Matthew 13

Matthew 13:1

they are such things that those who desire sincerely to learn may by industry and examination of the parables more fully discern by them than by the plainest speech, and withal better carry it away and retain the sense of them; but secondly, they that willingly shut their eyes against the light, because their deeds are evil, they do not use to see, but understand and discern less by parables than otherwise; (and yet, thirdly, if they have any desire of learning left, parables will more excite and inflame a desire of understanding and inquiring after the meaning of them than any thing else;) and therefore do I not speak plainly to them, but in such veils as these, because what hath formerly been without parables delivered unto them, as plainly as what is before their eyes, they have not made use of.

Matthew 13:4

And as he sowed in the field, some of his seed fell on the path, or the ground which was not pre-

Matthew 13:8

[a] hundredfold] That great proportion of an hundredfold in the harvest is no such prodigious increase as men imagine. For though it were strange that to the number of the bushels of seed there should be an hundred times so many brought home by way of increase, because a great deal of the corn that is sowed miscarries and comes to nothing; yet it is easy to observe, that from one single corn (which is here referred to by the ὁ μὲν ἑκατόν, &c. and εἷς in Mark, that is, one, an hundred) there oft comes so many branches and stalks, and grains in all those stalks, as may easily and ordinarily make up the number sometimes of thirty, sometimes of sixty, nay, sometimes of an hundredfold; though the truth is, the hundredfold is the liberallest proportion, and so is set down as the highest degree of fruitfulness in the good ground. See ch. xix. 29.

Matthew 13:10

And his disciples wondered that he should speak so mystically and obscurely to the people, and therefore asked him why he did so.

Matthew 13:11

And he gave them this answer. The understanding the higher and obscurer parts of the gospel is a privilege that belongs only unto you disciples, which are believers already, which have already received and profited, and undertaken to direct your lives according to the rules of my doctrine communicated to you; but these, which have not done so, are not yet fit for revealing of secrets to them (that which is fitter for their turn, is to be incited by the darkness of parables to inquire into the meaning of them, ver. 13).

Matthew 13:12

Whosoever hath to purpose, that is, hath made use of any degree of grace or knowledge afforded him by God, shall have more given him, (as in the seed that fell on good ground,) he shall have an abundant increase; as proverbially it is known of rich men, it is easy and usual for them to grow richer soon by wise employment, and laying out of their wealth, and every man’s presenting them; but whosoever is poor ordinarily grows poorer: and so shall it be in the spiritual wealth; whosoever employs what he hath, he shall increase by exercising his graces, and besides, have addition from God; but whosoever makes not use of what he hath, and so by his own fault fallet into poverty, he shall not only be denied more, but shall be deprived of what he hath, the means of grace shall be taken from him, and also grace itself, (as to that measure which is in all the children of God,) upon his wilful continuance in sin against conscience; and all degrees of it taken away, either

[b] hath] The word ἔχειν signifies here, (as it is plain by the parable,) to use, to occupy, to traffick with grace, to take that care of it which belongs to so great a treasure; so saith Phavorinus in the word εὐνοῦχος, ἔχειν τὸ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι φασι καὶ φυλίσσειν, to have is used for to take care of, to keep; thus perhaps may χάριν ἔχειν signify, Heb. xii. 28, though it be capable of another rendering, as there we shall see.

H 2

Matthew 13:13

Parables may be designed to several uses:

Matthew 13:14

And so what Esaias foretold of God’s dealing with an obstinate people, although it was foretold of some of your ancestors, yet hath a most eminent completion now, and is found most true of them, That they shall not receive so much profit as otherwise they might by what is represented or delivered to them; things shall be so enigmatically and darkly represented to them as that they (having before shut their eyes, ver. 13.) shall now discern but little.

Matthew 13:15

And this is a just judgment of God’s upon them, for their former obduration and obstinacy, in that they have hung down their ears (as creatures do that hearken not, whereas others hold them up) and shut their eyes against me, wilfully blinded themselves; for fear, as it were, that they should see, or hear, or understand, and by repentance and conversion become capable of my working cures of mercy on them, which otherwise I should infallibly do, (and also, on God’s part, lest such precious knowledge should be exposed to further contempt.) See note [a] on Mark iv.

⁸ that by receiving what hath been already taught you, you are thus capable of these higher illuminations.

Matthew 13:17

For though there have been many men employed by God to reveal his will to others, and many so far in God’s favour, that God hath made himself

¹ that, &c. ² that, &c.

Matthew 13:18

You disciples therefore, to whom it is given to know the mysteries, ver. 11, (from whence to this 18th verse all was spoken as in a parenthesis,) have ye the meaning of this parable.

Matthew 13:19

When the gospel is preached to any, and he lays it not to heart, but by temptations is induced to live an unchristian life: this is that is meant by the seed that is sown by the path side, that is, by that part of the parable mentioned ver. 4.

[c] understandeth] Συνίημι signifies ordinarily laying to heart, thinking on, considering, ξυνήκε, συνίλαβε, saith Didymus; and so συμβάλλω, Luke ii. 19, seems all one with it; and so Suidas, συνίημι ἐστι τὸ νοῶ, to consider or think on; and σκόπει, βλέπει, συνίει; and Hesychius, συνίασιν, νοούσιν. So Ὀδύσ. σ. 390. Σιγῇ νῦν ξυνίει καὶ τέρπεο, “Consider and please thyself in private.” And so Prov. xxi. 12, the Septuagint renders Maschil by συνίει; and so psalm cvi. 7; and so here, ver. 15, consider and turn; answerable to Ezek. xviii. 28, because he considereth and turneth away from his sins.

[d] This is he] That the οὐτός ἐστι σπαρεῖς signifies literally, not him that receives the seed, but that which is sown, either ὁ σπόρος, the seed, in St. Luke, or ὁ λόγος, the word, or the like, appears both by the parable, in which, answerable to it is the ἃ μὲν ἔπεσε, &c. some fell, that is, in sowing fell; and also more particularly by the parallel place, Luke viii. 11, where it is said, that ὁ σπόρος ἐστι λόγος, the seed is the word; and ver. 14, instead of the σπαρεῖς, sown, is the τὸ πεσόν, that which falls, which must needs be the corn, and not the ground; and in St. Mark, ch. iv. 19, it is clearly the corn (and not the man or the ground) that becometh unfruitful; and therefore it is clear that as οὗτος, he, refers to the whole precedent oration, when any one hears, &c.; so the σπαρεῖς, sown, is the whole of that part of the parable, the seed, and the ground, and the sowing, and the fowls picking it up, all together; and then ἐστι signifies, is denoted by. Only, it is true, that in the following expression, οὐτός ἐστιν ἀκούων, this is he that heareth, &c., the word is is taken a little otherwise, and the phrase signifies, this is it (that is, the seed sown in that ground, or in complexo, the seed with its ground is it) which denoteth, or by which is denoted he that heareth, &c. By both which it is observable, that in the scripture dialect, the word ἐστι, is, or οὐτός ἐστι, this is, doth either, as St. Augustine saith, signify, significat, “signifies,” or significatur, “is signified,” that is, denotes one thing which is answerable to another, whether it be the sign or the thing signified; sometimes the sign, as ver. 19, the οὐτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρεῖς, this is it that is signified by the seed sown by the path side; and sometimes the thing signified, as ver. 20, οὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων, this is it which signifieth him which heareth the word, &c.; and so vv. 22 and 23.

Matthew 13:20

But the sowing of seed on the stony ground denoteth him that at the first hearing receives the gospel with all greediness and joy, looking only on the smoother part of it.

Matthew 13:21

But for want of an honest heart, a good soil, where it may take deep root, for want of resolution to hear whatsoever the gospel requires of them, they last but a little while: as soon as ever Christianity is persecuted, as soon as any chargeable duty is required of them, immediately they are galled and discouraged from going any farther in the ways of piety. See note [c] on ch. xi.

Matthew 13:22

But the sowing of seed among thorns denoteth him that heareth the gospel, but the solicitude and care of preserving the things of this world (and of getting of riches) being in his heart, where the word is sown, suffocates it, and so renders the word in him unfruitful, makes him live never the better for being a Christian.

Matthew 13:23

But the sowing the seed in good ground denoteth him, that by hearing and understanding, and laying to heart the precepts of Christ, expresses the effects of it by bringing forth abundance of Christian practice all the life after, some in a greater measure than others, but all in a good proportion.

¹ This is it which is sown by the path side. ² that which is sown on stony ground,

& hi del vā verpiñāg evapels: see note [d]. ³ And that which is sown, & hi evapels. ⁴ It

becometh, yfereas. ⁵ that which is sown upon.

Matthew 13:26

This was not discerned at the time, but when the corn came up, and began to ear, then, beside the wheat that was sowed, there appeared cockle also. ˡ certainly all the seed which thou didst sow in thy field was good wheat, and yet we discern now a great deal of cockle among it; whence should this be? ᵇ Some malicious person hath done this. Hereupon the servants offer their pains, if he please to accept them, to go presently and weed up all the cockle. ˡ No, for some of them are in such a conjuncture with the wheat that the one cannot be pulled up but the other will follow, if it be done by you that are not so able to discern them. ˢ until my time of judgment, and then I will appoint the angels my officers, saying, Gather— ⁿ The state of the gospel is of such a growing procreative nature both in the world and in the heart of man, where it is received, that it is fitly resembled to a grain— ᵃ cockle, Gfdria. ᵇ cockle.

Matthew 13:28

[e] enemy] The phrase ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος, literally enemy-man, is here an Hebraism, the like as we shall find Esth. vii. 6, The man-adversary, or adversary-man, is this wicked Haman. And so it restrains not the word here to a man, but leaves it in the latitude that ἐχθρὸς alone would be a man or devil.

Matthew 13:35

[f] utter] The word ἐρεύξομαι, must be rendered, I will pour out; for, saith Hesychius, ἐρεύξεται, βρύσεται, it signifies to send forth, so as a fountain doth water, or as a tree its juice or moisture. Thus נָבָע, (which psalm xix. 3, and so psalm cxix. 171, and psalm cxlv. 7, is rendered ἐρεύγομαι,) signifies scaturire, or exundare, to pour forth water from within it; as here the κεκρυμμίνα, what was before kept close within.

Matthew 13:38

Which being one of the least seeds that are, yet when it comes up prosperously, it becomes bigger than any thing that comes from a seed, and among the Jews grows into a tree with boughs large enough for birds to roost or lodge in. See note [a] on Luke xiii.

“The gospel hath such a secret invisible influence on the hearts of men, to change them and affect them, and all the actions that flow from them, that it is fitly resembled to leaven, so mixed thoroughly with the whole, that although it appeareth not in any part of it visibly, yet every part hath a tincture from it.

“I will pour out all those mysterious truths which have been kept close from all time, and now, though in parables, are revealed by me.

“Explain, interpret unto us—

The field is this world, the place of our living here; that part of the parable that concerneth the good seed signifies the Christians; but that of the tares signifies the wicked seducers; such were the Gnostics, and other heretics of the first times; such are all heretics and schismatics since.

¹⁰ greater than herbs, μεῖς τών λαχάνων.

Matthew 13:40

[n] three days, &c.] That Christ was not in the earth three nights it is clear; and therefore the way of interpreting this place must be taken from a figure which expresses one whole thing by two parts of it. Thus the heaven and the earth in St. Peter, 2 Peter iii. 7, (see note [c],) signify the world; and the natural day, consisting of night and day, and beginning among the Hebrews at evening, is here meant by this phrase, night and day; and so Christ is said to be three days and three nights in the earth, though the first natural day he was not in the grave any part of the night, but the latter part of the Friday, all Saturday, and so much of Sunday as until the sun approached their horizon. The reckoning of days by the Jews was by the νυχθήμερον, evening and morning, which made up the natural day; so among the Athenians also: see A. Gellius, l. 3. c. 2. And as it is practised in the business of circumcision, which was precisely observed the eighth day, if the child were born in one day, though but half an hour before the end of it, that is, before the beginning or evening of the next, that half hour was counted for one of the eight days, (because, say they, legal days are not accounted from time to time, or from hour to hour,) so is it here, that part of Friday wherein he was buried was the first day of this number. Thus when, Luke ix. 28, it is said, about eight days after; Matt. xvii. 1, and Mark ix. 2, it is after six days, that is, after six days complete, the first and the last being not complete, and so though numbered by one, yet omitted by two evangelists; and accordingly the space of these very three days of Christ’s lying in the grave until his resurrection, are, when it is prophetically mentioned by Hosea, ch. vi. 2, said to be after two days. So a lustrum and an olympiad, though they contain but four complete years, are yet said to be five years, after the manner of our accounting a tertian and a quartan ague. See Nebrissensis quinquag. c. 25, and Is. Casanbon against Baron. p. 16.

Matthew 13:41

Christ by his messengers and instruments of his justice shall destroy all heretics and schismatics, that any way keep others from the Christian religion, and all that live professedly in any unlawful course of contrariety to Christian purity. the true pure Christian professors shine eminently in the church here, and after in glory. the gospel being by some not looked after, is yet sometimes met with by them, and becomes matter of infinite joy and desire to them, and so is likened fitly to a treasure, which a man finding casually in a field, hid again or concealed it, and then designing to get it into his possession, accounts no price that he can pay too dear for it. others there are which have followed the study of wisdom, and thirsted after some instructor, and then the gospel of Christ comes as a rich prize doth to a merchant, which is in pursuit of rich merchandise, and meeting with a jewel for his turn lays out all his estate upon it. ¹¹ conclusion of the ἀγν, συντέλεια τοῦ ἀωτος. τὰ σκάνδαλα. ¹² conclusion of this age. ¹³ scandals,

Matthew 13:52

[g] scribe] The γραμματεύς, scribe, here set opposite to μαθητής, disciple, signifies him that is skilful in the Mosaical law, (as the disciple is he that hath thereto superadded the knowledge of the gospel,) or any man considered as furnished with sacred instructions, and ob-

Matthew 13:54

And coming to Nazareth, where he was bred, he set about the work of public teaching of them in their assemblies, which he did in such manner, expressing such knowledge, and doing such miracles, that they which saw and heard were amazed and astonished at it, saying, What means of knowledge hath he had by his education, and from whence can he be imagined to derive the power of doing such miracles?

his first cousins, James— made a disciple for, pathologists of. HAMMOND, VOL. I. P