Gospels
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Week 2 · Wed, Aug 5

Matthew 13

58 verses9 stories
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The parable of the sower

Matthew 13:1-9
  1. 1The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
  2. 2And 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. 3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
  4. 4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
  5. 5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
  6. 6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
  7. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
  8. 8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
  9. 9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The purpose of parables

Matthew 13:10-17
  1. 10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
  2. 11He 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.
  3. 12For 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.
  4. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
  5. 14And 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:
  6. 15For 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.
  7. 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
  8. 17For 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.

The sower explained

Matthew 13:18-23
  1. 18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
  2. 19When 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.
  3. 20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
  4. 21Yet 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.
  5. 22He 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.
  6. 23But 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.

The parable of the weeds

Matthew 13:24-30
  1. 24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
  2. 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
  3. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
  4. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
  5. 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
  6. 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
  7. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Mustard seed and leaven

Matthew 13:31-35
  1. 31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
  2. 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
  3. 33Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
  4. 34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
  5. 35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

The weeds explained

Matthew 13:36-43
  1. 36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
  2. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
  3. 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
  4. 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
  5. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
  6. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
  7. 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
  8. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Hidden treasure and the pearl

Matthew 13:44-46
  1. 44Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
  2. 45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
  3. 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The parable of the net

Matthew 13:47-52
  1. 47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
  2. 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
  3. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
  4. 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
  5. 51Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
  6. 52Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Jesus rejected at Nazareth

Matthew 13:53-58
  1. 53And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
  2. 54And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
  3. 55Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
  4. 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
  5. 57And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
  6. 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
2Study & notable factsPeople, places, numbers, parallels

Important events, in order

  1. 1Jesus goes out of the house and sits by the sea side; great multitudes gather so he enters a ship (13:1-2)
  2. 2Jesus tells the parable of the sower: seed falls by the way side, on stony places, among thorns, and on good ground (13:3-9)
  3. 3Disciples ask why he speaks in parables; Jesus cites the prophecy of Esaias (13:10-17)
  4. 4Jesus explains the parable of the sower (13:18-23)
  5. 5Jesus gives the parable of the tares sown among the wheat by an enemy (13:24-30)
  6. 6Jesus gives the parables of the grain of mustard seed and the leaven (13:31-35)
  7. 7Jesus explains the parable of the tares to his disciples in the house (13:36-43)
  8. 8Jesus gives the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (13:44-46)
  9. 9Jesus gives the parable of the net cast into the sea (13:47-52)
  10. 10Jesus is rejected in his own country at the synagogue and does not many mighty works (13:53-58)

Key facts

People
Places
Numbers

Key statement

“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.”

Matthew 13:23

Who said it

  • “Behold, a sower went forth to sow;”

    — Jesus to the multitudes · 13:3

  • “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

    — Jesus to the multitudes · 13:9

  • “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

    — Jesus to the disciples · 13:11

  • “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;”

    — Jesus to his disciples · 13:38

  • “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”

    — Jesus to the people of his own country · 13:57

By passage — type & parallels

  • The parable of the sowerMatthew 13:1-9ParableMaMaLuJo
  • The purpose of parablesMatthew 13:10-17ParableMaMaLuJo
  • The sower explainedMatthew 13:18-23ParableMaMaLuJo
  • The parable of the weedsMatthew 13:24-30Parable
  • Mustard seed and leavenMatthew 13:31-35ParableMaMaLuJo
  • The weeds explainedMatthew 13:36-43
  • Hidden treasure and the pearlMatthew 13:44-46Parable
  • The parable of the netMatthew 13:47-52Parable
  • Jesus rejected at NazarethMatthew 13:53-58

Highlighted abbreviations show which Gospels record the same event.

Easily-confused distinctives

  • ▸In the parable itself the good ground yields 'some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold' (13:8); in the explanation the order is 'some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty' (13:23).
  • ▸The tares are gathered FIRST and bound in bundles to burn, but the wheat is gathered into the barn (13:30) — do not reverse the order.
  • ▸The mustard seed is 'the least of all seeds' yet becomes the greatest among herbs and a tree (13:31-32); the leaven is hid in three measures of meal (13:33).

KJV word helps

anon
immediately, at once
dureth
endures, lasts
tares
weeds resembling wheat
waxed gross
grown dull, hardened, or fat
3Quiz20 questions
Answered 0 / 200 correct
1.

According to Matthew 13:1, where did Jesus sit after he went out of the house?

Matthew 13:1

2.

In Matthew 13:2, why did Jesus go into a ship?

Matthew 13:2

3.

In the parable of the sower, what happened to the seeds that fell by the way side (Matthew 13:4)?

Matthew 13:4

4.

Why did the seed on stony places wither away (Matthew 13:6)?

Matthew 13:6

5.

The seed that fell into good ground brought forth fruit in what amounts (Matthew 13:8)?

Matthew 13:8

6.

How did Jesus answer the disciples about why he spoke in parables (Matthew 13:11)?

Matthew 13:11

7.

Whose prophecy did Jesus say was fulfilled in the people who hearing hear not (Matthew 13:14)?

Matthew 13:14

8.

In the explanation of the sower, who catches away the word sown by the way side (Matthew 13:19)?

Matthew 13:19

9.

According to Matthew 13:22, what chokes the word in the one who received seed among the thorns?

Matthew 13:22

10.

In the parable of the tares, who sowed tares among the wheat (Matthew 13:25)?

Matthew 13:25

11.

What did the householder command concerning the tares and the wheat (Matthew 13:30)?

Matthew 13:30

12.

The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which is described as what (Matthew 13:32)?

Matthew 13:32

13.

In the parable of the leaven, in how many measures of meal did the woman hide the leaven (Matthew 13:33)?

Matthew 13:33

14.

In the explanation of the tares, what does the field represent (Matthew 13:38)?

Matthew 13:38

15.

According to Matthew 13:39, who are the reapers?

Matthew 13:39

16.

What will be cast into the furnace of fire, where there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:41-42)?

Matthew 13:42

17.

In Matthew 13:44, what does the man do when he finds the treasure hid in a field?

Matthew 13:44

18.

In the parable of the merchant man, what did he do when he found one pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46)?

Matthew 13:46

19.

In the parable of the net, what did they do when the net was full (Matthew 13:48)?

Matthew 13:48

20.

When Jesus taught in his own country, what did the people say about him (Matthew 13:55)?

Matthew 13:55

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