Matthew 13:1-9
JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-9... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-9... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚΆΘΗΤΟ. The usual position of a Jewish teacher. ΠΑΡᾺ ΤῊΝ ΘΆΛΑΣΣΑΝ. At the N. end of the Lake of Gennesaret there are small creeks or inlets ‘where the ship could ride in safety only a few feet from the shore, and where the multitudes seated on both sides and before the boat could listen without di... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΛΟΙ͂ΟΝ, for τὸ πλοῖον. Here there is no mention of the particular boat used by Christ and his disciples. 2. ΕἸΣ ΠΛΟΙ͂ΟΝ. See crit. notes, and compare such expressions as ἕρχονται εἰς οἶκον, Mark 3:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΑΙ͂Σ. Up to this time Jesus had preached repentance, proclaiming the kingdom, and setting forth the laws of it in direct terms. He now indicates by parables the reception, growth, characteristics, and future of the kingdom. The reason for this manner of teaching is given below, Matthew 13:... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἃ ΜῈΝ … ἌΛΛΑ ΔΈ. For this use of the relative as a demonstrative cp. ὃν μὲν ἔδειραν ὃν δὲ�, ch. Matthew 21:35. οὓς μὲν ἐξέβαλον τῶν πολιτῶν οὓς δὲ� (Dem.); and for ἄλλα δέ, following ἃ μέν, cp. οἱ μὲν … ἄλλοι δὲ … ἕτεροι δὲ, ch. Matthew 16:14; Winer, p. 130. ὄς ἥ ὃ like ὁ ἡ τὸ was originally demonst... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ΠΕΤΡΏΔΗ. Places where the underlying rock was barely covered with earth. The hot sun striking on the thin soil and warming the rock beneath would cause the corn to spring up rapidly and then as swiftly to wither.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑἹ ἌΚΑΝΘΑΙ. Virgil mentions among the ‘plagues’ of the wheat, ‘Ut mala culmos Esset robigo segnisque horreret in arvis Carduus.’ _Georg._ I. 150–153. 7. ΣΑΓΉΝΗ. A drag-net or _seine_ (the English word comes from the Greek through _sagena_ of the Vulgate). One end of the _seine_ is held on the s... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὃ ΜῈΝ ἙΚΑΤΌΝ, Κ.Τ.Λ. Thomson, _Land and Book_, p. 83, ascribes the different kinds of fertility to different kinds of grain; ‘barley yields more than wheat, and white maize sown in the neighbourhood, often yields several hundred fold.’ It is however better to refer the difference of yield to differe... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΑΙ͂Σ. The parable is suited (1) to the uninstructed, as being attractive in form and as revealing spiritual truth exactly in proportion to the capacity of the hearer; and (2) to the divinely wise as wrapping up a secret which he can penetrate by his spiritual insight. In this it resembles... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REASON WHY JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:10... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΑ ΤΗ͂Σ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΣ ΤΩ͂Ν ΟΥ̓ΡΑΝΩ͂Ν. Secrets known only to the initiated—the inner teaching of the gospel. St Paul regards as ‘mysteries,’ the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles, Ephesians 3:3-4; Ephesians 3:9; the doctrine of the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:51, the conversion of the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. ch. Matthew 25:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ … ὍΤΙ. Jesus teaches in parables, _because_, as it is, the people do not understand, &c., i.e. (1) either He teaches them in the simplest and most attractive form so as by degrees to lead them on to deeper knowledge, or (2) He teaches in parables because it is not fitting that divine trut... [ Continue Reading ]
14. Isaiah 6:9-10. The words form part of the mission of Isaiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἸΆΣΟΜΑΙ, for ἰάσωμαι. The latter reading is due to the influence of grammatical uniformity, or an _itacism_, confusion of vowels that have a similar sound. 15. ἘΠΑΧΎΝΘΗ Ἡ ΚΑΡΔΊΑ. The heart, regarded by the ancients as the seat of intelligence, has become gross or fat, and so closed against the perc... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΜΩ͂Ν ΔῈ ΜΑΚΆΡΙΟΙ ΟἹ ὈΦΘΑΛΜΟΊ. The disciples have discernment to understand the explanation which would be thrown away on the unistructed multitude.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΠΕΊΡΑΝΤΟΣ, for σπείροντος. 24. ΣΠΕΊΡΑΝΤΙ for σπείροντι. The first change is less well supported than the second, but the tendency to assimilate in the first case to ὁ σπείρων (Matthew 13:3) would be greater.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER IS EXPLAINED Mark 4:14-20; Luke 8:11-15... [ Continue Reading ]
On some the word of God makes no _impression_, as we say; some hearts are quite unsusceptible of good. ΠΑΝΤῸΣ�. Si quis audit, quisquis est, for the classical ἐάν τις�. πᾶς here follows the usage of Hebr. _kol_, ‘all,’ or ‘any.’ See note ch. Matthew 24:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
20, 21. ΕΥ̓ΘῪΣ … ΕΥ̓ΘΎΣ. The unstable and volatile nature is as quick to be attracted by the gospel at first, as it is to abandon it afterwards when the trial comes. Ὁ ΔῈ ΣΠΑΡΕΊΣ. ‘He that was sown.’ The man is compared to the seed. Comp. the more definite expression in Luke 8:14, τὸ δὲ εἰς τὰς�. F... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΕΝΟΜΈΝΗΣ ΔῈ ΘΛΊΨΕΩΣ Ἢ ΔΙΩΓΜΟΥ͂. Jesus forecasts the persecution of Christians, and the time when ‘the love of many shall wax cold,’ ch. Matthew 24:12. ΣΚΑΝΔΑΛΊΖΕΤΑΙ. ‘Falls,’ is ensnared by attempting to avoid persecution. See note, ch. Matthew 5:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΜΈΡΙΜΝΑ ΤΟΥ͂ ΑἸΩ͂ΝΟΣ ΚΑῚ Ἡ�. St Mark adds αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι, St Luke ἡδονῶν τοῦ βίου. These things destroy the ‘singleness’ of the Christian life. Compare with this the threefold employment of the world as described by Christ, at the time of the Flood, at the destruction of Sodom and Gomo... [ Continue Reading ]
The word will be more fruitful in some hearts than in others. Even the Apostles exemplified this. The triple division in their number seems to point to differences of gifts and spiritual fruitfulness.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΈΘΗΚΕΝ here and Matthew 13:31 only in this sense. Elsewhere of ‘setting meat before a guest’—the usual Homeric use of the word—Mark 6:41; Mark 8:6-7; Luke 11:6. Of committing a charge to a person, Luke 12:48; 2 Timothy 2:2. In mid. voice, of ‘proving’ by comparison, Acts 17:3. Here the word might... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE TARES Confined to St Matthew.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΈΣΠΕΙΡΕΝ for ἔσπειρεν. The simple verb has large MS. support, but there would be great probability of losing the preposition in transcribing, and very little of its insertion if not in original text. For effect on sense see note _infra_. 25. ἘΝ ΔῈ ΤΩ͂Ι ΚΑΘΕΎΔΕΙΝ ΤΟῪΣ�, i.e. during the night. The... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΦΆΝΗ, ‘was manifest,’ when the good corn made fruit: before that they were indistinguishable.... [ Continue Reading ]
(1) THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED. (2) THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN WHICH LEAVENED THE MEAL (1) Mark 4:30-32. (1) and (2) Luke 13:18-21 The ‘mystery’ or secret of the future contained in these two parables has reference to the growth of the Church; the first regards the growth in its external aspec... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὃ ΛΑΒῺΝ ἌΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ ἜΣΠΕΙΡΕΝ. ὅταν σπαρῇ, St Mark, who thus does not name an agent, the planter of the seed. ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι�. εἰς κῆπον ἑαυτοῦ (Luke), ‘his own garden,’ with special reference to the land of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΙΚΡΌΤΕΡΟΝ ΠΆΝΤΩΝ ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΠΕΡΜΆΤΩΝ. Not absolutely the least, but least in proportion to the plant that springs from the seed. Moreover the mustard seed was used proverbially of anything excessively minute. ΚΑΤΑΣΚΗΝΟΙ͂Ν ἘΝ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΚΛΆΔΟΙΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂, i.e. settle for the purpose of rest or shelter or to ea... [ Continue Reading ]
ΖΎΜΗΙ. Except in this one parable, leaven is used of the working of evil; cp. μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ, Galatians 5:9; 1 Corinthians 5:6; and ἐκκαθάρατε οὖν τὴν παλαίαν ζύμην, 1 Corinthians 5:7. So, too, in the Rabbinical writings. This thought probably arose from the prohibition of leaven du... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΑΙ͂Σ. In reference to the teaching by parables it may be remarked, (1) that the variety in the subject-matter not only gives great vivacity and fulness to the instruction, but the several illustrations would interest specially particular classes and persons—the fisherman on the lake, the f... [ Continue Reading ]
The insertion of Ἡσαίου before τοῦ προφήτου, a mistaken gloss, has very slender authority, א being the only uncial that contains the reading. 35. ὍΠΩΣ ΠΛΗΡΩΘΗ͂Ι, For the meaning of this formula cp. note, ch. Matthew 1:22. ΔΙᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΡΟΦΉΤΟΥ, Asaph, the author of Psalms 78 from which this quotation... [ Continue Reading ]
EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE TARES, in St Matthew only... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΝΤΈΛΕΙΑ. In classical Greek ‘a joint subscription, or association for paying state dues,’ &c. later the ‘completion’ of a scheme opposed to ἀρχὴ or ἐπιβολή, cp. συντέλειαν ἐπιθεῖναι τοῖς ἔργοις, Polyb. XI. 33, 7. ΣΥΝΤΈΛΕΙΑ ΑἸΩ͂ΝΟΣ. ‘Completion of the Æon,’ the expression is confined to this Gospel... [ Continue Reading ]
There is strong support for καίεται instead of κατακαίεται which _may_ have been influenced by Matthew 13:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΑ ΤᾺ ΣΚΆΝΔΑΛΑ. Everything that ensnares or tempts men to destruction; see ch. Matthew 5:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΚΛΑΥΘΜῸΣ ΚΑῚ Ὁ ΒΡΥΓΜῸΣ ΤΩ͂Ν ὈΔΌΝΤΩΝ. For the force of the article see ch. Matthew 8:12. ‘The grinding of the teeth and the uttering of piercing shrieks give relief in an agony of pain.’ Darwin, _Expression of the Emotions_, p. 177.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΌΤΕ ΟἹ ΔΊΚΑΙΟΙ Κ.Τ.Λ. Cp. Daniel 12:3, ‘Then they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.’... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE HID TREASURE, in this Gospel only. In ancient times, and in an unsettled country like Palestine, where there were no banks, in the modern sense, it was a common practice to conceal treasures in the ground. Even at this day the Arabs are keenly alive to the chance of finding such... [ Continue Reading ]
45, 46. THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, in St Matthew only. Here the story is of one who succeeds in getting what he strives to obtain. The Jewish or the Greek ‘seekers after God,’ possessing many pearls, but still dissatisfied, sought others yet more choice, and finding one, true to the s... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΈΠΡΑΚΕΝ, ‘sells at once.’ The perfect marks the quickness of the transaction, cp. Dem. _Phil._ I. 19, δεδόχθαι, ‘instantly determined upon.’ Soph. _Aj._ 275, νῦν δʼ ὡς ἔληξε κἀπέπνευσε τῆς νόσου, | κεῖνός τε λύπη πᾶς ἐλήλαται κακῇ, and 479, ἢ καλῶς τεθνηκέναι, ‘or _at once_ nobly die.’ See Jebb on... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE NET, in St Matthew only.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἌΓΓΗ for ἀγγεῖα, on good authority. ἀγγεῖα an explanation of the rarer form ἄγγη.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤῊΝ ΚΆΜΙΝΟΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΥΡΌΣ. The article has the same force as in ὁ κλαυθμός. The figure may be generally drawn from an oriental mode of punishment, or there may be special reference to Daniel 3:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Omitted in the oldest uncials א B D, appears in C and with the later uncials. The harshness of the construction without these words goes to prove a later insertion. 51. ΣΥΝΉΚΑΤΕ. σύνεσις, ‘intelligent apprehension,’ is used specially of spiritual intelligence, Colossians 1:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
51, 52. THE SCRIBES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΗ͂Ι ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΙ has the best authority and is the more difficult reading. εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν was probably a marginal note. 52. ΜΑΘΗΤΕΥΘΕῚΣ ΤΗ͂Ι ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΙ. The new law requires a new order of Scribes who shall be instructed in the kingdom of heaven—instructed in its mysteries, its laws, its future—as... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΗ͂ΡΕΝ. Only here and ch. Matthew 19:1 in N.T. The seemingly intransitive use of αἴρειν comes from the familiar phrase αἴρειν στόλον, ‘to start an expedition,’ then, the object being omitted, as in many English nautical phrases, ‘to start.’ This use of the compound μεταίρειν however does not appea... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHET IN HIS OWN COUNTRY Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-30 In Mark the incident is placed between the cure of Jairus’ daughter and the mission of the Twelve; in Luke our Lord’s discourse in the synagogue is given at length. But many commentators hold with great probability that St Luke’s narrative re... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῊΝ ΠΑΤΡΊΔΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. Nazareth and the neighbourhood.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Χ ΟὟΤΌΣ ἘΣΤΙΝ Ὁ ΤΟΥ͂ ΤΈΚΤΟΝΟΣ ΥἹΌΣ; In Mark 6:3, ὁ υἱὸς Μαρίας καὶ�; No allusion being made to the father, as in the other synoptists, possibly Joseph was no longer living. For ὁ τέκτονος υἱὸς Mark has ὁ τέκτων. As every Jew was taught a trade there would be no improbability in the carpenter’s so... [ Continue Reading ]