PrevMatthew 13:37Next

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 13:37 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 13:37 belongs to a passage within the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus explains the meaning of the Parable of the Sower to His disciples.

In this particular verse, Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the "Son of man" who sows the "good seed." The good seed represents the "children of the kingdom," or the people who accept Jesus' teachings and follow the path of righteousness.

In the broader context of the parable, different types of soils are described, symbolizing the various ways in which people receive the message of the kingdom of God.

This verse, therefore, not only serves as a key for interpreting the parable but also reinforces Jesus' role as the one who brings spiritual truth into the world.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew is part of the New Testament canon and was likely written between A.D. 80 and 90, although some scholars suggest an earlier date.

This gospel was written primarily for a Jewish audience, which is why it frequently references Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah.

At the time of writing, early Christians faced misunderstandings and hostilities from both the Roman Empire and traditional Jewish leaders.

Parables were a common pedagogical device used in the Jewish tradition, and Jesus often employed them as a means of conveying deeper spiritual truths in a way that was both profound and accessible to the common people.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse underscores the identity of Jesus as the "Son of man," a term that asserts both His divine authority and human nature.

The use of "good seed" alludes to the intrinsic value of His message and the transformative power it holds.

Different Christian denominations may focus on various aspects of this one verse.

For example, the Reformed tradition might emphasize the sovereignty of God in the germination of the good seed in the hearts of people, while the Arminian tradition might stress the human response to Jesus' sowing.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in daily life by encouraging individuals to recognize and accept the teachings of Jesus, likening themselves to fertile soil that nurtures the good seed.

It also invokes reflection on the type of sower one is in their own life, promoting the spread of positive messages and actions that reflect the teachings of Jesus.

Additionally, it is a reminder to Christians to identify and cultivate 'good seeds' in their own personal growth and spiritual development.

Cross-References

Matthew 13:3-9 - The actual Parable of the Sower, illustrating the various responses to the word of God.
Matthew 13:38-42 - Further explanation of the parable, elaborating on the meaning of the field and the harvest.
John 12:24 - The notion of seeds dying to produce a harvest, a reference to Jesus' death and resurrection.
Mark 4:14 - Identifying the sower as the one who spreads the word.

Language Study

In Greek, the term "Son of man" (υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, huios tou anthropou) reflects an Aramaic idiom that emphasizes the humanity and humility of Jesus, while also alluding to the divine figure in Daniel 7:13 who receives everlasting dominion.

The Greek for "soweth" or "sower" (σπείρων, speirōn) implies not just the act of scattering seeds but also the intention to bring forth growth and harvest.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of sowing seeds as a metaphor for spreading teachings or influence is not unique to Christianity.

In many ancient cultures, including Greek and Egyptian mythologies, there are gods and figures associated with agriculture who symbolize fertility, growth, and nurturing.

For example, the Greek god Demeter and the Egyptian god Osiris play roles in the life-death-rebirth cycle.

This verse might be compared to such myths to highlight the universality of agricultural metaphors in explaining human life and spirituality.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern agronomy understands sowing seeds as a literal process that involves biological growth and development.

From this perspective, the parable could be interpreted as recognition of the need for proper conditions for growth, akin to the idea that the spiritual development of a person also requires certain favorable conditions: community, teaching, and personal receptiveness.

Commentaries

Experts and theologians offer diverse insights into this verse.

Scholars like R.T.

France emphasize the element of surprise in the disciples' realization of Jesus' role as the sower.

John Calvin interprets the verse as an illustration of how Christ distinguishes his true disciples from the pretenders.

The Pulpit Commentary reflects on the identity of the 'Son of man' as it fulfills Old Testament prophecy and provides a different understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Each commentary highlights the importance of Jesus' interpretation of the parable, providing a lens through which to understand the missions of Jesus and His followers.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:37 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 13:37 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?