Matthew 13:2

And there were gathered unto him great multitudes.

Literally, "greatest." There is every reason to believe that this was the greatest. It was the turning-point in his public teaching, since the parabolic instruction now begins.-- Schaff. The great Rabbi, according to the universal custom of the rabbis, sat as he taught. He sat " in the sea. " The boat in which he fiat was afloatin the sea.--Morison. The boat was small; and his position was near the surface of the water, the audience being slightly elevated above him. This is the best way of arranging an audience, but the world seems to have discovered it quicker than the church.-- Schaff. At the north end of the lake of Gennesaret, there are small creeks or inlets, where the ship could ride in safety only. few feet from the shore, and where the multitudes seated on both sides and before the boat could listen without distraction or fatigue. As if on purpose to furnish seats, the shores on both sides of these narrow inlets are piled up with smooth bundles of basalt.-- Thomson.