Matthew:13

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Verse 1-23 - Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed , and be the better heard by the people . By this he teaches us in the outward circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately , but to make the best of the conveniences God in his providence allots to us . Christ taught in parables . Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught , and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant . The parable of the sower is plain . The seed sown is the word of God . The sower is our Lord Jesus Christ , by himself , or by his ministers . Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn ; we know not where it will light . Some sort of ground , though we take ever so much pains with it , brings forth no fruit to purpose , while the good soil brings forth plentifully . So it is with the hearts of men , whose different characters are here described by four sorts of ground . Careless , trifling hearers , are an easy prey to Satan ; who , as he is the great murderer of souls , so he is the great thief of sermons , and will be sure to rob us of the word , if we take not care to keep it . Hypocrites , like the stony ground , often get the start of true Christians in the shows of profession . Many are glad to hear a good sermon , who do not profit by it . They are told of free salvation , of the believer 's privileges , and the happiness of heaven ; and , without any change of heart , without any abiding conviction of their own depravity , their need of a Saviour , or the excellence of holiness , they soon profess an unwarranted assurance . But when some heavy trial threatens them , or some sinful advantage may be had , they give up or disguise their profession , or turn to some easier system . Worldly cares are fitly compared to thorns , for they came in with sin , and are a fruit of the curse ; they are good in their place to stop a gap , but a man must be well armed that has much to do with them ; they are entangling , vexing , scratching , and their end is to be burned , Hebrews strkjv @6:8 . Worldly cares are great hinderances to our profiting by the word of God . The deceitfulness of riches does the mischief ; they cannot be said to deceive us unless we put our trust in them , then they choke the good seed . What distinguished the good ground was fruitfulness . By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites . Christ does not say that this good ground has no stones in it , or no thorns ; but none that could hinder its fruitfulness . All are not alike ; we should aim at the highest , to bring forth most fruit . The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing God 's word ; and let us look to ourselves that we may know what sort of hearers we are . * Verse 24-30 - 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church ; Christ 's care of it , the devil 's enmity against it , the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world , and the separation between them in the other world . So prone is fallen man to sin , that if the enemy sow the tares , he may go his way , they will spring up , and do hurt ; whereas , when good seed is sown , it must be tended , watered , and fenced . The servants complained to their master ; Sir , didst thou not sow good seed in thy field ? No doubt he did ; whatever is amiss in the church , we are sure it is not from Christ . Though gross transgressors , and such as openly oppose the gospel , ought to be separated from the society of the faithful , yet no human skill can make an exact separation . Those who oppose must not be cut off , but instructed , and that with meekness . And though good and bad are together in this world , yet at the great day they shall be parted ; then the righteous and the wicked shall be plainly known ; here sometimes it is hard to distinguish between them . Let us , knowing the terrors of the Lord , not do iniquity . At death , believers shall shine forth to themselves ; at the great day they shall shine forth before all the world . They shall shine by reflection , with light borrowed from the Fountain of light . Their sanctification will be made perfect , and their justification published . May we be found of that happy number . * Verse 31-35 - The scope of the parable of the seed sown , is to show that the beginnings of the gospel would be small , but its latter end would greatly increase ; in this way the work of grace in the heart , the kingdom of God within us , would be carried on . In the soul where grace truly is , it will grow really ; though perhaps at first not to be discerned , it will at last come to great strength and usefulness . The preaching of the gospel works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it . The leaven works certainly , so does the word , yet gradually . It works silently , and without being seen , Mark strkjv @4:26-29 ,. yet strongly ; without noise , for so is the way of the Spirit , but without fail . Thus it was in the world . The apostles , by preaching the gospel , hid a handful of leaven in the great mass of mankind . It was made powerful by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts , who works , and none can hinder . Thus it is in the heart . When the gospel comes into the soul , it works a thorough change ; it spreads itself into all the powers and faculties of the soul , and alters the property even of the members of the body , Romans strkjv @6:13 . From these parables we are taught to expect a gradual progress ; therefore let us inquire , Are we growing in grace ? and in holy principles and habits ? * Verse 44-52 - Here are four parables . 1 . That of the treasure hid in the field . Many slight the gospel , because they look only upon the surface of the field . But all who search the Scriptures , so as in them to find Christ and eternal life , John strkjv @5:39 ,. will discover such treasure in this field as makes it unspeakably valuable ; they make it their own upon any terms . Though nothing can be given as a price for this salvation , yet much must be given up for the sake of it . 2 . All the children of men are busy ; one would be rich , another would be honourable , another would be learned ; but most are deceived , and take up with counterfeits for pearls . Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price ; in having him , we have enough to make us happy here and for ever . A man may buy gold too dear , but not this Pearl of great price . When the convinced sinner sees Christ as the gracious Saviour , all things else become worthless to his thoughts . 3 . The world is a vast sea , and men , in their natural state , are like the fishes . Preaching the gospel is casting a net into this sea , to catch something out of it , for His glory who has the sovereignty of this sea . Hypocrites and true Christians shall be parted : miserable is the condition of those that shall then be cast away . 4 . A skilful , faithful minister of the gospel , is a scribe , well versed in the things of the gospel , and able to teach them . Christ compares him to a good householder , who brings forth fruits of last year 's growth and this year 's gathering , abundance and variety , to entertain his friends . Old experiences and new observations , all have their use . Our place is at Christ 's feet , and we must daily learn old lessons over again , and new ones also . * Verse 53-58 - Christ repeats his offer to those who have repulsed them . They upbraid him , Is not this the carpenter 's son ? Yes , it is true he was reputed to be so ; and no disgrace to be the son of an honest tradesman ; they should have respected him the more because he was one of themselves , but therefore they despised him . He did not many mighty works there , because of their unbelief . Unbelief is the great hinderance to Christ 's favours . Let us keep faithful to him as the Saviour who has made our peace with God . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

---