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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 13:48 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 13:48 is a part of a parable told by Jesus, known as the "Parable of the Net." This verse states, "Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away." The parable speaks of the kingdom of heaven being like a net cast into the sea that gathers all kinds of fish.

When the net is full, it is pulled to shore, and the good fish are sorted into containers while the bad are thrown away.

This imagery portrays a judgment scene where the good (righteous) and the bad (wicked) are separated.

The literal meaning describes a typical fishing scene understood by the audience of that time, while the deeper meaning points to the end times when individuals will be separated based on their moral and spiritual state.

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Historical Context

This parable is part of a series of teachings by Jesus using agricultural and natural examples familiar to His listeners.

At the time, fishing was a common profession in the regions around the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus often used parables drawing from everyday life to teach spiritual truths.

The parable reflects the eschatological belief in a final judgment, which was a part of the Jewish tradition and prevalent in the New Testament times.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse is often interpreted within the context of eschatology, which deals with the last things or end times.

Many Christian denominations believe this parable illustrates the final judgment, where God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous.

The "good fish" symbolize those who have accepted the teachings of Jesus and lived righteously, while the "bad fish" represent those who have rejected the gospel and lived in sin.

The use of a net which indiscriminately gathers all kinds of fish suggests the inclusive call of the gospel to all people, but with an eventual evaluation of one's response to that call.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse call individuals to self-examination and readiness.

Believers are to live in a manner that reflects their faith, aiming to be among the "good fish" collected at the end times.

It encourages a life focused on righteous deeds and spiritual growth, highlighting the importance of being prepared for the final judgment.

Additionally, it might serve as motivation for Christians to share their faith, recognizing the universal nature of the gospel message and the eventual separation at the end of ages.

Cross-References

Matthew 25:31-33: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats."
Matthew 13:47: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind."
Matthew 13:49-50: "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."

Language Study

The Greek word for "vessels" used here is "aggeia," which refers to containers or receptacles. The use of this word pertains to something that holds or stores things and implies permanence, the collected good fish are meant to be kept.

The term "bad" in Greek is "sapros," which can mean rotten, useless, or of poor quality, indicating that these are not fit for the intended purpose and thus are discarded.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, many ancient cultures have myths and stories of a final sorting or judgment.

For example, in ancient Egyptian religion, the heart of the deceased is weighed against the feather of Ma'at (representing truth and justice) to determine their fate in the afterlife.

Similarly, many religions have the concept of a final judgment where the faithful are rewarded, and the unfaithful are punished.

Scientific Perspectives

The parable involves the natural process of fishing and sorting, which could be paralleled to the scientific principle of selection.

However, the process described in the verse doesn't directly intersect with modern scientific understandings but rather serves as a metaphor for spiritual truths as understood in Christian eschatology.

Commentaries

Traditional biblical commentaries often interpret this verse in line with the doctrine of the Last Judgment.

For example, Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that the parable is a representation of Jesus' sorting of the world at the end, bringing to light both the grace and justice of God.

Meanwhile, other scholars focus on the inclusive nature of the initial gathering, highlighting that the kingdom of heaven is presented to all, but the personal choice determines the outcome in the parable.

Contemporary commentaries may also discuss the communal aspect, noting how the church, like the net, collects a diverse group but will experience a final sorting based on individual responses to God's call.

Matthew 13

Matthew 13

What does Matthew 13:48 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 13:48 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?