Sunday parable.... Matthew 13, Mark 4

We actually read this in Mark 4, but I use Matthew for comment.

Mat 13:10    And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Mat 13:11    He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

This seems fair and clear teaching. It seems to be a reference to God's sovereign choice, election.

Mat 13:12    For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:13    Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14    And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Mat 13:15    For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Likewise I Jesus is just presenting the facts here..

Rom 9:15    For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Mat 13:16    But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17    For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Mat 13:18    Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Note they all heard, but the first understood not, the second falls away when tribulation and persecution arise "because of the word", and the third, the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word. Note that these all are conditions of the word.

The word is the seed, the seed of the gospel, and perhaps the word of the Bible.

Persecution comes and is avoided by being ashamed of or not standing firm on the word of God the Bible. Likewise, neglect or lack of devotion to the word leaves one choked by thorns. Without the word one focuses on other things and cares.

There is another insight in this passage....we are not the seed, we actually don't produce the fruit...the seed does as it becomes the mature plant.

The good ground are the elect, God has prepared this ground to receive the word, the word flourishes, and the word produces fruit in it's season.

There are other parables about pruning, cutting down, dunging, and more....

John Gill says...

which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty: the fruit bore, and brought forth by such an hearer, is the true fruit of grace and righteousness, and is all from Christ, under the influences of the Spirit, through the word and ordinances, as means, and issues in the glory of God; and though not brought forth in the same quantity in all, yet is of the same quality; and is brought forth, as Luke says, "with patience": constantly, and continually, in all seasons, in old age, and even unto death; and is at last brought "to perfection", holds, and remains unto the end.

Mat 13:19    When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Mat 13:20    But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Mat 13:21    Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Mat 13:22    He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Mat 13:23    But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

One final note Proverbs 8 seems a good exhortation to hear, find and understand.

Also it might be interesting to do a word study on "understanding".

Pray for understanding.....not just emotional feelings or man's reasoning....and for 

Php 4:7    And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

G4920   (KJC)

συνίημι

suniēmi

Total KJV Occurrences: 27

understand, 13

Mat 13:13-15 (4), Mat 15:10, Mar 4:12, Mar 7:14, Mar 8:17,Mar 8:21, Luk 8:10, Luk 24:45, Act 28:26-27 (2), Rom 15:21

understood, 7

Mat 13:51, Mat 17:12-13 (2), Luk 2:50, Luk 18:34, Act 7:25 (2)

understandeth, 3

Mat 13:19, Mat 13:23, Rom 3:11

understanding, 2

Eph 5:17, 1Ti 1:7

considered, 1

Mar 6:52

wise, 1

2Co 10:12

And in the OT

Pro 8:4    Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

Pro 8:5    O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

H995   (KJC)

בּין

bı̂yn

Total KJV Occurrences: 168

understand, 44

Neh 8:3, Neh 8:7-8 (2), Job 6:24, Job 23:5, Job 26:14, Job 32:9, Job 36:29, Psa 19:12, Psa 92:5-6 (2), Psa 94:8, Psa 107:43, Psa 119:27, Psa 119:100, Pro 1:6, Pro 2:5, Pro 2:9, Pro 8:5, Pro 14:8, Pro 19:25, Pro 20:24, Pro 28:5 (2), Pro 29:19, Isa 6:9-10 (2), Isa 28:9, Isa 28:19, Isa 32:4, Jer 9:10-12 (3), Dan 8:16-17 (2), Dan 9:23, Dan 10:11-12 (2), Dan 10:14, Dan 12:10 (2), Hos 4:14, Hos 14:9, Mic 4:12

understanding, 33

Deu 1:12-13 (2), Deu 4:6, 1Ki 3:11-12 (2), 2Ch 26:5, Ezr 8:16,Neh 8:2, Neh 10:28, Psa 32:8-9 (2), Psa 119:34, Psa 119:73,Psa 119:104, Psa 119:125, Psa 119:130, Psa 119:144, Psa 119:169, Pro 8:5 (2), Pro 10:13, Pro 14:33, Pro 15:14, Pro 17:24, Pro 17:28, Pro 19:25, Pro 28:2, Ecc 9:11 (2), Isa 29:16,Jer 4:22, Dan 1:4, Dan 1:17, Dan 8:23

consider, 20

Deu 32:7, Deu 32:29, Job 11:11, Job 23:15, Job 37:14, Psa 5:1,Psa 37:10, Psa 50:22, Psa 119:95, Pro 23:1, Pro 24:12, Isa 1:3,Isa 14:16, Isa 43:18, Isa 52:15, Jer 2:10, Jer 9:17, Jer 23:20,Jer 30:24, Dan 9:23

understood, 11

Neh 8:12, Neh 13:7, Job 13:1, Job 42:3, Psa 73:17, Isa 40:21,Isa 44:18, Dan 8:27, Dan 9:2, Dan 10:1, Dan 12:8

And many more....