Matthew Chapter 13 Second Continued
Verses
These two parables have identical meanings.
Both picture salvation as something hidden from most people, but so valuable that people who have it revealed to them are willing to give up all they have to possess it.
Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."
This Scripture above is telling us that we must be willing to give up the things of the world.
Nothing is more valuable than the things of God.
Whatever price we have to pay is not too much to follow Jesus.
Verses
The “merchant man” is Christ, who comes to purchase, through His atonement, sinners who shall become “goodly pearls.”
The “one pearl of great price” is the church for whom Jesus Christ gave His life, that is, “all that he had.”
While we receive Christ as Savior, we also progressively continue surrendering areas of ourselves to Him as we come to know better His will for our lives.
Matthew
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 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.
Here again, this Scripture is saying that the greatest value in the world is Jesus. The pearl of great price here, is the most valuable item.
It just means salvation through Jesus Christ.
Christians must be willing to give all they have for the kingdom.
Verses
The dragnet was pulled between two boats or taken out into the water by a single boat and drawn to shore by ropes.
In such a process all kinds of fish and other objects would be caught together.
The “good” were put into “vessels,” while the “bad” were cast away to be burned “and that of fire” (in hell).
The imagery is similar to the parable of the tares (in verses
Matthew 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:"
“Net”:
Some fishing was done with a large weighted net dragged along the bottom of the lake.
When pulled in, it contained an assortment that had to be separated.
In a similar way the visible kingdom, the sphere of those who claim to be believers is full of both good and bad and will be sorted in the judgment.
Matthew 13:48 "Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away."
This is very interesting.
Salvation is offered to everyone.
The "sea" here, means masses of people.
You see, Jesus has thrown the net for everyone.
He died for all, but not everyone receives salvation.
At a special time, everyone will die to this world and stand before Jesus.
The Christians will be the keepers in this fish net.
Those cast away (those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus), will be condemned to hell.
Matthew 13:49 "So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,"
“Angels”:
They serve God in judgment (verse 41; 2 Thess.
Matthew 13:50 "And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
This is just a more detailed description of the separation of the followers of Jesus and the followers of Satan.
Those who reject Jesus as Savior will burn forever in hell.
Matthew 13:51 "Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord."
The "them" here, means the disciples.
After Jesus explained to them how to interpret these parables, it was easy for them to see.
Matthew 13:52 "Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old."
“Bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old”:
The disciples were not to spurn the old for the sake of the new.
Rather the new insights they gleaned from Jesus’ parables were to be understood in light of the old truth, and vice versa.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the kingdom of heaven receives special treatment.
The terms kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God are often used interchangeably to refer to the whole body of believers.
The seven parables in Matthew 13 prophetically describe the course of this age.
1. First, there will come a period of sowing the gospel throughout the world (verses
2.Second, there will occur a
3.Third, there will be an outward growth of Christendom, but not necessarily of the true church. It will grow from insignificant beginnings to exert worldwide influence (verses
4.The fourth parable of leaven (principle of corruption), contrasts true doctrine with the false doctrine sown by a corrupt church to an unconverted world (verses
5.The fifth parable, pictures Christ seeking the lost in all the world (verse 44), to gather a special people to Himself.
6.The sixth parable, of the lost pearl represents Christ finding the church (verses
7.The last parable, tells how God will end the age in judgment (verses
Some believe that the seven parables, like the seven churches (Rev. Chapters
Even though the parables show growth of the church, each Christian should plant the seed of the gospel in the hearts of others.
I believe this probably has to do with old and new information, which is knowledge we have learned through the Spirit of God.
Some things we know and have known for quite a while.
Some things we learn new every day.
We must write these things, so others may share in them.
Verses
Jesus then gave His disciples a firsthand opportunity to witness the truth of these parables in action by teaching at the “synagogue” in His hometown (Nazareth, not Capernaum).
The people were “astonished,” that is, greatly amazed or astounded.
“Carpenter’s son”, refers to the family trade of Joseph, Jesus’ legal guardian and earthly “father,” being the husband of Mary.
The word carpenter (Greek tekton), may refer to either a carpenter or a stonemason.
The indication is that Jesus had learned His family’s trade.
There is no valid reason for understanding “brethren” and “sisters” in any sense but just the normal one.
They are Jesus’
Two of them, James and Judas (Jude), wrote New Testament epistles and played a prominent role in the early church.
Matthew 13:53 "And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence."
These parables and their meaning were for the disciples' instruction.
Matthew 13:54 "And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this [man] this wisdom, and [these] mighty works?"
“Into his own country”:
I.e., Nazareth.
Notice, this said in "their" synagogue.
They recognized Jesus as a great teacher and even recognized Him for His great miracles, but they really had no idea who He was.
They called Him a man.
They really thought anyone not taught in their schools could not possibly know anything that was worthwhile.
Matthew 13:55 "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"
“His brethren”:
The fact that Joseph does not actually appear in any of these accounts suggest that he was no longer living.
Matthew 13:56 "And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things?"
We will hear the Lord Jesus say later that a prophet is not without honor, but only in his own home town.
They knew Jesus in the flesh, not in the Spirit.
They could not believe that He was anyone special, because they knew His earthly family.
Had they known the Scriptures as well as they thought they did, they would have recognized Him as God's only begotten Son.
Matthew 13:57 "And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house."
“A prophet … without honor … in his own country”:
This is an ancient proverb paralleling the modern saying “Familiarity breeds contempt.”
They knew Jesus too well as a boy and a young man from their own town, and they concluded that He was nothing special (verse 58 gives the sad result; Mark 6:4).
Isn't this the way even with people who are called to the ministry today?
Friends and family have a very hard time believing that you have been called of God. We will see the results of unbelief in the next verse.
It is really difficult to minister to people who do not believe that you are called of God.
Matthew 13:58 "And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
Mark 6:5 “And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.”
This is not to suggest that His power was somehow diminished by their unbelief.
It may suggest that because of their unbelief people were not coming to Him for healing or miracles the way they did in Capernaum and Jerusalem.
He had the power to do more miracles, but not the will, because they rejected Him. Miracles belonged among those who were ready to believe.
“So many times when Jesus healed someone, He would say, your faith has made you whole. Faith has everything to do with healing, and even with salvation.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Matthew Chapter 13 Second Continued Questions
1.What is compared to a treasure in a field?
2.What drastic step did he do to buy the field?
3.What does this parable tell us?
4.What did the man do that found the pearl of great price?
5.What does this pearl mean?
6.What is the sea symbolic of?
7.What symbolizes the Christian in this?
8.What will the angels do to the evil, severed from the good?
9.When Jesus asked if the disciples understood, what did they answer?
10.Who was the scribe likened to?
11.What were the parables for?
12.When He went to His own land, where did He teach?
13.What attitude did they have?
14.What recognition did they give Jesus?
15.What did they really think about Jesus?
16. They thought because Jesus was not taught in their schools, He ______ ____ _______
_____________ ______________.
17.Whose son did they think He was?
18.Name four brothers of Jesus?
19.What was wrong with their knowledge of Jesus?
20.What statement did Jesus make about a prophet?
21.Who are the people who are hardest to convince that you are called to the ministry?
22.Why did Jesus not do many mighty works there?
23.When Jesus healed, what did they say?