AND HE BEGAN AGAIN TO TEACH BY THE SEA SIDE,.... He went out of the
house where he was at Capernaum, the same day he had the above
discourse with the Scribes and Pharisees, and on which his mother and:
brethren came to speak with him; and from thence he went where he had
been before, and taught the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TAUGHT THEM MANY THINGS BY PARABLES,.... As he sat in the ship,
and they stood on shore;
AND SAID UNTO THEM IN HIS DOCTRINE; as he was teaching them, and
delivering unto them the doctrine he had received from his Father:
though the Jews say c, that
"the Israelites will have no need לתלמודו... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARKEN, BEHOLD, THERE WENT OUT A SOWER TO SOW. By whom is meant Jesus
Christ, who came forth from God as a teacher, and went out into the
land of Judea to preach the Gospel, which is sowing spiritual things
among men; and this may be also applicable to any faithful minister of
the word.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE SOWED,.... Whilst he was preaching the,
Gospel, casting about the precious seed of the word, he was laden
with:
SOME FELL BY THE WAY SIDE; the common beaten path: the word was
dispensed among some men comparable to it, on whom it lighted, but
made no impression; there it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOME FELL ON STONY GROUND,.... The word was preached to some
persons who had hearts of stone, and which remained so:
WHERE IT HAD NOT MUCH EARTH; and so could be received only in a
notional and superficial way, but could take no place, so as to
produce any good effect:
AND IMMEDIATELY IT SPRUN... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE SUN WAS UP, IT WAS SCORCHED,.... When persecution arose
because of the word, and that became very hot and vehement, it tried
and pierced through this thin speculative knowledge of the word, which
could not stand before it, and bear the heat of it:
AND BECAUSE IT HAD NO ROOT, IT WITHERE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOME FELL AMONG THORNS,.... The word was ministered to some who
were eat up with the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of
riches, and other lusts:
AND THE THORNS GREW UP, AND CHOKED IT; the word did not take place so
as to beat down, overcome, and root out these things, nor even to
weak... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OTHER FELL ON GOOD GROUND,.... The word was preached to some whose
hearts were disposed by the Spirit and grace of God to receive it; and
their understandings were enlightened by it; and they had a savoury
and comfortable experience of the truths of it, it coming with power
to them; it was a goo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... To the multitude of hearers that were on
the sea shore attending to the word preached, and among whom,
doubtless, there were all those sorts of hearers mentioned in this
parable:
HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR: observe, and take notice of
what has been said, as b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE WAS ALONE,.... After the multitude was dismissed, and he
either remained in the ship, or left it, and retired to some private
place, it may be to Simon's house in Capernaum. The Syriac, Persic,
and Ethiopic versions read, "when they were alone"; meaning as
follows,
THEY THAT WERE ABOUT... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... His disciples;
UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN TO KNOW THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD; or the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, the secrets of the Gospel
dispensation, the mysterious doctrines of grace;
Matthew 13:11,
BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT; "to strangers", as the Syr... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT SEEING THEY MAY SEE,.... Which the end and reason of his speaking
to them in parables. The passage referred to is in Isaiah 6:9.
Matthew 13:14.
Matthew 13:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAITH UNTO THEM, KNOW YE NOT THIS PARABLE?.... So easy to be
understood, taken from things common, and which fall under every one's
observation:
AND HOW THEN WILL YOU KNOW ALL PARABLES? if not this single one, and
which is so plain, how will ye be able to understand the numerous
parables her... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOWER SOWETH THE WORD. Though our Lord thought fit to give the
above gentle rebuke to his disciples for their dulness; yet he
condescends to favour them with an interpretation of the above
parable, which here begins: by this it appears, that the seed in the
parable, before delivered, and which f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THEY BY THE WAY SIDE, WHERE THE WORD IS SOWN,.... Such
hearers are represented by the way side, in which the seed fell; who,
coming where the Gospel is preached, stop awhile and hear it, and so
are only casual and accidental hearers of it:
BUT WHEN THEY HAVE HEARD; and indeed whilst t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THEY LIKEWISE WHICH ARE SOWN ON STONY GROUND,.... Such
sort of hearers of the word are signified by the stony ground, on
which the seed were sown, who are constant hearers of the word, and
have some understanding of it, and some sort of affection for it, and
yet their hearts are not tr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAVE NO ROOT IN THEMSELVES,.... The word has no root in their
hearts, only in their natural affections: nor is the root of grace in
them; there is no heart work, only speculative notions, and flashy
affections:
AND SO ENDURE BUT FOR A TIME: they continue hearers and professors of
the Gospel but... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THEY THAT ARE SOWN AMONG THORNS,.... Such hearers of the
word are designed by the thorny ground, upon which other seed fell, as
it was sown, who are of worldly dispositions; who are immoderately
careful and anxious about the things of this life, and are bent upon
acquiring earthly rich... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD,.... The perplexing and distressing cares
of it to get as much of it as they can, for themselves and families,
fill their minds, and possess their souls even when and while they are
hearing the word: and the deceitfulness of riches; or riches which are
deceitful, especial... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THEY WHICH ARE SOWN ON GOOD GROUND,.... Such hearers who
are intended by the good ground on which other seed fell, are those
who are made good men by the grace of God; for there is none good
naturally, nor that doeth good, no not one; these are
SUCH WHO HEAR THE WORD, AND RECEIVE IT;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... At the same time, after he had explained
the parable of the sower; for though the following parabolical and
proverbial expressions were delivered by Christ at other, and
different times, and some of them twice, as related by other
evangelists; yet they might be all of them... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE IS NOTHING HID,.... In these parables, and figurative
expressions used by Christ,
WHICH SHALL NOT BE MANIFESTED, sooner or later, to his disciples:
NEITHER WAS ANY THING KEPT SECRET; any doctrine of the Gospel, or
mystery of the kingdom:
BUT THAT IT SHOULD COME ABROAD; it was designed t... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY MAN HAVE EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. What is now delivered,
being very momentous and important; see Matthew 11:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... At the same time, though he had said what
follows at another time, still continuing his discourse with his
disciples:
TAKE HEED WHAT YOU HEAR: diligently attend to it, seek to understand
it, and lay it up in your minds and memories, that it may be of use to
you in time to... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE THAT HATH, TO HIM SHALL BE GIVEN,.... He that has Gospel light
and knowledge, and makes a proper use of it, he shall have more; his
path shall be as the path of the just, which shines more and more to
the perfect day; the means of grace and knowledge shall be blessed, to
him, he attending con... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID,.... He went on saying the following parable, which was
delivered at the same time that the parable of the sower was, though
omitted by Matthew; and is here placed between that, and the other
concerning the grain of mustard seed; which shows the time when it was
spoken. The design of it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHOULD SLEEP,.... That is, the man that casts in the seed, who
represents the ministers of the Gospel: and, as applied to them, is
not to be understood of natural sleep, and indulging themselves in
that; much less of spiritual sloth and indolence, as if they cared not
what became of the seed sow... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE EARTH BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT OF HERSELF,.... Without any further
help, or cultivation from the husbandman; though under the influence
of the sun, dews, and showers of rain from heaven: this is said, not
to denote that man of himself, upon hearing the word, can bring forth
the fruit of grace in... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE FRUIT IS BROUGHT FORTH,.... Unto perfection, and is fully
ripe; signifying that when grace is brought to maturity, and faith is
performed with power, and the good work begun is perfected; then, as
the husbandman,
IMMEDIATELY HE PUTTETH THE SICKLE; and cuts it down, and gathers it
in;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID,.... Still continuing his discourse on this subject, and
in order to convey to the minds of his disciples clearer ideas of the
Gospel dispensation, the success of the Gospel, and the usefulness of
their ministration of it, for their encouragement, how unpromising
soever things might then... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS LIKE A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED,.... That is, the kingdom of God
spoken of in the preceding verse, is like unto a grain of mustard
seed; by which is meant, either the Gospel, or the Gospel church
state, or the grace of God in the hearts of his people, and it may
include them all: the Gospel is so... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN IT IS SOWN, IT GROWETH UP,.... So the Gospel, when it was
preached, it spread notwithstanding all the opposition made against it
by, the Jews and Gentiles: there was no stopping it; though the Jewish
sanhedrim charged the apostles to speak no more in the name of Jesus,
they regarded them no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITH MANY SUCH PARABLES,.... As those of the tares, of the leaven
in three measures of meal, of the treasure hid in the field, the pearl
of great price, the net cast into the sea, and of the Scribe
instructed unto the kingdom of God; which though not related at length
here, are by the Evangelist... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WITHOUT A PARABLE SPAKE HE NOT UNTO THEM,.... For the above
reason, as well as for the accomplishment of Scripture;
Matthew 13:34,
Matthew 13:35.
AND WHEN THEY WERE ALONE, HE EXPOUNDED ALL THINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES:
after they returned with him from the sea side, to the house in
Capernaum, wher... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SAME DAY, WHEN THE EVEN WAS COME,.... After he had finished
his parables among the multitude, and had explained them to his
disciples:
HE SAITH UNTO THEM; his disciples,
LET US PASS OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE: that is, of the sea of Galilee,
or lake of Gennesaret, to the country of the Gadar... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD SENT AWAY THE MULTITUDE,.... Who had been attending
him all day on the sea shore; though they seem to have been dismissed
by Christ, when he went into the house, and privately interpreted the
parables to his disciples: see Matthew 13:36, wherefore it is
possible, that upon Christ's... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE AROSE A GREAT STORM OF WIND,.... Called Laelaps, a wind that
is suddenly whirled about upwards and downwards, and is said to be a
storm, or tempest of wind with rain; it was a sort of a hurricane:
AND THE WAVES BEAT INTO THE SHIP, SO THAT IT WAS FULL; of water, and
ready to sink. Beza say... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS IN THE HINDER PART OF THE SHIP,.... That is, Christ was in
the stern of the ship: the Persic version renders it, "he was in the
bottom of the ship, in a corner", but very wrongly; here he was
ASLEEP ON A PILLOW, which some say was a wooden one, framed at the
stern: however, he was fast a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE AROSE AND REBUKED THE WIND,.... He arose from off his pillow,
and stood up; and in a majestic and authoritative way reproved the
wind, as if it was a servant that had exceeded his commission; at
which he shows some resentment:
AND SAID UNTO THE SEA, PEACE, BE STILL; as if that which was very... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... His disciples,
WHY ARE YE SO FEARFUL? since he was with them in person, whose power
to keep and preserve them, they had no room to question, when they
reflected on the miracles they had so lately seen performed by him:
HOW IS IT THAT YE HAVE NO FAITH? That is, in exercis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY FEARED EXCEEDINGLY,.... That is, the men in the ship, the
mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it:
AND SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, as persons in the greatest amazement,
WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS, THAT EVEN THE WIND AND THE SEA OBEY HIM?
Surely this person must not b... [ Continue Reading ]