Matthew 13:12

12 For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has. 1

Matthew 13:12 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 13:12

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given
Whoever has the true grace of God implanted in him, has a saving knowledge of Christ, and a spiritual acquaintance with the doctrines of the Gospel, shall have more grace given him; he shall grow in the knowledge of Christ, and the Spirit of truth shall lead him into all truth:

and he shall have more abundance:
of grace, light, knowledge, and experience: all grace shall be made to abound towards him; he shall be filled with all the fulness of God, and shall arrive to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; and his light shall shine more and more unto the perfect day.

But whosoever hath not:
the truth of grace, nor a spiritual knowledge of Christ, nor any experience of the doctrines of the Gospel,

from him shall be taken away, even that he hath,
or "that which he seemed to have", as Luke expresses it; for everything besides true grace is a mere show, and has no solidity in it; as natural parts, human learning, and a form of knowledge and of truth in the law, the national church state of the Jews, with all the outward privileges appertaining thereunto, all which may be here meant; and even speculative notions of the Gospel, the external gifts of the Spirit, the means of grace, the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and the ministry of it, which in process of time were wholly taken from these people.

Matthew 13:12 In-Context

10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
11 Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has.
13 The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.
14 So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: "This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see,

Cross References 1

  • 1. 13.12Matthew 25.29;Mark 4.25;Luke 8.18; 19.26.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.