# Matthew 13

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**Matthew 13** is the thirteenth [chapter](/source/Chapters_and_verses_of_the_Bible) in the [Gospel of Matthew](/source/Gospel_of_Matthew) in the [New Testament](/source/New_Testament) section of the [Christian Bible](/source/Bible#Christian_Bibles). This chapter contains the third of the [five Discourses of Matthew](/source/Five_Discourses_of_Matthew), called the *Parabolic Discourse*, based on the [parables](/source/Parables_of_Jesus) of the Kingdom.[1] At the end of the chapter, [Jesus is rejected](/source/Rejection_of_Jesus) by the people of his hometown, [Nazareth](/source/Nazareth).

## Text

The original text was written in [Koine Greek](/source/Koine_Greek). This chapter is [divided](/source/Chapters_and_verses_of_the_Bible) into 58 verses.

### Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

- [Papyrus 103](/source/Papyrus_103) (~AD 200; extant verses 55–56)
- [Codex Vaticanus](/source/Codex_Vaticanus) (325–350)
- [Codex Sinaiticus](/source/Codex_Sinaiticus) (330–360)
- [Codex Bezae](/source/Codex_Bezae) (~400)
- [Codex Washingtonianus](/source/Codex_Washingtonianus) (~400)
- [Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus](/source/Codex_Ephraemi_Rescriptus) (~450)
- [Codex Purpureus Rossanensis](/source/Codex_Purpureus_Rossanensis) (6th century)
- [Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus](/source/Codex_Petropolitanus_Purpureus) (6th century; extant verses 5–32, 42–58)
- [Codex Sinopensis](/source/Codex_Sinopensis) (6th century; extant verses 7–47, 54–58)

### Old Testament references

- : [2]
- : [Psalm](/source/Psalm_78) [3]

### New Testament references

- : ; ; ; ; .[2]

## Structure

Matthew 13 presents seven parables,[4] and two explanations of his parables. Overall, the verses in this chapter can be divided into groups (with cross references to parallel sections in the other [gospels](/source/Synoptic_Gospels)):

- 1–3: introduce [Jesus preaching in a boat](/source/Jesus_preaches_in_a_ship)
- 3–9: [Parable of the Sower](/source/Parable_of_the_Sower) (; )
- 10–17: reason for Parables
- 18–23: [Parable of the Sower](/source/Parable_of_the_Sower) explained (; )
- 24–30: [Parable of the Tares](/source/Parable_of_the_Tares) ()
- 31–32: [Parable of the Mustard Seed](/source/Parable_of_the_Mustard_Seed) (; )
- 33–35: [Parable of the Leaven](/source/Parable_of_the_Leaven) ()
- 36–43: [Parable of the Tares](/source/Parable_of_the_Tares) explained
- 44: [Parable of the Hidden Treasure](/source/Parable_of_the_Hidden_Treasure)
- 45–46: [Parable of the Pearl](/source/Parable_of_the_Pearl)
- 47–50: [Parable of Drawing in the Net](/source/Parable_of_Drawing_in_the_Net)
- 51–52: conclusion[5]
- 53–58: [Jesus is rejected in Nazareth](/source/Rejection_of_Jesus#Hometown_rejection) (; )

Protestant theologian [Heinrich Meyer](/source/Heinrich_August_Wilhelm_Meyer) identifies two groups of parables: the four first parables (up to ) "were spoken in presence of the multitude, and the other three again within the circle of the [disciples](/source/Disciple_(Christianity))".[6] German liberal Protestant theologian [David Strauss](/source/David_Strauss) thought this chapter was "overwhelming with parables".[6] At the beginning of the chapter, [Jesus sits in a ship](/source/Jesus_preaches_in_a_ship) or a boat on the [Sea of Galilee](/source/Sea_of_Galilee) and addresses the crowd who stand on the shore or the beach.[7] The [Textus Receptus](/source/Textus_Receptus) has inserted the [definite article](/source/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](/source/Pulpit_Commentary) therefore argues that it was "wrongly inserted".[9]

## Verses 51–52

- *51"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.*
- *"Yes", they replied.*
- *52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."*[10]

These verses conclude the *Parabolic Discourse* and may be called a "comparative proverb".[11] [Henry Alford](/source/Henry_Alford_(theologian)) describes them as a "solemn conclusion to the parables.[4] [Johann Bengel](/source/Johann_Albrecht_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](/source/Scribe#Judaism), or teachers of the Jewish law, who became disciples reflects the Matthean gospel focus in particular; the [Jerusalem Bible](/source/Jerusalem_Bible) suggests that this reference may portray the evangelist himself.[12]

## Verses 53–58

The final verses of this chapter see Jesus return to his home town, meaning Nazareth,[11] where he preaches in the [synagogue](/source/Synagogue) and experiences the [rejection](/source/Rejection_of_Jesus#Hometown_rejection) of his "own people",[13] and his own country.

[Dale Allison](/source/Dale_Allison) sees these verses and the following chapters as far as [chapter 17](/source/Matthew_17) as recounting "the birth of the [Church](/source/Christian_Church)";[11] the Jerusalem Bible likewise holds that the same long section constitutes a narrative on the Church, followed by [Matthew 18](/source/Matthew_18), which is often called the *Discourse on the Church*.[1]

## References

1. Richard A. Jensen (1998), [Preaching Matthew's Gospel: a narrative approach](https://archive.org/details/preachingmatthew0000jens/page/24/mode/2up), ISBN 978-0-7880-1221-1. pp. 25 and 158.

1. Alexander, Loveday (2007). ["62. Acts"](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ). *The Oxford Bible Commentary*. first (paperback) ed. Barton, John & Muddiman, John (eds.). Oxford University Press. p. 1061. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.

1. Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). [*The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=SLJzlHElr6cC). Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 839. Retrieved February 28, 2019.

1. [Alford, H.](/source/Henry_Alford_(theologian)), [Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford](https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/matthew/13.htm) on Matthew 13, accessed 25 February 2021

1. Sub-heading in [Jerusalem Bible](/source/Jerusalem_Bible)

1. Meyer, H. A. W., [Meyer's NT Commentary](http://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/matthew/13.htm) on Matthew 13, published 1880, accessed 13 January 2017

1. [Bengel, J. A.](/source/Johann_Albrecht_Bengel), [Bengel's *Gnomon*](http://biblehub.com/commentaries/bengel/matthew/13.htm) on Matthew 13, accessed 13 January 2017

1. [Pulpit Commentary](http://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/matthew/13.htm) on Matthew 13, accessed 13 January 2017

1. Allison, D. Jr., *Matthew* in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [The Oxford Bible Commentary](https://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171122193211/http://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43) 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, p. 862

1. Jerusalem Bible, footnote l at Matthew 13:52

1. : [The Living Bible](/source/The_Living_Bible), [Kenneth N. Taylor](/source/Kenneth_N._Taylor)'s paraphrase, accessed 29 November 2022

## External links

- King James Bible - Wikisource
- [English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate](http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=1&b=1&c=13)
- [*Online Bible* at GospelHall.org](http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Matthew+13) (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- [Multiple bible versions at *Bible Gateway*](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=13) (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matthew 13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_13) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_13?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.