Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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THE MESSAGE
Matthew 13:8
A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.
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Christian Standard Bible®
Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.
Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.
King James Version (1611)
But other fell into good ground, and brought foorth fruit, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirty folde.
But other fell into good ground, and brought foorth fruit, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirty folde.
King James Version
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
English Standard Version
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
New American Standard Bible
"But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.
"But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.
New Century Version
Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and produced a crop. Some plants made a hundred times more, some made sixty times more, and some made thirty times more.
Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and produced a crop. Some plants made a hundred times more, some made sixty times more, and some made thirty times more.
Amplified Bible
"Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.
"Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Some againe fel in good ground, & brought forth fruite, one corne an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and another thirtie folde.
Some againe fel in good ground, & brought forth fruite, one corne an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and another thirtie folde.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
"And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
Legacy Standard Bible
And others fell on the good soil and were yielding a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
And others fell on the good soil and were yielding a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
Berean Standard Bible
Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop-a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop-a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
Contemporary English Version
But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as was scattered.
But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as was scattered.
Complete Jewish Bible
But others fell into rich soil and produced grain, a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as had been sown.
But others fell into rich soil and produced grain, a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as had been sown.
Darby Translation
and others fell upon the good ground, and produced fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty.
and others fell upon the good ground, and produced fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty.
Easy-to-Read Version
But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it grew and made grain. Some plants made 100 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 30 times more.
But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it grew and made grain. Some plants made 100 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 30 times more.
George Lamsa Translation
And other fell in good soil, and bore fruit, some one hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.
And other fell in good soil, and bore fruit, some one hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.
Good News Translation
But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty."
But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty."
Lexham English Bible
But other seed fell on the good soil and produced grain, this one a hundred times as much and this one sixty and this one thirty.
But other seed fell on the good soil and produced grain, this one a hundred times as much and this one sixty and this one thirty.
Literal Translation
And other fell on the good ground and yielded fruit; indeed, one a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.
And other fell on the good ground and yielded fruit; indeed, one a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.
American Standard Version
and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Bible in Basic English
And some, falling on good earth, gave fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.
And some, falling on good earth, gave fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.
Hebrew Names Version
and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty.
and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty.
International Standard Version
But other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.what was sown">[fn]Genesis 26:12;">[xr]
But other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.what was sown">[fn]Genesis 26:12;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And another fell into good earth, and gave fruits, this a hundred, another sixty, and another thirty.
And another fell into good earth, and gave fruits, this a hundred, another sixty, and another thirty.
Murdock Translation
And other [fn] fell on good ground; and bore fruits, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
And other [fn] fell on good ground; and bore fruits, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But some fell into good grounde, and brought foorth fruite, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.
But some fell into good grounde, and brought foorth fruite, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.
English Revised Version
and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
World English Bible
and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty.
and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And others fell on good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.
And others fell on good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.
Weymouth's New Testament
But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.
But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But othere seedis felden in to good lond, and yauen fruyt; summe an hundrid foold, an othir sixti foold, an othir thritti foold.
But othere seedis felden in to good lond, and yauen fruyt; summe an hundrid foold, an othir sixti foold, an othir thritti foold.
Update Bible Version
and others fell on the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
and others fell on the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Webster's Bible Translation
But others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold.
But others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold.
New English Translation
But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
New King James Version
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
New Living Translation
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
New Life Bible
Some seeds fell on good ground and gave much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain.
Some seeds fell on good ground and gave much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain.
New Revised Standard
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, some, fell upon the good ground, and did yield fruit, - this, indeed a hundred fold, and, that, sixty, and, the other, thirty.
But, some, fell upon the good ground, and did yield fruit, - this, indeed a hundred fold, and, that, sixty, and, the other, thirty.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, and some thirty fold.
And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, and some thirty fold.
Revised Standard Version
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Parte fell in good groud and brought forth good frute: some an hudred fold some sixtie fold some thyrty folde.
Parte fell in good groud and brought forth good frute: some an hudred fold some sixtie fold some thyrty folde.
Young's Literal Translation
and others fell upon the good ground, and were giving fruit, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.
and others fell upon the good ground, and were giving fruit, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Some fell vpo good groude, & gaue frute: some an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.
Some fell vpo good groude, & gaue frute: some an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but another part falling upon good soil, became fruitful, some grains yielding an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty.
but another part falling upon good soil, became fruitful, some grains yielding an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But some of that alfalfa seed fell on good, fertile soil. This seed produced about ten tons per acre.
But some of that alfalfa seed fell on good, fertile soil. This seed produced about ten tons per acre.
Contextual Overview
1At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. 4 "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." 5 Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference. 6A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference. 7A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference. 8A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. 9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" 10 The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" 11He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. 16"But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
good: Matthew 13:23, Luke 8:15, Romans 7:18
some an: Genesis 26:12, John 15:8, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Philippians 1:11
Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 23:19 - he attained 1 Chronicles 11:21 - howbeit Psalms 85:12 - our land Isaiah 61:11 - as the earth Matthew 19:29 - an Mark 4:8 - fell Luke 8:8 - other
Cross-References
Genesis 13:3
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God .
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God .
Genesis 13:14
After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."
After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."
Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Genesis 45:24
Then he sent his brothers off. As they left he told them, "Take it easy on the journey; try to get along with each other."
Then he sent his brothers off. As they left he told them, "Take it easy on the journey; try to get along with each other."
Exodus 2:13
The next day he went out there again. Two Hebrew men were fighting. He spoke to the man who started it: "Why are you hitting your neighbor?"
The next day he went out there again. Two Hebrew men were fighting. He spoke to the man who started it: "Why are you hitting your neighbor?"
Psalms 133:1
A Pilgrim Song of David How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron's beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.
A Pilgrim Song of David How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron's beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.
Proverbs 15:1
A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.
A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.
Proverbs 15:18
Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.
Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.
Proverbs 20:3
It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.
It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.
Matthew 5:9
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But others fell into good ground,.... Not beaten and trodden by the feet of men, nor stony, nor thorny, but well broke up, manured, and tilled; which designs good, honest hearted hearers who become so by the Spirit and grace of God; who with a spiritual understanding, experience, savour, and relish, what they hear; see
Matthew 13:23
and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold: some seeds produced an hundred, others sixty, and others thirty. The first of these especially was a large increase, but what was sometimes had, and which Isaac received in Gerar, in the land of the Philistines, Genesis 26:12 and is what Pliny says g of Byzacium, a country of the Lybiphoenicians, that it yielded an hundred fold to its husbandmen; and of such fruitfulness was the land of Israel, of which the Jewish doctors say some things incredible: they tell us a story h of
"one that sowed a measure of vetches, or pease, מאות סאין
ועשה שלש, "and it produced three hundred measures"; they say unto him, the Lord hath begun to bless thee, c.''
Here, in the parable, these various increases intend the different degrees of fruitfulness in gracious souls for though the fruits of grace, in believers, are of the same quality, yet not of the same quantity. Some believers are grown to a greater maturity than others; some are but little children, some are young men, some are fathers.
g Nat. Hist. 1. 5. c. 4. h T. Hieros. Peah, fol. 20. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
In parables - The word “parable” is derived from a Greek word signifying “to compare together,” and denotes a similitude taken from a natural object to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate. In early ages it was much used. Pagan writers, as Aesop, often employed it. In the time of Christ it was in common use. The prophets had used it, and Christ employed it often in teaching his disciples. It is not necessary to suppose that the narratives were strictly true. The main thing - “the inculcation of spiritual truth” - was gained equally, whether it was true or was only a supposed case. Nor was there any dishonesty in this. It was well understood no person was deceived. The speaker was not “understood” to affirm the thing “literally narrated,” but only to fix the attention more firmly on the moral truth that he presented. The “design” of speaking in parables was the following:
- To convey truth in a more interesting manner to the mind, adding to the truth conveyed the beauty of a lovely image or narrative.
- To teach spiritual truth so as to arrest the attention of ignorant people, making an appeal to them through the “senses.”
- To convey some offensive truth, some pointed personal rebuke. in such a way as to bring it “home” to the conscience. Of this kind was the parable which Nathan delivered to David 2 Samuel 12:1-7, and many of our Saviour’s parables addressed to the Jews.
- To “conceal” from one part of his audience truths which he intended others should understand. Thus Christ often, by this means, delivered truths to his disciples in the presence of the Jews, which he well knew the Jews would not understand; truths pertaining to them particularly, and which he was under no obligations to explain to the Jews. See Mark 4:33; Matthew 13:13-16.
Our Saviour’s parables are distinguished above all others for clearness, purity, chasteness, importance of instruction, and simplicity. They are taken mostly from the affairs of common life, and intelligible, therefore, to all people. They contain much of “himself” - his doctrine, life, design in coming, and claims, and are therefore of importance to all people; and they are told in a style of simplicity intelligible to the child, yet instructive to people of every rank and age. In his parables, as in all his instructions, he excelled all people in the purity, importance, and sublimity of his doctrine.
Matthew 13:3
A sower went forth to sow - The image here is taken from an employment known to all people, and therefore intelligible to all.
Nor can there be a more striking illustration of preaching the gospel than placing the seed in the ground, to spring up hereafter and bear fruit.
Sower - One who sows or scatters seed - a farmer. It is not improbable that one was near the Saviour when he spoke this parable.
Matthew 13:4
Some seeds fell by the way-side - That is, the hard “path” or headland, which the plow had not touched, and where there was no opportunity for it to sink into the earth.
Matthew 13:5
Stony places - Where there was little earth, but where it was hard and rocky, so that the roots could not strike down into the earth for sufficient moisture to support the plant.
When the sun became hot they of course withered away. They sprang up the sooner because there was little earth to cover them.
Forthwith - Immediately. Not that they sprouted and grew any quicker or faster than the others, but they were not so long in reaching the surface. Having little root, they soon withered away.
Matthew 13:7
Among thorns - That is, in a part of the field where the thorns and shrubs had been imperfectly cleared away and not destroyed.
They grew with the grain, crowded it, shaded it, exhausted the earth, and thus choked it.
Matthew 13:8
Into good ground - The fertile and rich soil.
In sowing, by far the largest proportion of seed will fall into the good soil; but Christ did not intend to teach that these proportions would be exactly the same among those who heard the gospel. Parables are designed to teach some “general” truth, and the circumstances should not be pressed too much in explaining them.
An hundred-fold ... - That is, a hundred, sixty, or thirty “grains” for each one that was sowed an increase by no means uncommon. Some grains of wheat will produce twelve or fifteen hundred grains. The usual proportion on a field sown, however, is not more than twenty, fifty, or sixty bushels for one.
Matthew 13:9
Who hath ears ... - This is a proverbial expression, implying that it was every man’s duty to pay attention to what was spoken, Matthew 11:15.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 13:8. Good ground — Where the earth was deep, the field well ploughed, and the brambles and weeds all removed. See more on Matthew 13:18, c., and see on Luke 8:15.
Some a hundred-fold. — For the elucidation of this text, I beg leave to introduce the following experiment. In 1816 I sowed, for a third crop, a field with oats, at Millbrook, in Lancashire the grains weighed, on an average, 3/4 of a grain each. One grain produced three stalks with three ears: the largest had 68 grains in it, the second 26, and the third 25.
Whole number of grains 119, which together
weighed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 grs
The root separately, after washing and
drying, weighed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1/2
The stalks and remaining leaves (for many
had perished in the wet season) . . . . . 630 1/2
-------
Weight of the whole produce of one grain
of oats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726 grs. which was 725 times and one quarter more than the original weight.
The power of grain to multiply itself, even in the same year, is a subject as much of curiosity and astonishment as of importance and general utility. For the farther elucidation of this text, I shall give the following example from a practice in agriculture, or rural economy, which is termed filtering.
On the 2nd of June, 1766, Mr. C. Miller, of Cambridge, sowed some grains of the common, red wheat; and on the 8th of August a single plant was taken up, and separated into 18 parts, and each planted separately: these plants having pushed out several side shoots, about the middle of September some of them were taken up and divided; and the rest between that time and October. This second division produced 67 plants. These plants remained through the winter, and another division of them, made between the middle of March and the 12th of April, produced 500 plants. They were divided no farther, but permitted to remain in the field. These plants were in general stronger than any of the wheat in the field. Some of them produced upwards of 100 ears from a single root and many of the ears measured seven inches in length, and contained between sixty and seventy grains. The whole number of ears produced from the single plant was 21,109, which yielded three pecks and three-quarters of clear corn, weighing 47lbs. 7oz., and, from a calculation made by counting the grains in an ounce, the whole number of grains was about 576,840. Mr. Miller thinks that, had he made a second division in the spring, the number of plants would have amounted to 2000. Who can help admiring the wisdom and providence of God in this single grain of corn! He has, in some sort, impressed on it an idea of his own infinity; and an idea which, like the subject to which it refers, confounds our imagination and reason. How infinitely great is God, even in his minor works.
