Transcript Matthew 9:9-13 - Jesus Paid in Full

Matthew 13:1-23
The Context
In chapter 12, the unbelief of Israel is climaxed
The unpardonable sin of rejecting the Messiah and
the works done by the Holy Spirit
Chapter 13 continues Christ’s response to this
unbelief.
Where: At the Sea of Galilee, probably near
Capernaum, at the northwest corner of the lake
Palestinian Landscape
"A slight recess in the hillside, close upon the plain, disclosed at
once … every feature of the great parable. There was the
undulating cornfield descending to the water’s edge. There was
the trodden pathway running through the midst of it, with no
fence or hedge to prevent the seed from falling here and there on
either side of it or upon it; itself hard with the constant tramp of
horse and mule and human feet. There was the ‘good’ rich soil
which distinguishes the whole of that plain and its neighborhood
from the bare hills elsewhere descending into the lake, and
which, where there is no interruption, produces one vast mass of
corn. There was the rocky ground of the hillside protruding here
and there through the cornfields, as elsewhere through the
grassy slopes. There were the large bushes of thorn—the nabk,
that kind of which tradition says that the crown of thorns was
woven—springing up, like the fruit-trees of the more inland parts,
in the very midst of the waving wheat" - Dean Stanley
Parables
Reveal (Mat 13:11, 35)

A positive response is rewarded with further
understanding (Luke 8:16–18)

“Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes.” – Mt 11:25

A mystery is something “which cannot be known
without special manifestation of it” – Vincent.

Jesus was making mysteries known to the humble
which were concealed from even the prophets and
patriarchs of the past (1 Pet 1:10-12, Heb 11:3)
Parables
Conceal

Israel had the priesthood, the prophets, and the scriptures
for centuries. Now at the climax, they had Jesus Himself.

This is a judgment for their continual unbelief (Isa 6:9-10)
and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

A judicial hardening – Clay (nonilluminated heart) Vs.
Chocolate (Spirit-illuminated heart) exposed to heat (the
message)

Judicial hardening happens again later

Israel gets another chance in plain language (Acts
3:13ff)

They continually reject again

Paul declares judicial hardening again (Acts 28:23-29)
The Parable of Seed and
Sower
Purpose of this parable

Serves as an intro to the whole series of parables (Mk
4:13)
The importance of this parable

Starts and ends with the command “hear” (Mk 4:3,9),
The Wayside
When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and
understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and
catches away that which was sown in his heart.
Parallel Accounts: “Satan” (Mark 4), “devil” (Luke 8)
These people are willfully blinded by the devil and unsaved!
“the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Cor
4:4
The first example: “the serpent said unto the woman …”
(Gen 3:4)
Stony Ground
Not ground covered with loose stones, but a hard, rocky
surface, covered with a thin layer of soil
A creature of circumstances, changing as they change; “for a
while believe” but are “offended” when persecution or
tribulation arises
Tribulation = “to press or squeeze”, derived from tribulum, the
threshing-roller of the Romans
Cannot exclusively assume the stony ground represents only
unsaved people. Jesus’ own disciples were “clean” yet were
offended when persecuted (Jn 16:1-3 vs 13:8-11, 15:3).
Luke 8 uses “fall away” instead of “offended”

“Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one
of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the
living God” – Heb 3:12

“in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” 1 Tim 4:1
Thorny Ground
Matthew and Mark: “becomes unfruitful”; Luke: “bring no fruit
to perfection”
“cares of this world” – literally “anxieties of this world”
Weeds, when fully grown, pull all of the resources of sunlight
and water away from the underlying plants and kill them.
Similarly, We make time for our favorite television program,
but do we make time for prayer? We make time for our
favorite activity, but do we have time to read the Bible?
Example – Demas “loved the present world” (2 Tim 4:10)
1 Jn 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world.”
Good Ground
Matthew: “hear the word, and understand it; which also
bear fruit”; Mark: “hear the word, and receive it, and bring
forth fruit”; Luke: “heard the word, do retain it, and bear fruit
in continuance” (YLT)
Understand = “to bring or set together” – Vine’s

Eph 5:17 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Acts 8:30 “Philip ran to him, and heard him read the
prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you
read?”
Degrees of fruit bearing

some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty

We will not all have the ministry of Billy Graham, we will
not all have a singing ministry, or a teaching ministry. We
are not to compare our fruit with that of others

Be obedient to him and allow him to bring the increase
no matter what it might be.
Group Study
What are some lessons we should learn
from the perspective of:

The sower?

The seed?

The different types of ground?
5 Lessons from Bible.org
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
We like the Sower (Christ at first) have the responsibility to
proclaim the message of the kingdom, the gospel, to the world. It is
the Word of God that will produce results.
We will be aware that not everyone will receive it by faith. That is
not our business; our business is to continue to proclaim the good
news.
The evidence of those who receive it by faith and act on it is that their
lives will change and they will produce righteousness. The evidence
of saving faith is a growing spiritual life.
The advance of the kingdom, the spiritual life, does not occur
instantly, but over time. But it makes continual progress. Those who
believe, like the disciples, do not instantly understand it all. But the
Spirit of God, using the Word of God, illumines their understanding
daily. Eventually, stumbling disciples will become bold apostles.
It is our task to know and understand the message well, so that we
can present it as clearly and meaningful as possible. The rest is not
up to us. And if we do that, we know that only some will receive it. We
dare not consider some who share God’s word and see only a small
response to be less spiritual or talented than those who share God’s
word and see great responses. God gives the increase.
Concluding Quote
Adam Clarke wrote, "Let it be observed, that to hear, to
understand, and to bring forth fruit, are the three grand
evidences of a genuine believer. He who does not hear
the word of wisdom cannot understand what makes for
his peace; and he who does not understand what the
Gospel requires him to be and to perform, cannot bring
forth fruit; and he who is not fruitful, very fruitful, cannot
be a disciple of Christ; and he who is not Christ's disciple
cannot enter into the kingdom of God. From the different
portions of fruit produced by the good ground, a
hundred, sixty, and thirty, we may learn that all sound
believers are not equally fruitful; all hear, understand,
and bring forth fruit, but not in the same degrees...."