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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 13:32 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 13:32 speaks metaphorically of the kingdom of heaven through the example of a mustard seed, which, though it is one of the smallest seeds, grows into a large plant.

The verse conveys the concept that from modest beginnings, the kingdom of heaven grows extensively and becomes a sanctuary for many.

This can be interpreted as a representation of the growth of the Christian faith, starting from a small group of followers during Jesus's time and expanding to a vast community.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew is commonly believed to have been written in the late first century A.D. for a predominantly Jewish audience.

The mustard seed was familiar to people in the agricultural society of Jesus's time as a very small seed, typically used as an example to signify something small and insignificant.

In this parable, Jesus may have been providing his listeners with a relatable image to illustrate how the kingdom of God, like the mustard plant from the seed, would expand greatly from its small origins.

Theological Insights

Different theologies interpret this verse in various ways:

Traditional Christian interpretation sees the growth of the mustard seed as a prophecy of the Church's expansion throughout the world.
Some branches of eschatology might see the tree as representing a future culmination where the kingdom of God is fully realized on Earth.
Liberation theology could interpret the birds as the marginalized finding refuge within the kingdom of God.
Other theologians may debate the nature of the kingdom of heaven, suggesting a spiritual growth within individuals rather than an outward expansion.

Practical Applications

The verse serves as an encouragement for believers to have faith in small beginnings and to trust in the potential growth of good endeavors.

It can motivate individuals to start actions or ministries even when success seems uncertain due to the small scale at the onset.

In the face of seemingly insignificant efforts, this parable reassures that the impact of those actions can be considerable over time.

Cross-References

Matthew 17:20 - "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
Mark 4:31-32 - "It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it."
Luke 13:18-19 - "Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it."

Language Study

The key words in this verse, when looked at in the original Greek, give additional depth to its meaning:

"Least" (Greek: mikroteron) implies something very small or least in size.
"Seed" (Greek: kokkos) literally means a seed or grain, in this context, a mustard seed.
"Greatest" (Greek: meizon) can mean larger or greater in the context of size or significance.
"Tree" (Greek: dendron) typically means a tree, which in this parable signifies a structure of considerable size, as opposed to the small initial seed.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing to other ancient philosophies and religions, the idea of small beginnings leading to great ends is not unique to Christianity.

For example, in Daoism, the concept of "wei wu wei" (action through inaction) suggests that great influence can come from seemingly insignificant actions.

In Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita speaks of the importance of performing one's duty, no matter how small, for the sake of righteousness, with potential for significant impact.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the parable of the mustard seed aligns with the biological principle that a single seed can give rise to a large organism.

This reflects the idea of potentiality within all living things, regardless of initial size or appearance.

The parable also acknowledges the interconnected nature of ecosystems, where a plant not only grows in size but also provides a habitat for other species, suggesting a parallel to the idea of mutual dependence and community growth.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have offered insights on this verse:

John Calvin viewed the mustard seed as symbolizing the insignificant beginning of the gospel that would grow into something great.
William Barclay noted the paradox that the mustard seed, while small, produced an unexpectedly large plant, a symbol of the surprise and wonder of the kingdom of God's growth.
Craig S.

Keener, in his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, suggests that Jesus used hyperbole in this parable to make a dramatic impression on his audience about the kingdom's growth.

R.T.

France remarked on the contrast between the seed's modest beginning and the tree's ultimate size, emphasizing the transformative power of the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:32 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 13:32 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?