Four Kinds of Hearts, 13:1-9 (Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8).
[1-3] Using examples was a common way for Jesus to teach the crowds. The word “example” (parable) means to “throw alongside.” Parables were examples used to make spiritual truth plain. They also made truth easy to remember. Those who were not prepared to receive the truth could not understand them. Parables were then used as a judgement on those who did not want to understand (Isaiah 6:9-10; see also Matthew 13:10-15).
[4] Footpaths often crossed the fields. Seed that fell there was exposed.
[5-6] There were many rocky areas in Palestine. Shallow soil often lay on top of a layer of rock. Young plants could not get enough water.
[7] Weeds seem to grow faster than good seed. They rob the good plants of food and water.
[8-9] The farmer looks for a harvest. The crowd was invited to find the meaning of the story they had heard (see Matthew 13:18-23).
The Purpose of Examples, 13:10-17 (Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10).
[10-11] Jesus said He used examples because of the different kinds of people that listened to Him. To some, the example revealed the secrets of the kingdom. To others who did not want to receive the truth, examples hid the truth. This was the plan of God (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7-8; Colossians 1:26). How do you listen?
[12] This saying showed that they must use what they had received. What is not used is lost. It is dangerous not to follow Jesus.
Matthew 13:13-23
13 This is why I use stories when I talk with them, so that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but they do not understand. 14 They have made Isaiah’s prophecy come true: ‘You will certainly hear, but you won’t understand! You will certainly see, but you won’t understand! 15 The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they do not listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.’ Isaiah 6:9-10 16 “You are very blessed to see what you now see, and to hear what you now hear. 17 I am telling you the truth: Many prophets and good men wanted to see what you now see, but they did not see it. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not hear it.” 18 “Listen to the meaning of the example about the farmer: 19 A person hears the message about the kingdom, but he does not understand it. Then the evil one comes and takes away what was planted in the person’s heart. This is the meaning of what was planted along the road. 20 What was planted on rocky soil is the person who hears the message and accepts it with gladness right away. 21 However, he does not have deep roots in himself; he doesn’t last long. When, because of the message, trouble or persecution comes, he soon gets discouraged and gives up. 22 That which was planted among the thorny weeds is the one who hears the message, but the worries of this age and deceiving riches choke out the message. It never produces fruit. 23 What was planted on good soil is the one who listens to the message and understands it. He produces fruit—some of it is 100 times more, some is 60 times more, and some is 30 times more.”
[13-15] Examples (parables) were used as a judgement on those who did not want to understand. If a man does not want to understand the things of God, he will not.
[16-17] The followers of Jesus were living during a very special time. Many people who lived before them had heard of the coming of Christ (see Hebrews 11:39-40).
The Four Kinds of Hearts Explained, 13:18-23 (Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15).
[18-19] The explanation was given only to the disciples. The meaning is about how people respond to the Gospel. Jesus had already talked about the importance of bearing fruit (Matthew 7:15f.; 12:33f.). The Devil easily takes the Word away from hard hearts. They do not respond.
[20-21] Changing the heart is important (Matthew 4:17; 11:20; 15:19). When trouble comes because of the Gospel, some go back to the old ways. It is dangerous to do this (Matthew 12:43-45; Hebrews 6:1-6).
[22] Some hearts still love the world. Worldly riches are desired more than heavenly riches (Matthew 6:19-21). A heart that loves the world does not produce fruit for God because he worries about things that pagans seek (Matthew 6:24-34).
[23] When people’s hearts are true to Jesus, trouble does not make them leave their faith in Christ. They put God and His kingdom first (Matthew 6:31-34). This kind of life produces good fruit.
Matthew 13:24-35
24 Jesus used another story. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like this: A man planted some good wheat seed in his field. 25 While his men were sleeping, the man’s enemy came and planted some weeds among the wheat. Then he went away. 26 When the wheat came up and started making heads of wheat, the weeds appeared, too. 27 The servants went to the owner and said to him, ‘Lord, you planted good wheat seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?’ 28 The man said to them, ‘An enemy did this!’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go out and collect the weeds?’ 29 He said, ‘No, because while you are collecting the weeds, you might tear up the wheat which is next to the weeds. 30 Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest time. At that time, I will tell the workers to gather up the weeds first. Then they can tie them together in bundles to burn them, but they will gather the wheat into my barn.'” 31 As Jesus was talking to them, he used another story: “What is the kingdom of heaven like? It is like the seed of the mustard plant. A person plants the seed in his garden. 32 It is one of the smallest seeds of all. But when it grows up, it is the largest garden plant—it becomes a tree. The wild birds build nests in its branches.” 33 Jesus spoke to them with another example: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman mixes into a tub of flour to make the bread rise.” 34 Jesus used examples to say all these things to the crowds. He always spoke to them with a story. 35 What God said through the prophet came true: “When I open my mouth to speak, I will use examples. I will tell things which have been hidden since the world was created.” Psalm 78:2
The Example of the Wheat and Weeds, 13:24-30.
[24-30] This was an example of harvest. Harvest in the Old Testament meant judgement (Jeremiah 51:53; Hosea 6:11; Joel 3:13). Separation of the good and bad will be at the end. The example is explained in Matthew 13:36-43.
The Example of the Mustard Seed, 13:31-32
[31-32] The Jews wanted the kingdom to come quickly and with power. Jesus showed that the kingdom begins small and grows to a great size. The mustard seed was not literally the smallest seed but was used as an example of smallness (Matthew 17:20). This seed would grow to become a bush three to four metres tall. Small beginnings are important, especially if God is working.
Yeast, 13:33 (Luke 13:20-21).
[33] Yeast (leaven) was most often used as a symbol of evil (Matthew 16:6, 12; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9). Here the lesson is the same as the example of the mustard seed. The yeast is small, but it soon spreads through all of the flour (about 40 litres) to make it rise. The kingdom of God which started small grew through the whole world (Matthew 10:1; Acts 2:41, 47; Colossians 1:6).
The Use of Examples, 13:34-35 (Mark 4:33-34).
[34-35] Jesus fulfilled what was written by the prophets hundreds of years before. God’s words are true.
Matthew 13:36-52
36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His followers came to him and said, “Tell us plainly the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field.” 37 Jesus answered, “I am the one who planted the good seed. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed the weeds is the Devil. Harvest time is the end of the age. And the workers are angels. 40 The weeds will be collected and burned in fire. It will be like this at the end of the age. 41 I will send my angels. They will collect everything which makes people sin and the people who do wrong, and put them out of his kingdom. 42 The angels will throw them into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth. 43 Then the good people will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The person who has ears should use them!”
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure. A man finds it buried in a field. He is so happy that he goes and sells everything he owns and buys that field.” 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a businessman who is always looking for good pearls. 46 One day he found a very beautiful pearl. He went and sold everything he owned and bought that pearl.” 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big net which is thrown into the lake. It catches every kind of fish. 48 When the net is full, the men pull it onto the shore. Then they sit down and pick out the good fish. They throw the good fish on the beach, but they throw the worthless fish away. 49 It will be like this at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the good people from the bad people. 50 The angels will throw the bad people into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth.” 51 Jesus said, “Do you understand all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 Jesus said to them, “Every teacher of the law who becomes trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is the head of his house. He brings new things and old things out of his treasure.”
Wheat and Weeds Example Explained, 13:36-43.
[36-38] Jesus left the boat and returned to the house in Capernaum (Matthew 13:1). For “Son of Man,” see Matthew 8:20. Jesus planted good seed in the field, which is the world. The Devil planted weeds. There are two kinds of people in the world, the good and the bad (those who follow Christ and those who do not).
[39-43] No separation takes place until the harvest (the end of the world). This is the reason that both kinds of people are found everywhere (see John 15:18-19; 17:15-16). The angels will do the separating. The people who follow the Devil’s way (“sons of the evil one”) will be terribly punished (Matthew 3:12; 8:12; 10:28; 25:41, 46; 2 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:11; 20:10, 15; 21:8). The Devil and his angels (the causes of sin) will be thrown out (Matthew 25:41; 8:29; Revelation 20:10). The people who follow Christ (“sons of the kingdom”) will be with the Father (Matthew 5:12; 6:20; 19:21; 25:34; Philippians 3:20). Disciples of Jesus should not let the presence of evil people deter them from following the Christ.
The Buried Treasure, 13:44.
[44] People often hid their wealth by burying it in the ground. A man who found such a treasure by accident would be joyful. A man has great joy when he finds the kingdom of God.
The Beautiful Pearl, 13:45-46.
[45-46] Pearls are small round balls which sometimes grow inside oysters (a shell fish which lives in the ocean). They may be different colours but were usually white. They were used as jewels for decoration or as money. A man searching for the kingdom of God (the truth) should do everything to get it.
The Large Net, 13:47-50.
[47-50] This example, like Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, is an example of the judgement. Bad fish to a Jew would be those without fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9-12). All kinds of people come into the kingdom of heaven. Some change their hearts, but some really do not change. For the “punishment of the wicked,” see Matthew 13:42.
Things Old and New, 13:51-52.
[51-52] The disciples had asked Jesus about His use of examples (Matthew 13:10). Now Jesus asked them a question. Because they understood the examples, they were like trained teachers of the law. Christ’s teachings were like new treasures.
Matthew 13:53-58
53 When Jesus finished all these examples, he left that place. 54 He came to his home town. He was teaching them in their synagogue. They were greatly amazed at him. They asked, “Where did Jesus get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 Isn’t it true that he is the son of Joseph, the woodworker, and that his mother’s name is Mary? His brothers are: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 His sisters are here with us, too. So, where did he get all these things?” 57 They were offended at Jesus. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not accepted in his own home town or by his own family.” 58 So, because they did not believe, Jesus did not perform many miracles there.