Matthew 13:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

NIV: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.

NASB: On that day Jesus had gone out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

CSB: On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

NLT: Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.

KJV: The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

NKJV: On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

Matthew 13 begins with "that same day," continuing from the end of Matthew 12. Jesus had been inside a house crowded with people who had come to hear Him teach and, likely, to see His miracles. Now Jesus moves out of the house in order to sit and teach the people by the Sea of Galilee. Sitting down was the customary teaching position for a rabbi during this time.

Matthew 13 contains one of five long speeches—known as discourses—made by Jesus in Matthew's gospel. This one begins in a similar way to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where He found an elevated place to sit and be heard as He taught to a large crowd (Matthew 5:1). This discourse is slightly different from the others; it is presented not primarily to Jesus' disciples, but also to the crowds, in general. Jesus will make clear when He explains why He is teaching in parables (Matthew 13:10–17).

Matthew 13:1–9 turns the focus back to Jesus' spiritual teachings, with the parable of the sower. As Jesus sits in a boat just offshore, He tells the crowd about a seed-thrower whose seed fell on a path, on rocky soil, among thorns, and on good soil. Only the seed on the good soil is productive. Jesus later explains the meaning of the parable to His disciples (Matthew 13:18–23), but He does not fully explain it for the crowds.

Matthew 13 focuses mainly on a series of parables. Jesus first describes these to a large crowd along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Later, in a house, He explains to the disciples the meanings of the parables of the sower, the weeds, and the fish caught in the net. Jesus then travels to Nazareth, teaches in the synagogue, and is rejected by the people of His original hometown.

Matthew 13 follows Jesus from the overcrowded house at the end of the previous chapter to a crowded beach on the Sea of Galilee. He teaches a large crowd in a series of parables, which He doesn't fully explain. However, He reveals their meaning to His disciples inside a nearby house. Jesus pictures the kingdom of heaven as a sower, a sabotaged field of wheat, a mustard seed, and a pearl dealer, among other things. He then travels to His original hometown of Nazareth where He is rejected by the people He grew up with. This leads Matthew back to depictions of Jesus' miracles, after sadly recording John the Baptist's death.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/3/2024 6:23:06 AM