly erroneous. The field is not the church, but the world, and the teaching of the parable is that we are not to attempt to exterminate evil men. Any who attempt to exterminate heretics in the name of Christ by physical force are condemned by this parable.

13:43  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear¹.
He that hath ears, let him hear. See Mark 4:9.

13:44  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field¹; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) G. PARABLES OF TREASURE, PEARL, AND NET. Matthew 13:44-53

The three parables in this section appear to have been addressed privately to the disciples.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field. In the absence of banks and other trust repositories, the men of that day hid their treasures as best they could. The sudden death of the hider often resulted in the loss of all knowledge as to the whereabouts of the treasure. The parable speaks of such a treasure.
Which a man found, and hid; . . . and buyeth that field. Technically it belonged to the owner of the field, but practically it belonged to him who found it. Hence the finder conceals it again until he had made perfect his title to it by the purchase of the field. The gist of the parable does not require us to pass upon the conduct of the finder, which was certainly questionable.

13:45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls¹:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls. In the preceding parable the treasure was found by accident; in this, the pearl was sought. Some find without seeking, as did the Samaritan woman (John 4:28,29); some only after diligent search, as did the eunuch (Acts 8:27,36).

13:47  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea¹, and gathered of every kind²:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea. Like the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), this one indicates the continuance of the mixture of bad and good, and points to the final separation.
And gathered of every kind. The contents of a net cannot be sorted while it is being drawn. The tares indicate such evils as can be seen and as tempt us to uproot them. The net shows that in the dark and turbulent waters, and in the hurry-scurry of its teeming life, there are things which cannot be seen.

13:48  which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away¹.
They sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. The judgment shall be with care, as when men, in the broad light of day, on the quiet beach, sit down to sort the fish. If the parable of the tares emphasizes the waiting, the parable of the net emphasizes the careful sorting.

13:52  And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple¹ to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple, etc. As a householder graces his banquet with things already in the house, and with other things which have just been provided, so a religious teacher must refresh his hearers out of both his past and his present experiences and study.

13:53  And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence¹.
He departed thence. He went from the house to the sea in the afternoon, and entering a boat a little later, he stilled the storm.

13:54  And coming into his own country he¹ taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works³? JESUS VISITS NAZARETH AND IS REJECTED. Matthew 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-31
And coming into his own country he. Nazareth. As to this city, see notes at Luke 1:26; Luke 2:39,51.
He taught them in their synagogue. For comment on this usage of the synagogue, see Mark 1:39.
Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? See Mark 6:2.

13:55  Is not this the carpenter's son¹? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?
Is not this the carpenter's son? etc. See Mark 6:3.

13:57  And they were offended in him¹. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.
And they were offended in him. See Mark 6:3.
A prophet is not without honour, etc. See Mark 6:4.