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The Kingdom in Matthew 13 (7 Parables)

Published since 21. Jun. 2025

Bible passages:

Matthew 13

Categories:

Matthew 13

¹ On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ²And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

³Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. ⁶But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. ⁸But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁰And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹²For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
¹⁵For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

¹⁶But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; ¹⁷for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

¹⁸“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²²Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

²⁴Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

³¹Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, ³²which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

³³Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

³⁴All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, ³⁵that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

³⁶Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

³⁷He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. ³⁹The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, ⁴²and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

⁴⁴“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, ⁴⁸which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

⁵¹Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

⁵²Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

⁵³Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. ⁵⁴When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” ⁵⁷So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” ⁵⁸Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

It is rarely possible to understand a chapter of the Bible without taking into account its context. If this is generally true, it is especially so in the case of Matthew 13.

The context

The Gospel of Matthew (a) presents ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More as the King, and (b) sets out the dispensational change connected with His coming. Chapter 13 of the gospel follows on directly from, and is a consequence of, what is described in the preceding chapters:

1–4	The king introduced (His genealogy, His reception by strangers, and His rejection in Israel) The king proclaimed, anointed, and tested
5–7	The principles of the kingdom
8–9	The power of the kingdom
10	The messengers of the kingdom
11–12	The kingdom rejected.

This brief outline shows that the presentation of the king was swiftly answered with His rejection. In chapter 11, John the Baptist, the herald, is in prison. In chapter 12, the Lord demonstrates power over SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More by casting out a demonIn the Bible, demons are described as "unclean spirits" that are controlled by Satan (cf. Rev 16:13-14). On several occasions during His life on earth, the Lord Jesus cast out... More, but the PhariseesThe Pharisees were a small but influential religious group at the time of the New Testament. They demanded a strict separation from the lifestyle and practices of the gentiles and... More maliciously ascribe this miracle to the power of SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More (v. 24). This is the starting point for the teaching of chapter 13. The opening statement is that the Lord leaves the house (symbolic of the house of Israel) and goes to the seaside (symbolic of the Gentile nations, cf. Isa. 17:12; Rev. 17:15). A great crowd gathers, and the Lord starts setting out, in a sequence of parables, the form the kingdom was now going to take: it was going to be a mysterious kingdom, a kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of the absent king.

Speaking many things in parables

Verse 3 offers another important detail: The Lord “spoke to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow …”. This is the first time the word parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More occurs in the New Testament. The disciples, struck by this method of teaching, asked the Lord: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” (v. 10). The Lord’s answer is telling. It confirms that the teaching of the parables of the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More is directly related to the rejection of the king: “Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not given” and “because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear nor understand” (vs. 11, 13). This was a case of “judicial blindness”. The Lord quotes from Isaiah to show this: “for the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes as asleep” (v. 15). This is solemn indeed. They could not see because they had refused to see.

On the other hand, there are the disciples. The Lord pronounces them blessed (v. 16). They were privileged, and so are we: “For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye behold and did not see them, and to hear the things which ye hear and did not hear them” (v. 17).

How many parables?

Matthew 13 is often referred to as containing “the seven parables of the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More”. However, some have counted six parables, others eight, and others ten:

Six	It is stated six times in this chapter that “the kingdom of the heavens is (or has become) like” something (vs. 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47).
Seven	The parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More of the sower (vs. 3–9) is not introduced by the same phrase but is sometimes taken to be a parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More of the kingdom of the heavens. It is certainly a parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More, for it is prefaced by the words “he spoke to them many things in parables”, the disciples refer to it as a “parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More” (v. 10), and the Lord confirms this (v. 13). It is also true that it deals with “the mysteries of the kingdom” (v. 11) and likens the seed to the “word of the kingdom” (v. 19). However, as we shall see, the clause “the kingdom of the heavens is like” has been omitted for a reason.
Eight	The phrase “the kingdom of the heavens is like” also occurs in verse 52, which might be thought to suggest a further parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More. However, here it is “every scribe discipled to the kingdom of the heavens” that is likened to something (in this case a householder), not the kingdom as such.
Ten	Some speak of ten parables of the kingdom of the heavens. They count the six parables in Matthew 13 and add the four further parables of the kingdom of the heavens in other chapters (18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1).

The following table contains an overview of these parables and, where provided, their explanation by the Lord.

No.	ParableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More	Reference (in Matt.)	Explanation
–	The sower	13:3–9	13:18–23
1	The tares among the wheat	13:24–30	13:36–43
2	The mustard seed	13:31–32
3	The leavenA dough for the production of baked goods that is usually kept in fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The fermentation process is stopped when leaven is exposed to... More	13:33
4	The treasure in the field	13:44
5	The pearl of great price	13:45–46
6	The net cast into the sea	13:47–50
–	The householder	13:52
7	The king who took his servants to account	18:23–35
8	The householder who hired labourers	20:1–16
9	The king who made a marriage for his son	22:2–14
10	The ten virgins	25:1–13

In this article, for the reasons given earlier, references to “the seven parables” relate to the first seven items in the table above.

The “three sevens”

Three passages in the Bible contain a series of seven items, and there is an interesting relationship between them. The three passages are:

Leviticus 23: the seven feasts of the Lord,
Matthew 13: the seven parables of the kingdom, and
Revelation 2–3: the seven letters to the seven churches.

The last two of these fill the great gap left in the first. Leviticus 23 sets out the Jewish calendar which, prophetically, shows God’s plan of salvationSalvation is part of God's plan of saving people. Those who are in danger and cannot help themselves need salvation. We owe our salvation to our Savior, who went to... More for His earthly people Israel, from the cross (PassoverPassover is translated as "sparing, passing by". It refers, on the one hand, to the Passover feast itself and, on the other, to the sacrifice, the Passover lamb (a foreshadowing... More) through to the millennium (Feast of Tabernacles).[1] The first four feasts have already been fulfilled (up to PentecostThis name (Greek) is used twice in the New Testament and means "the fiftieth day.” This refers to the 50th day after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This day... More). The last three refer to the future of Israel. Between the first four and the last three feasts there is a long but indeterminate gap (historically, the exact duration differed from one year to another). This prophetic gap between PentecostThis name (Greek) is used twice in the New Testament and means "the fiftieth day.” This refers to the 50th day after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This day... More and the feast of trumpets (that is, the regathering of Israel) represents the Christian era, the time in which we live. It is covered by Matthew 13 and Revelation 2–3, albeit with a different focus: Matthew 13 shows the development of the kingdom and Revelation 2–3 describes the public church testimony during this time.

The kingdom

The subject of the kingdom is vast, and better dealt with in a book than a paragraph. In summary, God’s plan for the first creation involved the rule of a man over the earth (Gen. 1:28). Following his fall, God revealed His purpose that another man should take the place of supremacy: the Son of man"Son of Man" is a designation for our Lord Jesus Christ. In many Scriptures, it means that He really became man through His birth (Gal 4:4). Like every human being,... More, under whose feet all things will be put (Ps. 8:6). At the same time, it was going to be the Lord, who would reign, and this “for ever and ever!” (Ex. 15:18). The Old Testament is full of glowing descriptions of this coming kingdom. In particular, it shows:

It will be a literal kingdom, with its centre in Jerusalem or Zion (Ps. 2:6; Isa. 2:3; 24:23; 52:7).[2]
The kingdom will be introduced by judgment (Ps. 2:6–9; 110:1–2; Dan. 2:44–45; 7:13–14, 26–27; Isa. 66:15–16).
It will be a kingdom marked by righteousness and peace (Ps. 72; Isa. 2:2–4; 9:6–7; 32:17; Mic. 4:3–4; Zech. 14:9).
This kingdom will extend to the Gentile nations. They will be subject to Israel (Isa. 11:10; 14:1–2; 32:1; 49:22–26; 60:2–16; 61:5–9; Dan. 7:13–14; Micah 5:7–8; Zech. 8:22–23; 14:9).

The kingdom of the heavens

Now, let us take the two points together: the Old Testament promises a literal kingdom under MessiahMessiah is a Hebrew word (Maschíach) meaning “the Anointed One.” In the New Testament, the Greek form “the Christ” is used and applied to the Lord Jesus alone. The Jews,... More, and the first twelve chapters of the New Testament inform us that this kingdom has been offered to Israel in the form of its king, but has been rejected. This raises the question: What will happen now? Will the kingdom be lost forever, or will the king crush His enemies and set up His kingdom nevertheless?

Exactly at this juncture, we encounter the parables of the kingdom of the heavens — which answer these questions: it is neither of the above. Instead, the kingdom will now become a matter of mysteries (v. 11); that is, take a mysterious form, not apprehended by the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More.

The kingdom is referred to as “the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More”, more precisely translated as “the kingdom of the heavens”. This term is used 32 times in the Bible and, significantly, all of these references are in Matthew (the reason being that this designation relates to dispensational change, which is the focus of Matthew). In the first twelve chapters we learn that this kingdom had now drawn near (e.g. 3:2). Now, its “mysteries” are unfolded (13:11).

So, what is the kingdom of the heavens? Is it the same as the kingdom in the Old Testament? why is it called “the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More”? and is it the same as the kingdom of GodEssentially, it refers to the same thing as the kingdom of heaven, whereby it is less about a period and more about the moral characteristics of the kingdom. God is... More”? As a brief answer:

It is the same kingdom as the one promised in the Old Testament, but when referred to as “the kingdom of the heavens” the focus is on the phase of the kingdom when ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More is absent. [3]
The Lord called it the kingdom of the heavens because He — the king — had been rejected on earth, and following His death and resurrection would be in heaven. The kingdom is not in heaven, but on the earth — it has to do with the field, the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More (v. 38), there is an active enemy, there are thorns, the anxious care of this life, the deceit of riches, etc.
The term “the kingdom of GodEssentially, it refers to the same thing as the kingdom of heaven, whereby it is less about a period and more about the moral characteristics of the kingdom. God is... More” emphasises the moral aspect of the kingdom (cf. Rom 14:17). It is used five times in Matthew (6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43) in relation to things that were true before the Lord’s ascension.

The seven parables

The seven parables of the kingdom in Matthew 13 illustrate the origin of the kingdom. The sower sows the seed. This is during the Lord’s service on earth and therefore before His ascension to heaven, which is why this parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More is not called a similitude of the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More.

The remaining six parables describe its development during the time of the king’s absence. The first three of these relate to the outward development:

1.	The tares	SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More introduces into the kingdom what is false and spoils it.
2.	The mustard seed	The kingdom grows from a very small beginning to become an immense system.
3.	The leavenA dough for the production of baked goods that is usually kept in fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The fermentation process is stopped when leaven is exposed to... More	Evil enters and increasingly permeates the kingdom.

This is exactly what has materialised in church history. As William Kelly once put it:[4] “Then follows the rise of what was great in its littleness till it became little in its greatness in the earth”. The idea that things will gradually improve throughout the time of the kingdom and that, somehow, the preaching of the gospel will lead to the conversion of the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More runs against (not only observation but) the plain teaching of this chapter. It is the confusion between “gospel of the reign” with an imagined “reign of the gospel”. The kingdom will be established in power, through judgment, not through the gospel.

The last three parables describe what is of value within the kingdom:

4.	The treasure	The value of believers
5.	The pearl	The value, unity, and beauty of the church
6.	The net cast into the sea	The result of the gospel, and the judgment at the end.

So, despite the efforts of the enemy — despite the intrusion of evil — there is in the kingdom what is genuine and valuable to God.

Whilst the first four parables were spoken from the boat so that the crowds could hear (v. 2), the Lord addressed the last three to the disciples only, after He had dismissed the crowds and entered a house with the disciples (vs. 34–36).

The kingdom and the church

The kingdom is not synonymous with the church. The church consists of true believers, living stones, members of the body of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More. The kingdom contains all these but also nominal Christians. This explains why the wheat and tares are to be left to grow together in the kingdom, whereas in the church what is sown by the enemy is to be judged; and why leavenA dough for the production of baked goods that is usually kept in fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The fermentation process is stopped when leaven is exposed to... More, a type of evil, permeates the kingdom but is not allowed in the church (1 Cor. 5:6, 13; Gal. 5:9).

The public kingdom postponed but not displaced

So, if the Lord predicted that the kingdom would take a mysterious form — that it would exist in this worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More as a sphere where ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More was professed (and obeyed by some) — is this the final fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies relating to the kingdom? Put another way: Is the literal kingdom still to come, or has it been replaced, or displaced, by the kingdom of the heavens?

Clearly, the kingdom promised in the Old Testament (a literal kingdom, with its centre in Jerusalem, extending to the nations, introduced by judgment, and marked by righteousness and peace) has not arrived. For anyone trusting God and His promises, the conclusion is as inevitable as it is happy: The literal kingdom is still to come. Perhaps more precisely: the phase in which the kingdom takes the literal form predicted in the Old Testament is still to come. It is the same kingdom, but these are two very different phases. One is marked by the absence and the other by the presence of the king.

This is perfectly in line with the teaching of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More in and after Matthew 13. Nowhere does He give the slightest indication of replacement or displacement. On the contrary:

In chapter 19, He predicts that a time will come when “the Son of man"Son of Man" is a designation for our Lord Jesus Christ. In many Scriptures, it means that He really became man through His birth (Gal 4:4). Like every human being,... More shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (v. 28).
In chapter 23, the Lord makes it clear that this would only occur following their repentanceWhile remorse (Greek metamellomai) means to regret a previous act or behavior and to have a different way of thinking about it, Repentance (Greek metanoia) goes further than that: It... More (v. 39).
In chapter 24, He announces His future coming with the clouds, in power and glory (v. 30).
In Matthew 25, He links His coming in power with the judgment of the nations, and the inheriting of the kingdom (vs. 31–34).
In Acts 1, when the disciples asked Him just before His ascension, “Lord, is it at this time that you restore the kingdom to Israel?” (v. 6), they referred to the expectation of a literal kingdom. No syllable of the Lord’s response gave the slightest indication that this expectation was wrong. He only pointed out that they were not to know the time when this would occur.

Following His resurrection, the New Testament writers confirmed the prospect of His coming in power, followed by the judgment of His enemies and the setting up of the literal future kingdom (e.g. Acts 3:21; 17:31; Rom. 8:19–22; Col. 3:4; 2 Thess. 1:7–8; Heb. 1:13; 10:13; etc.). The book of Revelation confirms that the 1,000-year reign is still future (“after these things” — Rev. 1:19; 4:1) and is preceded by the appearingAfter the Rapture and at the end of the 7-years-long tribulation period, the Lord Jesus will appear, i.e., he will come visibly to earth. He will judge the enemies and... More of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More, the judgment of the enemies of God, the binding of SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More, and the first resurrection (19:11–20:5).

If this prospect still existed at the time of writing of the New Testament (up to the end of the first century AD) then, clearly, the literal kingdom could not have been replaced by the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More: “For the gifts and the calling of God are not subject to repentanceWhile remorse (Greek metamellomai) means to regret a previous act or behavior and to have a different way of thinking about it, Repentance (Greek metanoia) goes further than that: It... More” (Rom. 11:29).

__________________________

Footnotes:

[1] The feasts were the subject of an earlier issue of this magazine (issue 1 of 2012).

[2] Many other references confirm the same (e.g.: Isa. 12:6; 27:13; 60:14; 62:1–12; 66:10–20; Jer. 3:17; Joel 3:16, 17; Micah 4:7, 8; Zeph. 3:14–17; Zech. 2:10–12; 14:16–21).

[3] There is one reference in which the term “kingdom of the heavens” is used in a way that extends beyond this time of Christ’s absence (Matt. 8:11) — but it is the same kingdom.

[4] Lectures Introductory on the Gospels, Gospel of Matthew.

Published since 21. Jun. 2025

Bible passages:

Matthew 13

Categories:

Bible Study, Prophecy

Matthew 13

¹ On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ²And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

³Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. ⁶But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. ⁸But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁰And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹²For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
¹⁵For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

¹⁶But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; ¹⁷for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

¹⁸“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²²Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

²⁴Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

³¹Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, ³²which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

³³Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

³⁴All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, ³⁵that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

³⁶Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

³⁷He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. ³⁹The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, ⁴²and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

⁴⁴“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, ⁴⁸which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

⁵¹Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

⁵²Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

⁵³Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. ⁵⁴When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” ⁵⁷So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” ⁵⁸Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.