The Motley Crew

Matthew 13:1-17

April 21, 2010

Questions

Read Matthew 13:1-9

1. What does “parable” mean?

2. Are there any instances of any self-respecting rabbi teaching from a boat?

3. What does this mean?

4. Did you ever notice how committed Jesus was to fostering relationships among people – so that He could share the Gospel with them? Do we?

5. What kind of crazy Farmer would even think about sowing seed in all these crazy places where it is almost certain the seed will not grow?

6. Do you ever feel scorched or choked? If so what do you do about it?

7. Do you ever feel like you are really producing a great harvest? If so what do you do about it?

8. Did you notice in verse 6 it didn’t say “if” the sun comes out – but “when” the sun comes out? What does this mean?

Read Matthew 13:10-17

9. In verse 12 both “has” and “given” are passive. What does this mean?

10. We are included in the blessing of verse 16. Do you feel blessed? And if so how?

11. What did the prophets long to see?

12. Have we seen Him?

“It is God's grace indeed that gives the understanding,
But it is our duty to give our minds to understand.”

– Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

The Motley Crew

Matthew 13:1-17

April 21, 2010

Some Suggested Answers

We opened with prayer.

Read Matthew 13:1-9

The Parable of the Sower

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear."

Also found in Mark 4:1-9 and Luke 8:4-8.

1. What does “parable” mean?

One of our members got a “gold star” when she nailed the definition of “parable.”

Our word “parable” comes from the Greek parabole [παρα-βολη], which means “a placing beside” - and thus a comparison or an illustration that attempts to teach spiritual truth. Its most common use in the NT is for the illustrative stores that Jesus told. They were particularly effective and easy to remember because he used familiar scenes that were drawn from nature and contemporary human experience of the times.

Although parables clarified Jesus' teachings, they also included hidden meanings needing further explanation. These hidden meanings challenged the sincerely interested to further inquiry and taught truths that Jesus wanted to conceal from unbelievers. From parables Jesus' enemies could find no direct statements to use against him. In general, parables usually advance a single idea.

The Synoptic Gospels contain about 30 of these stories (although the Lutheran Study Bible has a chart listing 55 parables). John's Gospel contains no parables but uses other figures of speech. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.

Finally, the use of parables fulfills the prophecy found in Psalm 78:2: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old.”

Sources: Zondervan TNIV Study Bible; The NET Bible; The Lutheran Study Bible; Harold H. Buls.

The Concordia Self-Study Bible noted “Jesus speaks in parables because of the spiritual dullness of the people” (p, 1483).

2. Are there any instances of any self-respecting rabbi teaching from a boat?

Answer – none that any of us were aware of, except in the Synoptic Gospels where Jesus got into one of the boats – the one belonging to Simon, according to Luke – and then Jesus asked Simon to put the boat out a little from shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Ordinarily rabbis taught from inside a house and as we see here, rabbis customarily taught from the seated position (as we see in Matt. 13:2, Mark 4:1, and Luke 5:3), while students remained standing (as we stand during the reading of the Gospel). Zondervan TNIV Study Bible, p. 1675. Note to Mark 4:1.

Several members pointed out that voices carry a long distance over water, so one result of Our Lord getting into a boat would be to allow His voice to carry much further than it would if he were teaching on land (not that He needed it!).

3. What does this mean (that is, that Jesus got into a boat and had the boat put out a little from the shore)?

He was reaching out to more people than He could if He was speaking in a temple, for example, especially since He was being followed by large crowds where ever He went throughout His ministry. In short, Jesus was willing to do whatever it takes to get people to hear the Gospel – even if it meant preaching outside in a boat.

4. Did you ever notice how committed Jesus was to fostering relationships among people – so that He could share the Gospel with them? Do we?

The group agreed that this happened all the time during His ministry … over dinner, in casual conversation, even in just going out fishing. In this, we often see Him fostering relationships in order that He could share the Gospel with the people in Palestine.

As for us … not so much, except for a few who have a very outgoing personality. Hopefully people will see Him in how we live our lives ... that “when people see me, they are seeing Our Lord in me” [which is why I pray before getting on the Beltline or a freeway!].

An excellent example of this fostering of relationships is the conversation that Jesus had with the woman at the well in John 4:4-42, where Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water, ended up staying in that village for two days, “and because of His words, many more became believers.” John's Gospel contained numerous other examples including the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7, the Healing of the Man Born Blind in John 9, and the Death of Lazarus in John 11.

In fostering relationships among the people, He was demonstrating His compassion, as we have seen throughout the Gospel of Matthew, particularly in Chapter Nine. In that chapter alone, we see the healing of

• A Paralytic

• The Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

• Two Blind Men

• The Mute Man

Matt. 9:35-38. The Compassion of Jesus

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

5. What kind of crazy Farmer would even think about sowing seed in all these crazy places where it is almost certain the seed will not grow?

Answer – The crazy Farmer is our Father Who art in heaven. He is crazy in love with everyone in the world regardless of the thorns and rocky places in their life.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV), we read: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Likewise, there is John 6:38-40 (NIV): For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Our Lord will explain this parable later in this Chapter, but there are a couple of observations to be made about these texts.

3 A farmer went out to sow his seed.

There were no farms in those times; the farmers lived in town, and thus, went out from the city to sow their seed.

4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

In Eastern practice, the seed was first sown by hand, and then tilled. Roads and pathways went directly through many fields, and the traffic made much of the surface too hard for seed to take root. Zondervan TNIV Study Bible, p. 1734, note to Luke 8:5.

One of our members pointed out that the ability to till the soil in those dates was much more difficult than today, especially in that area due to the condition of the soil.

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

The rocky places here was not ground covered with small stones, but was a shallow layer of soil on top of a limestone base, which was common in Palestine. Any moisture that fell there soon evaporated, and the germinating seed withered and died. Sources: Zondervan TNIV Study Bible, p. 1631, note to Matt. 13:5; The NET Bible; Zondervan TNIV Study Bible, p. 1734, note to Luke 8:6; Barton W. Johnson's People's New Testament Bible Commentary (1870).

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system. The NET Bible.

In Barton W. Johnson's The People's New Testament Bible Commentary, he observed that “the traveler, to-day, [that is, 1870] finds Palestine literally a land of thorns, of thistles, brambles, and thorny bushes.”

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

This verse is self-evident. And, this parable will be interpreted by our Lord in the next section of Chapter 13, which we will look at next week.

This method of teaching was common among Easterns: “... the beaten paths, the rocky spots, the thorny patches were all familiar features of the fields in Palestine, and the fate of the seed in each case was in accordance with common experience.” W. Robertson Nicoll, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910), p. 195. So again we see Our Lord in His parables connecting the people with their common experiences.

“The devil finds no room nor abode with those persons who have an earnest longing for the Word and who exert themselves to keep it, else they would not have such a desire. But the [first class of persons] care not for the Word, and deem it a great loss if they must miss the earning of a dime, or of a penny, on account of attending church and hearing a sermon. You may depend upon it, such persons are under the devil's thumb.” Martin Luther, Sermon for Sexagesima Sunday (1531-1535).

6. Do you ever feel scorched or choked? If so what do you do about it?

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

Add water and shade!

Answer: (1) Pray. (2) Seek fellowship with other Christians, especially in any of the small groups that we have at St. Paul's.

7. Do you ever feel like you are really producing a great harvest? If so what do you do about it?

Answer: (1) Give thanks to God. (2) Try to do more of the same.

An old joke: “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over … and expecting a different result.

One of our members added this thought, especially appropriate to our discussions two weeks ago: refusing to forgive is like drinking poison … and expecting the other person to die!

8. Did you notice in verse 6 it didn’t say “if” the sun comes out – but “when” the sun comes out? What does this mean?

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Answer – Pray hard and hold on for the ride…

We can expect set-backs in our labors in the vineyards. What we can do when we encounter these road blocks is to (1) pray, (2) seek fellowship, (3) look for new ways to work, (4) spread the seed in new fields.

In The Lutheran Study Bible it was noted that Jesus earlier told His disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (9:37). This parable gives encouragement that when a laborer faithfully sows the seed, a plentiful harvest may follow, even if some seed goes to waste. We are tempted to give up a task when we experience little success. That is also true of our efforts to share the Gospel. Let us not grow weary in doing good, knowing that at the right time we will reap, because God provides the harvest (Gal. 6:9).

Galatians 6:9 (NIV). “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Read Matthew 13:10-17

10 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:

"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.' [Isaiah 6:9,10]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Also found in Mark 4:10-12.

Before we get to the questions, a couple of quick notes.

Verse 13. “This is why I speak to them in parables:

"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”

The source for this verse is Deuteronomy 29:4, where Moses is addressing the Israelites. There, it was observed that the “Israelites lacked spiritual insight.” Then as now, while the Holy Spirit gives the tools for understanding, some will continue to resist the gift of salvation that is being freely offered.

Verse 14. This quotation from Isaiah 6:9 does not express a desire that some would not understand but simply states the sad truth that those who are not willing to receive Jesus' message will find the truth hidden from them. Zondervan TNIV Study Bible (TNIV, 1985, rev. 2002; 2006), Note to Luke 8:10, p. 1734.

9. Verse 12 says “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” In this sentence, both “has” and “given” are passive. What does this mean?

Answer – In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are told: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” Of course the previous verse, verse 11, also confirms this.

In verse 11, we're told that the disciples had been given “the knowledge secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” Then, in verse 12, we're told that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future. However, those who reject Jesus’ words, would lose even what knowledge they had. The NET Bible; The Lutheran Study Bible (ESV, 2009).

10. We are included in the blessing of verse 16. Do you feel blessed? And if so how?

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

Yes!!! We are blessed everyday. We live in a country where we have freedom of religion … something that many in the past and in the present do not have. As a result, we can hear the Word of God at any time, we can purchase and read the Bible every day, we can join any of the excellent small groups for study of God's Holy Word.

The Lutheran Study Bible observed that Jesus pronounces His disciples blessed because they have seen and heard and believed. Christians today are also blessed, for the Holy Spirit has given us eyes that see and ears that hear. We dare never take our spiritual blessings for granted, for then we put ourselves in danger of losing them.

Note: Beginning in about 1455, Gutenberg printed only 180 copies of his Bible (Latin Vulgate of Jerome), but they were so expensive that the average person could not afford one. Prior to that, virtually all Bibles were hand copied (there were a few printed German-language Bibles before Luther's translation – for example, the 1466 Mentel Bible – but only in a relatively few number of copies). Because of their scarcity and expense, few could own or read a Bible at the time Luther was born. That we can afford and read a Bible in our language is an amazing blessing in itself. For over a thousand years – from the early fifth century to the middle of the fifteenth century – this was largely impossible.

The first affordable German-language Bible was the translation by Luther in 1534 (New Testament, 1522); over 100,000 copies were printed between 1534 and 1574 by Hans Lufft, allowing it to be in virtually every German Protestant home, thus empowering and liberating those believers. Luther was born less than 30 years after the first Gutenberg Bible was printed.

11. Matthew 13:16-17 says “… many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Question: What did the prophets long to see?

Answer – the Messiah.

The Lutheran Study Bible observed: “Past generations looked forward in faith to the fulfillment of God's messianic promises. These OT prophets and righteous people died before Christ came.”

1 Corinthians 15:20-22: Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a human being. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Two notable exceptions were Simeon and Anna. Simeon had been promised that he would not die before he had seen the Lord Christ. And when the child was brought to the Temple, he took the child in his arms and praised God, said:

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32)

Likewise, Anna, described as a very old prophetess, came to Mary and Joseph, and giving thanks to God, she “spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).

Writers of 22 Old Testament books are said to include prophecies of Jesus Christ, including:

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/messiah.htm

Some examples from the Old Testament,

Isaiah 11:1-3 (New International Version).

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -

3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (New International Version)

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.

Isaiah 35:5-6 (New International Version)

5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.

12. Have we seen Him?

Yes, we see Him everyday in the Word He preached to us, and in His creation surrounding us.

Also, we see Him whenever we see one person loving another (even if they don't like 'em).

1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

One of our members noted that a decision was issued on April 15 in the litigation concerning the National Day of Prayer (set for the 1^st Thursday in May by President Reagan in 1988). Notices of appeal from the decision by a Federal District Court judge  will be filed according to one of the parties to this suit. President Obama issued a Proclamation last year (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-day-prayer) and on April 15^th, the White House said that regardless of the ruling, the president still "intends to recognize a National Day of Prayer." The decision does not ban the president from issuing a proclamation, the White House said. Look out for an inflammatory and largely untrue email that is circulating about this issue.

Links to two of Luther's sermons that look at the Parable of the Sower have been added to the Motley Crew web page.

Doug announced that he was expecting to see a special guest speaker next week ...Pastor Eddie! This was greeted with great rejoicings.

We closed with prayer.

Next week, we'll continue with the parables in Chapter 13. One thing to look for in the readings is the introduction to all of these parables: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like ...”

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:8-9

Parallel Sections of Today's Scriptures

Parable of the Sower: Matt. 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8

Questions about Parables: Matt. 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-13; Luke 8:9-10

For Additional Study:

Online Resources

Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)

These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).

A number of other Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible.
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew11.htm>

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary.
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew11.htm

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew11.htm>

Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew11.htm>

B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary
<http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew11.htm >

Greek Interlinear Bible, http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
Based on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.

John Lightfoot's Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew12.htm

J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel or A Harmony of the Four Gospels (Cincinnati, The Standard Publishing Company, 1914)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew12.htm

The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.

Harold H. Buls - Sermon Notes <http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html> and a second collection, Sermon Notes of Dr. Harold H. Buls <http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html>. Adapted from Exegetical Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts, by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN, 1980, pp.9-12.

W. Robertson Nicoll, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books (www.books.google.com) and the Internet Archive (www.archive.org; easier to find here than at Google Books).

Other Additional Resources:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html

Other Resources

Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)

Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.

Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.

Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)

Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24^th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)

Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament

Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)

New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)

NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)

Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998)

Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)