Matthew 13 is the thirteenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. Verses 3 to 52 of this chapter form the third of the five Discourses of Matthew, called the Parabolic Discourse, based on the parables of the Kingdom.[1] At the end of the chapter, Jesus is rejected by the people of his hometown, Nazareth.
Matthew 13 | |
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Book | Gospel of Matthew |
Category | Gospel |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 1 |
The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 58 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
This chapter can be grouped (with cross references, where there are parallels, to the other gospels):
Matthew 13 presents seven parables,[5] and two explanations of his parables. The chapter contains the following parables, in respective order:
The following explanations of the first two parables are included:
Protestant theologian Heinrich Meyer identifies two groups of parables: the four first parables (up to Matthew 13:34) "were spoken in presence of the multitude, and the other three again within the circle of the disciples".[6] German liberal Protestant theologian David Strauss thought this chapter was "overwhelming with parables".[6] At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus sits in a ship or a boat on the Sea of Galilee and addresses the crowd who stand on the shore or the beach.[7] The Textus Receptus has inserted the definite article (Greek: τὸ πλοῖον, to ploion), suggesting that there was a boat kept waiting for him,[8] but other texts do not include the definite article and the Pulpit Commentary therefore argues that it was "wrongly inserted".[9]
These verses conclude the Parabolic Discourse and may be called a "comparative proverb".[11] Henry Alford describes them as a "solemn conclusion to the parables.[5] Johann Bengel suggests that Jesus would have been ready to explain the other parables if necessary, "but they understood them, if not perfectly, yet truly".[8] The reference to scribes, or teachers of the Jewish law, who became disciples reflects the Matthean gospel focus in particular; the Jerusalem Bible suggests that this reference may portray the evangelist himself.[12]
The final verses of this chapter see Jesus return to his home town, meaning Nazareth,[11] where he preaches in the synagogue and experiences the rejection of his "own people",[13] and his own country.
Dale Allison sees these verses and the following chapters as far as chapter 17 as recounting "the birth of the Church";[11] the Jerusalem Bible likewise holds that the same long section constitutes a narrative on the Church, followed by Matthew 18, which is often called the Discourse on the Church.[14]
Preceded by Matthew 12 |
Chapters of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew |
Succeeded by Matthew 14 |