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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 13:21 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 13:21 is a portion of Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower.

It describes the second type of person who hears the word of the kingdom, the seeds that fell on rocky ground.

These individuals initially receive the message with joy, but their commitment is shallow and without a firm foundation.

They lack deep roots in themselves, which metaphorically suggests a lack of inner strength and understanding necessary for sustained faith.

Consequently, when they face tribulation or persecution because of their beliefs ("the word"), they quickly fall away or are "offended," which means they stumble or turn back from their faith journey.

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Historical Context

The historical context of this verse is within the early 1st-century Judean countryside during the ministry of Jesus.

He often taught in parables, a common Jewish teaching method, to convey religious truths.

The historical audience would have been familiar with the agricultural imagery of sowing, and Jesus used this parable to address the varied responses to his teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Culturally, the concepts of honor and shame were prevalent, making the idea of facing persecution or tribulation for one's beliefs a significant challenge.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse underscores the importance of perseverance in the Christian faith. It presents a warning against a superficial faith that fails under pressure.

Some theologians view the "root" as representative of a true conversion or a deep commitment to Christ's teachings. Others may use this to illustrate the importance of discipleship and the need for mature spiritual grounding.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Matthew 13:21 encourages individuals to develop a deep, personal faith that can withstand life's challenges.

It suggests that faith should not be based solely on emotional experiences but must be accompanied by an understanding of and commitment to biblical teachings. Modern believers might focus on personal spiritual growth, community support, or education as means to deepen their roots.

Cross-References

Mark 4:16-17: "And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."
Luke 8:13: "They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away."
James 1:12: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of this verse include:

"Root" (ῥίζα, rhiza): Literally the root of a plant, metaphorically it conveys stability and depth.
"Dureth" (πρόσκαιρός, proskairos): Meaning temporary or for a while, suggesting a transient state.
"Tribulation" (θλῖψις, thlipsis): Refers to pressure or affliction.
"Offended" (σκανδαλίζεται, skandalizetai): To cause to stumble, to be a stumbling block, to fall away or to be enticed to sin or apostasy.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Culturally and religiously, the metaphor of growth and decay, planting and harvest, is not unique to Christianity.

Many ancient religions used similar agricultural metaphors to discuss spiritual growth and moral lessons.

However, the Christian view as presented in this verse highlights a unique aspect of internal spiritual steadfastness in the face of external adversity.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the metaphor of rooting speaks to a biological truth, plants with deeper roots are often more resilient and better equipped to survive stressors.

In human psychology, resilience is similarly understood as the ability to cope with challenges, and the development of resilience can be seen as analogous to deepening one's "spiritual roots."

commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have interpreted Matthew 13:21 differently.

Some emphasize the concept of faith that must be tested to reveal its depth, such as in John Calvin’s commentaries where he discusses the fickleness of joy without roots.

Others, like William Barclay, stress the importance of steady growth, as opposed to a sudden emotional response to the faith that fades quickly.

Modern commentators often point to the practical need for discipleship and mentorship in cultivating a resilient faith.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:21 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 13:21 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?