A Summary of Matthew 13

In my Matthew class, at Foothills Christian College, I was given the assignment of summarizing Matthew 13.  I had to do it in one to two pages, double-spaced, with one inch margins:

Due to the large crowd following Him, Jesus got into a boat while the people remained on shore.  He then began teaching in parables.  The first parable, in vv. 3-8, was about a farmer scattering seed.  The focus is on the four types of soil: the path, where the birds ate the seed; rocky soil, where the sun scorched the seed; thorny soil, where the seed was choked; and good soil, which took root and produced.  Verse 9 is Jesus challenging them to listen up.

In vv. 10-17, Jesus answers the disciples question of why He was speaking in parables.  It was a judgment on the nation of Israel.  They had been spoken to clearly and rejected Him.  His parables would be understood by the humble, but they would confuse the proud.

He explains the parable of the soils in vv. 18-23.  Though there are four types of soil mentioned, it really comes down to two types: good or bad.  The bad soil represents someone who hears the gospel, but this “seed” is either disregarded before it is received, or received, then rejected due to persecution, worries or wealth.  The good soil represents someone who responds to the gospel and follows hard after God.  His fruit is evidence of Who he serves.

Verses 24-30 contain the parable of the weeds.  A man sowed good seed in his field.  While sleeping, his enemy sowed weeds in the same field.  His servants asked who did this and if they should separate them.  He told them it was an enemy and not to separate until the harvest.

Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast in vv. 31-33.  He compares the kingdom to a mustard seed and to yeast.  Both of these are small and seem insignificant to those who don’t have “eyes to see.”  The truth is, both of them grow immensely and have far more impact on their surroundings than one would think.  So too the kingdom of heaven.

Verses 34-35 show that, by speaking in parables, Jesus fulfilled Psalm 78:2.  In vv. 36-43, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds.  The sower is Jesus, His field is the world, the good seed stands for believers, the weeds are unbelievers, the enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels.  This parable answers the question of how God can be good, yet allow so much evil (theodicy).  It’s not God’s fault.  The enemy is the one who sowed the weeds.  Take heart.  God will set everything straight in the end.

In vv. 44-46, Jesus tells a parable comparing the kingdom to hidden treasure and to a man looking for fine pearls.  The man, in both instances, represents someone seeking God.  When He is found, the finder realizes His value and surrenders everything to follow Him.