ON THAT DAY (εν τη ημερα εκεινη). So this group of parables is placed by Matthew on the same day as the blasphemous accusation and the visit of the mother of Jesus. It is called "the Busy Day," not because it was the only one, but simply that so much is told of this day that it serves as a specim... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE MULTITUDE STOOD ON THE BEACH (κα πας ο οχλος επ τον αιγιαλον ιστηκε). Past perfect tense of ιστημ with imperfect sense, had taken a stand and so stood. Note accusative also with επ upon the beach where the waves break one after the other (αιγιαλος is from αλς, sea, and αγνυμ, to break... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY THINGS IN PARABLES (πολλα εν παραβολαις). It was not the first time that Jesus had used parables, but the first time that he had spoken so many and some of such length. He will use a great many in the future as in Luke 12 to 18 and Matt. 24 and 25. The parables already mentioned in Matthew in... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE SOWED (εν τω σπειρειν αυτον). Literally, "in the sowing as to him," a neat Greek idiom unlike our English temporal conjunction. Locative case with the articular present infinitive.BY THE WAYSIDE (παρα την οδον). People will make paths along the edge of a ploughed field or even across it w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ROCKY PLACES (τα πετρωδη). In that limestone country ledges of rock often jut out with thin layers of soil upon the layers of rock.STRAIGHTWAY THEY SPRANG UP (ευθεως εξανετειλεν). "Shot up at once" (Moffatt). Double compound (εξ, out of the ground, ανα, up). Ingressive aorist of εξανατελλω.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SUN WAS RISEN (ηλιου ανατειλαντος). Genitive absolute. "The sun having sprung up" also, same verb except the absence of εξ (ανατελλω, εξανατελλω).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THORNS GREW UP (ανεβησαν α ακανθα). Not "sprang up" as in verse Matthew 13:5, for a different verb occurs meaning "came up" out of the ground, the seeds of the thorns being already in the soil, "upon the thorns" (επ τας ακανθας) rather than "among the thorns." But the thorns got a quick start... [ Continue Reading ]
YIELDED FRUIT (εδιδου καρπον). Change to imperfect tense of διδωμ, to give, for it was continuous fruit-bearing.SOME A HUNDREDFOLD (ο μεν εκατον). Variety, but fruit. This is the only kind that is worth while. The hundredfold is not an exaggeration (cf. Genesis 26:12). Such instances are given... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH EARS LET HIM HEAR (ο εχων ωτα ακουετω), So also in Matthew 11:15 and Matthew 13:43. It is comforting to teachers and preachers to observe that even Jesus had to exhort people to listen and to understand his sayings, especially his parables. They will bear the closest thought and are... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY SPEAKEST THOU UNTO THEM IN PARABLES? (δια τ εν παραβολαις λαλεις αυτοις). Already the disciples are puzzled over the meaning of this parable and the reason for giving them to the people. So they "came up" closer to Jesus and asked him. Jesus was used to questions and surpassed all teachers in... [ Continue Reading ]
TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES (γνωνα τα μυστηρια). Second aorist active infinitive of γινωσκω. The word μυστηριον is from μυστης, one initiated, and that from μυεω (μυω), to close or shut (Latin, _mutus_). The mystery-religions of the east had all sorts of secrets and signs as secret societies do today. B... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE SEEING (οτ βλεποντες). In the parallel passages in Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10 we find ινα with the subjunctive. This does not necessarily mean that in Mark and Luke ινα=οτ with the causal sense, though a few rare instances of such usage may be found in late Greek. For a discussion of the prob... [ Continue Reading ]
IS FULFILLED (αναπληρουτα). Aoristic present passive indicative. Here Jesus points out the fulfilment and not with Matthew's usual formula (ινα or οπως πλωρηθη το ρηθεν (see Matthew 1:22). The verb αναπληροω occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, but occurs in the Pauline Epistles. It means to fill... [ Continue Reading ]
IS WAXED GROSS (επαχυνθη). Aorist passive tense. From παχυς, thick, fat, stout. Made callous or dull -- even fatty degeneration of the heart.DULL OF HEARING (τοις ωσιν βαρεως ηκουσαν). Another aorist. Literally, "They heard (or hear) heavily with their ears." The hard of hearing are usually sen... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES (υμων δε μακαριο ο οφθαλμο). A beatitude for the disciples in contrast with the Pharisees. Note position of "Happy" here also as in the Beatitudes in Matthew 13:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THEN YE THE PARABLE (υμεις ουν ακουσατε την παραβολην). Jesus has given in Matthew 13:13 one reason for his use of parables, the condemnation which the Pharisees have brought on themselves by their spiritual dulness: "Therefore I speak to them in parables" (δια τουτο εν παραβωλαις αντοις λαλ... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN ANYONE HEARETH (παντος ακουοντος). Genitive absolute and present participle, "while everyone is listening and not comprehending" (μη συνιεντος), "not putting together" or "not grasping." Perhaps at that very moment Jesus observed a puzzled look on some faces. COMETH THE EVIL ONE AND SNATCHET... [ Continue Reading ]
YET HATH HE NOT ROOT IN HIMSELF (ουκ εχε δε ριζαν εν εαυτω). Cf. Colossians 2:7 and Ephesians 3:18 ερριζωμεμο. Stability like a tree. Here the man has a mushroom growth and "endureth for a while" (προσκαιρος), temporary, quick to sprout, quick to stumble (σκανδαλιζετα). What a picture of some con... [ Continue Reading ]
CHOKE THE WORD (συνπνιγε τον λογον). We had απεπνιξαν (choked off) in Matthew 13:7. Here it is συνπνιγε (choke together), historical present and singular with both subjects lumped together. "Lust for money and care go together and between them spoil many an earnest religious nature" (Bruce), "tho... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY BEARETH FRUIT (δη καρποφορε). Who in reality (δη) does bear fruit (cf. Matthew 7:16-20). The fruit reveals the character of the tree and the value of the straw for wheat. Some grain must come else it is only chaff, straw, worthless. The first three classes have no fruit and so show that the... [ Continue Reading ]
SET HE BEFORE THEM (παρεθηκεν). So again in Matthew 13:31. He placed another parable beside (παρα) the one already given and explained. The same verb (παραθεινα) occurs in Luke 9:16.IS LIKENED (ωμοιωθη). Timeless aorist passive and a common way of introducing these parables of the kingdom where... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE MEN SLEPT (εν τω καθευδειν τους ανθρωπους). Same use of the articular present infinitive with εν and the accusative as in Matthew 13:4.SOWED TARES ALSO (επεσπειρεν τα ζιζανια). Literally "sowed upon," "resowed" (Moffatt). The enemy deliberately sowed "the darnel" (ζιζανια is not "tares,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN APPEARED ALSO (τοτε εφανη κα). The darnel became plain (εφανη, second aorist passive, effective aorist of φαινω to show) by harvest.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ROOT UP THE WHEAT WITH THEM (εκριζωσητε αμα αυτοις τον σιτον). Literally, "root out." Easy to do with the roots of wheat and darnel intermingled in the field. So συλλεγοντες is not "gather up," but "gather together," here and verses Matthew 13:28 and Matthew 13:30. Note other compound verbs he... [ Continue Reading ]
MY BARN (την αποθηκην μου). See already Matthew 3:12; Matthew 6:26. Granary, storehouse, place for putting things away.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS LIKE (ομοια εστιν). Adjective for comparison with associative instrumental as in Matthew 13:13; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:45; Matthew 13:47; Matthew 13:52.GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED (κοκκω σιναπεως). Single grain in contrast with the collective σπερμα (Matthew 17:20).TOOK AND SOWED (λαβων εσπει... [ Continue Reading ]
A TREE (δενδρον). "Not in nature, but in size" (Bruce). "An excusable exaggeration in popular discourse.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS LIKE UNTO LEAVEN (ομοια εστιν ζυμη). In its pervasive power. Curiously enough some people deny that Jesus here likens the expanding power of the Kingdom of heaven to leaven, because, they say, leaven is the symbol of corruption. But the language of Jesus is not to be explained away by such exeg... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL UTTER (ερευξομα). To cast forth like a river, to gurgle, to disgorge, the passion of a prophet. From Psalms 19:2; Psalms 78:2. The Psalmist claims to be able to utter "things hidden from the foundation of the world" and Matthew applies this language to the words of Jesus. Certain it is tha... [ Continue Reading ]
EXPLAIN UNTO US (διασαφησον ημιν). Also in Matthew 18:31. "Make thoroughly clear right now" (aorist tense of urgency). The disciples waited till Jesus left the crowds and got into the house to ask help on this parable. Jesus had opened up the Parable of the Sower and now they pick out this one, p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD (ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος). The article with both "field" and "world" in Greek means that subject and predicate are coextensive and so interchangeable. It is extremely important to understand that both the good seed and the darnel (tares) are sown in the world, not in the... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF HIS KINGDOM (εκ της βασιλειας αυτου). Out from the midst of the kingdom, because in every city the good and the bad are scattered and mixed together. Cf. εκ μεσου των δικαιων in Matthew 13:49 "from the midst of the righteous." What this means is that, just as the wheat and the darnel are m... [ Continue Reading ]
SHINE FORTH (εκλαμψουσιν). Shine out as the sun comes from behind a cloud (Vincent) and drive away the darkness after the separation has come (cf. Daniel 12:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HID (κα εκρυψεν). Not necessarily bad morality. "He may have hid it to prevent it being stolen, or to prevent himself from being anticipated in buying a field" (Plummer). But if it was a piece of sharp practice, that is not the point of the parable. That is, the enormous wealth of the Kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WENT AND SOLD (απελθων πεπρακεν). Rather eagerly and vividly told thus, "He has gone off and sold." The present perfect indicative, the dramatic perfect of vivid picture. Then he bought it. Present perfect, imperfect, aorist tenses together for lively action. Εμπορω is a merchant, one who goes... [ Continue Reading ]
A NET (σαγηνη). Drag-net. Latin, _sagena_, English, seine. The ends were stretched out and drawn together. Only example of the word in the N.T. Just as the field is the world, so the drag-net catches all the fish that are in the sea. The separation comes afterwards. Vincent pertinently quotes Hom... [ Continue Reading ]
VESSELS (αγγη). Here only in the N.T. In Matthew 25:4 we have αγγεια.... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE A DISCIPLE TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (μαθετευθεις τη βασιλεια των ουρανων). First aorist passive participle. The verb is transitive in Matthew 28:19. Here a scribe is made a learner to the kingdom. "The mere scribe, Rabbinical in spirit, produces only the old and stale. The disciple of the ki... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT THIS THE CARPENTER'S SON? (ουχ ουτος εστιν ο του τεκτωνος υιοσ?). The well-known, the leading, or even for a time the only carpenter in Nazareth till Jesus took the place of Joseph as the carpenter. What the people of Nazareth could not comprehend was how one with the origin and environmen... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WERE OFFENDED IN HIM (κα εσκανδαλιζοντο εν αυτω). Graphic imperfect passive. Literally, "They stumbled at him," "They were repelled by him" (Moffatt), "They turned against him" (Weymouth). It was unpardonable for Jesus not to be commonplace like themselves.NOT WITHOUT HONOUR (ουκ εστιν... [ Continue Reading ]
MIGHTY WORKS (δυναμεις). Powers. The "disbelief" (απιστιαν) of the townspeople blocked the will and the power of Jesus to work cures.... [ Continue Reading ]