Matthew
13:1-23
Lesson 25
13:1-23
Lesson 25
Matthew 13:1-23
Parable of the four soils 1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. |
Margin notes:
"He went into a ship." (13:2) - Probably the same fishing boat Jesus borrowed in Matthew 8:23 (lesson 15). "The whole multitude stood on the shore." (13:2) - The crowd listened from the shore as Jesus spoke to them from the boat. "Parables." (13:3) - See question one below. "Seeds." (13:4) - In this parable, seeds symbolize the word of God (Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11). "The fowls came and devoured them." (13:4) - The birds represent Satan (13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12). "Forthwith they sprung up." (13:5) - "Soon they sprang up." "Because they had no root, they withered away." (13:6) - These are weak believers with shallow roots (13:21-21; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 8:13). "The thorns sprung up, and choked them." (13:7) - The thorns symbolize the cares of this world. All the temptations and pressures of life that distract us from the Word (13:22; Mark 4:18-19; Luke 8:14). "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (13:9) - Jesus repeats this message from verse 11:15 (lesson 21). He will reinforce it again in verse 13:43. See the study tip above. "Why speakest thou unto them in parables?" (13:10) - "Why do you speak to them (the people) in parables?" "The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." (13:11) - The mystery was that salvation is granted thanks to our faith and God's grace (1 Timothy 3:9). That mystery was hidden (1 Corinthians 2:7) until revealed by Jesus. The secret of salvation is now made clear via The New Testament (Ephesians 3:4-5; 6:19). "Whosoever hath, to him shall be given." (13:12) - This means that those who have faith will be given spiritual wisdom. A version of this message appears first in Proverbs 9:9. Jesus repeats it here, in Matthew 25:29, Mark 4:25, and again in Luke 8:18. "They seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (13:13) - As prophesized in Isaiah 6:9, people will hear but not understand. "Fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias." (13:14) - The prophecy Jesus refers to is found in Isaiah 6:9-10. See also Ezekiel 12:2. "This people's heart is waxed gross." (13:15) - "The people's (sinners) hearts have become hard." "Blessed are your eyes, for they see." (13:16) - The mystery; that salvation comes through faith was not revealed in the Old Testament. The disciples were blessed to have it revealed to them (13:17). Jesus reinforces this message in Luke 10:23. "Verily." (13:17) - "Truly." "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see." (13:17) - The Old Testament prophets spoke of the coming Messiah. But they did not know His message would be one of salvation through faith (1 Peter 1:10-12). "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower." (13:18) - "Therefore, learn the meaning of the parable of the sower." "Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart." (13:19) - The "wicked one" is Satan. He keeps unbelievers from understanding the word of God. "Stony places." (13:20) - Seeds that fall on stoney places will grow. But because of the harsh ground, they soon wilt and die. They represent believers who start to grow but fade when times get tough. "And anon with joy receiveth it." (13:20) - "And immediately, joyfully received it." "Dureth for a while." (13:21) - "Endures for a while." "By and by he is offended." (13:21) - "Soon he falls away." "Thorns." (13:22) - Symbolize the cares, worries, and distractions of this world. |