Matthew 13

 

 1 The (*) same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

 

(*) Mark 4:1; Luke 8:4-5 .

 

 2  (1) And (*) great multitudes resorted unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat down, and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

 

(1) Christ sheweth in putting forth this parable of the Sower, that the seed of life which is sown in the world, cometh not on so well in one as in another, and the reason is, for that men for the most part either do not receive it, or suffer it not to ripen.

(*) All desired to hear his doctrine, but there was not like affection in all.

 

 3 Then he spake many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow.

 

 4 And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.

 

 5 And some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth, and anon they sprung up, because they had no depth of earth.

 

 6 And when the sun was up, they were parched, and for lack of rooting withered away.

 

 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up, and choked them.

 

 8 And some again fell in good ground, and brought forth fruit, one corn an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and another thirtyfold.

 

 9 He that (*) hath ears to hear, let him hear.

 

(*) He sheweth that all men cannot understand these mysteries, and also maketh his disciples more attentive.

 

 10  ¶ Then the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?

 

 11  (2) And he answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not (*) given.

 

(2) The gift of understanding and of faith is proper to the elect, and all the rest are blinded through the just judgment of God.

(*) The Gospel is hid to them that perish.

 

 12  (*) (♣) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even (♠) that he hath.

 

(*) Matthew 25:19 .

(♣) Christ increaseth in his children, his graces.

(♠) Even that which he seemeth to have.

 

 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because they seeing, do not see, and hearing, they hear not, neither understand.

 

 14 So in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which prophecy saith, (*) By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.

 

(*) Isaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 11:40; Acts 28:26; Rom. 11:8 .

 

 15  (*) For this people’s heart is waxed fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and with their eyes they have winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should return, that I might heal them.

 

(*) That which the Prophet referreth to the secret counsel of God, is here attributed to the hard stubbornness of the people, for the one cannot be separated from the other.

 

 16  (3) But blessed are your eyes, for they (*) see; and your ears, for they hear.

 

(3) The condition of the Church under and since Christ, is better than it was in the time of the Fathers under the Law.

(*) To wit, the glory of the Son of God, to acknowledge him their Saviour.

 

 17  (*) For verily I say unto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

 

(*) Luke 10:24 .

 

 18  ¶ (*) Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

 

(*) Mark 4:15; Luke 8:11 .

 

 19 Whensoever any man heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, the evil one cometh, and catcheth away that which was sown in his (a) heart; and this is he which (*) hath received the seed by the way side.

 

(a) Though there be mention made of the heart, yet this sowing is referred to hearing without understanding. For whether the seed be received in the heart or not, yet he that soweth, soweth to the heart.

(*) Or, was sown.

 

 20 And he that received seed in the stony ground, is he which heareth the word, and (*) incontinently with joy receiveth it,

 

(*) Immediately; at once; forthwith.

 

 21 Yet hath he no root in himself, and dureth but a season, for as soon as tribulation or persecution cometh because of the word, by and by he is offended.

 

 22 And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he is made unfruitful.

 

 23 But he that received the seed in the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

 

 24  ¶ (4) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.

 

(4) Christ sheweth in another parable of the evil seed mixed with the good, that the Church shall never be free and quit from offences, both in doctrine and manners, until the day appointed for the restoring of all things to come, and therefore the faithful have to arm themselves with patience and constancy.

 

 25  (*) But while men slept, there came his enemy and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

 

(*) He teacheth that the good and the bad shall be mixed together in the Church to the end that the faithful may arm themselves with patience and constancy.

 

 26 And when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

 

 27 Then came the servants of the householder, and said unto him, Master, sowedst not thou good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?

 

 28 And he said unto them, Some envious man hath done this. Then the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

 

 29 But he said, Nay, lest while ye go about to gather the tares, ye pluck up also with them the wheat.

 

 30  (*) Let both grow together until the harvest, and in time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye first the tares, and bind them in sheaves to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

 

(*) Christ meaneth only that the Church shall never be without some wicked men; although they be never so sharply punished by such means as he hath left to purge his Church.

 

 31  ¶ (*) (5) Another parable he put forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man taketh and soweth in his field;

 

(*) Mark 4:30; Luke 13:19 .

(5) God beginneth his kingdom with very small beginnings, to the end that by the growing on of it, beside the expectation and hope of all men, his mighty power and working may be the more set forth.

 

 32 Which indeed is the (*) least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and it is a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and build in the branches thereof.

 

(*) This teacheth us not to be astonished at the small beginnings of the Gospel.

 

 33  ¶ (*) Another parable spake he to them, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman taketh and hideth in three pecks of meal, (♣) till all be leavened.

 

(*) Luke 13:21 .

(♣) By this he admonisheth them to wait till the fruit of the Gospel appear.

 

 34  ¶ (*) All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without parables spake he not unto them,

 

(*) Mark 4:33-34 .

 

 35 That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, (*) I will open my mouth in (♣) parables, and will utter the things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

 

(*) Psalm 78:2 .

(♣) This word signifieth grave and sententious proverbs, to the end that the doctrine might have the more majesty, and the wicked might thereby be confounded.

 

 36 Then sent Jesus 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.

 

 37  (6) Then answered he, and said to them, He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.

 

(6) He expoundeth the former parable of the good and evil seed.

 

 38 And the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, and the tares are the children of that wicked one.

 

 39 And the enemy that soweth them, is the devil, (*) and the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers be the Angels.

 

(*) Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:15 .

 

 40 As then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.

 

 41 The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that (*) offend, and them which do iniquity,

 

(*) The wicked which hurt others by their evil example.

 

 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

 43  (*) Then shall the just men shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

 

(*) Daniel 12:3 .

 

 44  ¶ (7) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in the field, which when a man hath found, he hideth it, and for joy thereof departeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

 

(7) Few men understand how great the riches of the kingdom of heaven are, and no man can be partaker of them, but he that redeemeth them with the loss of all his goods.

 

 45  ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man that seeketh good pearls,

 

 46 Who having found a pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

 

 47  ¶ (8) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like (*) unto a draw net cast into the sea, that gathereth of all kinds of things.

 

(8) They are many in the Church, which notwithstanding are not of the Church, and therefore at length shall be cast out; but the full and perfect cleansing of them is deferred to the last day.

(*) It is a kind of net that gathereth in all things that come in the way.

 

 48 Which, when it is full, men draw to land, and sit and gather the good into vessels, and cast the (*) bad away.

 

(*) The Greek word signifieth rotten things.

 

 49 So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall go forth, and sever the bad from among the just,

 

 50 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

 51  ¶ (9) Jesus said unto them, Understand ye all these things? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

 

(9) They ought to be diligent, which have not only to be wise for themselves, but to dispense the wisdom of God to others.

 

 52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every (*) Scribe which is taught unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto an householder, which bringeth forth out of his (♣) treasure things both new and old.

 

(*) Because the Scribes’ office was to expound the Scriptures, he meaneth him that doeth interpret them aright, and according to the Spirit.

(♣) The preachers of God’s word must have store of sundry and ample instructions.

 

 53  ¶ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had ended these parables, he departed thence.

 

 54  (*) (10) And came into his own country, and taught them in their Synagogue, so that they were astonied, and said, Whence cometh this wisdom and great works unto this man?

 

(*) Mark 6:1; Luke 4:6 .

(10) Men do not only sin of ignorance, but also wittingly and willingly lay stumbling blocks in their own ways, that when God calleth them, they may not obey, and so most plainly destroy and cast away themselves.

 

 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, (*) and his (♣) brethren James and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

 

(*) John 6:42 .

(♣) Or, Cousins.

 

 56 And are not his sisters all with us? Whence then hath he all these things?

 

 57 And they were offended with him. Then Jesus said to them, (*) A Prophet is not without honor, (♣) save in his own country, and in his own house.

 

(*) Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4:44 .

(♣) Men commonly neglect them whom they have known of children; also they do envy them of the same country, and such is their ingratitude that they take light occasion to contemn the graces of God in others.

 

 58 And he did not many great works there, for their unbelief’s sake.

 

 

Steve

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