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Matthew 13

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

What does Matthew 13:45 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 13:45 presents a simile comparing "the kingdom of heaven" to a merchant in search of fine pearls.

The merchant, upon finding a pearl of great value, goes and sells everything he has to buy it.

The literal meaning of this verse suggests a scenario where a merchant recognizes the great value of a particular pearl and willingly sacrifices all his possessions to obtain it.

The deeper meaning implies that the kingdom of heaven is of such incredible value that it warrants the surrender of all earthly possessions or priorities to gain it.

This verse underscores the notion that discovering the kingdom of heaven is akin to finding something of supreme worth, and it should take precedence over all other pursuits.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of a series of parables found in the Gospel of Matthew, which were delivered by Jesus during his ministry in Galilee.

Parables were a common teaching tool in the Jewish tradition as they used everyday scenarios to impart spiritual truths.

At the time when Jesus taught, pearls were considered extremely valuable and were a mark of great wealth and status, much as they are in many cultures today.

This parable was shared in a first-century Jewish context where the audience would understand the magnitude of finding a precious pearl and the merchant's subsequent actions.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives focus on various aspects of this parable:

Evangelical Perspective: Often stresses the immeasurable value of salvation and the kingdom of God, advocating that individuals should prioritize it over all worldly concerns.
Catholic Perspective: May interpret the parable as suggesting that the kingdom of God is a treasure that demands a total commitment, and can also relate to the sacrifice involved in living out the Christian vocation.
Liberal Theology: Might view this parable metaphorically, suggesting the pursuit of the kingdom of God involves the search for truth and meaning in life.
Orthodox Christianity: Could emphasize the ascetic aspect, seeing in the merchant’s action a renunciation of the world to obtain the "pearl" of divine union.

Practical Applications

The verse suggests several practical applications:

One should prioritize spiritual growth and the values of the kingdom of heaven over material possessions.
It encourages the virtue of discernment, to recognize what is truly valuable in life and to be willing to make sacrifices for it.
This teaching can be a call to action for Christians to live out their faith with conviction, even when it requires difficult choices or changes in lifestyle.

Cross-References

Matthew 6:19-21: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth...

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."

Philippians 3:7-8: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."
Luke 14:33: "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Language Study

The key term in Matthew 13:45 is "merchant" ("ἔμπορος" - emporos in Greek), which refers to a trader or someone actively engaged in buying and selling goods.

The words "goodly pearls" (καλοὺς μαργαρίτας - kalous margaritas in Greek) indicates not just any pearls, but pearls that are of high quality and great worth. This word choice underscores the value and desirability of the kingdom of heaven, which is akin to the finest pearls of the era.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, pearls were symbols of wealth, purity, and perfection.

The comparison of the kingdom of heaven to a pearl would be readily understood as representing something precious and desirable.

Religiously, the concept of giving up everything for a higher purpose is not exclusive to Christianity.

For instance, Buddhism speaks of renouncing worldly attachments for spiritual enlightenment, and in Hinduism, the pursuit of moksha might require detachment from material existence.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the verse does not directly relate to any scientific concepts, as it presents a spiritual principle rather than a comment on the natural world.

However, the formation of pearls, a natural process where an oyster creates a pearl as a response to an irritant, could metaphorically relate to the notion of creating value (the kingdom of heaven) through transformation and response to life's challenges.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentaries offer insights into this verse:

Matthew Henry Commentary: Reflects on how true Christians see the value of heavenly things and are willing to part with all for Christ, much as the merchant in the parable.
The MacArthur Study Bible: Notes that the single, costly pearl represents the invaluable nature of the kingdom and its precedence over all things.
The Pulpit Commentary: Compares the action of the merchant to those who have forsaken all for the Gospel, suggesting the parable illustrates the proper response to recognizing the value of God's kingdom.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:45 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 13:45 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?