Matthew 13:34

34 All these things spake Jesus in similes to the multitudes, and without a simile he was not speaking to them,

Matthew 13:34 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 13:34

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude
In the hearing of his disciples, whilst in the ship, the multitude being on the shore,

in parables;
in the four foregoing ones;

and without a parable spake he not unto them:
not that he never had preached but in a parabolical way unto them, or that he never did afterwards use any other way of speaking; for it is certain, that both before and after, he delivered himself plainly, and without figures: but the meaning is, that in that sermon, and at that time, he thought fit to make use of no other method, as appears from the many other parables he afterwards delivered; and though he explained the meaning of some of them to his disciples, at their request, yet he dismissed the multitude without any explication of them.

Matthew 13:34 In-Context

32 which less, indeed, is than all the seeds, but when it may be grown, is greatest of the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven do come and rest in its branches.'
33 Another simile spake he to them: `The reign of the heavens is like to leaven, which a woman having taken, hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.'
34 All these things spake Jesus in similes to the multitudes, and without a simile he was not speaking to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophet, saying, `I will open in similes my mouth, I will utter things having been hidden from the foundation of the world.'
36 Then having let away the multitudes, Jesus came to the house, and his disciples came near to him, saying, `Explain to us the simile of the darnel of the field.'
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.