Matthew Chapter Thirteen
Introduction to Parables
The word ‘parable’ comes from the Greek word ‘parabolē’[1] (used for the first time in the New Testament in verse three), referring to something placed side by side, generally for comparison, the word can also describe a similitude (referring to something being similar). However, since Jesus regularly taught using parables, they are often considered to be a straightforward easy-to-follow teaching tool. While it is true parables can be straightforward, that is not how Jesus used them. The moral and spiritual lessons taught in His parables did indeed use comparisons, but instead of comparing to something everyone could understand, He referred to things that would require discernment from the Holy Spirit. To those that did not have the discernment, the lessons would sound cryptic, providing confusion, not clarity. Instead of referring to parables being, “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning,” perhaps we should call them, “an earthly story that requires heavenly assistance to understand.” In each of Jesus’ parables, they were all fictitious without the use of any proper names (important to remember, if a proper name appears in a lesson, it is not a parable as that would be an account of a real event). The reason He taught in parables will also be explained by Jesus in this chapter.
Parable of the Sower
[Text parallels Mark 4:1-9 and Luke 8:4-8]
13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
Jesus left the house, the text does not identify whose house it was (Greek ‘oikias’,[2] a building, house, dwelling, while the word can be used figuratively, such as referring to a family or kingdom, there is no reason to extend any other definition other than the normal usage of it being simply a house). He went and sat down beside the Sea of Galilee, soon He was surrounded by crowds of people. So He got on a boat in order to address the entire crowd, which was now standing near the shore.
Matthew records that Jesus began to tell them many parables, starting with what is commonly referred to as the “Parable of the Sower.” A sower is a person who casts out and scatters seed for the purpose of growing and reaping a harvest. Here, Jesus says that the sower spread seeds along the path, but the birds came along and consumed them. Some seed landed on rocky ground which had little to no soil, but when the plants began to grow, they withered away when the sun came up due to the lack of soil. Other seed had fallen among thorns and when the thorn bushes grew, they choked out the planted seed. But even though much of the seed did not produce, some seed did fall on good soil and was able to grow and produce an abundance of grain, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. Jesus concludes the parable with the same words He used when He spoke about John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:15)[3] Jesus will explain this parable in verses 18-23, but first He will explain why He is now using parables to teach.
The Purpose of the Parables
[Text parallels Mark 4:10-13 and Luke 8:9-10]
13:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
The disciples must have been either surprised or confused when they heard Jesus speak to the large crowd in parables that no one could understand, so they approached Him and asked Him why. Jesus tells them that they have been given the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Greek word that is translated here as ‘secrets’ is ‘mystēria’[4] (this is the first appearance of several Greek words whose root is ‘mystērion’ in the New Testament), referring to something hidden or has not yet been revealed, it can also refer to something naturally unknown. But for those listening in the crowd they did not have discernment to understand the parable.
By teaching in parables, Jesus was able to reveal God’s truth to those who truly desired to hear and learn, and at the same time confuse those that do not have discernment from the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that those that do have discernment and understanding, more will be given and they will soon have an abundance. But for those who do not desire to know God, nor learn any of His truth, what little understanding they do have will be taken away. Jesus summarizes why He taught using parables and why from this moment on He will only speak in parables in public, as, “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” This allowed Jesus to teach to those who truly wanted to learn and prevent understanding to those who only wanted to find fault in His words.
Discernment is still needed to understand Jesus’ parables today. Without knowing what the subject is, the true meaning of these parables is lost. Which is one reason why prayer before reading the Bible should be a habit for all Christians.
13:14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Jesus then connects the stubborn nature of the current Jews with those several generations earlier during Isaiah’s time, by quoting a portion of the warning God had Isaiah present to the people of Israel shortly after he was commissioned as a prophet of God (see Isaiah 6:9-10). The same spiritual lethargy that inflicted the Jews just before the end of the nation of Judah, was now once again causing them to be close-minded risking their salvation. As noted earlier,[5] God knows the hearts of man as obedience and willingness to serve God cannot be faked. Here Jesus is saying He would be willing to heal them if they would be willing to listen and turn back to God.
13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Jesus acknowledges that His disciples have discernment, that they can see and hear the truth. He then explains that what they are experiencing and witnessing has been anticipated for a long time and that they are privileged to see the events unfold firsthand. Something many of the prophets and other righteous God-followers would have loved to see and hear.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 11
In Isaiah chapter six, God is recorded to have asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and Isaiah responded with an enthusiastic “Here I am! Send me.” (see verse 8) In his first commissioned act as a prophet of God, Isaiah was told to, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah 6:9-13) This was a warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah of its coming desolation, they did not heed the warning and this prophecy was later fulfilled in the Babylonian Captivity (see 2 Chronicles 36:15-21).
In verse 14, Matthew records Jesus saying that in their case (the people of Israel that came out to hear Him), the prophecy regarding their lack of understanding as described in Isaiah 6:9-10 is fulfilled. If the message was passed on to the people of Judah by Isaiah and the desolation did occur, being fulfilled in the Babylonian Captivity many years earlier (the fulfillment referenced in Isaiah 6:11-13), what then did Jesus mean by it being fulfilled now? First, we need to note that the word “fulfilled” in verse 14, is not the usual Greek word for fulfill (Greek ‘plēroō’),[6] it is the Greek ‘anaplēroutai’,[7] which is a stronger word referring to making something very full, to the very end. Perhaps the best way to interpret, is to consider the issue of the Jews (as well as all non-believers) being unwilling to see, hear, and accept Jesus as the Messiah as an ongoing problem, one that even continues through to today.
Parable of the Sower Explained
[Text parallels Mark 4:14-20 and Luke 8:11-15]
13:18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Jesus proceeds to explain the parable of the sower. The seed represents the Word of God, or more specifically, the word of the kingdom regarding salvation through Jesus. The sower, being those that disperse (teach, preach, etc.) the word, send the word to four different types of locations (each representing different people groups).
The first being along a path where the birds, now identified as ‘agents’ of Satan, come and snatch away what was sown. Note that Jesus personified the ‘path’ to be an actual person (the same analogy is used for each type). In this scenario it is someone who is presented the gospel message but does not repent because they are not convinced of the need for salvation due to an intellectual or spiritual barrier influenced by the evil one, the truth is completely rejected.
In the second location the word that is sown on rocky ground refers to those that hear and receive the word with joy and is able to endure being a believer for a while. But as soon as any problem, persecution, or even insult arises as the result of their belief in Jesus, they immediately pull back and renounce those beliefs. Indicating that they never fully understood the word, nor had any faith in Jesus.
The third location where the word is sown among thorns, which describes a person who hears the message but is distracted and places the issues of the world and the goal of making more money at a higher priority in their lives. Eventually rendering their faith inactive and unfruitful. Some question if these people ever had any faith in Jesus in the first place. We need to remember that even though a person can grow up in a Christian family and regularly attend church, they may only have an understanding of who Jesus is, but still have no faith in Him.
The fourth location was that of good soil, those that heard and understood the gospel message bearing much fruit. The fruit represents others that were saved through the efforts of the person who received the word. Jesus then explains that the yield of fruit will be abundant, some hundred times greater, some sixty times greater, and another thirty times greater. All Christians can and should be witnessing for Jesus, here He is promising incredible outcomes. Not by the keen intellect of man, or by superior force, but by the power of God! Remember the words given to Zerubbabel, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6b). All a believer needs to do is be willing.
Parable of the Weeds
13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
Jesus presented them with another parable, this one known by many as the parable of the weeds. While everyone is likely aware of weeds (something that God cursed the production of food grown with, see Genesis 3:18), the word that is translated as ‘weeds’ is the Greek ‘zizania’,[8] referring to darnel (also known as ’tares’), a ryegrass that looks very similar to wheat, which is also toxic. Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, the man’s enemy sowed ‘zizania’ seed among the wheat. When the wheat came up, the darnel appeared at the same time. The man’s servants inquired what to do, they were told to do nothing for the moment until it was harvest time. At that time the darnel will be gathered first, bound in bundles and then burned, the wheat will then be gathered into the barn owned by the man who sowed the good seeds. Jesus later explains this parable after telling two more parables (see verses 36-43).
Parable of the Mustard Seed
[Text parallels Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-19]
13:31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed (Greek ‘sinapeos’)[9] that is planted in a field. He says that this tiny seed, smallest of any seed that a farmer would plant, grew into a plant larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree (Greek ‘dendron’,[10] a tree or something the size of a tree).
The Kingdom of Heaven would grow from one person to a large body of believers and those that are weary, the birds of the air, can find rest in its branches. However, there are some that believe Jesus is actually pointing to a potential future problem within the church, the body of believers on earth. They point out that very few mustard bushes grow higher than 10-15 feet and would never appear as big as a tree. Thus, making this illustration more like some form of monstrosity. They believe that the birds that nest in the tree are not resting but are actually the birds from verses 4 and 19, being agents of the evil one, nesting comfortably in the church. Which would demonstrate that while on earth, the church is vulnerable to evil influences and need to be ever vigilant (see also 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Galatians 1:6-10; 2:2-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 3-4).
Thus we may discern in the first three parables of Matthew 13 a striking and sad forecast of the development of evil. In the first, the Devil caught away part of the good Seed. In the second, he is seen engaged in the work of imitation. Here, in the third, we are shown a corrupted Christianity affording him shelter.[11]
Parable of the Hidden Leaven
[Text parallels Luke 13:20-21]
13:33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
This short parable requires some background understanding, and for that reason it may be the most misunderstood parable spoken by Jesus. Many believe this parable refers to the Kingdom of Heaven that grows as leaven (yeast) would do in bread and as a result would expand until all became believers. But that would not be how most of Jesus’ listeners would have interpreted and is not likely what He was teaching.
First, most commentators and theologians that study the Word of God recognize the need to be consistent in the way words and word context are interpreted, especially since the Bible was written under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Three primary processes have been developed that help guide Scriptural interpretation. 1) Expositional Constancy: The meaning of a word is generally defined by its first use in the Bible and that definition remains consistent throughout the Bible; 2) Hermeneutics: In Christianity it refers to the process of knowing how to properly and consistently interpret the Bible (see 2 Timothy 2:15); and 3) Exegesis: An important component of hermeneutics (pronounced ex-e-ge-sis), just as the name implies (based on the Greek word ‘ek’[12] for ‘out’ or ‘out of’) it provides the basic rules that are used to closely examine each verse with the goal of finding the proper interpretation out of the definition, meaning and context of the text. Now with that said, the use of the term ‘leaven’ in the Bible is consistently used in relation to sin and corruption.
The three measures of flour points to a longstanding tradition of hospitality to visitors by offering a generous amount of flour to eat “on the road,” as depicted in Genesis 18:6, “And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” The ‘seîm’[13] (or se’ā(h) in the singular) is a unit of dry measure, considered one-third of an ephah (or bath), the conversion to modern units of measure varies widely depending on reference source, including 6.6 dry quarts, 7.7 liquid quarts, one and one-half pecks, 7.3 liters, etc. In any case, this would be a significant amount of flour, especially multiplied by three. Many translations, including the Septuagint, simply refer to the se’āh as a ‘measure’.
Understanding that leaven points to sin and corruption, having been secretly mixed in three measures of flour as a hospitality gift, undoubtedly would have shocked those that were listening to Jesus, as that would be considered an unacceptable practice. In this parable, Jesus is relaying the problem of sin entering the church, which aligns well with what Jesus and every New Testament epistle writer warned, the problem of false teaching (see also 1 Corinthians 5:8).
This parable in Matthew 13 is not the only occasion when the Lord Jesus employed this figure. How did He use it elsewhere? In Matthew 16:11 we find Him saying to the disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” There, it is plainly a figure of that which is evil. So in Luke 12:1 He said, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy.” Would He then deliberately confuse His disciples by using it as the figure of good in Matthew 13?
The Holy Spirit has also used this same figure through the apostle Paul. In what manner? In 1 Corinthians 5:6, 7 we read, “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump.” Would they be told to “purge out” that which was good? The last passage in the N. T. in which “leaven” is mentioned is Galatians 5:7–9. Note there three things: first, it is called “a persuasion”—something which exerts a powerful and moving influence. Second, it hinders men “from obeying the truth.” Third, it is expressly said to be “not from Him which calleth you.” Thus, that which is a thing of fermentation—really, incipient putrefaction—is, throughout Scripture, uniformly a figure of corruption—evil.[14]
Prophecy About Parables
[Text parallels Mark 4:33-34]
13:34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Matthew confirms that Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He then emphasizes that Jesus only spoke to them in parables. He further claims that this fulfills the prophecy from Psalm 78:2.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 12
Psalm 78 is a relatively long psalm (72 verses) that offers instruction that reviews Israel’s history from their time in Egypt to the time of King David, which begins with a call from God for them to listen to Him. Psalm 78 is not generally found on lists of identified Old Testament prophecies, let alone recognized as a Messianic prophecy (Old Testament references to the coming Messiah). So what makes Psalm 78:2 a prophecy regarding the Messiah? Only through the connection made by Jesus in verse 35.
Psalm 78:2 reads, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,” The Hebrew word ‘mā·šāl’,[15] can also be translated as ‘proverb’, referring to many forms of literary devices. However, the Septuagint translates this word in Psalm 78:2 as ‘parabolē’,[16] being a parable. The word that is translated as “dark sayings,” is the Hebrew ‘hî·ḏôṯ’,[17] can be an ‘enigma’ or ‘riddle’, sometimes translated as ‘question’. Jesus is essentially saying that through His parables, He will explain those things that have eluded human understanding since the beginning of the world. Especially that which pertains to God, the Kingdom of Heaven, and salvation through Jesus.
Parable of the Weeds Explained
13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Jesus went into a house away from the crowds, He was followed by His disciples who asked for the parable of the weeds to be explained. It is interesting to note that Jesus earlier had mentioned to His disciples that, “blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear” (verse 16). Did they fail to understand? Perhaps, but they understood enough to refer to the parable as being about the weeds and not the wheat. They may have simply desired to understand why the landowner did not want the ‘weeding’ to commence immediately. Jesus does not say anything further regarding the timing in His explanation, however, In verse 29, Jesus did say He didn’t want to “root up” the wheat along with the weeds (referring to those who will later in life accept Jesus, which is why we are still here on earth, to witness to the lost).
He begins His explanation by first identifying the ‘players’. The sower is Himself, the field is the world, the good seed are those that are the “sons of the kingdom” (the adopted children of God, all those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, see Romans 8:12-17), the weeds are those that follow the evil one, and the enemy is the devil. The harvest refers to the end of the age (Judgment Day) and the reapers are God’s angels.
At the end of the age, Jesus will send His angels to gather everything that causes sin and all who do evil and then be throw into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, a reference to hell.[18] Then the righteous (those that believe in Jesus as their Savior), will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, in heaven. Those that have ears, let him hear.[19]
The phrase, “causes of sin” consists of the Greek noun, ‘skandala’.[20] This is the first appearance of the word in the New Testament and is where we get the English word ‘scandal’ from (the verb form ’skandalizei’[21], was first seen in Matthew 5:29). The root word ‘skandalon’ can also be translated as stumbling block, temptation, hindrance, obstacle, etc. The word comes from the name of the triggering device (typically a stick) that causes a door to close and capture an animal in a trap. Used figuratively referring to behavior that can lead to a person's demise. Skandalon always denotes an enticement to conduct which could ruin the person in question.[22]
Parable of the Hidden Treasure
13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In this one-verse parable Jesus talks how the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. In our day and age of banks, safety deposit boxes, and many other secure locations to choose from, it is difficult to relate to a hidden treasure in a field. Due to lack of security, the potential of encountering a looting enemy, war, or some other potential dispute, people often used secret hiding locations to store their valued possessions. Apparently treasure hunting was quite lucrative after a war, as the historian Josephus recorded:
(114) Yet was there no small quantity of the riches that had been in that city still found among its ruins, (115) a great deal of which the Romans dug up; but the greatest part was discovered by those who were captives, and so they carried it away,—I mean the gold and the silver, and the rest of that most precious furniture which the Jews had, and which the owners had treasured up underground, against the uncertain fortunes of war.[23]
In this parable, treasure was found by a man who then covers it back up again and sells everything he has to buy the field. Many question the ethics of the man, buying a field without informing the owner of the treasure. While it is clear that the current owner is unaware of any treasure (which one can assume the owner did not put it there, besides it also shows he was not dishonest as he could have stolen it), we need to understand that parables are not necessarily all-encompassing, they are designed to make a point to learn from. The comparison of the Kingdom of Heaven to that of finding a hidden treasure and selling everything to obtain it, refers to the commitment and willingness to sacrifice all to obtain it. Jesus is not implying that there will be physical wealth exchanged or work required for salvation, but He is saying that serving Him should be the priority in every Christian’s life.
Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Jesus essentially retells the last parable using a different approach. Here He relates the Kingdom of Heaven to be like a merchant who is looking for fine pearls, who finds one very valuable pearl and sells everything he owned to purchase that pearl. Once again referring to the willingness to give up everything in order to obtain a relationship with God.
The biggest difference between this parable and the previous parable is that the man that found the hidden treasure in the field was not looking for that treasure. Here the merchant is searching, looking for fine pearls. When the merchant finds and recognizes the “pearl of great value,” it is obtained by giving up the pursuit of others. Therefore the person has committed their life to that truth.
Parable of the Net
13:47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Here Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a net (Greek ‘sagēnē’,[24] a long net designed to be spread out by several boats, then drawn together for a typical catch, the net is much larger than the ‘amphíblēstron’.)[25] that is thrown into the sea and every kind of fish is gathered. While this parable seems similar to the parable of the weeds, it has one major difference, the net caught both the righteous and the unrighteous. If both are caught what was the purpose of the net? Why not relate the fact that the world has both righteous (believers) and unrighteous (non-believers) people. Where does the Kingdom of Heaven come in? Jesus was teaching that there would be both righteous and unrighteous people identified on earth as belonging to the Kingdom. Sadly, the message Jesus is relaying to His audience is that there will be both types in His church. There will be some church-goers that will not enter heaven. They never accepted Jesus as their Savior (see 1 John 2:4), either through receiving and accepting false doctrine and teaching (that is why learning God’s Word is critical, remember Acts 17:11) or they never committed their lives to Jesus (remember being a Christian is about a relationship, not about religion).[26]
At the end of the age the angels will separate the evil from the righteous and throw the evil into a fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[27]
Time to Present and Apply
13:51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Jesus asks His disciples if they understood the lessons from these parables. They respond with a ‘yes’, however, many point out that if that were true they would have done some things differently later. Regardless, if we believe they knew or not, Jesus accepts their answer and tells them that every scribe (Greek ‘grammateus’,[28] those that write, can also refer to those who teach) that has been trained (Greek ‘mathēteutheis’,[29] a disciple) for the Kingdom of Heaven is like a master of a house (family leader) who shares and teaches his knowledge (his treasure) that which is new (such as the news about Jesus and the gospel message) and old (from the past, such as the Old Testament). The treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven is the entirety of God’s Word (the whole Bible), which must be taught and preached from Genesis to Revelation. Christians never graduate from learning from the Bible, that is, until they are in heaven. Believers should never stop studying Scripture. There will never be a point in the life on earth of any Christian that they will completely know all they need to know, that would be self-deception (see 1 John 1:8).
Due to Jesus comparing every scribe trained for the Kingdom of Heaven to a master of a house, this lesson is often called a ‘parable’ (making it the eighth parable). However, this one is different, instead of comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to something, it appears to be instruction for disciples of Jesus on how to present and apply God’s truth. Like a master of a house who is responsible for all matters regarding the household and the keeping of all precious items and knowledge, be responsible followers of Jesus.
Summary of the Kingdom Parables
It is easy to see why some theologians, commentators, teachers, and pastors have tried through the years to develop an appealing interpretation of these Kingdom of Heaven parables. If man always followed Jesus and the Word of God was always interpreted correctly, then perhaps a brighter interpretation could be possible. But in reality that is not what Jesus is teaching, or perhaps more appropriately, warning. A “heads up” caution about how the Kingdom of Heaven is going to operate on earth.
What happens when you have a perfect God in an imperfect world? Okay, that’s not a fair question, but it does point to something many of the theologians, commentators, teachers, and pastors often miss, and that is sin is really a big problem. One of those questions that is not easily answered is why does one remain a sinner after they accept Jesus? It is true that after accepting Jesus as their Savior, God no longer sees them as an unrighteous sinner but as righteous. But they remain able to sin, because they are still sinners, forgiven, but still sinners. Every believer will continue to exist in a dichotomy (a dual state) consisting of a sinful body and a forgiven soul until they die (or Jesus comes). The apostle Paul even wrote about his own ongoing struggle with sin in his epistle to the church in Rome (see Romans 7:14-25). There he acknowledged that Christians will continue to struggle with temptations of the flesh as the body is still sinful. It is plain to see that the Kingdom of Heaven on earth has been and continues to be strongly influenced by sinful people, therefore it is not perfect. So what does an imperfect kingdom on earth look like? Jesus told us in seven, plus one, parables. Some with great news and others with potentially frightening news, here is a quick breakdown:
Through the Kingdom Parables, Jesus is pointing to the future church and how it will be in some cases be manipulated or misguided by those who have either intentionally or unintentionally influenced the interpretation of God’s Word. Even with that negative influence, Jesus shares that the Kingdom of Heaven, the church on earth, will be blessed with success (see Matthew 16:18).
The “eighth parable,” while not like the others that compare the Kingdom of Heaven to something, it emphasized the need to be disciples and teach the whole counsel of God to others, from Genesis to Revelation (remember the Great Commission, see Matthew 28:18-20).
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
[Text parallels Mark 6:1-6a]
13:53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 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? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
After Jesus was finished teaching, He left the area around the Sea of Galilee and went back to His home town of Nazareth. While there, He taught in their synagogue and apparently impressed them with His wisdom and His powerful works. But, that wasn’t enough, as they could only think that Jesus was one of them, no one special. They rationalized their thinking by asking questions like, is this not the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother Mary? Are not His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not all His sisters here with us? Where then did this man get this wisdom and power? It is interesting to note that the people of His hometown didn’t even refer to Jesus by name, they named His mother and brothers, but was simply called “this man.”
Anyone who has ever lived next door to a famous person or celebrity growing up can attest to the difficulty in adjusting to “the person next door” being something other than just “the person next door.” In their minds since Jesus grew up and spent most of His life among them in Nazareth, He simply could not be anyone special. While they may have been impressed with His knowledge and miracles, they did not accept Him, nor believe anything He taught, sadly, they ultimately took offense at Him (Greek ’eskandalizonto’,[30] to cause to stumble and fall). Jesus responded, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” (verse 57b, NLT) Due to their unbelief, Jesus did not do many miracles there, as the purpose of doing mighty works was to demonstrate that Jesus was sent by God. But they were not convinced, so He didn’t do many.
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[1] Strong’s Greek 3850.
[2] Strong’s Greek 3614.
[3] See also Considerations under Matthew 11:18-19 regarding “To Those That Have Ears.”
[4] Strong’s Greek 3466.
[5] See commentaries under Matthew 5:21-26; 6:1, 19-21 and Considerations under Matthew 9:10-13 regarding “Legalism.”
[6] Strong’s Greek 4137.
[7] Strong’s Greek 378.
[8] Strong’s Greek 2215.
[9] Strong’s Greek 4615.
[10] Strong’s Greek 1186.
[11] Pink, A. W. (2005). The Prophetic Parables of Matthew Thirteen. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[12] Strong’s Greek 1537.
[13] Strong’s Hebrew 5429.
[14] Pink, A. W. (2005). The Prophetic Parables of Matthew Thirteen. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[15] Strong’s Hebrew 4912.
[16] See “Introduction to Parables” in the beginning of this chapter.
[17] Strong’s Hebrew 2420.
[18] See Considerations under Matthew 8:5-13 regarding "Hell By Any Other Name is Still Hell or Is it?"
[19] See Considerations under Matthew 11:18-19 regarding "To Those That Have Ears."
[20] Strong's Greek 4625.
[21] Strong’s Greek 4624.
[22] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.
[23] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 756). Peabody: Hendrickson.
[24] Strong’s Greek 4522.
[25] See commentary under Matthew 4:18-20.
[26] See Considerations under Matthew 12:46-50 regarding “Relationship vs. Religion.”
[27] See Considerations under Matthew 8:5-13 regarding "Hell By Any Other Name is Still Hell or Is it?"
[28] Strong’s Greek 1122. See also Considerations under Matthew 2:7-12 regarding “Scribes.”
[29] Strong’s Greek 3100.
[30] Strong’s Greek 4624.