Matthew 13, Part One

The parable of the sower (vs. 1-9, 18-23)—After all the enmity and activity Jesus had endured in the previous chapter, this one starts out by saying “On the same day…” (v. 1). The Lord had the busiest life a man of His age ever lived. He told the people several parables, the first being what is commonly called the “parable of the sower." Well, I guess it’s called that because Jesus does (v. 18). A sower scattered his seed, and it fell on different types of soil. Not all ancient farmers plowed their land in strips, as modern farmers do. They would simply go out, throw their seed, and let it fall where it may. Some fell on “the wayside,” some on stony ground, some among thorns, some on good soil. Jesus explains that in verse 18-23. The different types of soil represent different types of human hearts. The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11). The wayside is an impenetrable heart and the word never penetrates it. So “the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart” (v. 19). The stony ground has some soil, but not much: “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” (vs. 20-21). The thorny ground is good soil, but it’s already occupied, so “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (v. 22). This is the one so many of us need to watch out for. Interested in spiritual things, but our lives are too cluttered with the world. The fourth soil, of course, is the good ground, the good heart: “he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (v. 23). A very instructive parable--three bad types of heart, and only one good. Some self-examination would be worthwhile for us all.

“Why do You speak in parables?” (vs. 10-17)—The disciples were a little confused as to why the Lord didn’t just come out and speak openly. Parables are nice, of course, because they are easy to remember, and that’s a good part of it. But Jesus also lays a rebuke on the hard-hearted here. They have eyes to see, and ears to hear, they just won’t do either. The parable of the sower actually explains it perfectly: the honest and good heart will hear, understand, and bring forth fruit. It’s up to us to have the right kind of heart. The hardness of heart of the Pharisees was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (vs. 14-15).

The parable of the tares (vs. 24-30, 36-43)—A man sowed good seed in his field, but his enemy came and sowed tares—a weed that looks like wheat—among his crop. His servants want to know if he wants them to go and pull the weeds, but he fears that if they do, they might uproot some of the wheat as well. “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'” (v. 30). Jesus explained this in verses 36-43. The sower is the “Son of Man” (v. 37). “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” (vs. 38-39). At the judgment, the wheat and tares will be separated, the “tares” (the wicked) burned up, but “the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (v. 43). It is important to note that, while the field is the world, the wheat and tares are those in the kingdom for, at the harvest, “the Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend” (v. 41). The New Testament does teach that the church must practice discipline and “withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly,” (II Thess. 3:6; cf. Matt. 18:15-17; I Cor. 5:13), but overzealous attempts to keep the church pure may do more harm than good. I urge the reader to go back and consider my comments on Matthew 7:1-12 for the right kind of “judgments” that must be made. We must be wise, compassionate, and truthful when dealing with others.