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Matthew 13

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

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.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

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.

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.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

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:

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.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

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.

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

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.

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

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.

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.

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.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

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?

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

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.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

What does Matthew 13:16 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 13:16 comes from a section where Jesus explains why he speaks to the crowd in parables.

This passage is a commendation to the disciples for their spiritual insight in contrast to the crowd, who heard the same message but did not understand it.

On the literal level, Jesus is simply saying that his disciples are fortunate because they can see and hear.

However, the deeper meaning is that they are blessed not just because they can see and hear physically, but because they are receptive to the spiritual truths that Jesus is teaching.

Their "eyes" and "ears" are open in a spiritual sense, enabling them to understand the message of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus deems hidden from others.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of the Gospel of Matthew, traditionally ascribed to the apostle Matthew, which was written in the 1st century AD.

The setting is the ministry of Jesus, particularly as he taught crowds in Galilee. During this period, parables were a common teaching method that allowed profound truths to be conveyed in relatable stories.

However, not everyone understood the deeper meaning of these parables – a fact which Jesus acknowledges. This environment was also characterized by a mix of Jewish religious expectations, Roman cultural influences, and a wide range of educational levels among the population.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, Matthew 13:16 underscores the grace of spiritual enlightenment. In Christian theology, the ability to perceive and embrace spiritual truth is often seen as a gift from God.

Some denominations interpret this as the work of the Holy Spirit, illuminating the individual's understanding.

There's a contrast between the 'seeing but not perceiving' and the 'hearing but not understanding' of the majority, versus the blessed condition of the disciples.

It raises questions of predestination and free will, as well as the nature of divine revelation.

Practical Applications

In daily life, Matthew 13:16 can inspire individuals to seek spiritual understanding and not to take it for granted.

It also serves as a reminder to cherish and utilize the wisdom that one has received.

People are encouraged to remain open to divine truths and to pay attention to spiritual teachings.

Furthermore, this verse can motivate believers to share their insights with others, being mindful that not everyone may immediately grasp the depth of spiritual messages.

Cross-References

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (John 12:40)
"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:" (Matthew 13:14)
"And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." (Isaiah 6:9)

Language Study

The key words in this verse are "eyes" (ὀφθαλμοί) and "ears" (ὦτα) which in the original Greek can refer to physical sight and hearing but are used metaphorically to imply spiritual perception.

"Blessed" (μακάριοι) carries the connotation of being happy or fortunate, particularly in a spiritual or divine context. These words emphasize the inner spiritual condition as opposed to outer physical faculties.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient myths, seeing and hearing have a range of interpretations from literal senses to symbols of insight and wisdom.

For instance, in Greek mythology, Tiresias was blind but possessed profound inner vision.

In religious contexts, such as Buddhism, "seeing" often refers to perceiving the nature of reality – enlightenment.

Similarly, in Hinduism, certain texts speak of the "Third Eye," representing a state of enlightenment and higher consciousness.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific point of view, perception relies on more than just sensory input; it also involves complex cognitive processes. The act of understanding is not merely mechanical but interpretative.

Many scientists and philosophers argue that perception is not just passive reception but active construction of reality. This aligns with the idea that "seeing" and "hearing" in Matthew 13:16 go beyond the physical senses to encompass an integrative, insightful form of comprehension.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse. The consensus is that Jesus is highlighting the special privilege of the disciples in understanding the secrets of the kingdom.

Some commentaries focus on the divine grace aspect, suggesting that God has to open one's spiritual eyes and ears for them to perceive the truth.

Others emphasize the responsibility that comes with this blessing, as the disciples are expected to use their insight to bear fruit.

Commentaries often explore the nature of parables and why Jesus used them, suggesting that the form itself was meant to both reveal and conceal truth, depending on the readiness of the heart of the listener.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 13:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?