Mat 13:1-23 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XIII. Christ teaches the multitudes out of a ship, they standing on the shore , 1, 2. The parable of the sower, 3-9. He gives his reasons for speaking in parables , 10-17. Explains the parable of the sower , 18-23. Parable of the tares and the wheat, 24-30. Of the grain of mustard seed, 31, 32. Of the leaven, 33. The prophecy fulfilled by this mode of teaching , 34, 35. He explains the parable of the tares and the wheat , 36-43. Parable of the treasure hid in a field, 44. Of the pearl-merchant, 45, 46. Of the dragnet, 47-50. His application of the whole , 51, 52. He teaches in his own country, and his neighbours take offence , 53-56. Our Lord's observations on this , 57. He works no miracle among them because of their unbelief . 58. NOTES ON CHAP. XIII. Verse 1. The same day ] Our Lord scarcely ever appears to take any rest: he is incessant in his labours, and instant in season and out of season; and in this he has left all his successors in the ministry an example, that they should follow his steps: for he who wishes to save souls will find few opportunities to rest. As Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, the messenger of God should imitate his diligence, that he may counteract his work. The gospels are journals of our Lord's life. Went Jesus out of the house ] This was the house of Peter. See . Sat by the sea side. ] The sea of Galilee, on the borders of which the city of Capernaum was situated.

‏ Matthew 13:1-23

CHAPTER XIII.

Christ teaches the multitudes out of a ship, they standing on the shore, 1, 2.

The parable of the sower, 3-9.

He gives his reasons for speaking in parables, 10-17.

Explains the parable of the sower, 18-23.

Parable of the tares and the wheat, 24-30.

Of the grain of mustard seed, 31, 32.

Of the leaven, 33.

The prophecy fulfilled by this mode of teaching, 34, 35.

He explains the parable of the tares and the wheat, 36-43.

Parable of the treasure hid in a field, 44.

Of the pearl-merchant, 45, 46.

Of the dragnet, 47-50.

His application of the whole, 51, 52.

He teaches in his own country, and his neighbours take offence,

53-56.

Our Lord's observations on this, 57.

He works no miracle among them because of their unbelief. 58.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII.

Verse 1. The same day] Our Lord scarcely ever appears to take any rest: he is incessant in his labours, and instant in season and out of season; and in this he has left all his successors in the ministry an example, that they should follow his steps: for he who wishes to save souls will find few opportunities to rest. As Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, the messenger of God should imitate his diligence, that he may counteract his work. The gospels are journals of our Lord's life.

Went Jesus out of the house] This was the house of Peter. See Mt 17:24.

Sat by the sea side.] The sea of Galilee, on the borders of which the city of Capernaum was situated.

Verse 2. Into a ship] τοπλοιον, THE vessel or boat. Mr. Wakefield supposes (which is very likely) that a particular vessel is uniformly specified, which seems to have been kept on the lake for the use of Christ and his apostles: it probably belonged to some of the fishermen, (see Mt 4:22,) who, he thinks, occasionally, at least, followed their former occupation. See Joh 21:3.

The thought of pious Quesnel on this verse should not be neglected. We see here a representation of the Church, which consists of the people united to their pastors. These, being more exposed to violent tossings and storms, are, as it were, in a ship, while those continue at ease on the shore.

Verse 3. He spake many things unto them in parables] Parable, from παρα, near, and βαλλω, I cast, or put. A comparison or similitude, in which one thing is compared with another, especially spiritual things with natural, by which means these spiritual things are better understood, and make a deeper impression on an attentive mind. Or, a parable is a representation of any matter accommodated, in the way of similitude, to the real subject, in order to delineate it with the greater force and perspicuity. See more on this subject at the conclusion of this chapter. No scheme, says Dr. Lightfoot, of Jewish rhetoric was more familiarly used than that of parables; which, perhaps, creeping in from thence among the heathens, ended in fables.

It is said in the tract Sotah, chap. 9. "From the time that Rabbi Meri died, those that spake in parables ceased." Not that this figure of rhetoric perished in the nation from that time; but because he surpassed all others in these flowers, as the gloss there from the tract Sanhedrin speaks. "A third part of his discourses was tradition; a third part allegory; and a third part parable." The Jewish books every where abound with these figures, the nation inclining by a kind of natural genius to this kind of rhetoric. Their very religion might be called parabolical, folded up within the covering of ceremonies; and their oratory in their sermons was like to it. But is it not indeed a wonder, that they who were so much given to and delighted in parables, and so dexterous in unfolding them, should stick in the outward shell of ceremonies, and should not have brought out the parabolical and spiritual sense of them? Our Saviour, who always spoke with the common people, uses the same kind of speech, and very often the same preface which they used, To what is it likened? See Lightfoot in loco. Though we find the basis of many of our Lord's parables in the Jewish writings, yet not one of them comes through his hands without being astonishingly improved. In this respect also, Surely never man spoke like this man.

Under the parable of the sower, our Lord intimates, 1. That of all the multitudes then attending his ministry, few would bring forth fruit to perfection. And 2. That this would be a general case in preaching the Gospel among men.

Verse 4. Some seeds fell by the way side] The hard beaten path, where no plough had broken up the ground.

Verse 5. Stony places] Where there was a thin surface of earth, and a rock at the bottom.

Verse 7. Among thorns] Where the earth was ploughed up, but the brambles and weeds had not been cleared away.

Verse 8. Good ground] Where the earth was deep, the field well ploughed, and the brambles and weeds all removed. See more on Mt 13:18, &c., and see on Lu 8:15.

Some a hundred-fold.] For the elucidation of this text, I beg leave to introduce the following experiment. In 1816 I sowed, for a third crop, a field with oats, at Millbrook, in Lancashire; the grains weighed, on an average, 3/4 of a grain each. One grain produced three stalks with three ears: the largest had 68 grains in it, the second 26, and the third 25.

Whole number of grains 119, which together

weighed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 grs

The root separately, after washing and

drying, weighed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1/2

The stalks and remaining leaves (for many

had perished in the wet season) . . . . . 630 1/2

-------

Weight of the whole produce of one grain

of oats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726 grs.

which was 725 times and one quarter more than the original weight.

The power of grain to multiply itself, even in the same year, is a subject as much of curiosity and astonishment as of importance and general utility. For the farther elucidation of this text, I shall give the following example from a practice in agriculture, or rural economy, which is termed filtering.

On the 2nd of June, 1766, Mr. C. Miller, of Cambridge, sowed some grains of the common, red wheat; and on the 8th of August a single plant was taken up, and separated into 18 parts, and each planted separately: these plants having pushed out several side shoots, about the middle of September some of them were taken up and divided; and the rest between that time and October. This second division produced 67 plants. These plants remained through the winter, and another division of them, made between the middle of March and the 12th of April, produced 500 plants. They were divided no farther, but permitted to remain in the field. These plants were in general stronger than any of the wheat in the field. Some of them produced upwards of 100 ears from a single root and many of the ears measured seven inches in length, and contained between sixty and seventy grains. The whole number of ears produced from the single plant was 21,109, which yielded three pecks and three-quarters of clear corn, weighing 47lbs. 7oz., and, from a calculation made by counting the grains in an ounce, the whole number of grains was about 576,840. Mr. Miller thinks that, had he made a second division in the spring, the number of plants would have amounted to 2000. Who can help admiring the wisdom and providence of God in this single grain of corn! He has, in some sort, impressed on it an idea of his own infinity; and an idea which, like the subject to which it refers, confounds our imagination and reason. How infinitely great is God, even in his minor works.

Verse 9. Who hath ears to hear, &c.] Let every person who feels the necessity of being instructed in the things which concern his soul's welfare pay attention to what is spoken, and he shall become wise unto salvation.

Verse 11. It is given unto you to know the mysteries, &c.] By mysteries, here, we may understand not only things concerning the scheme of salvation, which had not yet been revealed; but also the prophetic declarations concerning the future state of the Christian Church, expressed in the ensuing parables. It is not given to them to know the purport and design of these things-they are gross of heart, earthly and sensual, and do not improve the light they have received: but to you it is given, because I have appointed you not only to be the first preachers of my Gospel to sinners, but also the persons who shall transmit accounts of all these things to posterity. The knowledge of these mysteries, in the first instance, can be given only to a few; but when these faithfully write and publish what they have heard and seen, unto the world, then the science of salvation is revealed and addressed to all. From Mt 13:17, we learn, that many prophets and righteous men had desired to see and hear these things, but had not that privilege-to them it was not given; not because God designed to exclude them from salvation, but because HE who knew all things knew, either that they were not proper persons, or that that was not the proper time: for the choice of the PERSONS by whom, and the choice of the TIME in which it is most proper to reveal Divine things, must ever rest with the all-wise God.

Verse 12. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given] This is an allusion to a common custom in all countries: he who possesses much or is rich, to such a person, presents are ordinarily given.

Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.] That is, the poor man: he that has little may be easily made a prey of, and so lose his little. This is a proper sense of the word εχειν in sacred and profane writers. In 1Co 11:22, τους μηεχοντας, those who have not, means simply THE POOR: and Aristophanes uses τουςεξοντας, those that have, for the RICH or OPULENT. See a variety of pertinent examples in Kypke on Lu 8:18. There is one example in Juvenal, Sat. iii. l. 208, 209, that expresses the whole of our Lords meaning, and is a beautiful illustration of this apparently difficult passage. NIL habuit Codrus: quis enim negat? et tamen illud Perdidit infelix TOTUM NIL.

"'Tis true, poor Codrus NOTHING had to boast,

And yet poor Codrus ALL that NOTHING lost."

Dryden.

Now what was this NOTHING which, the poet said, Codrus had and lost? The five preceding lines tell you.

Lectus erat Codro Procula minor, urceoli sex, Ornamentum abaci; necnon et parvulus infra Cantharus, et recubans sub eodem marmore Chiron; Jamque vetus Graecos servabat cista libellos, Et divina Opici rodebant carmina mures.

He had one small bed, six little pitchers, the ornament of a side-board; a small jug or tankard, the image of a centaur, and an old chest with some Greek books in it, on which the mice had already begun to make depredations. And all this he lost; probably by continuing, in spite of his destiny, to be a poet. So those who devote not the light and power which God has given them to the purposes for which he has granted these gifts, from them shall be taken away these unemployed or prostituted blessings. This seems to have been a proverbial mode of speech, which our Lord here uses to inform his disciples, that he who does not improve the first operations of grace, howsoever small, is in danger of losing not only all the possible product, but even the principal; for God delights to heap benefits on those who properly improve them. See Clarke on Lu 8:18.

Verse 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables] On this account, viz. to lead them into a proper knowledge of God. I speak to them in parables, natural representations of spiritual truths, that they may be allured to inquire, and to find out the spirit, which is hidden under the letter; because, seeing the miracles which I have wrought, they see not, i.e. the end for which I have wrought them; and hearing my doctrines, they hear not, so as to profit by what is spoken; neither do they understand, ουδεσυνιουσι, they do not lay their hearts to it. Is not this obviously our Lord's meaning? Who can suppose that he would employ his time in speaking enigmatically to them, on purpose that they might not understand what was spoken? Could the God of truth and sincerity act thus? If he had designed to act otherwise, he might have saved his time and labour, and not spoken at all, which would have answered the same end, viz. to leave them in gross ignorance.

Verse 14. In them is fulfilled] αναπληρουται, Is AGAIN fulfilled: this proper meaning of the Greek word has been generally overlooked. The evangelist means, that as these words were fulfilled in the Jews, in the time of the Prophet Isaiah, so they are now again fulfilled in these their posterity, who exactly copy their fathers example. These awful words may be again fulfilled in us, if we take not warning by the things which these disobedient people have suffered.

By hearing ye shall hear] Jesus Christ shall be sent to you, his miracles ye shall fully see, and his doctrines ye shall distinctly hear; but God will not force you to receive the salvation which is offered.

Verse 15. Heart is waxed gross] επαχυνθη, is become fat-inattentive stupid, insensible. They hear heavily with their ears-are half asleep while the salvation of God is preached unto them.

Their eyes they have closed] Totally and obstinately resisted the truth of God, and shut their eyes against the light.

Lest-they should see, &c.] Lest they should see their lost estate, and be obliged to turn unto God, and seek his salvation. His state is truly deplorable who is sick unto death, and yet is afraid of being cured. The fault is here totally in the people, and not at all in that God whose name is Mercy and whose nature is love.

Verse 16. But blessed are your eyes] Ye improve the light which God has given you; and you receive an increase of heavenly wisdom by every miracle and by every sermon.

Verse 17. Many prophets and righteous men] These lived by and died in the faith of the promised Messiah: the fulness of the time was not then come for his manifestation in the flesh. See also on Mt 13:11.

Verse 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom] Viz. the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.

And understandeth it not] μησυνιεντος, perhaps more properly, regardeth it not, does not lay his heart to it.

The wicked one] οπονηρος, from πονος, labour, toil, he who distresses and torments the soul. Mark, Mr 4:15, calls him οσατανας, the adversary or opposer, because he resists men in all their purposes of amendment, and, to the utmost of his power opposes, in order to frustrate, the influences of Divine grace upon the heart. In the parallel place in Luke, Lu 8:12, he is called οδιαβολος, the devil, from διαβαλλειν, to shoot, or dart through. In allusion to this meaning of the name, St. Paul, Eph 6:16, speaks of the fiery DARTS of the wicked one. It is worthy of remark, that the three evangelists should use each a different appellative of this mortal enemy of mankind; probably to show that the devil, with all his powers and properties, opposes every thing that tends to the salvation of the soul.

Catcheth away] Makes the utmost haste to pick up the good seed, lest it should take root in the heart.

A careless inattentive hearer is compared to the way side-his heart is an open road, where evil affections, and foolish and hurtful desires, continually pass and repass, without either notice or restraint. "A heart where Satan has" (as one terms it) "ingress, egress, regress, and progress: in a word, the devil's thoroughfare."

Verse 20. But he that received the seed into stony places-is he] That is, is a fit emblem of that man who, hearing the Gospel, is affected with its beauty and excellency, and immediately receiveth it with joy-is glad to hear what God has done to make man happy.

Verse 21. Yet hath he not root in himself] His soul is not deeply convinced of its guilt and depravity; the fallow ground is not properly ploughed up, nor the rock broken. When persecution, &c., ariseth, which he did not expect, he is soon stumbled-seeks some pretext to abandon both the doctrine and followers of Christ. Having not felt his own sore, and the plague of his heart, he has not properly discovered that this salvation is the only remedy for his soul: thus he has no motive in his heart strong enough to counteract the outward scandal of the cross; so he endureth only for the time in which there is no difficulty to encounter, no cross to bear.

Verse 22. He also that received seed among the thorns] In land ploughed, but not properly cleared and seeded. Is he-

represents that person who heareth the word, but the cares, rather the anxiety, ημεριμνα, the whole system of anxious carking cares. Lexicographers derive the word μεριμνα from μεριζειντοννουν, dividing, or distracting the mind. Thus a poet,

Tot me impediunt curae quae meum animum diverse trahunt.

"So many cares hinder me which draw my mind

different ways." Terence.

The deceitfulness of riches] Which promise peace and pleasure, but can never give them.

Choke the word] Or, together choke the word, συμπνιγει meaning, either that these grow up together with the word, overtop, and choke it; or that these united together, viz. carking worldly cares, with the delusive hopes and promises of riches, cause the man to abandon the great concerns of his soul, and seek, in their place, what he shall eat, drink, and wherewithal he shall be clothed. Dreadful stupidity of man, thus to barter spiritual for temporal good-a heavenly inheritance for an earthly portion! The seed of the kingdom can never produce much fruit in any heart, till the thorns and thistles of vicious affections and impure desires be plucked up by the roots and burned. The Persic translator renders it [Persic] asle kalme-ra khube kund, chokes the root of the word: for it appears the seed had taken root, and that these cares, &c., choked it in the root, before even the blade could show itself.

Verse 23. Good ground] That which had depth of mould, was well ploughed, and well weeded.

Is he that heareth] Who diligently attends the ministry of the word.

And understandeth it] Lays the subject to heart, deeply weighing its nature, design, and importance.

Which also beareth fruit] His fruitfulness being an almost necessary consequence of his thus laying the Divine message to heart. Let it be observed, that to hear, to understand, and to bring forth fruit, are the three grand evidences of a genuine believer. He who does not hear the word of wisdom cannot understand what makes for his peace; and he who does not understand what the Gospel requires him to be and to perform, cannot bring forth fruit; and he who is not fruitful, very fruitful, cannot be a disciple of Christ-see Joh 15:8; and he who is not Christ's disciple cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

From the different portions of fruit produced by the good ground, a hundred, sixty, and thirty, we may learn that all sound believers are not equally fruitful; all hear, understand, and bring forth fruit, but not in the same degrees-occasioned, partly, by their situation and circumstances not allowing them such extensive opportunities of receiving and doing good; and, partly, by lack of mental capacity-for every mind is not equally improvable.

Let it be farther observed that the unfruitfulness of the different lands was not owing to bad seed or an unskilful sower-the same sower sows the same seed in all, and with the same gracious design-but it is unfruitful in many because they are careless, inattentive, and worldly-minded.

But is not the ground naturally bad in every heart? Undoubtedly. And can any but God make it good? None. But it is your business, when you hear of the justice and mercy of God, to implore him to work in you that which is pleasing in his sight. No man shall be condemned because he did not change his own heart, but because he did not cry to God to change it, who gave him his Holy Spirit for this very purpose, and which he, by his worldly-mindedness and impiety, quenched. Whoso hath ears to hear let him hear: and may the Lord save the reader from an impenitent and unfruitful heart!