Commentari biblici

In this chapter, we have, I. The favour which Christ did to his countrymen in preaching the kingdom of heaven to them, Mt 13:1-2. He preached to them in parables, and here gives the reason why he chose that way of instructing, Mt 13:10-17. And the evangelist gives another reason, Mt 13:34,35. There are eight parables recorded in this chapter, which are designed to represent the kingdom of heaven, the method of planting the gospel kingdom in the world, and of its growth and success. The great truths and laws of that kingdom are in other scriptures laid down plainly, and without parables: but some circumstances of its beginning and progress are here laid open in parables. 1. Here is one parable to show what are the great hindrances of people's profiting by the word of the gospel, and in how many it comes short of its end, through their own folly, and that is the parable of the four sorts of ground, delivered, Mt 13:3-9, and expounded, Mt 13:18-23. 2. Here are two parables intended to show that there would be a mixture of good and bad in the gospel church, which would continue till the great separation between them in the judgment day: the parable of the tares put forth (Mt 13:24-30), and expounded at the request of the disciples (Mt 13:36-43); and that of the net cast into the sea, Mt 13:47-50. 3. Here are two parables intended to show that the gospel church should be very small at first, but that in process of time it should become a considerable body: that of the grain of mustard-seed (Mt 13:31,32), and that of the leaven, Mt 13:33. 4. Here are two parables intended to show that those who expect salvation by the gospel must be willing to venture all, and quit all, in the prospect of it, and that they shall be no losers by the bargain; that of the treasure hid in the field (Mt 13:44), and that of the pearl of great price, Mt 13:45,46. 5. Here is one parable intended for direction to the disciples, to make use of the instructions he had given them for the benefit of others; and that is the parable of the good householder, Mt 13:51,52. II. The contempt which his countrymen put upon him on account of the meanness of his parentage, Mt 13:53-58.

Christ teaches the multitudes out of a ship, they standing on the shore, Matthew 13:1, Matthew 13:2. The parable of the sower, Matthew 13:3-9. He gives his reasons for speaking in parables, Matthew 13:10-17. Explains the parable of the sower, Matthew 13:18-23. Parable of the tares and the wheat, Matthew 13:24-30. Of the grain of mustard seed, Matthew 13:31, Matthew 13:32. Of the leaven, Matthew 13:33. The prophecy fulfilled by this mode of teaching, Matthew 13:34, Matthew 13:35. He explains the parable of the tares and the wheat, Matthew 13:36-43. Parable of the treasure hid in a field, Matthew 13:44. Of the pearl-merchant, Matthew 13:45, Matthew 13:46. Of the dragnet, Matthew 13:47-50. His application of the whole, Matthew 13:51, Matthew 13:52. He teaches in his own country, and his neighbors take offense, Matthew 13:53-56. Our Lord's observations on this, Matthew 13:57. He works no miracle among them because of their unbelief, Matthew 13:58.

CHAPTER 13.

JESUS TEACHING IN PARABLES.

The transition from the sultry, sombre atmosphere of chap. 12 into the calm, clear air of Christ’s parabolic wisdom would be as welcome to the evangelist as it is to us. Yet even here we do not altogether escape the shadow of unbelief or spiritual insusceptibility. We read of much good seed wasted, bad seed sown among good, fish of all sorts caught in the net. The adoption of the parabolic method of teaching, indeed, had its origin in part in disappointing experiences; truths misapprehended, actions misunderstood, compelling the Teacher to fall back on natural analogies for explanation and self-defence. All the synoptists recognise the importance of this type of teaching by their formal manner of introducing the first of the group of seven parables contained in Matthew’s collection. Cf. Matthew 13:3; Mark 4:2; Luke 8:4. Matthew’s way of massing matter of the same kind most effectually impresses us with the significance of this feature in Christ’s teaching ministry. That Jesus spoke all the seven parables grouped together in this chapter at one time is not certain or even likely. In the corresponding section Mark gives only two of the seven (Sower and Mustard Seed). Luke has the Sower only. The Sower, the Tares, and the Drag net may have formed a single discourse, as very closely connected in structure and import. Perhaps we should rather say had a place in the discourse from the boat, which seems to have been a review of the past ministry of Jesus, expressing chiefly disappointment with the result. Much besides parables would be spoken, the parables being employed to point the moral: much seed, little fruit, and yet a beginning made destined to grow; the situation to be viewed with patience and hope. Just how many of the parables reported by the evangelists were spoken then it is impossible to determine.

CHAPTER 13

Matthew 13:1. The omission of δέ (Lachm. Tisch. 8) is supported by B א, three Curss. It. Arm. Aeth. Or. But the apparently superfluous δέ might very easily be left out, coming as it does before τῇ.

ἀπὸ τ. οἰκ.] Lachm. Tisch. 8 : ἐκ τ. οἰκ., after Z א, 33, Or. Chrys. Weakly attested. Yet B, Or. (once) omit the preposition altogether.

Matthew 13:2. τὸ πλοῖον] Lachm.: πλοῖον (B C L Z א). But see on Matthew 8:23.

Matthew 13:4. ἦλθε] Lachm.: ἦλθον, after D L Z, Curss. Since κατέφαγεν below necessarily presupposes the singular, this reading must be regarded as merely an error on the part of the transcriber, which was amended in B, Curss. by substituting ἐλθόντα and omitting the following καί (so Tisch. 7). Otherwise, Fritzsche, de conform. N. T. crit. Lachm. p. 52 f.

Matthew 13:7. Instead of ἀπέπνιξαν, with Tisch. 8, read ἔπνιξαν, after D א, Curss. The reading of the Received text is from Luke.

Matthew 13:9. ἀκούειν] is, with Tisch., to be deleted, in accordance with B L א* Codd. It. See on Matthew 11:15.

Matthew 13:14. αὐτοῖς] Elz.: ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, against decisive testimony. An interpretation.

Matthew 13:15. συνῶσι] So Elz. 1624, 1633, 1641, Griesb. Matth. Lachm. Tisch., according to decisive testimony. Scholz: συνιῶσι.

ἰάσωμαι] Lachm. Tisch.: ἰάσομαι, after testimony of so decisive a character that it cannot have been derived from the LXX., while the subjunctive mood may have been adopted for sake of conformity with the preceding verbs. Comp. on John 12:40.

Matthew 13:16. After ὦτα Lachm. deletes the superfluous ὑμῶν, only according to B, Curss. Codd. It. Hil.; and for ἀκούει, he and Tisch. read ἀκούουσιν, after B C M X א and Curss. Or. Eus. Cyr. Chrys. The latter is a mechanical conformation to the previous verb.

Matthew 13:17. γάρ] is deleted by Tisch. 8, only after X א, Curss. It. Arm. Aeth. Hil.

Matthew 13:18. For σπείροντος Lachm. Tisch. 8 read σπείραντος, after B X א* Curss. Syr. p. Chrys. Correctly; the σπείρων of Matthew 13:3 would still be lingering in the minds of the transcribers. Therefore, in deference to still stronger testimony, should σπείραντι be adopted in Matthew 13:24, with Lachm. and Tisch. 8.

Matthew 13:22. τούτου] omitted after αἰῶνος in B D א* Arm. Cant. Verc. Germ. 1, Corb. 2, Clar. Deleted by Lachm. and Tisch. Explanatory addition.

Matthew 13:23. The form συνιείς (Lachm. Tisch., after B D א, 238, Or.) instead of συνιών has been adopted in consequence of Matthew 13:19.

Matthew 13:25. ἔσπειρε] Lachm. and Tisch.: ἐπέσπειρεν, after B א ** (* has ἐπέσπαρκεν) and Curss. Arm. It. Vulg. Clem. Or. and several Fathers. Correctly; how easily might the preposition be dropped through carelessness in transcribing! More easily than that the ἐπέσπειρεν, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, should have been inserted as a gloss.

Matthew 13:27. The article, which in Elz. is placed before ζιζάνια, is deleted by Griesb. and the later critics, according to decisive testimony. So also with regard to τῷ before καιρῷ in Matthew 13:30, where Fritzsche wrongly maintains τῷ to be necessary.

Matthew 13:30. εἰς δέσμας] D L X Δ, Curss. Or. Chrys. Codd. I. have merely δέσμας, some with and others without αὐτά. Tisch. 7 has deleted εἰς (comp. Rinck), and that correctly; an explanatory addition.

Matthew 13:32. The form κατασκηνοῖν (Lachm. Tisch.) is only found in B* D; in the case of Mark 4:32, only in B*.

Matthew 13:34. οὐκ] Lachm. Tisch.: οὐδέν, after B C M Δ א* Curss. Syr. p. Arm. Clem. Or. Chrys., should be adopted on the strength of this testimony, and because οὐκ is found in Mark, and is by way of toning down the expression.

Matthew 13:35. διά] א* 1, 13, 33, 124, 253 insert Ἠσαΐου, which is supported by Eus. Porphyr. and Jerom. A false gloss,[447] notwithstanding that it is adopted by Tisch. 8. Jerom. suggests Ἀσάφ.

κόσμου] deleted by Tisch. 8, after B א** 1, 22, several Codd. of the It. Syrcur or Clem. Eus. The omission was occasioned by the LXX., which has merely ἈΠʼ ἈΡΧῆς.

Matthew 13:36. Ὁ ʼΙΗΣΟῦς] and ΑὐΤΟῖς, Matthew 13:37, as well should be deleted as interpolations, according to B D א, Curss. Verss. and Or. Chrys.

Matthew 13:40. ΚΑΊΕΤΑΙ] Elz. Lachm. and Tisch. 8 : ΚΑΤΑΚΑΊΕΤΑΙ, after B D א. Taken from Matthew 13:30.

For ΑἸῶΝ. ΤΟΎΤΟΥ Lachm. and Tisch. have merely ΑἸῶΝΟς, after B D Γ א, Curss. Verss. Cyr. Ir. Hil. Correctly; ΤΟΎΤΟΥ is quite a common addition, as in Matthew 13:22.

Matthew 13:44. ΠΆΛΙΝ ὉΜΟΊΑ] B D א, Vulg. It. Syrcur Copt. Arm. Tisch. have merely ὉΜΟΊΑ; Lachm. has ΠΆΛΙΝ only in brackets. It would be more readily deleted than inserted, for at this point a new series of parables begins, and it would seem to be in its proper place in the passage that follows (Matthew 13:45; Matthew 13:47).

Matthew 13:46. For Ὃς ΕὙΡΏΝ, we should, with Griesb. Fritzsche, Scholz, Lachm. and Tisch., read ΕὙΡῺΝ ΔΈ, after B D L א, 1, 33, Cyr. Cypr. and Verss. To continue the discourse with the relative was in accordance with what precedes and what comes after, which accounts for the relative construction superseding the ΕὙΡῺΝ ΔΈ, which would seem to break the continuity. Matthew 13:48. Lachm. has ΑὐΤΉΝ after ἈΝΑΒΙΒ.; so also Tisch. 7. On too inadequate testimony. With Tisch. 8, and on sufficient testimony, read instead of ἈΓΓΕῖΑ the more uncommon term ἌΓΓΗ.

Matthew 13:51. ΛΈΓΕΙ ΑὐΤΟῖς Ὁ ἸΗΣΟῦς] before ΣΥΝΉΚ. is wanting in B D א, Copt. Aeth. Vulg. Sax. It. (not Brix. Clar. Germ. 2) Or. Deleted by Fritzsche, Lachm. and Tisch.; would be more readily inserted than omitted, although the discourse of Jesus is only continued. With Fritzsche, Lachm. Tisch., and on somewhat similar authority, we should delete the κύριε after ναί as being a common addition.

Matthew 13:52. τῇ βασιλείᾳ] Elz. Scholz: εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν, Lachm.: ἐν τῇ βασιλ. (D M 42, Vulg. It. Chrys. Ir. Hil. Ambr. Aug.). Both readings appear to be explanations of τῇ βασιλ., which latter is sufficiently confirmed by the testimony of B C K Π א, Curss. Syr. Ar. Aeth. Slav. Or. Ath. Cyr. Procop.

Matthew 13:55. Ἰωσῆς] without adequate testimony, B C א** 1, 33, Copt. Syr. p. (on the margin) Syrcur It. (exc. Cant.) Vulg. Sax. Or. (twice) Eus. Jer. have Ἰωσήφ.; D E F G M S U V X Γ א*? Curss. Cant. Or. (once) have Ἰωάννης. Accordingly, with Lachm. and Tisch., we ought to prefer Ἰωσήφ as having the largest amount of testimony in its favour. See, besides, Wieseler in the Stud. u. Krit. 1840, p. 677 ff.

[447] A clear idea of the age of this erroneous addition may be obtained from the fact that it was even found in a copy of Matthew made use of by the Clementine Homilies (see Uhlhorn, Homil. u. Recogn. d. Clem. p. 119), and also from the circumstance of Porphyry’s chuckling over the Ἠσαΐου as being an error on the part of the inspired evangelist. But the weight of critical testimony is very decidedly in favour of rejecting the reading Ἠσαΐου in Matthew as spurious (in answer to Credner, Beitr. I. p. 302 ff.; Schneckenburger, p. 136, and Bleek).

Mt 13:1-52.

JESUS TEACHES BY PARABLES. ( =

Mr 4:1-34; Lu 8:4-18; 13:18-20).

Introduction

(Mt 13:1-3).

1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside.

The sea-side - This was the Sea of Tiberias. The multitude stood on the shore near to him, so that he could be easily heard. He went into a ship - that is, a boat; and sat down to address them. Few spectacles could be more interesting than a vast crowd on the hanks of a smooth and tranquil sea - an emblem of his instructions - and the Son of God addressing them on the great interests of eternity.

The same day - Our Lord scarcely ever appears to take any rest: he is incessant in his labors, and instant in season and out of season; and in this he has left all his successors in the ministry an example, that they should follow his steps: for he who wishes to save souls will find few opportunities to rest. As Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, the messenger of God should imitate his diligence, that he may counteract his work. The gospels are journals of our Lord's life.

Went Jesus out of the house - This was the house of Peter. See Matthew 17:24.

Sat by the sea side - The sea of Galilee, on the borders of which the city of Capernaum was situated.