Matthew Chapter 13 Part B
Note on a variant reading: Instead of they will some manuscripts, including Sinaiticus, have they are.
And they will throw them into the fiery furnace. Then there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth. Another metaphor of judgment.
Matt. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Note on variant readings: Some manuscripts have of heaven rather than of their Father. After ears many manuscripts have to hear.
Then the righteous will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. See Daniel 12:3
He who has ears, let him hear. Again He emphasizes the spiritual meaning behind this story from nature.
The Parable Of The Hidden Treasure (Mat 13:44)
The next parable concerns treasure hidden in a field.
Matt. 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is compared to a treasure hidden in the field, which a man, upon finding, hid it, and from the joy of it he went out and sold all things that he had and bought that field.
Note on variant readings: Many manuscripts have again before The Kingdom. A couple of manuscripts, including Vaticanus, do not have all things.
The kingdom of heaven is compared to a treasure hidden in the field, Now He will add three more parables.
which a man, upon finding, hid it, The treasure is the gospel.The response of belief.
and from the joy of it he went out and sold all things that he had and bought that field. Discipleship carries a cost.
The Pearl Of Great Price (Mat 13:45-46)
The kingdom is now compared to a valuable pearl.
Matt. 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a merchant man seeking good pearls.
Note on a variant reading: A few manuscripts, including Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, do not have man.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a merchant man seeking good pearls. Pearls are again linked with a merchant man in Revelation 18:11, 12. The pearl clearly is equivalent to the kingdom.
Matt. 13:46 And when he found one especially valuable pearl, he went away and sold everything that he had, and bought it.
Note on variant readings: Instead of And when he found many manuscripts read who found. A few manuscripts do not have one.
And when he found one especially valuable pearl, The pearl represents the gospel.
he went away and sold everything that he had, and bought it. Those who discover the truth of the kingdom forsake all to become a disciple.
The Parable Of The Dragnet (Mat 13:47-50)
Jesus compares the kingdom to a dragnet.
Matt. 13:47 Again the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a dragnet which was let down into the sea, and it caught all kinds of fish.
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a dragnet A net with floats on the top edge and weights on the bottom.
which was let down into the sea, It is thrown into the water, encircles the fish and then drags them to shore.
and it caught all kinds of fish. The net catches everything. The disciples, as Jesus promised have become fishers of men.
Matt. 13:48 When it was full, they drew it onto the shore; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into the containers, and the bad ones they threw away.
When it was full, they drew it onto the shore; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into the containers, and the bad ones they threw away. The fish are separated into good and bad.
Matt. 13:49 In this manner it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the evil ones out of the midst of the righteous ones.
Note on variant readings: Instead of age one manuscripts reads world while a few have this age.
In this manner it will be at the end of the age. Now the explanation.
The angels will come Again, this is God's job, not ours. It emphasizes again the judgment at the end of the age where the righteous are separated from the unrighteous.
Matt. 13:50 And they will throw them into the fiery furnace; where there will be the weeping and grinding of teeth.
And they will throw them into the fiery furnace; where there will be the weeping and grinding of teeth. The place of judgment again emphasized.
The Parable Of The Scribe (Mat 13:51-52)
Jesus compares the kingdom to a scribe.
Matt. 13:51 "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes."
Note on variant readings: Before Have you many manuscripts read Jesus said to them. After yes many manuscripts read Lord
"Have you understood all these things?" Do they comprehend? Understanding is the key idea according to Jesus.
They said to Him, "Yes." To some degree they do.
Matt. 13:52 He said to them, "Therefore every scribe being trained in the kingdom of the heavens is compared to a man who is the head of the house, who brings out of his treasure both old and new.
Note on variant readings: Some manuscripts read Jesus said to them while a couple read And He is saying to them.
He said to them, "Therefore For this reason.
every scribe being trained in the kingdom of the heavens A scribe is a scholar of the law. This is one who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven.
is compared to a man who is the head of the house, who brings out of his treasure both old and new. This scribe will understand things old and new, the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Jesus Is Rejected In His Hometown (Mat 13:53-58)
Jesus returns home and is rejected by His people. This marks the transition from the Galilee to Judea.
Matt. 13:53 And it came about when Jesus finished these parables He departed from there.
And it came about when Jesus finished these parables, He departed from there. Jesus now leaves the multitudes.
Matt. 13:54 And coming into His own homeland, He began teaching them in their synagogues, so that they became amazed, and said, "From where is this wisdom, and these powers?"
Note on a variant reading: Some manuscripts read all this wisdom.
And coming into His own homeland, Jesus had left Nazareth, His hometown, after the arrest of John the Baptist (cf. Mat 4:13). He moved to Capernaum making it His headquarters.
he began teaching them in their synagogues, A synagogue of the people of Nazareth. This was probably the same place where He worshipped as young man.
so that they became amazed, and said, "From where is this wisdom, and these powers?" Their utter amazement at His teaching did not provoke faith but rather skepticism. They wonder where the source of His wisdom came from.
Matt. 13:55 This is the son of the carpenter, is it not? Is not His mother called Mary and His brothers Jacob and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
Note on a variant reading: Some manuscripts read Is this not the son of the carpenter?
This is the son of the carpenter, is it not? His family was well-known. Only here in the gospels do we discover that Jesus was the son of the carpenter. The word can mean builder as well as carpenter. Joseph, the husband of Mary, is found only in Mat 1:16-20; 2:13, 19. He probably died before the public ministry of Jesus.
Is not His mother called Mary The name literally means Miriam (the Semitic form of the name). She is only mentioned by name here and Mat 1:16-20 and 2:11.
and His brothers The brothers of Jesus are mentioned, not by name, in Mat 12:46, 48. In the remainder of the New Testament only the name James (nine times) and Jude (Jude 1) occur again. The people of the synagogue knew Jesus brothers by name.
Jacob This is James, the author of the New Testament book by his name.
and Joseph We know nothing about his life from the pages of the New Testament.
and Simon Like Joseph, we know nothing of his life from the pages of God's Word.
and Judas? This is Jude, who identifies himself in his New Testament book as the brother of James.
Matt. 13:56 And His sisters are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all this?
And His sisters are they not all with us? The sisters are mentioned only here and in Mark 3:32; 6:3 in the New Testament. This indicates that the sisters still lived in Nazareth.
Where then did this man get all this? Since they knew His family, they could not understand how all these things could happen with Him.
Matt. 13:57 And they were being offended by Him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not dishonored except in His hometown and in His house."
Note on a variant reading: A few manuscripts, including Sinaiticus, have own hometown.
And they were being offended by Him. They were being scandalized (see John 6:42; 7:15).
And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not dishonored except in His hometown Though Jesus was held to be a prophet by others (Mat 21:11, 46), the people in His hometown did not consider Him such.
and in His house." Neither did His family (John 7:5; Mark 3:21)
Matt. 13:58 And He did not many miracles there because of their unbelief. He was not going to keep performing miracles for those who would not be convinced.
Summary to Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen marks an important transition in Jesus' ministry. Now rejected by the people, He begins to speak in parables—earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. The purpose of these parables is to explain to His own disciples the mysteries or sacred secrets of the kingdom.
Jesus give eight parables in this chapter. Two of them, the parable of the sower, and the parable of the wheat and the weeds, He explains. We learn from the parable of the sower that not every one who initially responds to the word of the kingdom will continue. Many will sprout up quickly only to fall away when trouble occurs or when the care of this world takes precedence over the kingdom of God. The ministry of Jesus will now move away from His homeland in the Galilee toward His inevitable fate in Jerusalem. The purpose of His coming—to die for the sins of the world— will begin to be made evident as He moves away from the confines of Galilee.