Matthew 13

Matthew 13 contains the third of the five long discourses in the Gospel of Matthew and is commonly called the "Parables Discourse." It follows Matthew 12, which records Jesus' conflict with the Pharisees and his words about his true family. The narrative continues on "the same day" as Jesus goes out of the house to teach.

Outline

• Verses 1–9 Sitting in a boat by the sea, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower. Seed falls by the wayside, on stony places, among thorns, and on good ground; the seed on good ground yields a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold.
• Verses 10–17 When the disciples ask why he speaks in parables, Jesus answers by quoting the prophecy of Isaiah 6.
• Verses 18–23 Jesus explains the Parable of the Sower.
• Verses 24–30 The Parable of the Tares: the householder tells his servants to let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest.
• Verses 31–33 The Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven (hidden in three measures of meal).
• Verses 34–35 Jesus' practice of speaking only in parables is presented as the fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet. The quotation comes from Psalm 78:2.
• Verses 36–43 In the house, Jesus explains the Parable of the Tares. The field is the world, and the harvest is the end of the world.
• Verses 44–50 The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl and the Parable of the Net.
• Verses 51–52 Every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is likened to a householder who brings forth "things new and old."
• Verses 53–58 Jesus is rejected while teaching in the synagogue of his hometown, and because of the people's unbelief he does not do many mighty works there.

Key Verses

• Matthew 13:11 "It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" — This verse expresses the chapter's theme that parables both conceal and reveal.
• Matthew 13:23 "He that heareth the word, and understandeth it" — This verse shows that the Parable of the Sower concerns how one hears the word.
• Matthew 13:44 "Selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field" — This verse shows that the kingdom of heaven is worth more than anything else.

People and Places

• Jesus Christ: Teaches about the kingdom of heaven in parables. In the text he refers to himself as the Son of Man.
• The disciples: The Twelve, who ask about the meaning of the parables.
• Mary and Jesus' brothers: The people of his hometown name Jesus' mother; his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas; and his sisters.
• The carpenter: The people of his hometown call Jesus "the carpenter's son." This carpenter is understood to be Joseph of Nazareth.
• The sea: Generally identified as the Sea of Galilee.
• His hometown: The text does not name the place, but on the basis of Matthew 2 it is understood to be Nazareth. Jesus teaches in its synagogue.

Points for Reflection

• Matthew generally uses the term "kingdom of heaven" rather than "kingdom of God." Most interpreters regard the two expressions as synonymous (see Kingdom of God).
• The "field" in the Parable of the Tares: The text interprets the field as the world. Since Augustine, however, there has also been a tradition of reading this parable as teaching that true and false believers are mixed together within the church.
• The Parable of the Leaven: The leaven is usually interpreted as depicting the spread of the kingdom of God. Some dispensationalist scholars, however, noting that leaven often symbolizes evil in Scripture, read it instead as corruption permeating the church.
• The brothers of Jesus: Most Protestants regard them as children born to Mary and Joseph. The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, in keeping with their belief in Mary's perpetual virginity, understand them as cousins or as Joseph's children from another marriage.
• Parallel passages: The same parables appear in Mark 4 and Luke 8, and the account of Jesus' rejection in his hometown appears in Mark 6.

In Korean Churches

The Parable of the Sower is frequently treated in sermons and Sunday school lessons. In Korean churches, the parable is commonly explained as an exhortation to cultivate the "field of the heart."