Bible Study series: Matthew 13:1-9. Where is your heart? Hard? Prepared? Let’s see.
A warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together. I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9
1 On that same day, Jesus left the house and sat by the lake. 2 Many crowds gathered together to him, so that he got in a boat and sat down. The crowd stood on the shore. 3 Then he spoke to them in many parables, saying:
“Look! A sower went out to sow. 4 And while he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Others fell on rocks which did not have much soil, and they sprang up because they did not have deep soil. 6 When the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they had no roots, they withered. 7 Others fell among thorn-plants, and the thorn-plants grew up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good soil and produced fruit: one hundred, sixty and thirty times. 9 Anyone who has ears, let him hear!” (Matt. 13:1-9)
Comments:
This parable has been called the Parable of the Soils and even the Parable of the Seeds. The Parable of the Soils makes best sense.
Let’s wait to interpret the parable in vv. 18-23, when Jesus does.
1-3:
“Look!” This is an updated version of “behold!” Jesus could have acted out this parable, a little, by tossing seeds or appearing to toss seeds. Or one could update it with a mental word, like “Consider!”
These three verses are transitional from the previous teachings and encounters with false religious leaders and Satan and disease. Jesus overcame all of them. (In him, you can too).
Scientifically, water does reflect sound (his voice), so that crowds could hear better. Remember: he had no amplification system in those says.
“parables”: literally, the word parable (parabolē in Greek) combines para– (pronounced pah-rah and means “alongside”) and bolē (pronounced boh-lay and means “put” or even “throw”). Therefore, a parable puts two or more images or ideas alongside each other to produce a clear truth. It is a story or narrative or short comparison that reveals the kingdom of God and the right way to live in it and the Father’s ways of dealing with humanity and his divine plan expressed in his kingdom and life generally. The Shorter Lexicon says that the Greek word parabolē can sometimes be translated as “symbol,” “type,” “figure,” and “illustration,” the latter term being virtually synonymous with parable. Here you must see yourself in the parable.
Matthew is keen to show that Jesus could gather a crowd. This time he did not heal them, as far as we know, but taught them. Teaching the kingdom of God is equal to or even better than healing through the power of the Spirit because eventually this physical body will wear out, but the teaching will last forever. His word will not pass away (Matt. 24:35). Renewalists who like the sensational aspect of the kingdom of God, as it comes in power and healing, need to remember the teaching part of ministry. They must reinforce their basic Bible knowledge and doctrine, so they can explain it to the people and so that the flashy ministers themselves won’t go astray.
“lake”: it is most often translated as “sea,” because of the Greek word, but the Shorter Lexicon offers the option of “lake.” And since the body of water in Galilee is a lake, I chose this term. The old traditional title, “The Sea of Galilee,” to modern readers, makes no sense when they see it on an online map; the term is inaccurate.
4-9:
A sower made a pouch with a robe, slung it around his shoulder, full of seed, and reached into it, grabbed a handful, and threw it, sweeping his hand back and forth. After his hand emptied out, he reached in his bag and grabbed another handful.
Some of his seed fell on the road was trampled underfoot, and the seeds that were not pushed into the dirt by sandals and bare feet were eaten by birds.
In v. 7, the Greek verb “grew up” indicates that the thorns “rose up” or “went up.” It is almost as if the thorn-plant purposely did this. The cares of the world will rise up and strangle your new-found faith.
GrowApp for Matthew 13:1-9
A. Pray about your heart, until we get to the interpretation of the parable.
RELATED
9. Authoritative Testimony in Matthew’s Gospel
1. Church Fathers and Matthew’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 