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The Gospel of Matthew
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BIBLE STUDY MATTHEW 13:1-58 REVIEW: The overall theme of chapter 12 was that Jesus’ ministry was increasingly encountering hostility and rejection from the religious authorities of his day. The first part of the chapter showed two Sabbath controversies in which the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for “working” (plucking grain to satisfy their hunger) and then Jesus for healing on the Sabbath day. In both instances, Jesus emphasized that meeting human needs was more important than observing ritual restrictions. In the second section, Matthew showed that although Jesus did not shy away from controversy if need be, it was not his intention to “stir things up”. His ministry was not to “argue”, but simply to proclaim and share the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Next, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being an agent of Beelzubul after he had “cast out a demon” when healing a blind and mute man. Jesus in reply shows that Satan would not use “good” to accomplish his evil purposes – therefore, it was obvious that he (Jesus) was doing GOD’S work by healing people. The Pharisees, by refusing to admit this, were thereby setting themselves up against God. Indeed, they were “blaspheming the Holy Spirit” when they continued to harden their hearts against his ministry. Even the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South (Sheba) recognized and confessed God’s words and wisdom when they were spoken through the prophet Jonah and King Solomon – which was much more than what the Pharisees were doing when hearing and seeing God’s words and work as done through Jesus. Jesus also showed that simply “driving out a demon” (being good) from one’s house (life) was not sufficient. If “left empty”, eventually the evil within would increase seven-fold. The Pharisees may have been “good”, but without having a loving relationship with God, their lives within were “empty” and in danger of eventually being totally possessed by the forces of evil. Finally, Jesus even comes in for some opposition by his own family. Although Matthew “toned down” the suggestion that Jesus’ mother and brothers were upset by his ministry, it is clear from Mark’s gospel that this was the case. The point for Matthew’s readers, however, was that they should expect this opposition and remember that true “family” was not determined by blood ties but rather by their shared obedience to seeking to do God’s will. INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 13: Chapter 13 is the third of the five major teaching discourses of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel (the first two were Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” in chapters 5-7, and Jesus’ instructions to his disciples for their missionary work in chapter 10). Chapter 13 is a collection of the parables of Jesus. William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary lists a number of reasons why Jesus used this method of teaching:
CHAPTER 13:1-9 “The Parable of the Sower”“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and chocked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” This so-called “Parable of the Sower” is certainly one of the most well known of all of Jesus’ parables. Actually, it would be more accurate to call it the “Parable of the Soils” – because the condition of the soils and their yields is the important message of this parable. In the original Greek text, Jesus says, “The sower went out to sow…” It is very likely that Jesus saw a sower sowing his seed, and directed the attention of the crowd to him as he told his story. In other words, he used a situation that they could all understand to help open their minds to a spiritual truth that they had not yet understood. The usual method of sowing in Palestine was the “broadcast method” – that is, taking a handful of seed from a bag and throwing it into the desired area of ground. Much of it would indeed land into the prepared plot of soil, but some would also land in the other areas that Jesus goes on to mention… The first “soil” that Jesus mentions is the path that the sower walked on. The soil on the path had not been prepared to receive the seed, but rather had been beaten as hard as pavement by the feet of countless passers by. Therefore the seed would just lie on top of the path until the birds came and ate it. The second “soil” is “rocky ground”. This does not mean “full of rocks”, but rather soil that had not been properly prepared. In Palestine, soil often consisted of a thin layer of topsoil on top of limestone. On such ground the seed would quickly germinate, but its roots could not grow deep and find water – and therefore the plants would wither for lack of moisture. The third “soil” is that which was full of thorns (weeds). The weeds in this soil would crowd out the sprouting good seed so that it could not receive sufficient sunshine, water, nourishment, and space, and therefore “suffocate” it. The fourth “soil” was deep and clean and soft – seed that fell into this soil could find entry, germinate, grow deep roots, and find plenty of water and nourishment – and therefore eventually would bring forth an abundant harvest. Indeed, Jesus uses figures that are “super-abundant” – a hundredfold, sixty, or thirty (even this lowest number would be considered to be a fantastic yield). “Let anyone with ears listen!” was an expression used to emphasize the importance of a particular teaching. Today we might say; “Think this over and carefully consider what this means!” Jesus used the same expression back in Matthew 11:15 in his teaching about the significance of John the Baptist’s ministry. The obvious point of this parable is for us to carefully consider what kind of soil we are like when it comes to being ready to receive Jesus’ teaching. (This point will be dealt with explicitly in Jesus’ explanation of the parable in verses 18-23.) CHAPTER 13:10-17 “First Interlude - How People Deal With God’s Truth”“Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn – and I would heal them.’” People can only know the “secrets” of the kingdom of heaven by being prepared to receive and learn them. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to growing in our understanding of God’s truth is our thinking that we already know everything. That was the problem of Jesus’ opponents such as the Pharisees – they thought that they knew all the answers as to how to be religious and therefore closed their hearts and minds to Jesus’ teaching. To those “who have” – that is, have a willingness and openness to hear and learn – they will keep on growing in their knowledge and understanding of God’s truth. But from those “who have nothing” – that is, have closed their hearts and minds to hearing and learning – they will end up losing their relationship with God entirely. Daniel J. Harrington in his commentary on The Gospel of Matthew notes that this section would have been very relevant to Matthew’s original Jewish-Christian readers in their trying to understand why their fellow Jews would not listen to and take Jesus’ teachings to heart. They, as Isaiah had prophesied, had deliberately refused to see, listen, and understand. The same is true for many people even today. The fact is, no one can “argue” a person into seeing and accepting a truth. Jesus knew that he could never force persons into accepting his teachings by arguing with them – and that is why he put his teachings into the form of parables. By themselves, the parables are just interesting short stories – but to those who are ready to really listen to them as to their spiritual meaning, they can reveal God’s truth and thereby change their lives. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 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.” This is obviously especially meant for Matthew’s original readers. Because they have been open to receiving the truth of the kingdom as given through Jesus, they are indeed privileged people. They are blessed and know more about God’s love than even many prophets and righteous heroes of the faith of the past. This saying “echoes” what Jesus had said earlier that, “the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than (John the Baptist).” (Matthew 11:11b) Those who know God through Jesus are truly privileged and blessed! CHAPTER 13:18-23 “The Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower” “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has not root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” The four types of soil in the parable refer to four reactions of people who listen to “the word of the kingdom” (the following is from William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary):
It should also be noted that this parable has a note of encouragement for Jesus’ disciples and for Matthew’s original readers, because it assures them that there will be an abundant harvest despite all the difficulties. The results may not be quick or readily apparent, but we can be sure that God’s will shall be accomplished. If we remain faithful hearers and doers of the word, God will indeed produce an abundant harvest of righteousness for us and through us! CHAPTER 13:24-30 “The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds”“He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the what, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” The source of this parable may have been Mark 4:26-29, in which Jesus compares the kingdom of God to seed that sprouts and grows, and eventually is harvested when the grain is ripe – but the parable in this final form (and the explanation of it in Matthew 13:36-43) is found only in Matthew’s gospel. The distinctive point of this parable is the recognition that both good and bad seed exist in the same field. Jesus’ original listeners would have been very familiar with this problem. The weeds (tares) were called bearded darnel – and in their early stages the tares so closely resembled the wheat that it was impossible to distinguish the one from the other. In their later stages of growth they could be distinguished from each other, but by that time their roots were so intertwined that the weeds could not be removed without tearing the wheat along with them. Only at the harvest could the weeds and the wheat finally be separated. The idea of someone deliberately sowing bearded darnel in another’s field was by no means only imagination. This crime was actually sometimes done – as Jesus’ listeners would know. CHAPTER 13:31-33 “Twin Parables – The Mustard Seed and The Leaven” “He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” The emphasis of this parable is how small the mustard seed is in comparison to the mature plant. The shrub when it has fully grown can be up to twelve feet high. The reference to the birds is from Daniel 4:10-12, 20-21, in which the kingdom of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was likened to a great tree in which the birds of the air came and made nests in its branches. The main point of the parable, however, is the smallness of the seed from which the tree began. The same, of course, is true for the kingdom of heaven – it’s beginnings among us may be very small, but it can grow into something greater than we can even imagine – and into something that everyone will be influenced by! What “small” things or acts have ended up making a big difference in our life with God? What “small” things or acts done by us have made a difference in other peoples’ lives and in our world at large? Perhaps there are “small” things going on right now that will only later be noticed and appreciated as being the kingdom of heaven growing in our midst! “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” This parable is a “twin” of the previous parable – as will be the next two parables following this one. As mentioned about some petitions of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), “parallelism” – in which a second phrase or parable reiterates and “amplifies” the first – was a common literary and rhetorical device. Like the parable of the mustard seed, the main emphasis in this parable of the yeast is that the kingdom of heaven starts extremely small in comparison to its final result (“three measures of flour” would have been enough to feed more than 100 people!). Not only that, yeast totally transforms the character of dough – so that it will bake into bread that is soft, porous, spongy, tasty, and good to eat. In the same way, the kingdom of heaven transforms people, both individually and as a society as well. It should be noted that the image of yeast must have been a shocking one to Jesus’ original listeners. In Jewish thought, leaven was almost always associated with evil. Indeed, one of the ceremonies of preparation for the Passover Festival was to search for and get rid of all yeast that might be in a house. But perhaps Jesus used the image of yeast for just this reason – for its “shock value” in getting his hearers to pay attention! Like the image of the mustard seed growing, the working of the yeast is often hard to discern at any given moment – but over time its results are dramatic! CHAPTER 13:34-35 “Second Interlude – Jesus’ Parables Are a Fulfillment of Prophecy” “Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” The quote is from Psalm 78:2. Matthew’s editorial style in this chapter is to break up the parables (and explanations of two of them) into groups – with an “interlude” being inserted in-between each of the groups. Matthew also did this previously in chapter 81 – 9:8 in his section of nine miracles – with two “interludes” about discipleship being inserted between each group of three miracles. CHAPTER 13:36-43 “Explanation of the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds” “Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!” The “Son of Man” imagery is taken from Daniel 7:13-14 – this was not necessarily Jesus referring to himself. The main emphasis of this parable – as mentioned previously – is that good and evil exist together within the same field. As a seminary professor of mine (Pastor George) used to put it, the field of the world does not consist of “good people” in one area, nor do the “bad people” exist only in a “devil’s section”! We are all mixed together! Jesus makes some major points about the harvest at the end of time:
Daniel J. Harrington in his commentary on The Gospel of Matthew observes that this situation would have been very relevant to Matthew’s community. This parable and its explanation was a plea for tolerance in the midst of many conflicting ideas as to who was or was not a true disciple. “Let God be the judge” seems to be the point made in this parable – in the meantime, let us simply do our best to remain faithful. As Jesus did earlier with the parable of the sower, he concludes his explanation of this parable of the wheat and the weeds with the phrase “Let anyone with ears listen!” – in other words, consider carefully what this means. CHAPTER 13:44-46 “Twin Parables – The Treasure in the Field and the Pearl of Great Value” “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” The point of this short parable is obvious – the kingdom of heaven is worth any sacrifice! But actually, it does not seem like a “sacrifice” at all because one is so full of JOY! That is what it should be like for us as Christ’s disciples! “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” This parable is a “twin” of the parable of the treasure in the field – and its point is basically the same, but with a subtle difference. The “treasure in the field” was apparently found unexpectedly, while the “pearl of great value” was searched for. Regardless, when the treasures were found, the finders were ready to give up everything else they had because they knew how much their new discovered treasures were worth. CHAPTER 13:47-50 “The Parable of the Net and the Fish”“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This parable, even though it is not directly connected as the other two “twin sets” dealt with previously were, is nevertheless a “twin” to the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Like the former parable, this parable of the net and the fish stresses the theme that the world (and also the church!) is a mixture of good and bad together. Only when the net is full is it drawn ashore and then the good and bad separated – the equivalent of the grain finally being ready for harvest before separating the good and bad from each other. The points listed above in Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the wheat and the weeds are also valid for this parable. Even the final apocalyptic imagery of the angels separating the good from the bad, the “furnace of fire” and the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for those who are evil are identical in both of these twin parables. CHAPTER 13:51-53 “A Kingdom Disciple Values Both the Old and the New” “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.” The “understanding” refers to all the teachings about the kingdom of heaven that have been expressed in his parables, such as; the varied responses of how people receive the word, the presence of the kingdom in our midst, its small beginnings, its extraordinary fullness in the future, and the judgment that will finally occur. The disciples answer that they have understood all these things. In response, Jesus gives one last parable about a “scribe” being trained for the kingdom of heaven. Many commentators have understood this to be a self portrait of Matthew himself. “Matthew” obviously was well schooled as a writer, and in his knowledge of the Torah and the teachings of the prophets. He also obviously – more so than any other gospel evangelist – valued the teachings and traditions of Judaism. Treasuring the new teachings of Jesus did not mean that he had to get rid of the old teachings and traditions – but simply understanding them in a new way so that they are “fulfilled”. AND – what was true for Matthew personally was also certainly true for his Jewish-Christian community as a whole that he was originally writing for. William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary broadens this insight to show that Jesus never desired or intended that persons should give up gifts or abilities that they may have had before knowing him, but simply to use them in a new way to serve him. When that is done, then they become an even greater treasure than before. As Barclay puts it: “A scholar does not give up his scholarship when he becomes a Christian; rather he uses it for Christ. A business man need not give up his business; rather he should run it as a Christian would. One who can sing, or dance, or act, or paint need not give up his art, but must use his art as a Christian would. The sportsman need not give up his sport, but must play as a Christian would. Jesus did not come to empty life for to fill it, not to impoverish life but to enrich it. Here we see Jesus telling men, not to abandon their gifts, but to use them even more wonderfully in the light of the knowledge which he has given them.” CHAPTER 13:53-58 “Jesus is Rejected by his Hometown” “He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.” And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.” Although not specifically identified, it is almost certain that the hometown is Nazareth. Here Jesus is rejected because he is “too familiar” to the people. They see him only as the son of a carpenter – and they know his mother, and his brothers and sisters. They could not conceive that a person so familiar to them had any right to speak and do what Jesus was saying and doing. It is indeed often true that people are willing to listen only to someone from “the outside”. William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary makes two very good points about this: 1. “In any church service the congregation preaches more than half the sermon. The congregation brings an atmosphere with it. That atmosphere is either a barrier through which the preacher’s word cannot penetrate; or else it is such an expectancy that even the poorest sermon becomes a living flame.” The same of course is true for all of our worship in general. Do we hinder or help the Spirit of God by our attitudes when we come to worship and listen to God’s word? 2. “Again, we should not judge a man by his background and his family connections, but by what he is. Many a message has been killed stone dead, not because there was anything wrong with it; but because the minds of the hearers were so prejudiced against the messenger that it never had a chance.” It is not the messenger, but the message that is important! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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