Matthew leaves the reader with the impression from this concluding transition, as well as from the structure of the discourse, that Jesus related all the preceding parables at one time. This was apparently the case. Jesus now left Capernaum and travelled to Nazareth (v. 54).
The clause "and it came about that when Jesus had finished"signals the end of the discourse and the end of another major section of the Gospel. Matthew traced the course of opposition to the King carefully in this section. Israel's rejection of Jesus was so clear that the King began to tailor His teaching more to unbelievers and to believers.
"Thematically the three chapters (11-13) are held together by the rising tide of disappointment in and opposition to the kingdom of God that was resulting from Jesus' ministry. He was not turning out to be the kind of Messiah the people had expected. Even John the Baptist had doubts (vv. 2-19), and the Galilean cities that were sites of most of Jesus' miracles hardened themselves in unbelief (vv. 20-24). The nature of Jesus' person and ministry were hidden' (an important word) from the wise, despite the most open and compassionate of invitations (vv. 28-30). Conflicts with Jewish leaders began to intensify (12:1-45), while people still misunderstood the most basic elements of Jesus' teaching and authority (12:46-50)."575
However, Jesus' enemies had not checkmated Him. The kingdom would still come. Matthew 13 provides assurance of this fact. Jesus added new revelation to old about the kingdom in this chapter to appeal further to the crowds and to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead. He did not teach about the church in this chapter though He did describe conditions that would exist in the churchage, which is part of the inter-advent era. The new revelation that there would be a "church"did not come until chapter 16. He did give further revelation concerning the coming messianic kingdom here (ch. 13).576
