The Mission – Matthew 13

As I meditated on this chapter, I thought about the times that I professed the Name of Jesus Christ before people. Such a miracle that His Spirit moved me an unworthy person to do so! But then, the Lord revealed to me a greater miracle... He, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe knows and speaks my name. Such grace! I need Him, but He does not need me. God is in this relationship with me because He loves me.

And God loves you too.

The Lord has preserved His Word, the Bible, and He makes it come alive for us by His Spirit because He wants us to enjoy paradise with Him forevermore.

“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 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. Then, He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” Matthew 13:1-9

“The same day” refers to the events of Matthew 12:46-50. Jesus had taught a crowd of people packed into a house. There had been standing room only. In Matthew 13:1, Jesus was outside the house sitting by the sea. So many people surrounded Him that He got on a boat. The crowd remained on the shoreline. They wanted good Bible teaching. They were willing to stand in a packed house and on a shoreline to listen and learn from Jesus Messiah.

With water and land in sight, Jesus spoke to them of sowing seeds to reap a harvest. He spoke of three types of soil that failed to yield a crop, and of one type of soil that did yield a crop.

Seeds sown outside the path became bird food, Seeds sown on stoney soil produced plants but the plants died before they could produce wheat. Seeds sown on thorny soil produced plants, but the thorny plants strangled them before they could produce wheat. Seeds sown on good soil yielded a good crop. So, the seed, that is God’s Word, produces good results in good soil.

“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ 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. 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. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 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; 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. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 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.’” Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples were disappointed that Jesus spoke to the large crowd in parables. They questioned Jesus about His teaching method.

Jesus used parables so that the hearts of rejectors would not be further hardened. “The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. The same message that humbles one heart can harden another.” [1] Jesus was sparing the hard hearted people from what they did not want, namely ears that could hear God’s Word, and hearts that could be convicted by it.

Chazaq (חָזַק): the Hebrew word for “harden” shares the same root letters as “strengthen.” For example, in Exodus 10:20, we read, “But the Lord hardened, va’yehazek (וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק), Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out. Then, in Exodus 13:16, we read, “And so it shall be as a sign upon your hand and as a symbol on your forehead that with a mighty hand, hozek yad (חֹזֶק יָד) the Lord freed us from Egypt.” There is an interplay between heart and hand. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and uses a mighty hand to free the Israelites.

In Exodus 12:29-31, Pharaoh’s heart softens after the Lord smites the firstborn of Egypt. There is a linguistic connection between hardening and releasing, and between heart and hand. The Pharaoh’s clenched heart causes him to rule with an “iron fist.” God’s outstretched hand softens him to set people free. “Pharaoh only agrees to let the Israelites go free after his heart is broken.” [2]

Jesus gave His disciples hearts to leave all and follow Him. Knowing, loving and professing Messiah helped them to understand the Scriptures and produce the crop that He desired.

“Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: 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. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy; 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. 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. 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.” Matthew 13:18-23

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The devil wants to snatch away God’s Word from our hearts. He aims to sabotage our confidence in what God has said. It is vital to our well-being to recognize that the removal of God’s Word from our life is an assassination attempt on our soul by the devil. We should not let anything or anyone pry God’s Word from us. We do well when we meditate on God’s Word day and night.

Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

Bible meditation helps to conform our thought patterns to God’s narrative about creation, existence and eternity.

The Holy Spirit makes the Word of God understandable. Therefore, we should ask our Heavenly Father to place our sin under the atoning blood of Jesus, and to help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to read and apply the Word of God correctly to our lives and to the lives of others.

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 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? 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? But he said, no, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 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.’ Matthew 13:24-30

In Revelation 14:14-20, Jesus reveals to us two harvests. During the first harvest, the Son of Man, reaps that which is ripe. During the second harvest, an angel harvests ripe grapes and throws them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Blood comes out from the winepress as deep as horse bridles, and for a great distance. The first harvest represents the rapture of those who will be forever with the Lord. That harvest is also revealed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-20. The second harvest represents the judgment of those who rejected Messiah. For them, in Revelation 19:15-16, the King of kings and Lord of lords “treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

“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, 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.’ 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.’” Matthew 13:31-33

At first I had a positive perspective of these parables. A tiny seed producing a large plant is a good result, right? A little yeast leavening all your flour is a blessing, right? But then, I read what others who love God and His Word had to say about it in the Enduring Word Commentary.

In the parable prior to these two, the enemy sows tares among the wheat. This does not help the harvesters, right? In the parable of the sower of the seed, the birds ate the seeds planted along the roadside. In Matthew 16:6, Jesus warned His disciples, saying, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” The leaven was rejection of Messiah.

Enduring Word Commentary says that the parables of mustard seed and leaven should be regarded as another description of corruption in the kingdom community.

Adam Clarke wrote, “Both these parables are prophetic, and were intended to show, principally, how, from very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ should pervade all the nations of the world and fill them with righteousness and true holiness.” [3]

“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.” “A beautiful picture of the church growing so large that it provides refuge for all of the world. But this mustard seed plant grew unnaturally large, and it harbored birds, which, in the previous parables were emissaries of Satan.” [4]

“The mustard plant customarily never grows beyond what one would call a bush, and at its normal size would be an unlikely place for bird nests. The tree-like growth from this mustard seed describes something unnatural. The language suggests that Jesus was thinking of the Old Testament use of the tree as an image for a great empire (see especially Ezekiel 17:23; 31:3-9; Daniel 4:10-12).” [5]

“This parable accurately describes what the kingdom community became in the decades and centuries after the Christianization of the Roman Empire. In those centuries, the church grew abnormally large in influence and dominion and was a nest for much corruption.” [6]

In the parable of the leaven, many, if not most, regard this as the kingdom of God working its way through the whole world. But three measures of meal is about 40 liters. 40 liters of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 46.65 pounds. This would make enough bread for 100 people. The idea of hiding leaven in the flour would have offended a Jew. Jesus was warning that His kingdom community would be threatened by corruption and impurity.

Jesus did not speak to bring every kind of listener into His flock. He aimed to make disciples.

“All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables. I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.’” Matthew 13:34-35

Jesus Messiah fulfilled the prophecy spoken of Him in Psalm 78:2 which is quoted above. His use of parables was another sign to the people of Israel that He was their Messiah.

“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.’ He answered and said to them: ‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 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, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 13:36-43

The Son of Man sows good seed. In Daniel 7:9, the Messiah is referred to as the “Son of Man.” The good seeds in this parable are God’s people. The tares are the devil’s people who pose as Christians. At the end of the age, Jesus commands His angels to separate lawless ones from His righteous people. The righteous shine in the kingdom of their Father, while the wicked tares are cast into a furnace full of fire where they wail and gnash their teeth.

“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. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went, and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Those who treasure God’s kingdom are treasured by God.

The new heaven and new earth will be full of love, peace, and joy. There will be no more death, no more tears, no more weeds, and no more sweat. It will be paradise. Being with our Creator and Redeemer will be the greatest treasure of all.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50

Angels shall indeed remove the wicked from the just at the end of the age. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Psalm 34:15-16 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.”

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you understood all these things?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ 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.’” Matthew 13:51-52

Have you understood all these things? They did. Jesus urged them to be as scribes in terms of knowing God’s Word well. But they also needed to understand God’s Word in terms of the newness that He, Messiah, brought to it. Revelation 19:10 says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.

Jesus taught God’s Word to help people apply it correctly.

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. 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? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things? 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. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.’” Matthew 13:53-58

1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The people who knew Jesus from His boyhood days and knew His family members, were offended that He did not conform to their social norms. Many mighty works of Messiah were happening in cities and villages all around them, but seldom in His hometown. They preferred a natural “Jesus” to a “supernatural” one. They were okay with proximity but not prophecy.

In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us to receive His Word, and to protect it from being twisted or corrupted. We are to live by it even when those who are closest to us do not.

“To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission. The spring from which our service overflows. Across the street all around the world. the mission's still the same: proclaim and live the truth in Jesus’ Name.” [7]



[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Hebrewcollege.edu article by Cantor Dara S. Rosenblatt
[3] Enduring Word Commentary
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Lyrics from “The Mission” a song composed by Steve Green