Matthew
Chapter 13:1-30
Memory verses
for this week: John 21:25 And there are
also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be
written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not
contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Introduction:
In
last week’s lesson, we studied about the unpardonable sin which is
blaspheming the Holy Spirit. If we are being brought under
conviction by the Holy Spirit to be saved, we need to come to Christ
right then. Today is the day of salvation, and if you put it off one
day, you might never have another chance.
This
week we begin a study of 7 parables. The all are closely related and
seem to be delivered by Christ on the same day. They relate to the
period of time between Christ’s rejection and his final return to
setup His kingdom. Parables are illustrations which make spiritual
truth more plain to the hearer. These parables have been designated
as the “Mysteries of the Kingdom”.
I. The Mysteries
of the Kingdom of Heaven
Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out
of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2 And great multitudes were
gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and
the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Jesus was the
master teacher. As he went out the sea side, great multitudes
gathered together with him so that they might hear him speak.
Mysteries of the Kingdom were about to be told, and Christ has to go
onto a ship so that all on the shore might see him and hear what he
had to say. A ‘mystery’ according to the New Testament usage, does
not refer to something that cannot be understood, but it denotes a
truth which once was hidden but now is revealed. As these multitudes
gathered, it gave Christ the opportunity to present the truths from
the Word of God. All of God’s word is truth, and we can trust it
and believe it.
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things
unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some
seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony
places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up,
because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up,
they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns;
and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good
ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold,
some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let
him hear.
This first
parable speaks of the sower.
Although our Lord
gives several parables in this chapter, He interprets only two of
them: the parable of the sower and the parable of the wheat and tares.
His interpretation is a guide to the symbolism in the other parables.
For instance, in this parable of the sower, the birds represent Satan.
Now when He uses the symbol of birds in another parable, we may be
sure that they do not represent something
good.
We need to be consistent and follow our Lord’s interpretation.
[i]
In verse 4, we
read about the way side soil which is a hard soil that leaves the
seeds exposed to the birds. Before they seeds could ever sprout or
take root, the fowls came forth and devoured the seed. Verse 6 speaks
of the sees that fell on stony soil. The soil did not produce because
of the heat and the shallowness of the soil. If you’ve ever raised
vegetables or flowers, you have to have good deep soil to raise
plants. And the ground has to be cleared of weeds. Verse 7 talks of
seeds falling among thorns, and when they did sprout, the thorns
choked them out. Finally verse 8 speaks of good ground.. fertile
ground that could put forth plants and sustain them. Some gave forth
a hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty. Only good ground can
produce fruit. These sayings were given that we might learn, and
verse 8 warns us to listen and understand.
J. Vernon McGee
said this about the seed that failed to take root.
With these folk the
world crowds out the Word of God. The Devil got the wayside folk, and
the flesh took care of the rocky-ground folk, but the world chokes out
the Word for this class of hearers. The cares of the world move in.
Sometimes it is poverty, and other times it is the deceitfulness of
riches. It is quite interesting that folk at each end of the social
spectrum—extreme poverty and extreme prosperity—are folk who are the
most difficult to reach for Christ. I find that a great many people
have let the cares of the world crowd out the Word of God. These three
types of soil do not represent three types of believers—they are not
believers at all! They have heard the Word and have only professed to
receive it. My friend, it is well for all of us to examine ourselves
to see whether or not we are really in the faith.
[ii]
II. The Reason for
Speaking in Parables
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came,
and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto
them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
The apostles
question why Jesus spoke to them in parables. This was a new method
of teaching and something they were not familiar. David prophesied
in Psalms that Jesus would come and teach with parables.
Psalm, 78:2,
I will open my mouth in a parable.
A parable is an
illustration teaching a specific truth. Jesus uses the method to
teach the disciples, yet the specific lesson was hidden from the
unbelieving Pharisees. To know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
was given only to believers. There are many things that we as
Christians understand that the world desires to know, but can not.
Even the Word of God is not clear to the lost man or woman, which
probably explains why someone tries to write a new ‘version’ of the
bible each month. The person without the Holy Spirit can not discern
the Word of God.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him
shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them
in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand.
The Pharisees
could hear the words Jesus said, but they could not understand the
words. They did not see nor hear the truth. God promises that if we
desire to know more, He will give that to us. And if we have no
desire to understand, He can oblige you with that also. Verse 12 says
‘but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he
hath.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled
the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is
waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they
have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear
with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them.
This inability
of the Pharisees to understand was a fulfillment of prophecy from
Isaiah. They could hear the words, but they could not understand.
They could see, but they could not perceive. Sadly, far too many in
the world are this way today. Our responsibility is to lead those to
Christ that they may understand and perceive. It says the people’s
heart was waxed gross and their ears were dull of hearing. Do we
have a warning that many will be like this in these last days?
2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Tim 4:4 And they shall turn away
their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
In many
pulpits today, you won’t hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed.
Many will not preach against sin like they were commissioned to do.
Many good stories will be told and some book reports will be read.
God help us to never get away from doing what God told the church to
do, and that is to reach the lost with the gospel, and then teach them
‘to observe all things’ that they may have fruitful abundant lives and
become soul winners also.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes,
for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you,
That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which
ye hear, and have not heard them.
The disciples
were really blessed to be a part of this teaching. Jesus tells them
that they are seeing things that the prophets of old had longed to
see. These were seeing the true Messiah teach the truths like no
other ever could.
III. The parable of
the Sower Interpreted
Mat 13:18 Hear ye therefore the
parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the
word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked
one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he
which received seed by the way side.
Mat 13:20 But he that received the
seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon
with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in
himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution
ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed
among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he
becometh unfruitful.
Mat 13:23 But he that received seed
into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth
it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold,
some sixty, some thirty.
Jesus
interprets each of the types of soil. The first wayside soil is like
one that hears and never understands it due to Satan catching it away
before it comes into the heart of the hearing. The stony soil speaks
of those that hear the Gospel and are excited about it, but never is
truly saved. The first sign of trial causes them to be offended and
they leave. There are many good time ‘christians’ that will only be
around when good things are going on. But true Christians will be
out in bad weather, in the heat, to the possible threat of death.
Many today overseas put their lives on the line to go to church.
Would we come today if we knew we might be shot? It would take the
grace of God, but I believe the true believer has such a desire to
please God that they have to come. The thorny ground seeds (verse 22)
are like those who hear the word and perhaps believe, but the cares of
this world are more important to them than Jesus. The rich young
ruler was like those.
Mat 19:16 And, behold, one came and
said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may
have eternal life?
Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why
callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith unto him, Which?
Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy
mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto
him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If
thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man
heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
Jesus was not
wanting this young man’s money… he was simply pointing out how that he
had not really kept all of the law. The very first commandment was to
put God first. His possessions were more important to him than
serving God.
Verse
23 gives us the interpretation of the good ground hearers. These are
they who really do get saved, and they become fruit bearers. Some
will bring a 100 to Christ, some 60, some 30. But if we are saved,
we will be fruitful. Will every Christian lead another to Christ?
I think that is definitely God’s perfect will for our lives. Some
might lead over 1,000. But whatever we do, it is simply following
the Lord’s Will for our lives, because we are nothing in ourselves.
It is God that gives the increase.
1 Cor 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who
is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave
to every man?
1 Cor 3:6 I have planted, Apollos
watered; but God gave the increase.
1 Cor 3:7 So then neither is he that
planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the
increase.
1 Cor 3:8 Now he that planteth and
he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labour.
1 Cor 3:9 For we are labourers
together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
IV. The Second
Mystery – The Tares Among the Wheat
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he
forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man
which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his
enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
We see in the
same field, tares and wheat were sown. They were sown by different
people… the good man (God) plants good seed, whereas the enemy (Satan)
comes in and plants bad seed. After Satan sows his tares he goes on
his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was
sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the
householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed
in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An
enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that
we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest
while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together
until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the
reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles
to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
What is this
teaching about tares and wheat mean? Jesus tells them that men were
not permitted to go out and take out the tares, lest they harm the
wheat by uprooting it. Wheat has short roots, and can easily be
pulled up. The tares and the wheat look a lot alike, sort of the way
wild rye looks here in Texas in our wheat. You have to look
carefully to tell the tares from the wheat. Jesus says that the
reapers will first bind the tares into bundles and burn them, but the
wheat will be taken into the barn. The angels will separate the lost
from the saved. The lost will be burned, the saved will go to
heaven.
I want to read
you what Matthew Henry said about this last part of the parable.
At
the end of the world, there will be a great harvest-day, a day of
judgment; at harvest all is ripe and ready to be cut down: both good
and bad are ripe at the great-day, Rev. 6:11. It is the harvest of the
earth, Rev. 14:15. At harvest the reapers cut down all before them;
not a field, not a corner, is left behind; so at the great day all
must be judged (Rev. 20:12, 13); God has set a harvest (Hos. 6:11),
and it shall not fail, Gen. 8:22. At harvest every man reaps as he
sowed; every man’s ground, and seed, and skill, and industry, will be
manifested: see Gal. 6:7, 8. Then they who sowed precious seed, will
come again with rejoicing (Ps. 126:5, 6), with the joy of harvest
(Isa. 9:3); when the sluggard, who would not plough by reason of cold,
shall beg, and have nothing (Prov. 20:4); shall cry, Lord, Lord, but
in vain; when the harvest of those who sowed to the flesh, shall be a
day of grief, and of desperate sorrow, Isa. 17:11.
(7.) The reapers are
the angels: they shall be employed, in the great day, in executing
Christ’s righteous sentences, both of approbation and condemnation, as
ministers of his justice, ch. 25:31. The angels are skilful, strong,
and swift, obedient servants to Christ, holy enemies to the wicked,
and faithful friends to all the saints, and therefore fit to be thus
employed. He that reapeth receiveth wages, and the angels will not be
unpaid for their attendance; for he that soweth, and he that reapeth,
shall rejoice together (Jn. 4:36); that is joy in heaven in the
presence of the angels of God.
[iii]
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Prov
4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day.
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Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Each act spreads, and many will be
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[i]J.
Vernon McGee, Thru the
Bible commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library
System, (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1981 by J. Vernon McGee.
[ii]J.
Vernon McGee, Thru the
Bible commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library
System, (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1981 by J. Vernon McGee.
[iii]Henry,
Matthew, Matthew Henry’s
Commentary on the Bible,
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1997.