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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 13:51 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 13:51 finds Jesus asking His disciples if they have understood all the parables he has been sharing with them.

Throughout Matthew 13, Jesus tells several parables, which are simple stories with a spiritual or moral lesson.

Jesus often used parables as a teaching tool to convey truths about the Kingdom of Heaven in a way that would be accessible to all listeners but would also require reflection and insight to comprehend fully.

When the disciples answer "Yea, Lord," they affirm that they have grasped the deeper meanings of His teachings.

This confirmation is important as it signifies the disciples' readiness to carry the message to others.

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Historical Context

Matthew, traditionally believed to be the author of this Gospel, was writing to a predominantly Jewish audience in the first century, with the goal of presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah.

As such, the use of parables was a common Jewish teaching method, often employed to provoke contemplation.

Given that Jesus’ teachings were sometimes counter-cultural and challenged existing religious norms, delivering them in parable form was also a strategic way to share profound truths without inciting immediate backlash from authorities who might be less receptive to his message.

Theological Insights

This verse is significant theologically because it demonstrates a transition in Jesus' ministry where his disciples are moving from being mere followers to being active participants who will spread Jesus' teachings.

This moment of affirmation from the disciples is seen as pivotal to their walk of faith.

From a theological standpoint, understanding is the first step towards transformation and discipleship. Different denominations may emphasize the role of divine help in achieving this understanding, whereas others may put more stress on the personal effort to study and reflect on Jesus’ teachings.

Practical Applications

The verse highlights the importance of not just hearing but truly understanding the teachings of Jesus.

In a practical sense, it can be seen as an encouragement to seek a deeper knowledge and comprehension of one's faith. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder to actively engage with religious texts, seek clarity when in doubt, and be prepared to share one's insights with others.

It is also an admonition that spiritual maturity comes from a willingness to reflect and inquire further into the lessons shared by religious leaders.

Cross-References

Matthew 13:10-17 – Jesus explains why he speaks in parables and blesses his disciples' understanding.
Luke 24:45 – "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures."
Matthew 16:15-17 – Peter declares Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus acknowledges that understanding was given by the Father.
John 16:29-30 – The disciples claim to understand Jesus’ teaching, showing progress in their faith journey.

Language Study

Matthew 13:51 uses the Greek word "συνήκατε" (synēkate), which is the second aorist active indicative of "συνίημι" (syniēmi), meaning "to understand" or "to comprehend." This verb form conveys a completed action, suggesting the disciples had fully grasped the teaching at that moment.

The word "ναί" (nai) translates as "yes" or "indeed," which the disciples use to affirm their understanding directly and confident.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, including within Hellenistic Judaism, wisdom and understanding were highly valued.

Parables, much like fables and wisdom literature in other cultures, were a popular method of imparting moral and spiritual lessons.

The emphasis on understanding in this verse also has parallels with other religious traditions that value enlightenment or a sudden realization of deeper truths, such as in Buddhism or Gnosticism.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not have a direct correlation to scientific principles, the process of understanding, from a scientific viewpoint, involves cognitive functions including perception, learning, memory, and reasoning.

Contemporary cognitive science might frame the disciples' affirmation of understanding as an indication that Jesus' teachings had been successfully encoded into their long-term memory, having been processed in a way that led to a lasting representation of that knowledge.

Commentaries

Commentaries offer various insights into this verse.

Some emphasize the importance of Jesus' question, suggesting it was meant to prompt reflection and self-examination among the disciples. Others focus on the affirmative response of the disciples, which implied their readiness for the commission to share Jesus' teachings.

Some commentators might also discuss the potential hesitancy behind the disciples' response, considering the weight of responsibility that true understanding of Jesus’ parables would entail.

Traditional commentaries often explore the significance of the parables leading up to this verse and how they cumulatively contribute to the disciples’ response.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:51 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 13:51 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?