Matthew Chapter 13

The Kingdom Parables
A. The Parable of the Soils.

1. (Matthew 13:1-3a) Jesus teaches with parables.
"On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables,"

a. He got into a boat and sat: Jesus often used unconventional yet effective methods to teach the people. Here, He uses a boat as His pulpit, separating Himself slightly from the multitude for both acoustic and spatial reasons. The sea provided a natural amphitheater, allowing His voice to carry to the large crowd assembled on the shore.

• This demonstrates that Jesus adapted to the environment and was not bound by the formalities of synagogue teaching. As Mark 4:1 confirms, Jesus used this method multiple times.

• Spurgeon observed: “The teacher sat, and the people stood: we should have less sleeping in congregations if this arrangement still prevailed.”

• Theological implication: when institutional doors were closed to Jesus, He taught in fields, on roads, in boats—wherever people were willing to listen. The Gospel cannot be contained within buildings.

b. Then He spoke many things to them in parables:
The term "parable" comes from the Greek parabole, meaning "to cast alongside." A parable is a story laid alongside a truth to make the truth more understandable or relatable. It is not an allegory in which every element represents something deeper, but rather a way to illustrate one central point or principle.

• As noted in the Greek usage and in the LXX (Septuagint), parabole includes not only parables but proverbs, riddles, and moral maxims.

• Jesus used parables because they engaged the hearers' minds and hearts. They were memorable and encouraged contemplation and spiritual reflection.

• Poole said, “It had a double advantage upon their hearers: first, upon their memory, we being very apt to remember stories. Second, upon their minds, to put them upon studying the meaning of what they heard so delivered.”

2. (Matthew 13:3b-9) A simple story about a farmer and sowing seeds.
"Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But 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 sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

a. A sower went out to sow:
The sower represents anyone who scatters the Word of God. The method of scattering seed on all types of soil reflects the widespread, generous offer of the Gospel. Jesus uses this common agrarian activity to illustrate profound spiritual truth.

• Before anyone can sow the Word, he must have received it. This sower came from the granary—symbolic of the Scriptures—and sows from his own supply of spiritual truth.

• The act of sowing precedes plowing, which was typical of the agricultural methods in Israel.

b. The seed fell on four different types of soil:
The focus of the parable is not on the skill of the sower or the quality of the seed, but on the condition of the soil—the hearts of the hearers.

• By the wayside: A hardened path where the seed cannot penetrate. The Word is easily snatched away by Satan, pictured here as the birds.

• Stony places: A thin layer of soil over rock, representing shallow-hearted individuals who initially respond with joy but fall away when tribulation comes.

• Among thorns: Fertile but unweeded ground. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.

• Good ground: Prepared, soft, receptive hearts. These individuals hear the Word, understand it, and bear fruit in varying degrees (thirty, sixty, a hundredfold).

c. He who has ears to hear, let him hear:
This phrase is both an invitation and a challenge. Not all will understand the parables, but those with spiritual receptiveness will. Jesus calls for discernment and humility in approaching His teaching.

3. (Matthew 13:10-17) Why did Jesus use parables? In this context, to hide the truth from those who would not listen to the Holy Spirit.
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

a. Why do You speak to them in parables?
The disciples were perplexed by Jesus' method. His use of parables wasn’t merely for illustrative storytelling but served a deeper spiritual function. To some, the parables were enlightening; to others, they were veiled. This caused the disciples to inquire directly.

b. Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given:
Jesus made a sharp distinction between those to whom spiritual understanding was granted and those to whom it was not. The disciples received understanding by the grace of God, whereas the hardened hearts of the others disqualified them from further truth.

• This aligns with divine principle: illumination is granted to those who submit to the light they already have. When one rejects truth, that rejection incurs further blindness.

• The same sun that melts wax hardens clay; likewise, the Gospel softens the humble but hardens the proud.

• Barclay commented, “The parable conceals truth from those who are either too lazy to think or too blinded by prejudice to see. It puts the responsibility fairly and squarely on the individual.”

c. For whoever has, to him more will be given… but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him:
Jesus articulated a spiritual law: revelation begets more revelation for the receptive, while rejection results in further darkness.

• A heart open to the Word will receive even more; but a closed heart will forfeit even the knowledge it once had.

• Barclay added, “Life is always a process of gaining more or losing more… For weakness, like strength, is an increasing thing.”

d. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand:
This verse captures the paradox of the parables: they reveal and conceal simultaneously. To the spiritually receptive, they convey divine mysteries. To the unrepentant, they seem like riddles, denying them additional condemnation for rejecting plainly spoken truth.

• This is an act of divine mercy: by cloaking truth in story, Jesus withheld greater judgment from those already set on rejecting Him.

• As Carson noted, “Thus the parables spoken to the crowds do not simply convey information, nor mask it, but challenge the hearers.”

e. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:
Jesus’ parabolic teaching fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah 6:9-10. The people would see without perceiving and hear without understanding. Their spiritual callousness confirmed their judgment.

• “The heart of this people has grown dull” is more literally rendered “fat,” implying an overfed, sluggish heart—unresponsive to God. As Trapp noted, “A fat heart is a fearful plague.”

• Spurgeon added, “They did not really see what they saw, nor hear what they heard. The plainer the teaching, the more they were puzzled by it.”

f. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear:
In contrast to the hardened, the disciples were profoundly blessed. They received what generations longed for but never experienced.

• Theirs was a privilege not even given to prophets and righteous men of the past.

• Spurgeon beautifully put it, “You under the Gospel are made to know what the greatest and best of men under the law could not discover. The shortest day of summer is longer than the longest day in winter.”

4. (Matthew 13:18–23) The parable of the sower explained: each soil represents one of four responses to the word of the kingdom.
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Jesus now interprets His parable and reveals that the different soils represent different heart responses to the word of the kingdom. The same seed — the same message — is sown by the same sower, but the result is determined by the condition of the hearer’s heart.

a. This is he who received seed by the wayside:
Just as birds quickly devour seed on a well-trodden path (Matthew 13:4), so the word of God can be immediately snatched away from hearts that are hard and unreceptive. The enemy — “the wicked one” — is active in removing the truth before it has a chance to take root.

• This is the hearer who never truly understands because the Word is not received in humility or spiritual openness. There is no conviction, no penetration.

• As stated in 2 Corinthians 4:3–4, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded.” Satan's chief work is to keep people blind and uninterested in the gospel.

• Spurgeon warned, “Satan is always on the watch to hinder the Word… He is always afraid to leave the truth even in hard and dry contact with a mind.”

• Trapp painted the picture: “People are now so sermon-trodden… their hearts, like footpaths, grow hard by the word… dead and dedolent dispositions.”

b. On stony places:
The shallow, rocky soil symbolizes emotional or impulsive hearers. They receive the message joyfully and quickly — but without any lasting root.

• These are individuals who seem to flourish early but fall away at the first sign of hardship.

• The problem is not the speed of their response — sudden conversions can be genuine — but the lack of depth. As Spurgeon observed, “The fault did not lie in the suddenness of their supposed conversion… but their lack of depth.”

• France clarifies that “tribulation” refers to general suffering, while “persecution” is deliberate and often religious. The phrase “falls away” means to stumble or collapse — not a slow drift but a quick collapse under pressure.

c. Among the thorns:
These hearers are surrounded by competing priorities. The soil is fertile, but not exclusive — it grows both the Word and the world. The thorns choke the young plants before they can mature.

• These thorns are “the cares of this world” and “the deceitfulness of riches.” These are not sinful things in themselves, but distractions and idols that crowd out the Word.

• They grow but never bear fruit. The Word is heard, but not obeyed.

d. Good ground:
This hearer receives the Word with understanding and obedience. Fruit is produced in varying degrees — a hundredfold, sixty, or thirty — but all reflect real transformation.

• The good soil receives, retains, and reproduces. This is the only truly fruitful heart.

• The differing levels of fruitfulness remind us that believers are not all equally productive, but all true believers bear some fruit.

e. Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
Jesus uses this explanation to call His audience — and us — to introspection. Each soil condition may be found in varying seasons of a believer’s life.

• At times, we may be like the wayside, allowing no room for the Word.

• At other times, like the rocky soil, we receive with joy but burn out quickly.

• Like the thorny ground, we may let the anxieties and ambitions of this life crowd out our devotion.

• Ideally, we are like the good soil — bearing lasting fruit.

• The parable places the responsibility on the hearer, not on the messenger. “The same seed was cast by the same sower,” Spurgeon noted, “but the difference was in the soil. The Word itself shall judge you.”

i. This parable encouraged the disciples. Despite growing opposition to Jesus, the outcome of the sower’s work is not fruitless. Some will respond, and there will be a rich harvest. France remarked, “Not all will respond, but there will be some who do, and the harvest will be rich.”
ii. Spurgeon noted: “Who knoweth, O teacher… what the result of thy teaching may be? Good corn may grow in very small fields.” Even a small group of faithful hearers can yield an eternal reward.
iii. The parable invites response. It calls us to examine the condition of our hearts and prepare the soil of our lives to receive the Word with faith and obedience.

B. Parables of corruption among the kingdom community.

1. (Matthew 13:24–30) The parable of the wheat and the tares.
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who 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 grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Jesus now shifts to a parable that emphasizes the presence of evil and corruption in the visible community of the kingdom. Unlike the good soil in the parable of the sower, this parable highlights the visible mixture of true believers (wheat) and false professors (tares) existing side by side in this age.

a. His enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat:
This parable illustrates a deliberate act of sabotage. While the farmer’s servants slept, the enemy sowed tares—weeds that look remarkably like wheat in early stages of growth—into the field.

• The tares likely refer to darnel (Latin: lolium temulentum), a toxic lookalike to wheat that is indistinguishable until it matures and produces grain. France notes, “The weeds are probably darnel, a poisonous plant related to wheat and virtually indistinguishable from it until the ears form.”

• This was a well-known form of agricultural sabotage in ancient times. Roman law even had statutes against this practice.

• Spiritually, it refers to Satan's strategy of infiltrating the community of believers with false brethren — those who look and speak like true believers, but lack genuine spiritual life.

i. This parable reveals the nature of the church age — the mixture of real and counterfeit believers within the visible body.
Jesus clearly teaches that Satan plants his own among the people of God, especially when the church is not watchful (while men slept).
The enemy’s goal is to corrupt and hinder the growth and testimony of the wheat by sowing deceptive lookalikes.

ii. The prior parable warned of choking thorns (worldliness); this one warns of internal corruption.
Just as the sower scattered good seed on prepared soil, here good seed is planted. But now an enemy introduces imitation plants with intent to deceive and destroy.

b. Lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them:
When the servants suggest removing the tares immediately, the farmer refuses. His concern is that in doing so, they may also harm the wheat.

• The implication is that premature judgment can do more harm than good. The wheat and tares are too entangled for human hands to properly sort out at this stage.

• God, not man, is the righteous Judge. Human attempts to purify the church by force or outward action often end in injustice, injury, or spiritual harm to the faithful.

i. This illustrates the patience and wisdom of God in postponing final judgment.
The full separation of true and false believers is reserved for the harvest — a reference to the final judgment at the end of the age, which Jesus will clarify in Matthew 13:36–43.

ii. Carson observes:
“Some might ask whether the Messiah’s people should immediately separate the crop from the weeds; and this next parable answers the question negatively: there will be a delay in separation until the harvest.”

iii. The application is profound:
Within the professing church, we must expect hypocrisy and false believers. Yet we are not tasked with purging them through human authority. Instead, we are to faithfully grow, bear fruit, and trust that the final judgment will be perfect and thorough.

iv. The wheat will be gathered into the barn, and the tares burned:
This is a solemn warning about final separation. At the harvest, Jesus will command the angels to gather the tares for burning — symbolic of eternal judgment — while the wheat is brought into His barn, symbolic of His kingdom and eternal reward.

2. (Matthew 13:31–32) The parable of the mustard seed.
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

This brief but significant parable speaks again of the visible form of the kingdom during the present age. On the surface, it appears to celebrate the expansion of the gospel and the increasing prominence of the kingdom. However, when understood in its immediate context—between the parables of the wheat and tares and the leaven—it should more accurately be read as another warning against unnatural growth and hidden corruption within the visible kingdom community.

a. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree:
Many interpreters see in this parable the powerful expansion of the gospel from small beginnings. Indeed, the mustard seed is proverbially small, and such growth may be seen as a positive symbol of gospel triumph.

• Adam Clarke represents this majority interpretation: “Both these parables are prophetic, and were intended to show, principally, how, from very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ should pervade all the nations of the world, and fill them with righteousness and true holiness.”

• According to this view, the church, starting with a handful of disciples, grows to cover the globe, providing spiritual refuge and healing.

b. Yet the context and specific imagery point toward abnormal, even corrupt growth:
The mustard plant, under normal conditions, grows into a bush—perhaps 3 to 5 feet high—but certainly not a tree capable of hosting birds’ nests. Jesus' description of it becoming a tree suggests an unnatural or monstrous form, an exaggerated and unbalanced growth.

i. The birds of the air come and nest in its branches:
This echoes imagery from previous parables—particularly the birds in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:4, 19), which Jesus explicitly identified as agents of Satan who steal the word away from the heart. It would be strange, then, to suddenly reinterpret the birds positively here.

• The birds are consistent symbols of demonic or corrupting forces, not benign guests.

• Carson writes: “Close study of birds as symbols in the Old Testament and especially in the literature of later Judaism shows that birds regularly symbolize evil and even demons or Satan (cf. b. Sanhedrin, 107a; cf. Revelation 18:2).”

ii. “Becomes a tree”:
This phrase signals something unnatural. Bruce explains, “Not in nature but in size; an excusable exaggeration in a popular discourse…it serves admirably to express the thought of a growth beyond expectation.” The growth goes beyond what is typical or appropriate for a mustard seed. It becomes a "monster in the garden," a plant so large and distorted it no longer reflects its true nature.

iii. France notes the use of the tree in the Old Testament as a symbol of empire:
“The language suggests that Jesus was thinking of the Old Testament use of the tree as an image for a great empire (see especially Ezekiel 17:23; 31:3–9; Daniel 4:10–12).”
This brings to mind the towering empires of the world that grew in pride and often harbored evil within their prominence.

iv. Morgan and others observe the church’s post-Constantinian expansion as a fulfillment of this imagery:
After Christianity was adopted by the Roman Empire, the church’s growth in institutional power was rapid and massive. But along with its size came significant compromise and corruption.

• “Birds lodging in the branches most probably refers to elements of corruption which take refuge in the very shadow of Christianity.” (Morgan)

• The empire-church model became fertile ground for pride, error, and abuse of power.

v. This parable, therefore, serves as a sober prophetic insight:
It teaches that the visible kingdom community may become outwardly large yet internally compromised, harboring spiritual corruption. The church may gain stature in the eyes of the world while deviating from its true spiritual calling.

3. (Matthew 13:33) Another illustration of corruption in the kingdom community: the parable of the leaven in the meal.
Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

This parable is often misinterpreted as portraying the gradual and positive spread of the gospel throughout the world. However, in its immediate context—following the parables of the wheat and tares and the mustard seed—it more accurately illustrates the spread of corruption and infiltration within the visible kingdom community. The structure and context of the parables in Matthew 13 clearly move from the initial reception of the Word to the eventual internal compromise and distortion of the kingdom community.

a. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven:
Jesus deliberately chose leaven—a substance consistently symbolic of sin, impurity, and corruption throughout Scripture. To the Jewish audience, this metaphor would have been jarring.

• In the Old Testament, particularly in the instructions for Passover (Exodus 12:8, 15–20), leaven was to be purged from the household, symbolizing the removal of sin and compromise.

• Paul later echoes this symbolism, writing in 1 Corinthians 5:6–8: “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”

William Barclay noted: “There would be a certain shock in hearing the Kingdom of God compared to leaven.” Jesus was not affirming a quiet gospel influence here, but warning about the corrupting influence that would secretly work its way into the outward community.

b. Leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened:
The act of hiding the leaven is telling. Leaven doesn’t overwhelm with noise or speed—it corrupts silently and persistently. The phrase “took and hid” (ἐνέκρυψεν in Greek) strongly implies deliberate concealment, rather than open and positive influence.

• This woman hid leaven in three measures of meal—an enormous amount by any standard. France observes: “Three measures of meal would be about 40 litres, which would make enough bread for a meal for 100 people, a remarkable baking for an ordinary woman.”

• The massive size once again points toward something unnatural—a system or structure that has grown beyond healthy or intended limits, much like the mustard seed becoming a tree.

c. The imagery of leaven corrupting the meal would be highly offensive to any devout Jew.
Leaven was something to be removed before sacred observances. For Jesus to say the kingdom was like leaven was a deliberate theological affront to false religious assumptions and would’ve shocked those expecting a glorious earthly dominion.

• G. Campbell Morgan rightly observed that the leaven represents “paganizing influences” brought into the church. This is a sober commentary on the infiltration of false doctrine, worldly priorities, and impure practices that spread and ultimately corrupt.

d. Therefore, this parable, far from being an optimistic message of transformation, is a prophetic warning.
It underscores the subtle and pervasive spread of false teachings and worldliness within the visible body of Christ throughout history. From Roman Catholic indulgences to modern-day prosperity gospel and secular moral compromise, the leaven continues to work.

• Jesus’ kingdom, though spiritually pure and invincible in its eternal form, will be visibly mingled with compromise and corruption until the final harvest and separation described later in the chapter.

4. (Matthew 13:34–35) Jesus’ teaching in parables as a fulfillment of prophecy.
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

Jesus' use of parables was not merely a practical teaching method—it was prophetic. Matthew explicitly ties this moment to fulfillment of Scripture, referencing Psalm 78:2, where Asaph, a prophet, spoke in parables to reveal divine truths. The parables of Jesus were a form of revelation and judgment, offering truth to those willing to hear and concealing it from those hardened in unbelief.

a. Without a parable He did not speak to them:
This phrase reflects a specific season in Jesus’ ministry, not the entirety of His teaching. In this phase—marked by growing hostility from the religious leaders—parables became His primary tool for public proclamation.

• This was not due to a change in the message but a change in audience receptivity. Those who rejected plain truth would now be exposed to spiritual truth in veiled form. This fulfilled Isaiah 6:9–10 as Jesus declared earlier in this chapter.

• Carson explains, “Implying that this was Jesus’ constant custom… In short, parables were an essential part of his spoken ministry.” Parables served both to reveal and conceal, depending on the listener’s heart.

b. I will open My mouth in parables:
This quotation from Psalm 78:2 casts Jesus in the role of a prophetic teacher like Asaph, who recounted Israel’s history through riddles and dark sayings. Here, however, the content is even more profound—Jesus speaks of mysteries “from the foundation of the world.”

• These aren’t merely moral lessons or earthly illustrations—they reveal heavenly secrets, mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, hidden in ages past but now beginning to be unfolded.

c. Kept secret from the foundation of the world:
The parables pertain to truths that were not revealed under the Old Covenant—they unveil aspects of the kingdom program that had been hidden. Among these is the nature of the church and the interim mystery form of the kingdom during this present age of gospel proclamation and spiritual opposition.

• This directly connects to Ephesians 3:4–11, where Paul says the mystery of the church—the one body of Jew and Gentile, united in Christ—was “hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church.”

• Jesus, by teaching in parables, begins to disclose truths not revealed to the prophets—truths about spiritual growth, counterfeit believers, the final separation, the invisible yet active kingdom, and the presence of evil within the visible church.

This verse makes it clear: the use of parables was not a fallback or clever rhetorical strategy—it was divinely appointed to fulfill prophetic Scripture and to unveil eternal truths hidden until the coming of the Messiah.

5. (Matthew 13:36–43) Jesus explains the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Matthew 13:36–43, NKJV)

Having dismissed the multitudes, Jesus privately clarified the parable for His disciples, revealing the divine realities behind the symbols. This passage gives one of the most direct interpretations of a parable from Jesus Himself.

a. Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field:
Jesus graciously interprets each element of the parable.

• The Son of Man is the sower—Jesus Christ Himself, the Messiah.

• The field is the world—not the church, as is often wrongly assumed.

• The good seeds are true believers, sons of the kingdom.

• The tares are false believers, sons of the wicked one—planted to corrupt and deceive.

• The enemy is Satan, the devil.

• The harvest is the end of the age, the culmination of this present era before the Millennial Kingdom.

• The reapers are angels, God’s agents of judgment and separation.

This interpretation diverges from the parable of the sower, where the seed is the Word of God. Here, the seed represents people—specifically those transformed by the Word.

i. The parables differ in focus: the parable of the sower reveals various receptions to the Word, while this parable explains the coexistence of true and false believers until judgment. Satan mimics God’s work—he always has a counterfeit. “Satan has a shoot of iniquity for every shoot of grace,” as Clarke said.

ii. Spurgeon observes that judgment belongs to God: “Magistrates and churches may remove the openly wicked from their society; the outwardly good who are inwardly worthless they must leave; for the judging of hearts is beyond their sphere.” Final separation is God’s task alone.

iii. Jesus counters the Jewish expectation of an immediate, radical separation between the righteous and the wicked. France notes that this parable addresses the patience and delay of divine judgment, not the absence of it.

b. The field is the world:
This is a critical distinction. Jesus does not say the field is the church. Though false believers exist within churches, this parable emphasizes the broader world, where good and evil grow side by side until the appointed time.

i. The early church misapplied this parable to ecclesiastical purity, especially during the Donatist controversy. Carson notes that the Constantinian era and Augustine’s teaching reinforced this misinterpretation. But Jesus’ clear statement contradicts it.

ii. While believers live in the world, they must recognize that false brethren will persist around them. The church is not called to execute judgment on the inwardly corrupt; the Lord will handle that at the final harvest.

iii. Importantly, Jesus’ declaration that “the field is the world” implies the global scope of the gospel and God’s plan. This anticipates the Great Commission and is not confined to Israel.

c. The enemy who sowed them is the devil:
Satan is the one who intentionally introduces deception and falsehood. Counterfeit Christians, cults, and false teachers are not accidental—they are part of the devil’s ongoing strategy to corrupt the harvest.

d. The reapers are angels… The Son of Man will send out His angels:
Angels are not just messengers or spectators—they are active in eschatological judgment. At Christ’s return, they will separate the righteous from the wicked with divine precision.

i. Spurgeon sees this as a direct rebuttal to Satan. He plants tares, but angels—his ancient counterparts—will destroy his work at God’s command, glorifying the triumph of righteousness.

e. Will cast them into the furnace of fire… the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father:
Jesus offers a dual destiny: the wicked face eternal punishment, while the righteous enter everlasting glory. The furnace of fire denotes conscious, eternal torment, consistent with other descriptions (e.g., Revelation 14:10–11; Luke 16:24).

i. Spurgeon underscores that this fire does not annihilate but intensifies suffering—there will be “wailing and gnashing of teeth.” This is personal, active anguish—not metaphorical. The finality and horror of hell are clearly presented here.

ii. In contrast, the righteous “shine forth as the sun.” Their righteousness is not intrinsic, but imparted by God. Having been sown by the Son of Man, they are gathered into His kingdom. The phrase recalls Daniel 12:3, where the wise shine like the brightness of the firmament.

iii. The kingdom of their Father reflects not just location, but relationship—an eternal inheritance granted to those who were planted by Christ and bore fruit in Him.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
This closing statement calls for spiritual discernment. It is not just a literary device—it is a plea for those with open hearts to receive and respond. Judgment is certain. The line between wheat and tares is invisible now, but will be made manifest when the angels reap.

C. More parables about the kingdom.

1. (Matthew 13:44) The parable of the hidden treasure.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
(Matthew 13:44, NKJV)

Jesus now shifts from parables that speak of corruption in the visible kingdom to those that emphasize the value and cost of redemption. This parable highlights the immeasurable worth of the redeemed in the eyes of the Redeemer.

a. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field:
In this imagery, the field represents the world, consistent with the interpretation in verse 38. The man is not the believer—who has nothing to offer that could purchase salvation—but Jesus Christ Himself, who gave everything to redeem the world and rescue the hidden treasure within it: His redeemed people.

i. According to rabbinic law, if a laborer found a treasure and lifted it from the ground, it would legally belong to the landowner. In the parable, the man carefully hides the treasure again and then purchases the entire field, ensuring the treasure is legitimately his. As Carson notes, this detail demonstrates intentionality and great sacrifice.

ii. The shift in tone is clear: the previous parables (the wheat and the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven) addressed the reality of evil and falsehood among God’s people; this and the next parable now speak of the King's loving pursuit of His people.

b. And for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field:
The joy is not in the cost, but in the value of the treasure. Jesus willingly and joyfully gave His all—His very life—to purchase the world and secure His elect within it.

i. The treasure here is not the field, but what lies hidden within it—His church, the called-out assembly of saints. The world was purchased, but it is His people who are prized.

ii. Carson notes that to find a treasure in such a manner was exceedingly rare: “In a land as frequently ravaged as Palestine, many people doubtless buried their treasures; but…to actually find a treasure would happen once in a thousand lifetimes.” This adds to the picture of Christ’s extraordinary pursuit of the elect.

iii. Spurgeon emphasizes the redemptive cost: “So did Jesus himself, at the utmost cost, buy the world to gain his church, which was the treasure which he desired.” This parable magnifies the Christ-centered nature of redemption, not man's discovery of the kingdom, but God’s search and sacrifice for the redeemed.

2. (Matthew 13:45–46) The parable of the costly pearl.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
(Matthew 13:45–46, NKJV)

a. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls:
Here, Jesus again represents the merchant—not the seeker of salvation, but the One who is actively seeking those who are His. The believer is pictured as a pearl—a product formed over time through suffering and hidden growth—an apt metaphor for the preciousness of those redeemed through Christ’s own affliction.

i. Pearls were considered of supreme value in ancient times. They were difficult to obtain and required diving into dangerous waters. Barclay notes, “To the ancient peoples, as we have just seen, a pearl was the loveliest of all possessions; that means that the Kingdom of Heaven is the loveliest thing in the world.” Christ treasures His redeemed like a merchant treasures the most perfect pearl.

b. One pearl of great price:
This shows the individual focus of Christ's redemptive love. He does not merely seek a people collectively, but loves each believer personally and sacrificially. Selling all to purchase the pearl is a reference to His total self-giving—even unto death.

i. For a merchant to liquidate all he has for one pearl might seem foolish from a worldly perspective. But such is the glory of grace—the Son of God gave all to possess a people for Himself. His church is described in Ephesians 5:25 as the one for whom “Christ also loved…and gave Himself for her.”

ii. The believer is not worthy in themselves, but made worthy by His valuation. It is not that the pearl is intrinsically perfect, but that the Merchant esteems it as precious and acts decisively to obtain it.

These two parables emphasize the Christ-centered nature of redemption—that He joyfully gave all to claim the redeemed from the world. His people are seen as hidden treasure and rare pearls—precious, chosen, and purchased at the highest possible cost.

3. (Matthew 13:47–50) The parable of the dragnet.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
(Matthew 13:47–50, NKJV)

In this parable, Jesus reinforces the eschatological division of mankind. Like the parable of the wheat and tares, this one pictures the final separation at the end of the age, underscoring the reality of coming judgment.

a. The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet:
A dragnet was a large fishing net that indiscriminately swept through the sea, collecting all kinds of fish. The dragnet represents the scope and inclusivity of the gospel call. The kingdom of heaven is presently gathering all kinds—both genuine and false converts—but the distinction is not immediately made. The final division does not happen until the end of the age, not during this present dispensation.

i. This clearly debunks postmillennial or dominionist ideas that the church will gradually reform the world and usher in the kingdom. Instead, evil remains present, and the kingdom advances amidst a fallen world, not by eradicating it.

b. So it will be at the end of the age:
The time of separation is not now, but appointed at the end of the age, when the King will execute judgment through His angels. The wicked will be separated from the just, and their destination is the furnace of fire, a clear and repeated reference to hell.

i. France emphasizes that this division applies to all of humanity, not just the visible church: “The reference, as in the weeds, is not primarily to a mixed church, but to the division among mankind in general which the last judgment will bring to light.”

ii. The repetition of “wailing and gnashing of teeth” connects this parable to earlier ones (see Matthew 13:42) and reinforces the eternal nature of punishment—not annihilation, but conscious sorrow and torment.

iii. The net is cast wide in grace, but the sorting will be in righteous judgment. This balances the offer of mercy in the kingdom message with the certainty of retribution upon rejection of that message.

4. (Matthew 13:51–52) The disciples claim to understand Jesus’ parables.
"Jesus said to them, 'Have you understood all these things?' They said to Him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then He said to them, 'Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.'"
(Matthew 13:51–52, NKJV)

This final section in the parable discourse concludes with a charge to the disciples and establishes their responsibility as those entrusted with divine truth.

a. They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
Though we may question the depth of their understanding, Jesus does not correct them here. Instead, He affirms their position as disciples who now carry the burden of teaching others. Many in the multitudes had no interest in truly understanding. Matthew Henry and Poole both note that the crowd departed unchanged, but the disciples remained and learned. This makes them stewards of the mysteries of the kingdom.

i. Poole comments, “The multitude went away (as most people do from sermons) never the wiser, understanding nothing of what they heard, nor caring to understand it.” But these disciples stayed and were accountable for what they had learned.

b. Every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom:
A “scribe” here refers to a teacher of the law—but in the new context of the kingdom of heaven, a scribe is someone trained not only in the Old Testament Scriptures, but now also instructed in the mysteries of the kingdom through Christ’s teaching.

i. Spurgeon notes: “He is not weary of the old; he is not afraid of the new.” This householder, or teacher, brings forth a balanced treasury: the established truths of the Old Testament alongside the fresh revelations Christ has unveiled.

ii. Jesus is calling His disciples to be wise instructors, like Ezra who “was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6), but who must now rightly divide the Word in light of Christ’s teaching on the kingdom.

iii. The teacher of the Word must have a deep well of knowledge—not just a superficial understanding. As Clarke emphasizes, the Gospel minister must be “well instructed in the things concerning the kingdom of heaven, and the art of conducting men thither.”

iv. Poole adds: “Ministers of the gospel should not be novices… but men mighty in the Scriptures.” They must be capable of applying truth to specific cases, discerning doctrine and application, and rightly handling both Old and New revelation.

v. Barclay concludes this point well: “After you have been instructed by me, you have the knowledge, not only of the things you used to know, but of things you never knew before, and even the knowledge which you had before is illuminated by what I have told to you.” True understanding of the kingdom re-contextualizes all previous knowledge.

D. Further Rejection: Jesus is Rejected at Nazareth

1. (Matthew 13:53–56) The people of Nazareth are astonished that someone so familiar could be so extraordinary.
"Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, 'Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?’”
(Matthew 13:53–56, NKJV)

After finishing His parables, Jesus returns to Nazareth, His hometown. Instead of being received with honor, He is met with skepticism and offense. Their astonishment is not in faith, but in unbelieving contempt rooted in familiarity.

a. “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?”
This question betrays the deep prejudice of the people. Because they knew Jesus from His youth, they assumed He could not possibly possess divine authority or miraculous power. Their familiarity led to contempt, not faith.

i. The question “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” highlights their inability to accept that the Messiah could come from such humble origins. They were stuck in earthly thinking, blind to the glory veiled in human flesh.

ii. Apocryphal stories that depict Jesus as a child doing miracles are debunked by this passage. If Jesus had performed wonders as a child, the people of Nazareth would not have been surprised.

iii. Trapp references Justin Martyr, who noted Jesus likely made yokes and ploughs before His public ministry—emphasizing the dignity of honest labor.

iv. Spurgeon recounts a biting retort to Julian the Apostate who mocked Jesus’ carpenter background: “He is making coffins for you and all His enemies.”

b. His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas:
This passage plainly contradicts the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. Jesus had biological half-siblings, born to Mary and Joseph after His birth. This was the consistent teaching of the early church and is clear in the grammar and context.

i. France notes that it was the ordinariness of Jesus’ family that caused the most trouble. The people knew His siblings—His home was unremarkable, and therefore, they could not accept His heavenly authority.

ii. Clarke comments that their insult wasn’t just skepticism—it was a demeaning attack, implying His family lacked any social distinction.

iii. This same criticism is used by scoffers today: “If those around Him are so common, then Jesus must not be who He claims to be.” But God often chooses what is lowly and despised to display His power (see 1 Corinthians 1:27–29).

c. “Where then did this Man get all these things?”
They refuse even to speak His name. This expression—“this Man”—is one of disdain and dismissal, a way of distancing themselves from the claims of Christ.

2. (Matthew 13:57–58) A prophet without honor.
"So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.' Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
(Matthew 13:57–58, NKJV)

a. “So they were offended at Him”:
The Greek word for “offended” (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizō) implies being tripped up, scandalized, or repelled. The people of Nazareth could not reconcile the humble familiarity of Jesus with His supernatural power, and they stumbled over it.

i. Nazareth, though identified with Jesus (see Matthew 2:23), became a place of rejection, not reception. Instead of being proud that one of their own had become a mighty prophet, they were resentful.

b. “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, and in his own house”:
Jesus exposes a universal principle—those closest to a prophet, teacher, or godly person are often the least able to recognize their significance. Familiarity breeds contempt when spiritual discernment is absent.

i. Many today still expect spiritual leaders to appear unusual or mystical, not ordinary and grounded. But true spirituality often looks like consistent obedience, which can appear too plain for those without eyes to see.

ii. This also explains the difficulty in ministering to family—those who watched you grow up often cannot grasp what God has made of you.

c. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief”:
Though Jesus had the power, He chose to limit the demonstration of His works in response to their hard-hearted rejection. Faith, while not the cause of God’s power, is often the channel through which He chooses to work.

i. Trapp describes unbelief as a paralysis that hinders divine work: “A sin of that venomous nature, that it transfuseth, as it were, a dead palsy into the hands of omnipotency.”

ii. This does not imply Jesus lost power, but that He chose not to waste miracles on those who had already rejected Him.