Matthew 13:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

NIV: He replied, 'Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

NASB: And Jesus answered them, 'To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

CSB: He answered, "Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

NLT: He replied, 'You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.

KJV: He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

NKJV: He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

Jesus' disciples, including at least the Twelve (Matthew 10:1–4) and perhaps others, have come to Him about the parables He is teaching the crowds. It is likely this conversation takes place after Jesus has finished teaching the crowds while sitting in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 13:1–2). The disciples have asked Jesus why He is speaking to the people in parables.

When Jesus uses them, parables often take the form of small stories. These are meant to symbolize larger truths about the kingdom of heaven. Jesus' answer shows how differently He sees the motives of the large crowds that come to hear Him, as compared to His own disciples.

Jesus tells the disciples that it has been given to them to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. It has not been given to those in the crowds, the general population of Israel, at large. Jesus wants His disciples to know that a) He expects them to understand the parables and the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, b) their understanding of those things is a gift to them, not a result of their own effort or wisdom; and c) that others in Israel have not been given the same gift.

What are the secrets of the kingdom of heaven? Jesus' parables were intended to reveal how the kingdom of heaven worked and what it was like. The following verses will describe more specifically what these secrets are that are given to some and kept from others.

Matthew 13:10–17 comes in between Jesus' telling of the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–9) and His explanation of that story (Mathew 13:18–23). The disciples ask why Jesus so often uses parables when teaching crowds of people. According to Jesus, the disciples are privileged to know secrets that the prophets and righteous people longed to know. His use of unexplained parables, in part, is because Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah. This will fulfill Isaiah's prophecy about those with dull hearts who will hear without understanding. Otherwise, they would turn and be healed.

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.