Matthew 9:9-13

1
Matthew 131-23
2
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 Christs response to this
  unbelief.
• Where At the Sea of Galilee, probably near
  Capernaum, at the northwest corner of the lake

3
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 waters 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 thornthe
  nabk, that kind of which tradition says that the
  crown of thorns was wovenspringing up, like the
  fruit-trees of the more inland parts, in the very
  midst of the waving wheat" - Dean Stanley

4
Parables

• Reveal (Mat 1311, 35)
• A positive response is rewarded with further
  understanding (Luke 81618)
• 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 1125
• 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 110-12, Heb 113)

5
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 69-10) 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 313ff)
• They continually reject again
• Paul declares judicial hardening again (Acts
  2823-29)

6
The Parable of Seed and Sower

• Purpose of this parable
• Serves as an intro to the whole series of
  parables (Mk 413)
• The importance of this parable
• Starts and ends with the command hear (Mk
  43,9),

7
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 44
• The first example the serpent said unto the
  woman (Gen 34)

8
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 161-3 vs 138-11, 153).
• 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 312
• in later times some shall fall away from the
  faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and
  doctrines of devils 1 Tim 41

9
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
  410)
• 1 Jn 215 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.

10
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 Vines
• Eph 517 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
  understanding what the will of the Lord is.
• Acts 830 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.

11
Group Study

• What are some lessons we should learn from the
  perspective of
• The sower?
• The seed?
• The different types of ground?

12
5 Lessons from Bible.org

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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
   Gods word and see only a small response to be
   less spiritual or talented than those who share
   Gods word and see great responses. God gives the
   increase.

13
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...."