John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 13:3 - 13:3

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John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 13:3 - 13:3


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Mat 13:3. Ἐν παραβολαῖς, in parables) The Evangelist here indicates a remarkable period of Christ’s teaching to the people in Galilee, as to the chief priests and elders of the people in Jerusalem. See Mar 12:1,-ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγειν, He BEGAN to speak to them in parables.[597] Parables are frequent in the East: but our Lord had previously taught much, in both places, without parables. The parables in the present passage are seven: four addressed to the people, in Mat 13:3; Mat 13:24; Mat 13:31; Mat 13:33; and three to the disciples, in Mat 13:44-45; Mat 13:47.[598] The first four and the last three form severally two groups, which are, respectively, intimately connected together. The former are connected by the formula, “another parable;” the latter, by the formula, “Again the kingdom of heaven is like” And since the seventh refers more than any of the others to the end of the world, which the first does not refer to at all, but applies the prophecy of Isaiah to the people at the time of our Lord’s teaching,-these seven parables have a most recondite meaning (see Mat 13:35), applying especially to distinct periods of the Church’s history and condition, besides the common and universal principles which they teach concerning the course and administration of the kingdom of heaven: and this in such a manner, that each begins successively to be fulfilled after that which preceded it, though no preceding one concludes before the beginning of that which follows. The first and second, and only these two, were explained to the apostles. In the first, before the explanation-in the second, after it-occurs the formula, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. The first, indeed, was fulfilled, as we have already observed, in the first age-namely, that of our Lord’s ministry; the second, in that of His apostles, and thenceforward, for then men began to sleep (see Mat 13:25); the third and fourth denote the propagation of the kingdom of God among princes and the whole human race; the fifth describes the darker condition of the Church; the sixth, the state of the kingdom of God when esteemed above all things; the seventh, the condition of the Church in the last days, greatly mixed. It may be asked, whether these seven parables extend through the whole period of the New Testament dispensation in such a manner that the three latter begin from the goal of the four former; or whether those four extend from the beginning to the end, and also these three? On the settlement of these questions depends a more accurate distribution, which I leave to be decided by the wise, [merely subjoining the following sketch]:-

[597] Compare Mat 21:23. [Qy. 28].-E. B.

[598] The parable concerning the four different kinds of soil the Saviour explained to His disciples, at their request, before that He returned to the house-all other witnesses, however, being out of the way-whether His explanation was given on the sea or on land, Mat 13:10; with which comp. Mar 4:10. Then next He set forth the rest of the parables before the multitude, Mar 4:33; and, returning to the house, He cleared up also the parable of the tares for the disciples, who begged Him to do so, Mat 13:36; with which comp. Mar 4:34. After the setting forth of these parables, of which several are derived from the tillage of land, within the lapse of a few days the barley harvest began. In like manner the parable of the net (Mat 13:47) cast into the sea, was put forth close by the sea.-Harm., p. 322.

1. The time of the apostles, Mat 13:16



2. After the decease of the apostles, Mat 13:25



3. Constantine, Mat 13:32



4. Nine centuries under the trumpet of the seventh angel, Mat 13:33



5. The kingdom of the Beast, and the Reformation, Mat 13:44



6. The kingdom of God esteemed above all things, Satan being bound, Mat 13:46



7. The last confusion, Mat 13:47

Ο σπείρων.-He that soweth) in the present tense; i.e. Christ.