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March through Matthew in a Month
Matthew 13
Caution!--Whenever we dive into God’s Word it confronts our sin, challenges us, changes us, and comforts us! God’s Word is far more than lifeless old words on a page. As Hebrews 4:12 reminds us: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We continue our march through Matthew’s Gospel. May God strengthen our faith on this spiritual journey in His Holy and living Word.
Some Points to Ponder as we read Matthew 13:
1. In Matthew 13 we begin to hear the parables of Jesus! What is a parable? Here’s one simple definition: A parable uses an earthly story or object(s) to tell a heavenly meaning. Jesus often used parables to teach and preach and announce and explain the Kingdom of God.
2. The 3 Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke) record at least 55 parables of Jesus. Matthew records 32 parables of Jesus, and 16 of them are unique to and found only in the Gospel Matthew. (Refer to a very helpful chart of Christ’s parables in The Lutheran Study Bible , p. 1609)
3. Matthew 13 records 8 parables of Jesus. The first 4 of these parables Jesus shared with the crowds, and the final 4 were shared in private with His inner circle of disciples.
4. Psalm 78 is also the second longest Psalm and provides a helpful overview and review of the history of God’s grace to His people, Israel--and Israel’s reactions of both faithfulness and frequent forgetfulness of God’s presence and blessings.
> Psalm 78 states: 1Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old.
5. Ultimately, a parable of Jesus is fully understood only by faith. Matthew records that Jesus refers to what the Prophet Isaiah 6:9-10 predicted about parables--without faith a parable is heard but not understood.
6. The meaning of some parables may baffle us. Thankfully, as we read Matthew 13, we hear that Jesus explain the meaning of many of His parables to His disciples (then and now). We need our Savior’s help—in many ways and on many levels! Matthew 13:10-17 records how Jesus explained the overall purpose of parables.
7. Jesus delivers clear Law and Gospel through His parables. He often stresses the power of God’s Word in His parables using examples from farming, gardening and growing. We do not make things grow--God does. And even when we do not see it or become discouraged, God’s Word produces a harvest and bears fruit--as it grows in the midst of weeds (evil, opposition, and earthly competition).
8. Jesus twice warns that at the “close of the age” (Mt. 13:40 & 49; aka Judgement Day) God’s angels will separate the weeds from the wheat and the evil from the righteous, and all the evil will be thrown in “the fiery furnance.” YIKES!--Jesus twice says: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 13:42 & 50).
9. We hear clear Law and Gospel: Yes, in Matthew 13 Jesus uses parables and sternly and seriously warns us that unbelief and evil will be punished by God (harsh Law), but Jesus also promises God’s gifts of eternal joy and salvation (sweet Gospel) are a blessed reality to all who trust in Him.
10. Why do we often enjoy and remember a children’s message?
It often uses simple earthly objects or ideas to communicate God’s eternal Truth(s). It’s obvious, but note how Jesus uses simple earthly analogies and objects throughout His teaching and preaching (Martin Luther did the same) to communicate the Kingdom of God.
11. Notice that when Jesus returns to His home town (Nazareth; in northern Israel west of the Sea of Galilee), Matthew mentions he had 4 brothers (by name!) and sisters (the NT provides no other details about the sisters).
12. We usually think of Joseph, the step-father of Jesus as a carpenter—the original New Testament Greek term for Joseph’s vocation is “tekton” and can refer to one skilled in crafting wood AND/OR STONE. Big trees for lumber are fairly rare and scarce in Israel. Since most buildings in Israel are made of stone, it makes sense to surmise Joseph may have also been a skilled stone craftsman and builder.
13. Even though Jesus performed many mighty miracles, some people were hung up and stumbled (Greek: skandalizo) in unbelief as they reflected on His hometown status and their familiarity with His family. Matthew notes Jesus was met with negative reactions and rejection (Mt. 13:53-58) in His home town of Nazareth and did not do many miracles there (due to their unbelief).
Pray God renews our faith as we read, understand and apply Matthew 13…
Matthew 13 (ESV)
The Parable of the Sower
13:1 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. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “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.”
The Purpose of the Parables
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. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Prophecy and Parables
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
New and Old Treasures
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
+Prayer+ Dear Jesus, You often taught and described Your Kingdom to us through parables. Enlighten and open our eyes, ears and minds with Your gift of faith to understand Your message of Truth and salvation. Amen.
Pastor Scott Schmieding
Senior Pastor
Immanuel Lutheran Church and School
115 S. Sixth Street
Saint Charles, MO 63301
636.946.2656
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