Matthew 13:1-23 study

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting alongside the sea. 2 And many crowds gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat to sit down, and all the crowd was standing on the shore. 3 And He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow. 4 And as he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 And other seeds fell upon the rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up because they did not have depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose, they were burned up, and because they had no root, they dried up. 7 And other seeds fell upon the thorny plants, and the thorny plants came up and strangled them. 8 But other seeds fell upon the good soil and began giving fruit – some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 The one who has ears, let him hear.”  

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 13

Parables are Jesus’ means of communicating truth through a narrative analogy in order to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. His parables produce very different results in different people: they hide truth from the “crowd” (v. 2; see note on 5:2), while they communicate truth to the disciples.

10 And the disciples drew near and said to Him, “Why are You speaking to them in parables?” 11 And He answered and said to them, “Because to you it has been given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to those people it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 For this reason I am speaking to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they comprehend. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is made complete which says, ‘You will surely hear, but you will never comprehend, and you will surely see, but you will never perceive. 15 For the heart of this people has become thick, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and comprehend with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’[1] 16 But happy are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men eagerly desired to see the things that you see, but they did not see, and to hear the things that you hear, but they did not hear.

[1] Isaiah 6:9-10

Connecting Scripture New Testament Chapter 13

Jesus has already stated that the revelation of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven are given to the disciples (v. 11). Here he adds that they have been given not only knowledge but restored spiritual senses to understand and respond rightly. This is not an inherent attribute they have that others don’t possess but a reversal of

18 You, therefore, listen to the parable of the sower. 19 When someone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not comprehend, the wicked one comes and snatches away the word that had been sown in his heart; this is what was sown alongside the road. 20 And what was sown upon the rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it, 21 but it does not have a root in itself but lasts only a little while, and when tribulation or persecution on account of the word takes place, immediately it falls away. 22 And what was sown on the thorny plants, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 But what was sown upon the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and comprehends it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – one a hundred, and another sixty, and another thirty.

Four responses to the word (message of God’s Kingdom)

forgetfulness

failure to endure hardship

focus on this world’s pleasures and possessions

fruitfulness