PrevMatthew 13:22Next

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 13:22 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 13:22, found in the Christian New Testament, is part of a section known as the Parable of the Sower.

Jesus uses this parable to illustrate different responses to the Gospel (the "seed") when it is "sown" or preached to people.

In this specific verse, the "seed among the thorns" represents individuals who hear the message but are preoccupied with worldly anxieties, the lure of wealth, and the pursuit of material things, which ultimately stifles their spiritual growth and prevents them from bearing fruit.

The "thorns" symbolize these distractions and the ensnaring nature of earthly concerns which can choke the spiritual life out of a person.

In deeper terms, it warns of the dangers of allowing external pressures and temptations to overtake one's commitment to spiritual development.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew is one of the synoptic Gospels and is traditionally attributed to Matthew, the tax collector and one of Jesus' disciples.

The book was likely written between 70-110 A.D.

The audience of Matthew's Gospel were primarily Jewish Christians, and one of its main purposes was to prove Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The Parable of the Sower is part of the teaching and ministry of Jesus and reflects the agrarian society of the time, where farming and sowing were common occupations and part of daily life.

The parable uses familiar scenarios to the original audience, making it easier for them to understand the spiritual lessons Jesus was teaching.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse reflects several key insights:

The importance of not just hearing, but also acting upon the word of God.
The concept of spiritual growth being impeded by the temptations and cares of the worldly life.
The understanding of the Kingdom of God needing priority over worldly concerns.
The necessity for individuals to evaluate their own lives and identify what may be choking their spiritual growth.

Different denominations may have varying interpretations of this parable. For example, the Calvinist perspective might use this verse to highlight the doctrine of perseverance, whereby the truly elect will produce fruit and persevere to the end despite thorns.

In contrast, the Arminian view might emphasize the human responsibility in responding to the word of God and guarding against distractions.

Practical Applications

In contemporary terms, the verse encourages believers to be aware of the distractions and preoccupations that can hamper their spiritual journey. It may imply a call to:

Prioritize spiritual over material concerns.
Manage time and resources wisely so that the pursuit of wealth does not overtake one's life.
Evaluate personal fears or anxieties that could be diverting attention from spiritual growth.
Foster a community that supports each other in focusing on spiritual values instead of materialism.

Cross-References

Mark 4:18-19: "And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, [19] And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."
Luke 8:14: "And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."
1 Timothy 6:9-10: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil..."

Language Study

Key Greek words in this verse include:

"thorns" (Greek: "akanthais"): meaning thorny plants or anything that is prickly and can entangle or injure.
"heareth" (Greek: "akouo"): to hear, listen, or understand.
"care" (Greek: "merimna"): anxiety, worry, or concerns related to the affairs of life.
"deceitfulness" (Greek: "apate"): delusion or that which gives a false impression.
"riches" (Greek: "ploutos"): wealth, abundance of possessions or property.
"choke" (Greek: "sumpnigo"): to suffocate, strangle, hinder, or thwart.

Understanding these key words helps grasp the nuances of the parable as it was originally communicated.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient belief systems and myths, this parable can be viewed as emphasizing an inward transformation over external conformity.

Many ancient religions revolved around ritualistic practices with less emphasis on personal spiritual growth. The teaching of Jesus, by contrast, put the focus on the heart and mind of the believer, and how external factors can influence one's inner spiritual life.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, this verse does not directly intersect with empirical science as it deals with moral and spiritual teachings.

However, the understanding of human psychology could offer insight into how material pursuits and stress can affect a person's overall well-being, including their spiritual life.

Commentaries

Commentators have various perspectives on this verse:

John Calvin emphasized the deceitfulness of riches and how they promise happiness but lead to ruin.
Albert Barnes noted that this verse teaches the danger of allowing worldly concerns to dominate the mind.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the nature of these "thorns," seeing them as representing evils that are not necessarily sinful in themselves but become so when they are allowed to interfere with one's spiritual life.

These varied commentaries reflect the multifaceted applications and teachings that can be derived from Matthew 13:22.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:22 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 13:22 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?