Matthew 13

Matthew 13:2

2.—This is John the Baptist; he is risen &c.] Herod, like most other persons of high rank at that time, was of the sect of the Sadducees, who denied the immortality of the soul, and the doctrine of a resurrection. His opinions therefore must have made him completely adverse to the idea of John the Baptist being risen from the dead. Yet the fears of Herod overruled all the prejudices of his sect, and raised up before his eyes the semblance of the murdered Baptist. Bp. Portens. It was his guilty conscience that told him this was John the Baptist. He had murdered the holy man to please a lewd woman: and no sooner did he hear that there was one in the country who wrought miracles, than he concluded the Baptist was come from the grave, armed with power to take vengeance for his iniquities, and his own wrongs. Bp. Sherlock.

Matthew 13:3

3. For Herod &c.] The Evangelist, having thus mentioned John the Baptist, goes back a little in his narrative, to make the reader acquainted with that part of the Baptist’s history, which brought down upon him the resentment of Herod, and was the occasion of his death. Bp. Portens.

—for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.] Herodias was daughter of Aristobulus, a son of the first king Herod, and sister to Herod Agrippa, mentioned Acts xii. 1. Philip was son of the first Herod, but by a different mother from Herod Antipas. Bp. Pearce. Herod Antipas had been married a considerable time to the daughter of Awtas, king of Arabia Petres; but conceiving a violent passion for his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, he first seduced her affections from her husband, then dismissed his own wife, and married Herodias, during the lifetime of his brother. Bp. Portens.

Matthew 13:4

4.—It is not lawful for thee] This was forbidden by the Levitical law. See Lev. xviii. 16, and xx. 21. Bp. Pearce. John had the honesty and courage to reproach the tyrant with the enormity of his guilt, although he could not be ignorant of the danger incurred by such a

Matthew 13:5

5? —they were offended in him.] They slighted Him for the meanness of His parentage, and rejected His doctrine out of prejudice to His person. Dr. S. Clarke.

—A prophet is not without honour.] An usual adage among the Jews, implying that he is less honoured in his own country than elsewhere. Grotina.

Chap. XIV. ver. 1.—Herod the tetrarch] Herod Antipas. See note at chap. ii. 1. He is called tetrarch, because he had a fourth part of the dominions of Herod the Great, his father.

Matthew 13:19

19. When any one heareth—then cometh the wicked one, &c.] The meaning is this: He who has no consideration, no sober and serious and settled respect for religion, when his duty is propounded to him, gives no attention to it; it makes no impression on him; his own vicious habits, and the bad example and the contagious society of wicked persons, who are the children of the wicked one, are more prevalent than the word of God, and soon blot out the faint and floating remembrance of it: the man goes on in his thoughtless iniquity, and still pursues his evil courses. Dr. Jortin.

Of this irreclaimable class were those Pharisees who blasphemed Christ, as casting out devils through Beelzebub, and those mockers who on the day of Pentecost represented His Apostles as drunk; and, at the present day, those obstinate atheists and infidels who scoff at all religion, and at that of Christ in particular. Dr. Hales.

—understandeth it not] “Layeth it not to heart,” “thinks not on it,” “considers it not.” Dr. Hammond.

—This is he which received seed] Here are meant those persons, whose minds, like the beaten high road, are hard and impenetrable, and inaccessible to conviction; also the thoughtless, inattentive, and trifling, those who think nothing beyond the present scout, and never concern themselves about the truths of the Gospel. These, the hardened unbeliever, and the mere nominal Christian, constitute the first class here described: they receive the seed “by the way side,” where it lies neglected on the surface till “the fowls of the air devour it,” or the wicked one catcheth it out of their hearts, and there is an end at once of all their hopes of salvation, perhaps for ever. Bp. Portens.

Seed falling on the hard highway cannot possibly take root and bring forth fruit: it lies exposed and unguarded, the sun burns it, the frost kills it, the wind disperses it, the rain washes it away, the foot of the passenger and of the beast tramples and crushes it, the birds of the air pick it up and eat it. Sad image and melancholy representation of the worst of sinners! Dr. Jortin.

Matthew 13:20

20. But he that received the seed into stony places.] The tribulation or persecution mentioned in the next verse refers more immediately to the first disciples and preachers of the Gospel, who were exposed to the severest trials from their enemies, and some of whom undoubtedly, not having sufficient root in themselves, gave way to the storms that assailed them, and made shipwreck of their faith, as our Lord foretells that they would. But by this second sort of hearers are generally represented also weak and unstable Christians; they who receive Christ-

ianity at first with gladness, but want strength of mind, soundness of principle, and sincerity of faith, to keep them stedfast in it, and are unwilling, in compliance with its commands, to give up their favourite interests, and restrain their strongest passions. Bp. Portens.

Of this description were many in the days of Christ and the Apostles; and such are those lukewarm Christians of the present day, who are ashamed of Christ and His Gospel, and dare not hold fast the profession of their faith, amidst the scoffs of infidels, the gainsayings of heretics, the evil example of degenerate and corrupt Christians, and the united opposition of a vain selfish world. Dr. Hales.

Matthew 13:21

21.—he is offended.] He is discouraged and falls away. Bp. Mann.

Matthew 13:22

22. He also that received &c.] Here are represented those Christians who in their youth receive religious instruction and imbibe right principles; but no sooner do they go forth into the world, than they take the road either of business or of pleasure, pursue their interests, amusements, or guilty indulgences, with unbounded eagerness, and have neither time nor inclination to cultivate the seeds of religion that have been sown in their hearts, and to root out the weeds that have been mingled with them. The consequence is, that the weeds prevail, and the seeds are choked or lost. Bp. Portens.

To this class of people religion is presented and propounded; and they assent to it, and receive it, and call themselves Christians: but many things arise between them and their duty, many avocations and impediments, which prevent the word of God from having a due effect on their hearts. Dr. Jortin.

Matthew 13:23

23.—he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;] An St. Luke cites our Lord’s words, “He that in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keepeth it, and bringeth forth fruit with patience.” We here see that the principal qualification for hearing the word of God, and for rendering it capable of hearing fruit in us, is an honest and a good heart, a heart clear from prejudice, pride, and self-conceit, sincerely disposed, and earnestly desirous to find the truth, and firmly resolved to embrace it when found; ready to acknowledge its own ignorance, and weakness, and corruption, and “to receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save the soul.” Bp. Portens.

These hear the word and understand it, lay it to heart, call it to mind, meditate on the benefits arising from it, the danger of neglecting it, the reasonable and amiable nature of it, and the wisdom of preferring eternal life to all other considerations. This is the fair foundation, laid for a regular course of life, and an honest discharge of Christian duties. Dr. Jortin.

The parable of the tares, of the mustard seed, of the leaven, Anno DOMINI 31.

Matthew 13:24

24.—The kingdom of heaven &c.] The object of this parable is, first, to shew that, notwithstanding all the care and vigilance of Christ’s ministers, “offences must needs come” into the world, through the subtlety of the devil, who sows mischief in the hearts of men; and secondly, to point out the reason of that long-suffering forbearance towards sinners, which the Almighty is pleased to display. Dr. Hales.

Matthew 13:25

25.—tares] Perhaps rather “the darnel,” a plant which resembles the wheat more than tares, and therefore suits better with the terms of the parable. Dr. Campbell.

Matthew 13:30

30. Let both grow together until the harvest:] It has ever been a most grievous stumblingblock, not only to the unthinking crowd, but also to men of serious thought and reflection, that so little distinction is apparently made in the world between the good and the bad, between the wheat and the tares, and that they are both suffered to grow together until the harvest. But amongst other reasons for this dispensation, founded on the mercy, the long-suffering, and the forbearance of God, we are supplied with a very important one in this parable. When the servants of the householder ask him whether they should not root up the tares, he answers, “Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them,” ver. 29. The meaning is, that, in the present imperfect scene of things, the virtuous and the wicked are so intermingled, and so connected with each other, that it is frequently impossible to punish the guilty, without involving the innocent in their sufferings. On this ground, the best and most substantial reasons may exist for delaying the punishment of the wicked, both with respect to individuals and nations; and thus, while we are rashly calling out for immediate vengeance, the Judge of all the earth is full of tenderness and pity, and sees the best reasons for respiting the most notorious offenders. Bp. Portnoi.

God mercifully and wisely permits this mixture of the good and the bad, for the trial of both, for the improvement of the one, and for the amendment of the other. Both pass their days together, both grow together till the harvest; and God makes His sun to shine and His rain to descend on both, and allows both to

partake in common of the common blessings of His providence. Thus shall it be till the end of the world. Then the state of probation ceases, and the state of retribution begins, and there is no longer any reason for persons of such different tempers, views, and behaviour, to inhabit the same place. The wicked will then be separated from the righteous, banished from the presence of God, and sent to dwell with creatures of the same perverse dispositions. The fear even of this should be sufficient to warn us so to behave ourselves here, that hereafter we may not be doomed to such cursed society, but may live with God, and with beings who love and imitate Him. Dr. Jortin.

This parable shews that iniquity can neither be prevented, nor immediately punished, consistently with the wisdom and goodness of God; and thereby shuts out every complaint, and forces us to acknowledge that God is just in all His ways, and righteous in all His dealings with mankind. Bp. Sherlock.

Matthew 13:31

31.—like to a grain of mustard seed.] The meaning of this parable is, that the Gospel of Christ, at its first appearing, seemed mean and contemptible, received only by a few, and those of low condition; but that, in time, it should spread over the whole earth; and that doctrines, which the Jews then despised and rejected, should be embraced and flourish among all the nations of the Gentiles. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 13:32

32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds:] Or, smaller than most other seeds; not strictly speaking, than all,—and becometh a tree.] So it is said to be, when suffered to come to its full growth in the Eastern countries. Bp. Pearce.

The mustard seed, which with us produces only a small plant, grows in the East to such a height, and to so considerable a size, that it affords a shade. Beamsbre. In like manner, the state of the Gospel, small as it was at first, was daily increasing in a greater proportion, than could have been expected from its beginning. Bp. Moms.

Matthew 13:33

33.—till the whole was leavened.] Thus, He implies, the Gospel, which now begins to be taught amongst men, shall, by the power and evidence of truth, insensibly spread itself in time through all the nations of the world. Dr. S. Clarke.

of the hidden treasure, of the pearl, and of the net. Anne DOMINI 31. without a parable spake he not unto them:

Matthew 13:35

35.—by the prophet.] By Asaph, the composer of Psalm lxxviii. See that Psalm at ver. 2, 3.

Matthew 13:39

39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil;] That inveterate implacable enemy (as the very name of Satan imports) of the human race, the original author of all our calamities, and, at this moment, the prime mover and great master-spring of all the wickedness and misery which overwhelm the world. Bp. Portions.

Matthew 13:41

41.—all things that offend.] All that tempt others to fall off from the profession of Christianity. Bp. Pearce. “All things that offend, and them which do iniquity;” all false teachers and impenitent sinners. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 13:42

42.—into a furnace of fire.] Into hell, the place of the execution of God’s final vengeance. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 13:44

44.—like unto treasure] The design of this and the next parable is to represent in general that the Gospel of Jesus is the greatest of blessings. Bp. Pearce. Also to show the different dispositions of the converts which the Apostles would make to the Gospel; some would

embrace it with joy, when found as it were by accident, like treasure hid in the field; others, when found after diligent search, like the merchant seeking precious pearls, would purchase the field and the pearl of great price with all their substance. The last (ver. 47.) alludes to the occupation of the Apostles as fishermen, and represents them as catching men indiscriminately of all sorts, both good and bad, to compose the visible Church of Christ. Dr. Hales.

Matthew 13:52

52.—Therefore every scribe &c.] He warns them, that they should lay up these doctrines in their minds, that they may be thoroughly qualified to become preachers of the Gospel, and be able on all occasions to bring forth out of their memories, as out of a well furnished storehouse, instructions suited to persons of all capacities. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 13:54

54.—into his own country.] Nazareth, where He had been brought up, Luke iv. 16. Bp. Pearce.

—Whence hath this man this wisdom.] Well may Christ’s countrymen are offended. Herod bindeth John Baptist. Anno DOMINI 31. n. John 6. 43

Matthew 13:55

55.—carpenter’s son?] The word, translated carpenter, means one who worked in iron, wood, or stone. It is the ancient tradition of the Church that Joseph was a carpenter. Beausobre.

—his brethren.] It has been the most ancient and general opinion, that by the brethren of our Lord, are meant the sons of Joseph, the husband of His mother Mary, by a former wife. But St. Jerome, comparing together John xix. 25, Matt. xxvii. 56, Mark xv. 40, infers, that these were the sons of His mother’s sister, the wife of Cleophas; it being consistent with the lan-

feedeth five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes: 22 he walketh on the sea to his disciples: 34 and landing at Gennesaret, healeth the sick by the touch of the hem of his garment.

Anno DOMINI 31. beglante. A T that time “Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, a Mark 6. 16. Luke 9. 7.