Matthew 13

1 in illo die exiens Iesus de domo sedebat secus mare

2 et congregatae sunt ad eum turbae multae ita ut in naviculam ascendens sederet et omnis turba stabat in litore

3 et locutus est eis multa in parabolis dicens ecce exiit qui seminat seminare

4 et dum seminat quaedam ceciderunt secus viam et venerunt volucres et comederunt ea

5 alia autem ceciderunt in petrosa ubi non habebat terram multam et continuo exorta sunt quia non habebant altitudinem terrae

6 sole autem orto aestuaverunt et quia non habebant radicem aruerunt

7 alia autem ceciderunt in spinas et creverunt spinae et suffocaverunt ea

8 alia vero ceciderunt in terram bonam et dabant fructum aliud centesimum aliud sexagesimum aliud tricesimum

9 qui habet aures audiendi audiat

10 et accedentes discipuli dixerunt ei quare in parabolis loqueris eis

11 qui respondens ait illis quia vobis datum est nosse mysteria regni caelorum illis autem non est datum

12 qui enim habet dabitur ei et abundabit qui autem non habet et quod habet auferetur ab eo

13 ideo in parabolis loquor eis quia videntes non vident et audientes non audiunt neque intellegunt

14 et adimpletur eis prophetia Esaiae dicens auditu audietis et non intellegetis et videntes videbitis et non videbitis

15 incrassatum est enim cor populi huius et auribus graviter audierunt et oculos suos cluserunt nequando oculis videant et auribus audiant et corde intellegant et convertantur et sanem eos

16 vestri autem beati oculi quia vident et aures vestrae quia audiunt

17 amen quippe dico vobis quia multi prophetae et iusti cupierunt videre quae videtis et non viderunt et audire quae auditis et non audierunt

18 vos ergo audite parabolam seminantis

19 omnis qui audit verbum regni et non intellegit venit malus et rapit quod seminatum est in corde eius hic est qui secus viam seminatus est

20 qui autem supra petrosa seminatus est hic est qui verbum audit et continuo cum gaudio accipit illud

21 non habet autem in se radicem sed est temporalis facta autem tribulatione et persecutione propter verbum continuo scandalizatur

22 qui autem est seminatus in spinis hic est qui verbum audit et sollicitudo saeculi istius et fallacia divitiarum suffocat verbum et sine fructu efficitur

23 qui vero in terra bona seminatus est hic est qui audit verbum et intellegit et fructum adfert et facit aliud quidem centum aliud autem sexaginta porro aliud triginta

24 aliam parabolam proposuit illis dicens simile factum est regnum caelorum homini qui seminavit bonum semen in agro suo

25 cum autem dormirent homines venit inimicus eius et superseminavit zizania in medio tritici et abiit

26 cum autem crevisset herba et fructum fecisset tunc apparuerunt et zizania

27 accedentes autem servi patris familias dixerunt ei domine nonne bonum semen seminasti in agro tuo unde ergo habet zizania

28 et ait illis inimicus homo hoc fecit servi autem dixerunt ei vis imus et colligimus ea

29 et ait non ne forte colligentes zizania eradicetis simul cum eis et triticum

30 sinite utraque crescere usque ad messem et in tempore messis dicam messoribus colligite primum zizania et alligate ea fasciculos ad conburendum triticum autem congregate in horreum meum

31 aliam parabolam proposuit eis dicens simile est regnum caelorum grano sinapis quod accipiens homo seminavit in agro suo

32 quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus cum autem creverit maius est omnibus holeribus et fit arbor ita ut volucres caeli veniant et habitent in ramis eius

33 aliam parabolam locutus est eis simile est regnum caelorum fermento quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinae satis tribus donec fermentatum est totum

34 haec omnia locutus est Iesus in parabolis ad turbas et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis

35 ut impleretur quod dictum erat per prophetam dicentem aperiam in parabolis os meum eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi

36 tunc dimissis turbis venit in domum et accesserunt ad eum discipuli eius dicentes dissere nobis parabolam zizaniorum agri

37 qui respondens ait qui seminat bonum semen est Filius hominis

38 ager autem est mundus bonum vero semen hii sunt filii regni zizania autem filii sunt nequam

39 inimicus autem qui seminavit ea est diabolus messis vero consummatio saeculi est messores autem angeli sunt

40 sicut ergo colliguntur zizania et igni conburuntur sic erit in consummatione saeculi

41 mittet Filius hominis angelos suos et colligent de regno eius omnia scandala et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem

42 et mittent eos in caminum ignis ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium

43 tunc iusti fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris eorum qui habet aures audiat

44 simile est regnum caelorum thesauro abscondito in agro quem qui invenit homo abscondit et prae gaudio illius vadit et vendit universa quae habet et emit agrum illum

45 iterum simile est regnum caelorum homini negotiatori quaerenti bonas margaritas

46 inventa autem una pretiosa margarita abiit et vendidit omnia quae habuit et emit eam

47 iterum simile est regnum caelorum sagenae missae in mare et ex omni genere congreganti

48 quam cum impleta esset educentes et secus litus sedentes elegerunt bonos in vasa malos autem foras miserunt

49 sic erit in consummatione saeculi exibunt angeli et separabunt malos de medio iustorum

50 et mittent eos in caminum ignis ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium

51 intellexistis haec omnia dicunt ei etiam

52 ait illis ideo omnis scriba doctus in regno caelorum similis est homini patri familias qui profert de thesauro suo nova et vetera

53 et factum est cum consummasset Iesus parabolas istas transiit inde

54 et veniens in patriam suam docebat eos in synagogis eorum ita ut mirarentur et dicerent unde huic sapientia haec et virtutes

55 nonne hic est fabri filius nonne mater eius dicitur Maria et fratres eius Iacobus et Ioseph et Simon et Iudas

56 et sorores eius nonne omnes apud nos sunt unde ergo huic omnia ista

57 et scandalizabantur in eo Iesus autem dixit eis non est propheta sine honore nisi in patria sua et in domo sua

58 et non fecit ibi virtutes multas propter incredulitatem illorum

Matthew 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

The parable of the sower. (1-23) The parable of the tares. (24-30; 36-43) The parables of the mustard-seed and the leaven. (31-35) The parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and the householder. (44-52) Jesus is again rejected at Nazareth. (53-58)

Verses 1-23 Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences God in his providence allots to us. Christ taught in parables. Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant. The parable of the sower is plain. The seed sown is the word of God. The sower is our Lord Jesus Christ, by himself, or by his ministers. Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn; we know not where it will light. Some sort of ground, though we take ever so much pains with it, brings forth no fruit to purpose, while the good soil brings forth plentifully. So it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters are here described by four sorts of ground. Careless, trifling hearers, are an easy prey to Satan; who, as he is the great murderer of souls, so he is the great thief of sermons, and will be sure to rob us of the word, if we take not care to keep it. Hypocrites, like the stony ground, often get the start of true Christians in the shows of profession. Many are glad to hear a good sermon, who do not profit by it. They are told of free salvation, of the believer's privileges, and the happiness of heaven; and, without any change of heart, without any abiding conviction of their own depravity, their need of a Saviour, or the excellence of holiness, they soon profess an unwarranted assurance. But when some heavy trial threatens them, or some sinful advantage may be had, they give up or disguise their profession, or turn to some easier system. Worldly cares are fitly compared to thorns, for they came in with sin, and are a fruit of the curse; they are good in their place to stop a gap, but a man must be well armed that has much to do with them; they are entangling, vexing, scratching, and their end is to be burned, ( Hebrews 6:8 ) . Worldly cares are great hinderances to our profiting by the word of God. The deceitfulness of riches does the mischief; they cannot be said to deceive us unless we put our trust in them, then they choke the good seed. What distinguished the good ground was fruitfulness. By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites. Christ does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but none that could hinder its fruitfulness. All are not alike; we should aim at the highest, to bring forth most fruit. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing God's word; and let us look to ourselves that we may know what sort of hearers we are.

24-30, 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced. The servants complained to their master; Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? No doubt he did; whatever is amiss in the church, we are sure it is not from Christ. Though gross transgressors, and such as openly oppose the gospel, ought to be separated from the society of the faithful, yet no human skill can make an exact separation. Those who oppose must not be cut off, but instructed, and that with meekness. And though good and bad are together in this world, yet at the great day they shall be parted; then the righteous and the wicked shall be plainly known; here sometimes it is hard to distinguish between them. Let us, knowing the terrors of the Lord, not do iniquity. At death, believers shall shine forth to themselves; at the great day they shall shine forth before all the world. They shall shine by reflection, with light borrowed from the Fountain of light. Their sanctification will be made perfect, and their justification published. May we be found of that happy number.

Verses 31-35 The scope of the parable of the seed sown, is to show that the beginnings of the gospel would be small, but its latter end would greatly increase; in this way the work of grace in the heart, the kingdom of God within us, would be carried on. In the soul where grace truly is, it will grow really; though perhaps at first not to be discerned, it will at last come to great strength and usefulness. The preaching of the gospel works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it. The leaven works certainly, so does the word, yet gradually. It works silently, and without being seen, ( Mark 4:26-29 ) , yet strongly; without noise, for so is the way of the Spirit, but without fail. Thus it was in the world. The apostles, by preaching the gospel, hid a handful of leaven in the great mass of mankind. It was made powerful by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, who works, and none can hinder. Thus it is in the heart. When the gospel comes into the soul, it works a thorough change; it spreads itself into all the powers and faculties of the soul, and alters the property even of the members of the body, ( Romans 6:13 ) . From these parables we are taught to expect a gradual progress; therefore let us inquire, Are we growing in grace? and in holy principles and habits?

Verses 44-52 Here are four parables. 1. That of the treasure hid in the field. Many slight the gospel, because they look only upon the surface of the field. But all who search the Scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life, ( John 5:39 ) , will discover such treasure in this field as makes it unspeakably valuable; they make it their own upon any terms. Though nothing can be given as a price for this salvation, yet much must be given up for the sake of it. 2. All the children of men are busy; one would be rich, another would be honourable, another would be learned; but most are deceived, and take up with counterfeits for pearls. Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price; in having him, we have enough to make us happy here and for ever. A man may buy gold too dear, but not this Pearl of great price. When the convinced sinner sees Christ as the gracious Saviour, all things else become worthless to his thoughts. 3. The world is a vast sea, and men, in their natural state, are like the fishes. Preaching the gospel is casting a net into this sea, to catch something out of it, for His glory who has the sovereignty of this sea. Hypocrites and true Christians shall be parted: miserable is the condition of those that shall then be cast away. 4. A skilful, faithful minister of the gospel, is a scribe, well versed in the things of the gospel, and able to teach them. Christ compares him to a good householder, who brings forth fruits of last year's growth and this year's gathering, abundance and variety, to entertain his friends. Old experiences and new observations, all have their use. Our place is at Christ's feet, and we must daily learn old lessons over again, and new ones also.

Verses 53-58 Christ repeats his offer to those who have repulsed them. They upbraid him, Is not this the carpenter's son? Yes, it is true he was reputed to be so; and no disgrace to be the son of an honest tradesman; they should have respected him the more because he was one of themselves, but therefore they despised him. He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Unbelief is the great hinderance to Christ's favours. Let us keep faithful to him as the Saviour who has made our peace with God.