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Text -- Matthew 13:7 (NET)

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Context
13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them.
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Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Lightfoot , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Maclaren , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Mat 13:7 - -- The thorns grew up ( anebēsan hai akanthai ). Not "sprang up"as in Mat 13:5, for a different verb occurs meaning "came up"out of the ground, the se...

The thorns grew up ( anebēsan hai akanthai ).

Not "sprang up"as in Mat 13:5, for a different verb occurs meaning "came up"out of the ground, the seeds of the thorns being already in the soil, "upon the thorns"(epi tas akanthas ) rather than "among the thorns."But the thorns got a quick start as weeds somehow do and "choked them"(apepnixan auta , effective aorist of apopnigō ), "choked them off"literally. Luke (Luk 8:33) uses it of the hogs in the water. Who has not seen vegetables and flowers and corn made yellow by thorns and weeds till they sicken and die?

Vincent: Mat 13:7 - -- Sprang up The seed, therefore, fell, not among standing thorns, but among those beneath the surface, ready to spring up. Trench (" Parables" )...

Sprang up

The seed, therefore, fell, not among standing thorns, but among those beneath the surface, ready to spring up.

Trench (" Parables" ) cites a striking parallel from Ovid, describing the obstacles to the growth of the grain:

" Now the too ardent sun, vow furious showers,

With baleful stars and bitter winds combine

The crop to ravage; while the greedy fowl

Snatch the strewn seeds; and grass with stubborn roots,

And thorn and darnel plague the ripening grain."

Metamorphoses , v., 486.

Clarke: Mat 13:7 - -- Among thorns - Where the earth was ploughed up, but the brambles and weeds had not been cleared away.

Among thorns - Where the earth was ploughed up, but the brambles and weeds had not been cleared away.

TSK: Mat 13:7 - -- Mat 13:22; Gen 3:18; Jer 4:3, Jer 4:4; Mar 4:18, Mar 4:19

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Mat 13:3-9 - -- In parables - The word "parable"is derived from a Greek word signifying "to compare together,"and denotes a similitude taken from a natural obj...

In parables - The word "parable"is derived from a Greek word signifying "to compare together,"and denotes a similitude taken from a natural object to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate. In early ages it was much used. Pagan writers, as Aesop, often employed it. In the time of Christ it was in common use. The prophets had used it, and Christ employed it often in teaching his disciples. It is not necessary to suppose that the narratives were strictly true. The main thing - "the inculcation of spiritual truth"- was gained equally, whether it was true or was only a supposed case. Nor was there any dishonesty in this. It was well understood no person was deceived. The speaker was not "understood"to affirm the thing "literally narrated,"but only to fix the attention more firmly on the moral truth that he presented. The "design"of speaking in parables was the following:

1.    To convey truth in a more interesting manner to the mind, adding to the truth conveyed the beauty of a lovely image or narrative.

2.    To teach spiritual truth so as to arrest the attention of ignorant people, making an appeal to them through the "senses."

3.    To convey some offensive truth, some pointed personal rebuke. in such a way as to bring it "home"to the conscience. Of this kind was the parable which Nathan delivered to David 2Sa 12:1-7, and many of our Saviour’ s parables addressed to the Jews.

4.    To "conceal"from one part of his audience truths which he intended others should understand. Thus Christ often, by this means, delivered truths to his disciples in the presence of the Jews, which he well knew the Jews would not understand; truths pertaining to them particularly, and which he was under no obligations to explain to the Jews. See Mar 4:33; Mat 13:13-16.

Our Saviour’ s parables are distinguished above all others for clearness, purity, chasteness, importance of instruction, and simplicity. They are taken mostly from the affairs of common life, and intelligible, therefore, to all people. They contain much of "himself"- his doctrine, life, design in coming, and claims, and are therefore of importance to all people; and they are told in a style of simplicity intelligible to the child, yet instructive to people of every rank and age. In his parables, as in all his instructions, he excelled all people in the purity, importance, and sublimity of his doctrine.

Mat 13:3

A sower went forth to sow - The image here is taken from an employment known to all people, and therefore intelligible to all.

Nor can there be a more striking illustration of preaching the gospel than placing the seed in the ground, to spring up hereafter and bear fruit.

Sower - One who sows or scatters seed - a farmer. It is not improbable that one was near the Saviour when he spoke this parable.

Mat 13:4

Some seeds fell by the way-side - That is, the hard "path"or headland, which the plow had not touched, and where there was no opportunity for it to sink into the earth.

Mat 13:5

Stony places - Where there was little earth, but where it was hard and rocky, so that the roots could not strike down into the earth for sufficient moisture to support the plant.

When the sun became hot they of course withered away. They sprang up the sooner because there was little earth to cover them.

Forthwith - Immediately. Not that they sprouted and grew any quicker or faster than the others, but they were not so long in reaching the surface. Having little root, they soon withered away.

Mat 13:7

Among thorns - That is, in a part of the field where the thorns and shrubs had been imperfectly cleared away and not destroyed.

They grew with the grain, crowded it, shaded it, exhausted the earth, and thus choked it.

Mat 13:8

Into good ground - The fertile and rich soil.

In sowing, by far the largest proportion of seed will fall into the good soil; but Christ did not intend to teach that these proportions would be exactly the same among those who heard the gospel. Parables are designed to teach some "general"truth, and the circumstances should not be pressed too much in explaining them.

An hundred-fold ... - That is, a hundred, sixty, or thirty "grains"for each one that was sowed an increase by no means uncommon. Some grains of wheat will produce twelve or fifteen hundred grains. The usual proportion on a field sown, however, is not more than twenty, fifty, or sixty bushels for one.

Mat 13:9

Who hath ears ... - This is a proverbial expression, implying that it was every man’ s duty to pay attention to what was spoken, Mat 11:15.

Poole: Mat 13:4-9 - -- Ver. 4-9. There is some difference in the terms used by Mark and Luke in their relations of this parable, Mar 4:3-8 , and Luk 8:4-8 ; but none that a...

Ver. 4-9. There is some difference in the terms used by Mark and Luke in their relations of this parable, Mar 4:3-8 , and Luk 8:4-8 ; but none that are material, nor much to be considered by us, being they are in the parable. I shall when I come to it more exactly consider what differences there are betwixt the evangelists in the terms they use in the explication which our Saviour giveth us of the parable; which he did not give before the multitude, but when he was alone, saith Mark, Mar 4:10 . That which our Saviour spoke to the whole multitude was this. Now whether there were indeed any such sower, yea or no, is not at all material: our Saviour’ s design was not to inform them in a matter of fact, but of the different success of the preaching of the word; and for this purpose he brought this similitude, leaving the generality of the hearers to study out his meaning, concluding,

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear which is an epiphonema, or conclusion of a speech, we met with before, and spake something to.

Lightfoot: Mat 13:7 - -- And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:   [Others fell among thorns.] Here the distinction comes into my m...

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:   

[Others fell among thorns.] Here the distinction comes into my mind of a white field; that is, which is all sown; and of a woody field; that is, in which trees and bushes grow here and there: concerning which see the tract Sheviith. So there is very frequent mention in the Talmudists of beds; in fields and vineyards, which speaks the same thing. And of baldness in a field; that is, when some places are left not sown, and some places lying between are.

Gill: Mat 13:7 - -- And some fell among thorns,.... On a spot of ground which was full of the roots of thorns, and briars, which was not cleared of them as it should be. ...

And some fell among thorns,.... On a spot of ground which was full of the roots of thorns, and briars, which was not cleared of them as it should be. We often read e of שדה שנתקוצה, "a field cleared of thorns"; but such was not this piece of ground, it was overrun with them, not on the surface of the earth, but within it: for it follows,

and the thorns sprung up: naturally, being neither sown nor planted; either before the seed, or, at least, as soon; and however grew faster, and higher,

and choked them; so that they came to nothing; hence the advice, "sow not among thorns", Jer 4:3 and a lost kindness, or what is bestowed in vain, is expressed in this proverbial manner f, אחיזרי שקולה טיבותיך ושדיא, "thy beneficence is taken away, and cast among thorns": these point out such hearers who seemed to be contrite, to have the low ground of their hearts broken up, their consciences tender, and to have a true sense of sin, as well as to be outwardly reformed; and yet inwardly were full of the thorns of sinful lusts, particularly of the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of other things, and the pleasures of this life, which rendered the word useless and unfruitful; see Mat 13:22 all which are comparable to thorns; it is hardly possible to be in the midst of, and meddle with these, without being scratched by them; they pierce, afflict, and wound, even where they have not their greatest power and influence; and where they do prevail, and get the ascendant, as they are fruitless themselves, they make others so too; they choke the word, and make that, and all ordinances, and opportunities, useless, and unserviceable. Thorns are a part of the earth's curse for the sin of man; and such persons in whom thorny cares and lusts prevail, as they are like unto the earth which beareth thorns, so, as that, they are rejected, and nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned in everlasting flames of divine wrath and fury, Heb 6:8.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Mat 13:7 That is, crowded out the good plants.

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Mat 13:1-58 - --1 The parable of the sower and the seed;18 the exposition of it.24 The parable of the tares;31 of the mustard seed;33 of the leaven;36 exposition of t...

Maclaren: Mat 13:1-9 - --Four Sowings And One Ripening The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2. And great multitudes were gathered together unto ...

MHCC: Mat 13:1-23 - --Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward circumstances...

Matthew Henry: Mat 13:1-23 - -- We have here Christ preaching, and may observe, 1. When Christ preached this sermon; it was the same day that he preached the sermon in the forego...

Barclay: Mat 13:1-9 - --"Listen then to the meaning of the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes,...

Barclay: Mat 13:1-9 - --This parable is really aimed at two sets of people. (a) It is aimed at the hearers of the word. It is fairly frequently held by scholars that the int...

Barclay: Mat 13:1-9 - --(b) We said this parable had a double impact. We have looked at the impact it was designed to have on those who hear the word. But it was equally de...

Constable: Mat 11:2--13:54 - --IV. The opposition to the King 11:2--13:53 Chapters 11-13 record Israel's rejection of her Messiah and its conse...

Constable: Mat 13:1-53 - --C. Adaptations because of Israel's rejection of Jesus 13:1-53 "The die is cast. The religious leaders ha...

Constable: Mat 13:3-9 - --The parable of the soils 13:3b-9 (cf. Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:5-8) The first parable is an introduction to those that follow, and the last one is a conclus...

College: Mat 13:1-58 - --MATTHEW 13 L. THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM (13:1-52) In the discourse to follow (i.e., 13:1-53), Jesus assumes the role of a storyteller, and relates...

McGarvey: Mat 13:1-23 - -- LIV. THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (Beside the Sea of Galilee.) Subdivision B. PARABLE OF THE SOWER. aMATT. XIII. 3-23; bMARK IV. 3-25; cLUKE VI...

Lapide: Mat 13:1-38 - --1-57 CHAPTER 13 At that time, &c. Syriac, by the sea shore : When Christ, after His manner, had preached in the house, which He had hired for His d...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW By Way of Introduction The passing years do not make it any plainer who actually wrote our Greek Matthew. Papias r...

JFB: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE author of this Gospel was a publican or tax gatherer, residing at Capernaum, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As to his identity with t...

JFB: Matthew (Outline) GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. ( = Luke 3:23-38). (Mat. 1:1-17) BIRTH OF CHRIST. (Mat 1:18-25) VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM. (Mat 2:1-12) THE F...

TSK: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, being one of the twelve apostles, and early called to the apostleship, and from the time of his call a constant attendant on our Saviour, was...

TSK: Matthew 13 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Mat 13:1, The parable of the sower and the seed; Mat 13:18, the exposition of it; Mat 13:24, The parable of the tares; Mat 13:31, of the ...

Poole: Matthew 13 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 13

MHCC: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, surnamed Levi, before his conversion was a publican, or tax-gatherer under the Romans at Capernaum. He is generally allowed to have written h...

MHCC: Matthew 13 (Chapter Introduction) (v. 1-23) The parable of the sower. (Mat 13:24-30; Mat 13:36-43) The parable of the tares. (Mat 13:31-35) The parables of the mustard-seed and the l...

Matthew Henry: Matthew (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Gospel According to St. Matthew We have now before us, I. The New Testament of our Lord and Savior...

Matthew Henry: Matthew 13 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter, we have, I. The favour which Christ did to his countrymen in preaching the kingdom of heaven to them (Mat 13:1-2). He preached to...

Barclay: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW The Synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke are usually known as the Synoptic Gospels. Synopt...

Barclay: Matthew 13 (Chapter Introduction) Many Things In Parables (Mat_13:1-58) Matthew 13 is a very important chapter in the pattern of the gospel. (i) It shows a definite turning-point in ...

Constable: Matthew (Book Introduction) Introduction The Synoptic Problem The synoptic problem is intrinsic to all study of th...

Constable: Matthew (Outline) Outline I. The introduction of the King 1:1-4:11 A. The King's genealogy 1:1-17 ...

Constable: Matthew Matthew Bibliography Abbott-Smith, G. A. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Cl...

Haydock: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW INTRODUCTION. THIS and other titles, with the names of those that wrote the Gospels,...

Gill: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW The subject of this book, and indeed of all the writings of the New Testament, is the Gospel. The Greek word ευαγγελ...

College: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION It may surprise the modern reader to realize that for the first two centuries of the Christian era, Matthew's...

College: Matthew (Outline) OUTLINE I. ESTABLISHING THE IDENTITY AND ROLE OF JESUS THE CHRIST - Matt 1:1-4:16 A. Genealogy of Jesus - 1:1-17 B. The Annunciation to Joseph...

Lapide: Matthew (Book Introduction) PREFACE. —————— IN presenting to the reader the Second Volume [Matt X to XXI] of this Translation of the great work of Cornelius à Lapi...

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