Matthew 13

Matthew 13:1-53

The Third Discourse: The Parables of the Kingdom of God Regarding Man’s Reactions to the Proclamation of the Gospel – Matthew 13:1-53 is the third major discourse found in the Gospel of Matthew. The previous narrative material in Matthew 11:1 to Matthew 12:50 emphasizes the many ways that people received, rejected, and questioned the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, offering us a better understanding of how the Kingdom of Heaven is received by some and rejected by others. The third narrative section prepares us for the third major discourse when Jesus teaches on the parables in Matthew 13:1-52, which explains how the message of the Kingdom preached by God’s servants is received and rejected in various ways by men. The third discourse centers on His teachings of the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven that explain how men reject the Gospel and persecute those who preach it. The third discourse also serves as a testimony of the fulfillment of Isa 6:9-10, which reveals the hardness of men’s hearts to the preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven, and Psalms 78:2, which explains how God responds by hiding the truth from them. Isaiah 6:9-10, “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” Psalms 78:2, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:” Literary Evidence of the Theme of the Third Discourse – There is literary evidence that the third discourse carries the theme of Jesus teaching on the characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven using parables, a view supported by the frequent use of certain Greek words and phrases. For example, the word παραβολή (parable) is found eleven times within the third discourse, and only five other times outside of this section (Matthew 15:15; Matthew 21:33; Matthew 21:45; Matthew 22:1; Matthew 24:32). In addition, the word “kingdom” is used three times by itself (Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:38; Matthew 13:41), but the phrase “the kingdom of heaven (is like)” or “kingdom of their Father” is found nine times in this discourse (Matthew 13:11; Matthew 13:24; Matthew 13:31; Matthew 13:33; Matthew 13:43-45; Matthew 13:47; Matthew 13:52). The phrase “the kingdom of heaven is like” is used six times within the third discourse and only twice outside this passage (Matthew 20:1; Matthew 22:2). Literary Evidence of the Structure of the Third Discourse - Jesus gives seven parables about the Kingdom of Heaven in the third discourse before concluding with a final parable that explains the role of the disciples in the midst of persecutions from men. Some of the parables in the third discourse are taught in pairs: the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven are taught as a pair, showing the increase of the Kingdom of Heaven; the parable of the hidden treasure and the great pearl are taught as a pair, showing the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Davies and Allison recognize literary evidence within the third discourse that supports a three-fold structure in the form of repetitive phrases. After presenting the Parable of the Sower and its interpretation (Matthew 13:1-23) as the first subsection of the third discourse, Jesus sets forth the Parable of the Tares with its interpretation with two supporting parables (Matthew 13:24-43). Within this second subsection He uses three similar phrases: “another parable he put forth to them” (Matthew 13:24; Matthew 13:31) and “another parable he spoke to them” (Matthew 13:33) that give it a literary distinction. The third subsection (Matthew 13:44-50) also contains distinct literary elements when Jesus introduces the fifth, sixth, and seventh parables with the same phrase “again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like.” Davies and Allison offer a second argument for a three-fold structure in the third discourse by noting a parallel structure to Matthew 13:10-24 and Matthew 13:34-43. Both of these passages contain similar narrative content: a reference to the multitudes, an interpretation of the preceding parable, an explanation of the function of the parables, and a prophetic fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture. Davies and Allison offer third argument for a three-fold structure by noting that Matthew structures two “triads” of parables in both the third and fifth discourses, which serves as testimony to a Matthean characteristic throughout the Gospel, that of triplicate arrangements. Thus, Davies and Allison favor a three-fold division to the third discourse above other proposed structures based upon these three arguments.[463] [463] W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew: Commentary on Matthew XIX-XXVIII, vol. 2, in The International Critical Commentary (London: T. & T. Clark Ltd, 1988), 370-371.The group of parables that Jesus taught in Matthew 13 has a “parabolic scheme,” or structure, that reflects the spiritual journey of those who endeavour to persevere in fulfilling the Great Commission. While the first discourse discusses five aspects of man’s spiritual journey, and the second discourse discusses four aspects, the third discourse discusses three aspects: (1) perseverance in the midst of persecutions, (2) perseverance in the midst of false doctrines within the Church, and (3) glorification. The Parabolic Scheme of the Third Discourse - Some of the parables in the third discourse are taught in pairs: the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven are taught as a pair, showing the increase of the Kingdom of Heaven; the parable of the hidden treasure and the great pearl are taught as a pair, showing the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven. The group of parables that Jesus taught in Matthew 13 has a “parabolic scheme,” or structure, that reflects the spiritual journey of those who endeavour to persevere in fulfilling the Great Commission. The first parable, the Parable of the Sower, explains how there will be a diversity of responses from those who hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Only those who persevere against Satan, cares of this world, and persecutions will produce fruit for the Kingdom. The second parable, the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, explains how Satan will plant persecutions and trials in the lives of God’s servants; but we are to let God judge in the end as we fulfill the love walk with our enemies. The third and fourth parables, the Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven, emphasize the nature of the Kingdom of God to expand and grow as ministers of the Gospel are faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission. The fifth and sixth parables, the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price, emphasize the hope that every believer must have in order to anchor his soul in his decision to follow Christ amidst persecutions and hardships.

The final seventh Parable of the Fish Net serves to explain the end result of making disciples of all nations. On the final Day of Judgment believers will be represented from all nations. This the Great Commission, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Outline - Note the list of parables found in this discourse:

1. The Parable of the Sower — Matthew 13:1-92. The Purpose of the Parables — Matthew 13:10-173. The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower — Matthew 13:18-234. The Parable of the Wheat & the Tares — Matthew 13:24-305. The Parable of the Mustard Seed — Matthew 13:31-326.

The Parable of the Leaven — Matthew 13:337. The Purpose of the Parables — Matthew 13:34-358. The Explanation of the Parable of the Wheat/Tares — Matthew 13:36-439. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure — Matthew 13:4410. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price — Matthew 13:45-4611. The Parable of the Net of Fishes — Matthew 13:47-5012.

Conclusion to the Parables — (Parable of the Scribe) — Matthew 13:51-53 The Recipients to the Five Discourses of the Gospel of Matthew – The five discourses that Jesus Christ delivered during His earthly ministry were primarily directed to His disciples (Matthew 5:1; Matthew 10:1; Matthew 13:10-11; Matthew 13:36-37; Matthew 18:1; Matthew 24:3). Although the multitudes gathered together to receive miracles and to hear Him, Matthew is accurate to note that Jesus addressed these discourse to His disciples. Thus, the purpose of the five discourses was the training of the Twelve, preparing them for His final command to take the Gospel to the nations, which is traditionally called the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). References to Satan in the Parables - Note that Jesus will refer to Satan on numerous occasions in the third discourse: “the wicked one” (Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:38), “his enemy” (Matthew 13:25; Matthew 13:28), “the enemy…the devil” (Matthew 13:39). Jesus refers to the devil often in these parables because He wants us to understand that Satan is behind all persecutions and hardships that are encountered in this life. The Five Major Discourses: Similarities with the Structure of the New Testament – Besides the similarities between the Pentateuch and the Gospel of Matthew, we find similarities between the five major discourses and the structure of the New Testament writings. To begin with, we know that the nine Pauline Church Epistles establish the doctrines of the New Testament Church. The three Pastoral Epistles establish the order and ministry of the Church. The three General Epistles of Hebrews, James and 1 Peter establish the perseverance of the saints in regards to persecutions from without the Church. The five General Epistles of 2 Peter , 1, 2, 3 John and Jude establish the perseverance of the saints in regards to persecutions from false doctrines within the church. In a similar manner, we can compare the Sermon on the Mount to the Church Epistles in that they lay the foundation for the doctrine of the Kingdom of God and of the New Testament Church. The second discourse of Jesus sending out the twelve establishes the ministry and order of the Church, which can be compared to the Pastoral Epistles. The third discourse regarding the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven which reveals the ways in which men reject the preaching of the Gospel can be compared to the General Epistles of Hebrews, James and 1 Peter which deal with persecutions from without. The fourth discourse of dealing with offences and persecutions from the Jewish leaders can be compared with the General Epistles of 2 Peter , 1, 2 3 John and Jude which discuss persecutions from false doctrine within the Church. The emphasis upon false doctrine in this narrative material is because the theme of this passage is about offences because of false doctrines in the Kingdom of God. These offences are not coming from the multitudes but from those who appear to be within the Kingdom of God, that is, the religious leaders. The fifth Eschatological discourse of the Second Coming of Christ can be compared to the book of Revelation, which deals with the glorification of the Church. The Five Major Discourses: Similarities With the Six Foundational Doctrines of the New Testament Church - If we compare the foundational doctrines listed in Hebrews 6:1-2 with the scheme of the five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel, we can observe some parallels. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” The six foundational doctrines found in Hebrews 6:1-2 were laid down by Jesus Christ. It is these six doctrines upon which the Kingdom of Heaven is established:

1. repentance from dead works
2. faith toward God
3. the doctrine of baptisms
4. laying on of hands
5. resurrection of the dead
6. eternal judgment Jesus’ first discourse, the Sermon on the Mount, finds its parallel in the third foundational doctrine of the doctrine of baptisms. The second discourse, the Sending out of the Twelve, parallels the laying on of hands for Christian service. The third and fourth discourses emphasize the perseverance of the saints. The last discourse, the Eschatological Discourse, places most of its emphasis upon the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

Matthew 13:24-43

The Parable of the Tares with its Interpretation and Supporting Parables (Perseverance amidst False Doctrines within the Church) - The second parable, the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, explains how Satan will plant persecutions and trials in the midst of God’s servants; but we must allow God to judge in the end as we fulfill the love walk in the midst of our enemies. The third and fourth parables, the Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven, support the theme of the Parable of the Wheat and Tares in that they describe the growth of the Kingdom in the midst of the clean and the unclean, the leavened and the unleavened. As God’s servants are faithful in in fulfilling the Great Commission, the Kingdom is certain to become the greatest upon earth. Here is a proposed outline:

1. Second Parable: The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares — Matthew 13:24-30
2. Third Parable: The Parable of the Mustard Seed — Matthew 13:31-323. Fourth Parable: The Parable of the Leaven — Matthew 13:334. The Purpose of the Parables — Matthew 13:34-35
3. The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Explained — Matthew 13:36-43 Matthew 13:24-30 — Second Parable: The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares – In Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus tells the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. This parable is unique to Matthew’s Gospel. The underlying emphasis of Jesus’ third discourse (Matthew 13:1-52) is on persecutions that arise when preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Thus, we can interpret the allegorical meanings in this parable in light of the underlying theme of persecutions, which suggests that the tares represent the persecutors and hardships that Satan plants among believers which everyone encounters while serving the Lord in this world. The reason the tares are left to grow along with the wheat is because we are not to embark on physical warfare against our persecutors. Rather, we are to patiently await God’s final judgment against them while we persevere in the love walk. God will render His final judgment in the last day. The Harvest of the Tares Precedes that of the Wheat - Perhaps one reason the tares are harvested before the wheat in Matthew 13:30 may be because the Great White Throne Judgment will take place at the end of the age before the righteous are ushered into their eternal home in paradise. Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: Matthew 13:24 — Comments – The first parable taught by Jesus, the Parable of the Sower, does not begin with the phrase “the kingdom of heaven is like…” simply because it does not describe the characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven, but rather, those to whom the Gospel is preached. For those who accept the Gospel, Jesus now describes the principles of this new Kingdom which they have joined. Matthew 13:31-32 — Third Parable: The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19) – In Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus tells us the story of the Parable of the Mustard Seed. If we examine this parable in the parallel account of Mark’s Gospel, we see that it tells us the end result of our faithfulness to preach the Gospel; for it will cause the Kingdom of God to grow into the greatest kingdom upon the earth. While this parable in Mark’s Gospel reflects our glorification at the end of our journey, Matthew’s parable is set within the context of the proclamation of the Gospel in the midst of persecutions. Matthew’s parable is teaching us that the Kingdom of God will grow and reach its fullness in the hearts of men in midst of the persecutions that accompany the proclamation of the Gospel. Of all the seeds sown into the hearts of men through teaching doctrine, the Gospel has the greatest potential to transform and change mankind. The full maturity of the mustard seed reflects the fullness of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, which will take place at the Second Coming of Christ Jesus when He will rule and reign from Jerusalem. Thus, the fowls of the air that lodge under its shadow could symbolize the nations who come to Jerusalem to honor the Lord and find rest and peace as a result of doing so. Old Testament Analogies - The analogy of a great tree providing shelter for the animals is used a number of times in Scriptures. Note a similar analogy in Ezekiel 17:22-24 of a great tree providing shade and shelter for animals. Ezekiel 17:22-24, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.” In addition, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a dream in which a tree grew to be the greatest among trees, reaching to the heavens, with the beasts finding shade under it and the birds nesting in its branches (Daniel 4:12). Daniel 4:12, “The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.” Matthew 13:31 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: Matthew 13:31 — “which a man took, and sowed in his field” – Comments - Man has a role in the sowing and growing of the seed. Man has to plant it. This means that a person has to receive the Word of God has into his heart before it can take root and grow. Matthew 13:32 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. Matthew 13:32 — “Which indeed is the least of all seeds” - Comments - Jesus’ ministry started so small that the Jews and Romans did not feel it necessary to stop it. Yet, it has grown to become the greatest ministry on earth. Matthew 13:32 — “so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” - Comments – In nature, all species of birds lodge in the branches of the same trees. In the Kingdom of Heaven, all people are blessed by its contribution to mankind; however, not everyone is a member of the Kingdom. In nature, trees are sought by animals as a place of refugee. The birds flee to a tree during the rain and storms. The insects flee to the trees to hide and spend the night. The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a tree because this kingdom will be a place of refugee to the children of God. Matthew 13:33 — Fourth Parable: The Parable of the Leaven (Luke 13:20-21) – In Matthew 13:33 Jesus tells us the Parable of the Leaven. Luke’s Gospel places the Parable of the Leaven with the Parable of the Mustard Seed, which implies a similar interpretation. We can now interpret the Parable of the Leaven as saying the same thing about the future fullness of the Kingdom of God upon earth. Just as the full maturity of the mustard seed reflects the fullness of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, which will take place at the Second Coming of Christ Jesus when He will rule and reign from Jerusalem, so does the leaven in the bread represent the same. Matthew 13:33 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. Matthew 13:33 — “and hid in three measures of meal” – Comments - One pastor suggests that the number three symbolizes the three-fold make-up of man. He says that when the seed of the Word of God is planted within a person, it begins to permeate the entire man: spirit, soul and body. It begins to transform that entire person. Matthew 13:33 — Comments - Yeast is a fungi, of which there are one hundred and sixty known species. Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiaeis) is the one most commonly used in kitchens today. As the yeast feeds on the sugars in the bread, it produces carbon dioxide gas as a by produce. This gas fills the small air pockets in the bread and causes it to rise.[465] As the yeast feeds, it also multiplies into billions of other yeast cells, thus, permeating the dough of bread, causing all of it to rise. [465] The Accidental Scientist, “The Science of Cooking,” [on-line]; accessed 22 September 2010, available from — The Purpose of the Parables (Mark 4:33-34) – Matthew 13:34-35 explains that the teaching in parables by Jesus was a fulfillment of prophecy. Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: Matthew 13:35 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. Matthew 13:35 — “That it might be fulfilled” - Comments - Comments - The phrase ἵναπληρωθῇ (that it might be fulfilled) is unique to the Gospel of Matthew, being used nine times (Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4), with similar phrases being used loosely three times in other places in Matthew (Matthew 13:14; Matthew 26:56; Matthew 27:9).[466] The reason this phrase is unique to the Gospel of Matthew is because the primary theme of this Gospel is the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, which states that Jesus Christ is the coming Messiah, who will reign as King of the Jews. Thus, the Gospel of Matthew continually declares that Jesus Christ fulfills Old Testament Messianic passages. [466] A tenth Matthean ἵναπληρωθῇ formula can be found in Matthew 27:35 in the KJV. However, the rules of modern textual criticism require the omission this phrase from the UBS4 because it is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, only nine ἵναπληρωθῇ formulae will be considered in this commentary.Matthew 13:35 — “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” – Comments - Matthew 13:35 is a quote from Psalms 78:2, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:” Brenton’s English Translation of the Septuagint, “I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings [which have been] from the beginning.”Matthew 13:36-43 — The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Explained – In Matthew 13:36-43 Jesus explains the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares which He told in Matthew 13:24-30. The “field” is the world, not the Church. This does not mean that we in the Church are not to judge sin and to purge sin out of our midst. 1 Corinthians 5:1-7 shows the Church how to properly do this. An illustration of this is in Acts 5:1-11, where the Church judged Ananias and Sapphira. 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” Matthew 13:36 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. Matthew 13:36 — Comments - Some scholars believe that Matthew’s account of Jesus being seated and His disciples (or crowds) coming to Him in the opening verses of three of the five major discourses was intentional, since it describes the traditional setting of the Jewish scribe being surrounded by his pupils (Matthew 5:1; Matthew 13:1-2; Matthew 24:3).[467] The second and fourth discourses begin with one aspect of this formula, either Jesus gathering His disciples (Matthew 10:1), or them coming to Him (Matthew 18:1). In addition, this rabbinic formula is found in the middle of the third discourse simply because Jesus changes locations before completing this discourse (Matthew 13:36). [467] Christopher R. Smith, “Literary Evidences of a FiveFold Structure in the Gospel of Matthew,” in New Testament Studies 43 (1997): 542.Matthew 5:1, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:” Matthew 10:1, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Matthew 13:1-2, “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.” Matthew 13:36, “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.” Matthew 18:1, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 24:3, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Matthew 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; Matthew 13:38 — “The field is the world” – Scripture References - Note: John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 17:11, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” John 17:14-16, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:44-50

Parables on the Glorification of the Kingdom - The fifth and sixth parables, the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price, emphasize the hope that every believer must have in order to anchor his soul in his decision to follow Christ amidst persecutions and hardships. The final seventh Parable of the Fish Net serves to explain the end result of making disciples of all nations, the glorification of the saints and judgment of the sinners. On the final Day of Judgment believers will be represented from all nations. This the Great Commission, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Here is a proposed outline:

1. Fifth Parable: The Parable of the Hidden Treasure — Matthew 13:44
2. Sixth Parable: The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price — Matthew 13:45-463. Seventh Parable: The Parable of the Net of Fishes — Matthew 13:47-504. Conclusion to the Parables — Matthew 13:51-52 Matthew 13:44 — Fifth Parable: The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – In Matthew 13:44 Jesus tells the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. This parable is unique to Matthew’s Gospel. It is taught as a pair with the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price so that Jesus explains the same divine truth in two ways. These two parables emphasize the aspect of a believer’s hope in his eternal rewards. This hope serves as an anchor of the soul to help us persevere in this life, which is the underlying theme of this third discourse. Matthew 13:44 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. Matthew 13:45-46 — Sixth Parable: The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price - In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus tells the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. This parable is unique to Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 13:47-50 — Seventh Parable: The Parable of the Net of Fishes - In Matthew 13:47-50 Jesus tells the Parable of the Net of Fishes. This parable is unique to Matthew’s Gospel. This final parable gives us an eschatological perspective on the Kingdom of Heaven. The metaphor of “casting our nets into the sea” suggests end result of making disciples of all nations. There will be converts from every nation, and those who reject the Gospel within every nation. Thus, the metaphor “of every kind” seems to represent the nations.

Matthew 13:51-53

Conclusion to the Parables – In Matthew 13:51-53 Jesus concludes His discourse by asking His disciples if they have now understood the meaning of these parables. After they acknowledge their understanding Jesus likens His disciples to scribes who must take these new concepts regarding the Kingdom of Heaven and reconcile them with the Old Testament with which they are so familiar. Matthew 13:51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Matthew 13:51 — Comments - Jesus asks His disciples if they understood the meaning of the parables. He is going to send them out after His Resurrection as “scribes instructed in the kingdom of heaven,” which statement He makes in the following verse; and these disciples must teach others about the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 13:52 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. Matthew 13:52 — Comments (The Role of the Jewish Scribe) - A scribe in the Jewish culture was a community leader who was skilled in instructing out of the Old Testament. Jesus is now saying in Matthew 13:52 that a scribe instructed in the Kingdom of God should now be able to pull out “treasures” from the Old Testament and interpret them in light of the new covenant which was about to be instituted. The new is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus had just said in Matthew 13:35 that in teaching parables He was bringing forth things that were “hidden” from the foundation of the world. These hidden things He now describes as “treasures.” The scribes in the Kingdom were to now do this when educating the people about the new covenant. Thus, the old is the Old Covenant, the Law and Prophets, especially those prophecies concerning Jesus.

For example, in churches old hymns are still sung from the hymn books, but we bring forth new, contemporary worship and praise songs and use them along with the traditional hymns. Also, we have much new technology brought forth in recent years, but we still have old, enduring items that make our daily lives better. We are to keep our godly heritage, but embrace new applications in today’s world. For example, although our dress style or what kind of car we drive constantly change, prayer and a passion for God will always be fundamental to our faith. Matthew 13:52 — Comments (2) - The reference to a scribe instructing people about the kingdom of God reflects the third theme of the Gospel of Matthew, which is the call to make disciples of all nations through the office and ministry of the teacher. Matthew 13:53 — Conclusion – Matthew 13:53 serves as a transitional statement for the next major section of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 13:53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. Matthew 13:53 — Comments - Matthew 13:53 is one of the five verses in this Gospel that identifies the end of a major discourse. Each of these five lengthy discourses ends with the similar phrase, “when Jesus had finished these sayings (or parables),” giving these five sections a common division. Matthew 7:28-29, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 11:1, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.” Matthew 13:53, “And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.” Matthew 19:1, “And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;” Matthew 26:1, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,” Thus, each of these five discourses is separated with large sections of narrative material, with the discourses being interwoven between the narratives. Each section of narrative material relates to and prepares us for the next discourse.

Matthew 13:54-18

Handling Offences and Persecutions in the Kingdom of God – Matthew 13:54 to Matthew 18:35 emphasizes the theme of how God’s children are to handle offences and persecutions over doctrinal issues within the Kingdom of Heaven.[468] The narrative passage of Mat 13:54 to Matthew 17:27 emphasizes the many occasions when offences came into Jesus’ ministry from the Jewish leaders and shows us how Jesus responded to offences. This narrative material builds upon the theme of the previous narrative material found in Matthew 11:2 to Matthew 12:50 regarding man’s reactions to the King.[469] This is because persecutions will come from those who adhere to false doctrines when we preach the Gospel and we must learn how to handle these offences. In this fourth narrative section, Jesus also explains to His disciples the dangers of offending others. Thus, the fourth discourse (Matthew 18:1-35) teaches the disciples how to properly deal with these offences within the Church, which Jesus experiences in the preceding narrative passage. [468] Benjamin Bacon identifies the theme of 13:54 to 18:35 as church government and the problems of church unity. He says, “Because of this unmistakable interest dominating the whole structure of Division B (Matthew 18) we naturally expect from previous experience of our evangelist’s use of his material that Division A will lead up to this Discourse on church government with narrative selections of corresponding character. In reality such is the case…” See Benjamin W. Bacon, Studies in Matthew (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1930), 397, 410. [469] Craig Blomberg says two major themes are carried over from the previous narrative material, which are the increased intensity of the rejection of Jesus Christ and His message, and the progressive, Christological revelation of His identity to the Twelve. He says the development of these two themes create “sharper lines of demarcation between insiders and outsiders.” See Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew, in The New American Commentary, vol. 22 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), 226. David Turner describes the two leading themes in the fourth narrative section as “increased oppition and conflict” and the works and teachings of Jesus intended to increase the faith of His disciples. See David L. Turner, Matthew, in Baker Evangelical Commentary on the New Testament, eds.

Robert Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Ada, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 358.The one Old Testament prophecy of this division in Matthew’s Gospel is Matthew 15:7-9, which quotes Isaiah 29:13 and simply prophecies how God’s own people would rejected the Gospel, reflecting the theme of this division of Matthew on persecutions from within. Matthew 15:7-9, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Isaiah 29:13, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” In the fourth major discourse (Matthew 18:1-35) that immediately follows the narrative material Jesus lays down principles for His disciples to follow when dealing with offences. He quotes Deuteronomy 19:15 as a guideline for His disciples to use when dealing with offences. Deuteronomy 19:15, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” We may compares this major division of material to the General Epistles of 2 Peter , 1, 2, 3 John and Jude in that they also emphasize persecutions that come from those who hold fast to false doctrines. The section of Matthew emphasizing sanctification through perseverance from persecutions within (Matthew 13:54 to Matthew 18:35) closes with a transitional sentence that concludes each of the five discourses, telling us that Jesus had ended His teaching (Matthew 19:1). Matthew 19:1, “And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;” Literary Evidence of a Common Theme between the Fourth Narrative Section and the Discourse that Follows – There is literary evidence that connects the third narrative-discourse section with the fourth narrative-discourse section. While these two macro structures share the same theme of perseverance in the faith for the child of God, there is literary evidence to confirm this connection.[470] For example, the fourth narrative section is related in retrospect to the third discourse in the fact that the Greek word συνίημι is used nine times in the Gospel of Matthew, with six uses in the third discourse (Matthew 13:13-15; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:23; Matthew 13:51) and three uses in the fourth narrative (Matthew 15:10;Matthew 16:12; Matthew 17:13). This literary evidence reflects the common theme of the servant of God’s need to persevere in the faith in the midst of offenses by hold fast to one’s understanding and confession of faith in God’s eternal Word. In addition, the fourth narrative section shares a common theme with the fourth discourse that follows in the use of the Greek words σκανδαλίζω and σκάνδαλον, key words Jesus uses four times in the course of the fourth narrative (Matthew 13:57; Matthew 15:12; Matthew 16:23; Matthew 17:27), as well as six times during the fourth discourse (Matthew 18:6-7[three], 8, 9). Note that this key word opens and closes the fourth narrative section (Matthew 13:57; Matthew 17:27). [470] The thematic scheme of perseverance connects third and fourth narrative-discourse sections. Scholars acknowledge the connection of these sections. For example, A. G. van Aarde says, “Matthew 13:53-17:27, the fourth micronarrative, in an associative manner relates retrospectively to the third discourse (13:1-52) and prospectively to the fourth discourse (18:1-35), while correlating concentrically with the corresponding third micronarrative (11:2-12:50).” He again says, “the “structural interrelatedness of chapters 13, 14-17 and 18 fits into the concentric and progressive structure of the Gospel of Matthew as a whole.” See A. G. van Aarde, “Matthew’s Portrayal of the Disciples and the Structure of Matthew 13:53 – 17:27,” Neotestamentica 16 (1982): 21, 22.Sanctification: Perseverance - Numbers Versus Fourth Discourse which Deals with Persecutions from Within - We see in the book of Numbers the establishment of the journey of perseverance that the children of Israel endured during the forty-year wilderness journey. In a similar way the fourth discourse on church discipline establishes the perseverance of the Church that every believer must endure. The narrative passage of Mat 13:54 to Matthew 17:27 emphasizes the many occasions when offences came into Jesus’ ministry from the Jewish leaders. In this passage, Jesus explained to His disciples the dangers of offending others. Thus, the fourth discourse (Matthew 18:1-35) teaches the disciples how to properly deal with these offences within the Church, which Jesus experiences in the preceding narrative passage. In summary, the fact that Matthew 11-18 deals with obstacles and persecutions along the journey as a servant of the Lord is a clear reminder of how the children of Israel wandered in the desert facing similar challenges in the book of Numbers. Outline – Here is a proposed outline:

1. Narrative: Examples of Offences — Matthew 13:54 to Matthew 17:272. The Fourth Discourse: Dealing with Offences — Matthew 18:1-35