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Session 13

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Matthew 13:1-13

Context: Matthew 13:1-58

Memory Verse: Matthew 13:9

Main Idea: Jesus reveals the secrets of His kingdom to His followers.

FIRST THOUGHTS

     Stories capture our imaginations, helping us remember and connect the dots. Having good information is important, but reading a story related to the information will help you to remember it better.

Recall a story or book that helps you remember some timeless or important truth. What is the truth, and how does that story or book help you remember that truth?

     Jesus was the premier storyteller. He made illustrations and stories a major feature of His preaching and teaching. We refer to these stories as parables. Jesus told parables partly due to the fact that they made truth understandable and memorable. His parables used things with which His hearers were familiar in order to convey to them spiritual truths that were not familiar. When people heard the words of a parable, they were able to envision the story or analogy. As has often been said, Jesus used parables to turn people’s ears into eyes. What they heard formed mental pictures they could see. The first parable in a series of seven parables in Matthew 13 serves as an apt introduction to Jesus’ teachings. This parable about a sower and the soil describes ways people responded to His teaching.

I. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

Matthew 13:1-58

     Matthew is a Gospel that alternates between teaching sections and narrative sections. Matthew opens with Jesus’ birth and preparation for ministry (chaps. 1–4), followed by a teaching section: the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7). Chapters 8–9 contain another narrative section on miracles, followed in chapter 10 by another teaching section: mission instructions to the Twelve.

    Chapter 11 focused on the increasing opposition to Jesus and His teaching about the kingdom. The stories about John the Baptist (11:2-19), woes on three Galilean cities (11:20-24), and the invitation to take Jesus’ yoke (11:25-30) emphasize the need to respond to Jesus properly.

     In chapter 12 the Pharisees demonstrated an improper response to Jesus. They challenged His healing on the Sabbath (12:1-21) and attributed His ability to cast out unclean spirits to Beelzebul (12:22-37). After a stream of miracles, the Jewish leadership demanded that Jesus offer them an irrefutable sign that His authority was, in fact, from God (12:38-42).

In contrast to the Jewish leadership and the majority of Israelites, the disciples had responded in faith to Jesus’ proclamation that the Kingdom had arrived and He was the King. The parables that comprise chapter 13 reveal the secrets of the nature of the Kingdom for those who are willing to hear with faith. These are the secrets of the King and His Kingdom.

II. EXPLORE THE TEXT

A. a crowd (Matt. 13:1-3a)

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. ^3a And he told them many things in parables, saying:

VerseS 1-2

     Jesus went out of the house where He had been speaking with the people and sat down beside the Sea of Galilee. Great crowds gathered about him to hear Him teach. The crowds were so large that he got into a boat. The boat either provided the best vantage point for addressing the crowd or perhaps provided a measure of safety from the swelling mass of people (see Mark 4:1).

Verse 3a

     When speaking to the crowds in Galilee, Jesus most often taught in parables. The Greek term for parable, parabolē, means primarily a comparison or “to cast alongside.” The term in the Gospels is employed to refer to a wide range of speech. It can refer to a brief rhetorical question: “How can Satan cast out Satan?” (Mark 3:23); “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39). The term also refers to more detailed stories, like the parable of the sower, the good Samaritan, or the prodigal son. The consistent element in all forms of parables is that they make a comparison between something common to the audience and some aspect of the nature of the Kingdom.

     In order to answer the question about how the Kingdom could have arrived with so little immediate impact outside of Israel, Jesus compared the Kingdom to a tiny mustard seed that is barely visible when sown (Matt. 13:31-32). He followed that up with the parable of the leaven, which is invisible in the dough, but when heated transforms the entire lump, suggesting that the Kingdom may be hidden at the moment, but it is an irresistible force that will transform all of God’s creation (13:33).

     Note also the everyday nature of the objects Jesus used to make the comparisons: mustard seeds, leaven, wheat and weeds, fishing nets, treasure hidden in a field, and so forth. In order to help His hearers understand the deep mysteries of the Kingdom, Jesus compared the Kingdom to objects that were common and easily understood. It is also worth noting the Jesus’ stories about the Kingdom did not simply supply information about the Kingdom; they were part of Jesus’ all-out assault on the forces of evil and darkness that had invaded God’s good creation. For Jesus, the telling of stories was part of bringing the Kingdom into being. The cross would be the climactic and decisive instrument of bringing the Kingdom into being, but His parables were part of His weaponry as well.

B. a parable (Matt. 13:3b-9)

^3b “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.”

Verse 3b

     The first parable Jesus spoke in Matthew’s Gospel was a parable about parables—the parable of the sower. This story of a sower, seed, and soils, highlights the importance of hearing with faith in order to grasp the true nature of the Kingdom. The parable itself ends with the strong directive: “He who has ears, let him hear” (13:9). The parable begins with a sower who went out to sow. Since the parables were designed to reveal the truth about the nature of the Kingdom by using comparison, the thing Jesus used to compare the Kingdom with had to be something common and easily understood. Nothing was more familiar to Jesus’ audience than agricultural images.

     Old Testament prophets frequently referred to God as a sower (Jer. 31:27-28; Hos. 2:23). Isaiah 55:10-11 compares a seed that germinates and sprouts to God’s word “that goes out from my mouth” and “shall not return to me empty.” Thus, the image of God sowing the seed of His word worked well in this agrarian setting of Jewish hearers. Although Jesus never explicitly identified the sower, it seems evident that Jesus Himself is the One sowing the seed.

VERSE 4

     Jesus began the parable with the reminder that not all soil is receptive to the seed: some seeds fell along the path. The seed is “the word of the kingdom” (v. 19). This has been the focus of Jesus’ preaching from the first day of His public ministry in Galilee (4:17). It appears that Jesus did not target the audience. He did not do any demographic studies to determine the best population group for His message of the kingdom. He sowed the seed widely. The result was that some seed fell on the hard path. Jesus interpreted this type of soil as the person who “hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it” (v. 19). Interpreters almost always emphasize a hard heart as the point of comparison with the hard path. Jesus, however, focused on the hard head as much as the hard heart. The failure of the path to accept the seed involves the whole person—understanding as well as will and emotion. It is the failure to hear with faith.

     Naturally, if the seeds could not penetrate the hardened path, they lay vulnerable. Predictably, the birds came and devoured them. Jesus gave the interpretation: “the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart” (v. 19). In the parallel in Mark 4:15, Jesus referred to the “evil one” as “Satan,” and in Luke 8:12 as the “Devil.” Thus, faith is prevented to some degree by the intervention of Satan. The image of the evil one snatching away the seed also underscores the reality of dark forces at work in opposition to Jesus’ ministry. The presence of the evil one provides insight into the origin of the opposition to Jesus’ ministry.

VERSES 5-6

     The second type of soil is described as rocky ground, a situation familiar to Galilean farmers. Jesus explained that this is an area where they did not have much soil. As a result, the seeds immediately … sprang up, since they had no depth of soil. The lack of soil ensured no depth and no moisture for the seed to really take root. When the sun came up, the seedlings were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.

     Jesus provided the interpretation of the rocky soil in verses 20-21. The rocky soil represents people who hear the word, receive it with joy, but fall away in the face of trials. These are people whose apparent commitment is short lived. In a time of testing, they stumble and turn away from the Kingdom. Jesus specified the type of testing they endure: times of “tribulation or persecution” (v. 21). Jesus depicted the persecution as the sun coming up and scorching the fragile sprout. In the face of challenge to their faith, they shrivel away, revealing the absence of genuine, inner transformation. They were rootless.

     The reference to persecution so severe that it might cause someone to turn away from identification with Christ might seem implausible to many Christians in United States, but the threat loomed large for Jesus’ hearers. Sadly, it continues to loom large for many Christians in the world today. The recent slaughter of Christians by militants associated with the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) is a reminder of the scorching heat of persecution that threatens so many who identify with Christ. I wonder how many Christians in our own churches would pack the pews next Sunday knowing the authorities might well be outside taking down license plate numbers as a prelude to seizing property and threatening our lives and the lives of our children? It takes courage to stand up in the face of such threats and be counted; it takes even greater courage to keep standing after you’ve been counted. Ultimately, the rocky soil produced no fruit.

VERSE 7

     Jesus described a third type of soil as infested with thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. As was the case with the rocky soil, the seed revealed initial signs of growth, but this time the thorns and weeds choked it out. The reader is not left to speculate what the thorns might represent. Jesus interpreted them as “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches” (v. 22).

     Materialism and greed present yet another threat to a life of discipleship. Jesus frequently addressed the dangers of the pursuit of wealth. He declared: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19,21). He added: “No one can serve two masters … You cannot serve God and money” (v. 24). The intertwining of the gospel with material blessing is a dangerous game to play. How many individuals have responded to the gospel because they were misled to believe that the kingdom of God is a prosperity movement, when in fact the seduction of wealth strikes at the heart of faith? The same threat existed in Jesus’ day. There have always been those who desire to pursue wealth and to pursue God and seek both with equal vigor. The truth is materialism will strangle commitment to God. Divided loyalty between the pursuit of God and wealth is a choice against God. Sadly, no one is immune to these temptations. Whereas the persecution that marked the threat to the hearer in verses 5-6 might seem far removed from a person living in the United States, materialism is a threat many Americans face every day. It is a true and present danger that poisons the soil for thorns and weeds to flourish. Once again, as with the hardened path and the rocky soil, the thorn-infested soil produced no fruit.

Verses 8-9

     Finally, Jesus described an appropriate response to the sowing of the seed. Some seeds fell on good soil and produced grain. The previous soils produced not one ear of wheat. But a small quantity of good soil not only produced, but produced some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Jesus interpreted the good soil as “the one who hears the word and understands it” (v. 23). The good soil reflects a response of genuine faith and discipleship. The principle is simple: good soil produces a harvest.

     Jesus concluded the teaching with the customary He who has ears, let him hear. The conclusion drives home that the focus of this parable is not the sower or the seed, but the soil. This is a parable about hearing and responding to the gospel. Although Jesus names four scenarios, ultimately there are only two types of soil: those that produce fruit and those that do not. The hearer that produces fruit provides evidence and vindication of a believing response to the gospel. The hearer that produces no fruit reveals an unbelieving response to the gospel. Taking seriously this hard saying of Jesus would help distinguish between a weak, secularized Christianity that is Christian in name only against a convictional, vibrant, genuine Christianity which has the power to change individuals and the world.

What type of soil are you? When the Word is taught, do you receive it as good soil so that you are bearing fruit, or are you poor soil that bears no fruit? Where’s the fruit in your life?

C. a reason (Matt. 13:10-13)

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.”

VERSES 10-12

     Matthew did not provide the crowd’s response to the parable, but He did report the response of the disciples. They asked Jesus: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He responded: “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” The secrets of the kingdom of God are not hidden codes that require some special, clandestine information. Rather, the secrets are mysteries of the nature of the Kingdom. They had long been hidden, but now Jesus was making them known to all those who had ears to listen. Although the disciples could be fearful, slow to grasp the point, and even lacking in faith, they had already responded to Jesus’ call with faith. Thus, the nature of the Kingdom continued to be revealed to them.

     Jesus then added, but to them it has not been given. Why did Jesus utilize a method of instruction that would conceal the truth from the crowds? Or was He concealing anything from them? Jesus clarified the comment with the principle that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those who are willing to hear with faith will receive more faith and will grow in their understanding. Those unwilling to hear with faith will continue to wallow in their unbelief, their blindness ever increasing. The Pharisees provide an ideal example. They refused to see Jesus’ miraculous deeds as the work of God. They refused to hear His teaching with faith. The result was that their blindness and deafness only increased.

     Parables were a common method of instruction in the ancient world because of their power to convey meaning and also entertain. The best teachers tell the best stories, not to hide the truth but to make it known—unless, of course, one’s mind is already closed. The power of Jesus’ parables is found in the fact that they forced a direct response. For those willing to hear with faith, the truth will open to them; for those who refuse to hear with faith, the truth will become even more obscure.

VERSE 13

     Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 to provide a scriptural basis for His response. In his day, Isaiah and the Jews in Judea had suffered the death of Uzziah, a long-reigning, popular king. The death of a king in Israel like Uzziah thrust the nation into confusion and raised concerns about their leadership and spiritual vitality moving forward. God sent hope in the form of a vision to Isaiah. Jesus determined that the questions of leadership and spiritual vitality in Isaiah’s day paralleled the situation in His own day. The majority of the nation’s leadership, as well as the common people, had shut their eyes so that seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. As in the time of Isaiah the prophet, the problem was not that God had rejected His people. The problem was their rejection of God and His Word, which resulted in God’s rejection of them.

What explanations might be given for why some hearers of the Word of God do not give evidence of understanding it and letting it make a difference in their lives?

KEY DOCTRINE

The Kingdom

The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King.

BIBLE SKILL

Dig deeper into the background and usage of key words or phrases.

Look up the word parable in a Bible dictionary (either print or online). How is parable defined? Can you find any examples of parables in the Bible other than those taught by Jesus? What are the common themes of Jesus’ parables? Identify any significant principles that should be followed in interpreting parables.