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Parables of Jesus
Matthew 13
Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • April , In the year of our Lord, 2018
- Matthew 13.1–2 | The Setting
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
- To what house did Matthew refer?
- Whether in a house or out in nature, the crowds found Jesus.
- Why did He get into a boat to speak?
- Matthew 13.3–9 | The Parable of the Sower
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
- Different soils have different results.
- Notice that it was the same kind of seed.
- We have all seen these happen.
- Do we have to hear what Jesus said?
- Yes, because He said that those who have ears need to hear.
- Why did He interject the declaration of verse 9?
- What happens if we do not receive the seed?
- The spiritual quality of our lives and the eternal quality of our souls depends upon hearing the word.
- Matthew 13.10–17 | Why Jesus Spoke in Parables
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 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. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
- Why did Jesus speak in parables?
- Most people declare that He did so in order that the common man might understand.
- However, is that the explanation that He gave?
- His parables were of everyday life, but
- they hid spiritual truth.
- From whom did His parables hide the mysteries of the kingdom?
- What other group could have knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom?
- Did the parables make those who already had to have an abundance?
- What did the parables do for those who did not have?
- In the Spirit, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
- Verse 13 shows that the parables were spoken for those who have eyes, but do not see, and for those who have ears, but do not understand.
- If the Lord wants everyone to hear and to know the truth, how do you explain what Jesus taught in verse 13?
- Does the condition of our hearts matter to Him?
- From whom did Jesus quote?
- In the words of Isaiah, with whom did Isaiah speak in Isaiah 6?
- If Jesus quoted that text in support of His parabolic teaching, who then is He?
- What blessing rested upon the disciples?
- Since they could see and hear spiritual truth, they had a blessing.
- They experienced something that previous prophets and righteous men did not get to see or to hear!
- Why did Jesus speak in parables?
- Matthew 13.18–23 | The Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
- Without this interpretation, would you have known what the parable meant?
- How would you summarize His interpretation?
- Matthew 13.24–30 | The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
- This helps to answer why God allows evil to exist.
- According to this parable why does God allow evil people to exist?
- When did the evil begin?
- When shall the Lord eliminate evil?
- What shall happen to the evil?
- This helps to answer why God allows evil to exist.
- Matthew 13.31–31 | The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
- In what way did Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed?
- It begins small but becomes something great.
- VII.Matthew 13.33 | The Parable of Leaven
33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
- In what way did Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven to leaven?
- Same thing, it begins small, even in obscurity, but it spreads.
- “I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
- Why did Jesus speak in parables?
- Parables both conceal and reveal truth.
- Matthew 13.36–43 | The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Interpreted
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
- The sowing of the wheat and the tares happens now.
- They grow up together, just as we see them now.
- When will the Son of Man cast the tares into the furnace of fire?
- What shall the tares experience there?
- What shall the wheat experience?
- Matthew 13.44 | The Parable of Hidden Treasure
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
- What does this illustrate about the kingdom of heaven?
- Matthew 13.45–46 | The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
- What does this teach?
- Is the kingdom of heaven worth all that we own?
- XII.Matthew 13.47–50 | The Parable of the Dragnet
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
- What does this illustrate?
- How many different kinds of people does the kingdom of heaven while on earth, include?
- Who will do the separating?
- XIII.Matthew 13.51–52 | Scribes Instructed in the Kingdom
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
- Do you understand what these parables have taught?
- In what way is a scribe like a householder?
- What new and old things does he bring out?
- This would be things that the scribe already knew and
- the things that he learns while a disciple of Christ.
- XIV.Matthew 13.53–53 | The Wisdom and Works of Jesus
53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. 54 When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
- What would you think of a man whom you had known since he was a child, if he taught the great things that Jesus did?
- Consider that He was in His early 30s!
- Consider further that He had never gone away for schooling.
- Consider that He had never before been known for His teaching and wisdom.
- Why did they bring up His family?
- What did Jesus mean about the honor that a prophet receives and does not receive?
- How sad that He did not do many mighty works in His own country because of their unbelief.
- What would you think of a man whom you had known since he was a child, if he taught the great things that Jesus did?