Frameworks:
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 13
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 13
v.1-9
The Parable of the Sower
v.10-17
Why Parables
v.18-23
The Parable Explained
v.24-30
The Parable of the Weeds
v.31-35
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
v.36-43
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
v.44-46
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
v.47-52
The Parable of the Net
v.53-58
Jesus, the Prophet Without Honor
v.1-9
The Parable of the Sower
v.1
(Jesus goes
out beside the lake) That
same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
v.2
(he teaches
the gathered crowd from a boat) Such
large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat
in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
v.3
(he starts telling
a parable about a farmer) Then
he told them many things in parables, saying: “A
farmer went out to sow his seed.
v.4
(as he casts
it around some birds snatched some of it up) As
he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the
birds came and ate it up.
v.5
(some fell on
rocky ground, and could not root well) Some
fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang
up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
v.6
(when the sun
came out it withered) But
when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered
because they had no root.
v.7
(some fell among
thorns and were choked) Other
seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
v.8
(some fell on
good soil and produced a good crop) Still
other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,
sixty or thirty times what was sown.
v.9
(listen to what
I'm saying) Whoever
has ears, let them hear.”
v.10-17
Why Parables
v.10
(the disciples
ask about his use of parables) The
disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people
in parables?”
v.11
(he said because
it makes it clear to only some) He
replied, “Because
the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been
given to you, but not to them.
v.12
(whoever has
an open heart, will receive more, the closed of heart will be
confused ) Whoever
has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever
does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
v.13
(thus some hear
but don't see) This
is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not
see; though
hearing, they do not hear or understand.
v.14(it's
just like Isaiah prophesied) In
them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing
but never understanding;
you
will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
v.15
(but this people
have become hard hearted and can't see) For
this people's heart has become calloused;
they
hardly hear with their ears,
and
they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their
eyes,
hear
with their ears, understand
with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. '
[Isa 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)]
v.16
(but you – being
with me – have open hearts and see) But
blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because
they hear.
v.17
(many
before have longed to see and hear what you are seeing and hearing)
For
truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to
see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear
but did not hear it.
v.18-23
The Parable Explained
v.18
(look, understand
this parable) “Listen
then to what the parable of the sower means:
v.19
(some hear but
don't understand and the enemy snatches away what they've heard
[they soon forget it]) When
anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand
it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their
heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
v.20
(the rocky ground
are the quick responders) The
seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word
and at once receives it with joy.
v.21
(but they are
shallow and don't last) But
since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble
or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
v.22
(the thorns
are worries and wrong desires that stifle what has been heard)
The
seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the
word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke the word, making it unfruitful.
v.23
(the good ground
are the true seekers who hear, understand, respond and bear much
spiritual fruit) But
the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the
word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop,
yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
v.24-30
The Parable of the Weeds
v.24
(try another
such parable: the kingdom is like another man sowing good seed)
Jesus
told them another parable: “The
kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
v.25
(but at night
and enemy came and sowed weeds) But
while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among
the wheat, and went away.
v.26
(the wheat and
weeds grow alongside each other) When
the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
v.27
(the servants
wonder what has happened) “The
owner's servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good
seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
v.28
(the man knows
but they ask if they should pull up the weeds) “‘An
enemy did this,' he replied. “The
servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
v.29
(no, he replies,
because you'll uproot the wheat as well) “‘No,'
he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may
uproot the wheat with them.
v.30
(leave them
to harvest then separate them and burn the weeds but gather in
the wheat) Let
both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell
the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles
to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'”
v.31-35
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
v.31
(or consider
a mustard seed being planted as another kingdom picture)
He
told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
v.32
(the tiniest
of seeds yet grows into the largest of plants) Though
it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the
largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds
come and perch in its branches.”
v.33
(or, instead
of seeds, consider yeast that gets mixed with flour until it works
all the way through) He
told them still another parable: “The
kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into
about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
v.34
(thus he only
taught in parables) Jesus
spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say
anything to them without using a parable.
v.35 (just
as Isaiah had prophesied) So
was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open
my mouth in parables, I
will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” [Psa
78:2]
v.36-43
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
v.36
(the disciples
ask about the parable of the weeds) Then
he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came
to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the
field.”
v.37
(the sower is
me) He
answered, “The
one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
v.38,39
(the field is
the world and the seed is kingdom people, while the weeds belong
to the enemy, the harvest is Judgment Day) The
field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of
the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and
the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of
the age, and the harvesters are angels.
v.40
(their destruction
will be at that time) “As
the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be
at the end of the age.
v.41
(I will send
my angels to pull out of the kingdom all who do wrong) The
Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of
his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
v.42
(they will be
thrown into the fire where they will be destroyed) They
will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
v.43
(the righteous
will be left with the Father for eternity) Then
the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
v.44-46
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
v.44
(but the kingdom
happening is also like a man finding treasure which he gives up
everything for) “The
kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man
found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all
he had and bought that field.
v.45
(or like a merchant
searching for fine pearls) “Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
v.46
(again when
he finds one he gives up everything for it) When
he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything
he had and bought it.
v.47-52
The Parable of the Net
v.47
([like the parable
of the weeds] it will also be like fishermen using nets)
“Once
again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into
the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
v.48
(when it is
full, they pull it in and throw away bad fish) When
it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they
sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the
bad away.
v.49,50
(again this
is how it will be at the end, the wicked will be cast away and
burned up and destroyed) This
is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come
and separate the wicked from the righteous and
throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
v.51
(he checks they
have understood) “Have
you understood all these things?”
Jesus asked. “Yes,”
they replied.
v.52
(a teacher-turned-disciple
is like a house owner who brings out new as well as old)
He
said to them, “Therefore
every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom
of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom
new treasures as well as old.”
v.53-58
Jesus, the Prophet Without Honor
v.53
(he leaves the
lakeside) When
Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.
v.54
(going into
town he taught I the synagogue and amazed them there) Coming
to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue,
and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and
these miraculous powers?” they asked.
v.55
(they think
they know who he is, and wonder) “Isn't
this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't
his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
v.56
(they know his
family so wonder where he got his teaching) Aren't
all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these
things?”
v.57
(so they reject
him but Jesus simply says it is common for a prophet not to be
honoured at home) And
they took offense at him. But
Jesus said to them, “A
prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his
own home.”
v.58
(but he wasn't
able to do much because of their unbelief) And
he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.