Matthew 13:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

NIV: Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

NASB: All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak anything to them without a parable.

CSB: Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable,

NLT: Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

KJV: All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

NKJV: All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

Matthew has been clear that Jesus' teaching is directed at two separate audiences: His closest followers and "the crowds" (Matthew 13:10–11). Here Matthew repeats that, at this phase of His ministry, Jesus only taught the crowds in parables, somewhat obscuring His specific meaning about the stories and illustrations. This seems to mark a change in strategy, at least from Jesus' clear instruction in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5—7). That contrast is not an accident, however.

Jesus previously answered a question from the disciples about why He was doing this. In short, their hearts are already dull (Matthew 13:12–16). Since the nation of Israel, as a whole, has refused to understand that He is the Messiah, they will not be given more clear revelation about the nature of the kingdom of heaven. Their own refusal to believe results in God's judgment, which takes the form of being made even more resistant.

Matthew 13:31–35 contains two short, closely-related parables about the kingdom of heaven. One refers to a tiny mustard seed which soon outgrows all the garden plants; it becomes like a tree. The other parable describes the leaven a woman puts in flour to make it grow. Both parables show that the kingdom of heaven will be tiny, at first—with just the disciples. Quickly, though, it will grow into something surprisingly large. Matthew quickly reminds his readers that Jesus taught only in parables at this time, fulfilling yet another prophecy.

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 5/6/2024 2:40:05 PM