Matthew 13:16-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Happy Eyes and Ears

Matthew 13:16-17 – Happy Eyes and Ears

|| Luke 10:23, 24

MT13:16 “But, blessed[1] are the eyes of you [disciples] because they saw;[2] and your ears because they listened. MT13:17 I tell you this truth: Many prophets[3] and righteous persons[4] longed to see what you behold but did not see; and to listen to what you hear but did not hear.

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[1] Blessed: Or, PME: how fortunate; RIEU: your eyes are privileged; KIT: happy.

[2] They saw: Spiritual discernment and recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. Compare John 1:29, 36, 39, 46 and the word “see.”

[3] Prophets: Compare what Peter says about this at 1 Peter 1:10-12 (Ephesians 3:4, 5).

[4] Righteous persons: Or, KJV: righteous men; GDSP: upright men. Compare John 8:58; Hebrews 11:13, 16, 39.

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Preceding

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

Matthew 13:1-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable: the Soil and the Seed

Matthew 13:10-15 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Why Speak in Parables?

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Additional reading

1. A Living Faith #7 Prayer
2. Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification

Matthew 13:1-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable: the Soil and the Seed

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
PARABLES ON KINGDOM MYSTERIES

Matthew 13:1-9 – Parable: the Soil and the Seed

|| Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8

MT13:1 After leaving the house that day Jesus was sitting by the sea. MT13:2 A large crowd approached Jesus so he moved into a boat and sat down. The large crowd was standing upon the beach. MT13:3 Jesus began to speak to them about many things in parables,[1] saying: “Look! A sower[2] went out to sow [seed]. MT13:4 In the process of sowing, some [seeds] fell beside the roadway,[3] and the birds came and swallowed them.[4] MT13:5 Other seeds fell upon roadside gravel where there was little dirt.[5] Right away the seed sprouted though the dirt was so meager. MT13:6 But, when the sun rose the sprouts were scorched, and since there was no root, they shriveled up. MT13:7 Other seeds fell upon thorn-weeds[6] and they sprouted and choked out the sprouts. MT13:8 And yet still other seeds fell upon good dirt[7] and fruitage was produced – some a hundred times, another sixty times, and another thirty times. MT13:9 Let the one with ears, hear.”[8]

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[1] Parables: Or, GDSP: figures; BAS: in the form of a story; AMP: illustration. The Greek is PARABOLAIS. The word occurs in Matthew 17 times, Mark 13 times, Luke 18 times, but not in John. Many of the Nazarene’s teachings are in the form of parables.

[2] Sower: Farmers and herdsmen are familiar object lessons by the Nazarene. The Greek is SPEIRON (from SPERMA).

[3] Fell beside the roadway: Or, KJV: fell by the way side; TCNT: along the path.

[4] Swallowed them: Or, KJV: devoured them; PME: swooped down and gobbled them up.

[5] Roadside gravel where there was little dirt: Or, KJV: stony places; TCNT: rocky places; KJV: no deepness of earth; PME: shallow soil; KNX: because they had not sunk deep in the ground.

[6] Thorn-weeds: Or, NEB: thistles.

[7] Good dirt: Or, KJV: good ground; WMS: rich soil.

[8] Let the one with ears, hear: Compare the notes on Matthew 11:15; 13:43.

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Preceding

Matthew 12:46-50 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Family of Messiah

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

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Additional reading

1. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
2. Looking for True Spirituality 5 Fruitage of the Spirit
3. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
4. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
5. Apple of Gods eye
6. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
7. You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone
8. Bearing fruit
9. Picking Stones
10. Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation
11. Seeds, weeds and kingdoms

 

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Related reading

1. Matthew 13:1-12 Jan 18 (KJV/NKJV Comparison)
2. Bible Study Notes on Matthew 13:1-23 – 20180110
3. Matthew 13丨C. H. Spurgeon
4. Matthew 13丨John Calvin
5. Where is Your Heart?
6. Nothing Could Possibly Go Wrong
7. Two Witnesses: heart and mind
8. The Importance of Weed Control
9. Keep Racing!
10. Losing Ground in a Post-Christian America

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
PARABLES ON KINGDOM MYSTERIES

Today we start looking at Jesus presenting some parables to those who were around him. In these times coming closer to the end times we do find lots of people who claim that they do not have to do any works any more because they are saved. For them it is clear that we do not have to do anything any more because (according to them) by the death of Christ all sins are forgiven, so it does not matter any more if we do some sins.

This thirteenth chapter for some Americans  bearing a number that brings misfortune, may bring bad luck in the end of their life, because they did not want to see that they still had to do a lot of work to make sure to go through the small gate of the Kingdom of God.

The followers and disciples of the Nazarene master teacher wondered why this eloquent rabbi so many times told stories which where not always so clear or were in a form of a parable. When the talmidim asked their master why he used stories to teach the people and spoke to them in parables, Jesus answered,

“You have been chosen [L It has been granted/given to you] to know [understand] the secrets [mysteries] about the kingdom of heaven, but others cannot know these secrets [L it has not been given/granted to those others].

With such a remark you may question who might be chosen to get to know those secrets Jesus was talking about. We must know that Jesus was sent by his heavenly Father to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God. That Only One True God gave the whole world His son. He was not for just a few. But it is up to all people to come to recognise the sent one from God and to accept him as the sent one from God and as the son of God. Depending on what people want to believe and who they want to follow they shall either be able to receive insight and come to understanding, or as Jesus warns those around him, when they prefer to hold fast on human traditions and human teachings instead of Scriptural teachings they will not be able to see clear, because first of all those human dogma‘s make it often very confusing for people or trick them in the wrong teachings. The apostle Matthew tells us in the previous and this chapter that we should open our ears and eyes and come to see the one who God has sent, so that by listening to the words of the master (instead of those of so called theologians) God shall see the heart of each individual and let His calling ripen so that understanding will be given more, and they will have all they need [an abundance]. But those who keep doubting or do not accept that Jesus is the sent one from God shall have more difficulties to understand what is said. Those who close their heart for God and His sent one shall receive not so much understanding. We are even warned it can be worse, namely that even the knowledge or understanding they have will be taken away from them. This is why Jeshua (Jesus Christ) uses stories to teach the people [L speak in parables]: because we might see a lot of people who look, but do not really want to see and to perceive.

Today we do find lots of godless people, but also lots of people who call themselves Christian, but do not adhere the teachings of Jesus Christ, neither do they worship the God of this Nazarene master teacher from the tribe of David. Jeshua, being born in a devout Jewish family (Essene family) worshipped the Only One True God Who is One and not three. He also wanted people around him to come to know that One God of Israel. He too could see that lots of people loved human traditions and preferred to keep to the words of philosophers and people who worked in the temples, but had introduced own findings in their teachings instead of keeping to the Torah.

Those people who liked those in charge of the temple and loved what they wanted to hear instead of loving what the Torah really said are exactly the same as the ones who today hang on the lips of the clergy but do not read the Bible or Word of God. They hear, but they don’t really hear or understand. So we can see how the things Isaiah said in his prophecy were already fulfilled in Christ’s days, but still count for today too.

In these present times we also see lots of people who have taken them their own idols and gods and who are drifting about from one sort idea or hype to an other. They might sometimes listen with half an ear or go from one group to an other to listen and to keep on hearing or listen intently, but they will not understand.

We should listen to Jesus carefully and take care that we shall not become some one he could see around him who was looking but not seeing. Let us make sure that we look intently and have ears for what Jesus as son of God and authorised person of God has to tell us. Let us make sure that we come to hear, see and learn to perceive and comprehend.

We should not mind what others do find about our belief. Believing in only One God shall not be liked by many. Those who follow Jesus as their brother and not as their god shall receive a lot of opposition. Many shall try to thwart those who accept Jesus as the son and do not take him as their god. For the minds [hearts] of these people have become stubborn [dull; calloused; hardened] and we should know that they do not [hardly] hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears. They might really understand in their minds [with their hearts] and come back [turn; return] to Jesus and be healed, because the God of Israel is a God of order and God of clarity, loving His children and prepared to receive them back, when they where gone. But the world shall have to know that good and evil shall become separated. It is totally wrong to think that all people would come into heaven or into the Kingdom of God. Therefore Jesus gives us all those stories or parables so that we shall come to see and understand that we should be working at ourselves and have to be building ourself up in good soil, so that we can grow properly and become fruitful.

In Mark and Luke (Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37) we learn that people were astonished at Jesus his teaching because his message had authority. We may not forget that this authority came from his heavenly Father, Jehovah God. Those who were given to him to listen to him he told about the Law (Matthew 5:17-20) of which Jesus did not come to abolish this or the Prophets, like those who say we do not need to do works believe. They forget that Jesus came to fulfil those writings and to make clear what we should or should not. In the fifteenth chapter we shall come to hear Jesus talking about purity and hear his warning against false teachings. In chapter 18 comes then the parable of the person who cannot forgive. Luke gives us the parable of the good Samaritan and is not afraid to show how Jesus criticises the religious leaders and tells the story of the rich fool, like we may encounter many (Luke 12:13-21).

Too many people do forget that they have to prepare themselves for the return of Christ (Luke 12:35-48). Too many people do forget what it means to walk on the right path, which is only a narrow road and that all people shall have to make their own choice and should make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because Jesus tells us that many will try to enter and won’t be able. And that is a recurring idea in the teachings of Christ.  (Luke 13:22-30)

It is not because Matthew does not tell about the parable of the lost coin, showing the importance to repent (a work to be done) (Luke 15:8-10) or the lost son (Luke 15:11-32) (to return to the Father) or about the dishonest manager (Luke 16:1-18) that we must not pay attention to the stories and warnings not told by Matthew.

To come to know the secret of the kingdom of God which has been given to the apostles we should learn from all those parables, not forgetting to look for willing to understand and to perceive.

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Preceding

True God giving His Word for getting wisdom

Daily portion of heavenly food

From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah

Matthew 11– Intro to The Nazarene’s Commentary: Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities

Matthew 12:46-50 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Family of Messiah

False teachers and false prophets still around

Christians having the right heart to call others to go to God

Sharing the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge

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Additional reading

1. Souls and Religions with Nirvana and light
2. Blindness in the Christian world
3. Fog, brass and light for the eyes
4. Science, belief, denial and visibility 2
5. Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago
6. the Bible – God’s guide for life #9 Gospels not only place to find ‘the mind which was in Christ’
7. The Metaphorical language of the Bible
8. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
9. Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
10. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
11. Digging in words, theories and artefacts
12. Hearing words to accept
13. Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
14. Atonement And Fellowship 3/8Missional hermeneutics 2/5What is a Christian?
15. Only six of ten commandments of God still important to British Christians
16. Not being saved by faith in Christ alone
17. When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith
18. Two states of existence before God
19. Sanctification and How To Pursue It
20. Responsibility bigger than those who talk about worldly matters
21. Thought for those who think it is not necessary to do any works any more
22. Today’s thought “Blessed people …” (July 27)
23. Knowing The Truth and Loving The Truth
24. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
25. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
26. A race not to swift, nor a battle to the strong
27. At the end of your life

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Related reading

1. Jesus Didn’t Tell Parables for the Reason You Think
2. Are You Teaching Your Kids About the Parables of Jesus?
3. Of Sheep and Parables
4. I Dare You: The Parable of the Lost Coin
5. Hidden in Plain Sight
6. Matthew 13: Parables
7. 5 major mistakes while interpreting the Bible
8. It stopped with them Only Listening
9. Deceiving Yourself
10. What Would Jesus Say?
11. Mysticism Needs No Defense
12. Kingdom of God
13. ​ Which one are you?
14. Class: Parables of Jesus, Matthew 13
15. When the Kingdom of God Dominates Your Life
16. Do You Believe in the Divine Conspiracy?
17. The Father Delights to Give Us the Kingdom
18. “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?” ~Jesus
19. What Jesus Said
20. “Thou Lovest Righteousness and Hatest Wickedness”
21. what we see often depends on how we look
22. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” ~Jesus
23. Unlearning to Learn
24. Fruitful Living
25. The Kingdom of God is like a Farmer Growing Crops
26. Four Prayers Based on the Parable of the Soil-Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8)
27. “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them.” ~Jesus
28. Matthew 13丨C. H. Spurgeon
29. Matthew 13丨John Calvin
30. When God is Important to Us, We Find Joy
31. Upside Down Kingdom Parables: No Cost Too Great
32. Choose the Giver over the gift.
33. Upside Down Kingdom Parables: Wheat and Weeds (pt. 1)
34. Listen
35. Don’t Be Surprised By Gospel Rejection
36. AW Pink (1886-1952): The Prophetic Parables (p1)
37. Cultivating Your Heart for a Spiritual Harvest
38. God’s Kingdom: the Word
39. Matthew 15: Watch your mouth
40. Understanding Parables
41. Trained By The Rabbi
42. Matthew 25:1-13 ESVThe World as the Field

Matthew 11– Intro to The Nazarene’s Commentary: Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities

We come to the time that Jeshua, the Nazarene man, of flesh and blood, born in Bethlehem and living in Nazareth left his parents house to go preaching and it came to be, when יהושע (Jeshua} ended instructing his twelve taught ones, that he set out from there to teach and to proclaim in their cities.

We shall find as a key word in this chapter: Offended in Christ: Matthew 11 verses 6, 19 and 25.

John the Baptist had heard in the prison of the works of Messiah, he sent two of his taught ones to ask his cousin if he was the “Coming One”.  Those who knew the scrolls did know that Jehovah God had promised to sent some one to bring a liberation over the curse of death, spoken about in the Garden of Eden.

Now hearing about the ‘Master Teacher‘ departing on a solitary preaching mission and not seeing him forming an army to fight against the Romans, John the Baptist like others may have wondered if Jeshua was that promised one or if they had to  look for another.

Jeshua (or Jesus) his great forerunner, John the Baptist sought for confirmation of his ministry. Held in prison for condemning the marriage actions of Herod, who had taken his brother’s wife, John expected the advent of the kingdom, as did the apostles (Acts of the apostles 1:9), and did not perceive the greater work of redemption, even though his words announced the coming of the ‘Lamb of God‘ to take away the sin of the world.

Because of those doubting the function of the sent one from God, Jeshua warns them to open their ears so that they would hear about the reality of the Plan of God and the Gospel or Good News of Salvation and of the Kingdom of God. Encountering many who were more interested in the things of the world or those in the temple, clever and learned ones, more interested in teachings of men, rules and rites, instead of the pure Word of God, Jesus did not mind telling those, whom he ran into, about the works of God and helped them in need, even by doing miracles. Those miracles, like the healing, were meant to confirm and validate the gospel, not to become the focus of Jesus his ministry. Healing was a way to (1) show God’s love; (2) show Jesus’ power; and (3) fulfill OT prophecy about the Messiah (cf. Matthew 11:5).

5 Blind people are seeing, lame people are walking around, lame people have been cleansed, deaf people are hearing, dead people are being raised up, and poor people are hearing the good news! 6 And blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!”

In this chapter we are also invited to come to Jesus, so that we can find rest and peace. That rest we shall be able to find when we give ourselves to him, who is the mediator now between God and man, is in the relationship of intimacy that Jesus has called us, so that we can find the way to the small gate to his heavenly Father His Kingdom.  Jesus is leading the way and we should follow him. The apostle Matthew wrote down what we should know to come closer to him and his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

The judgement that Jesus brought over his generation is one we should seriously look at, so that we do not fall in the same traps as the people around the time of Jesus. Today we also find a response to lovers of God of ridicule and mockery. It is so easy to come on the same terms as those who do not want to know about God, but we should know how important it is to come to a good relationship with the Divine Creator.

Matthew in his writings shows us how Jesus is a son of man and son of God, who is the way to God, and the anointed. The term ‘Anointed‘ or ‘Christ‘ equals the Old Testament term ‘Messiah’ which meant “an Anointed One.” It was used in the sense of God’s special call and equipping. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Jesus fulfils all three of these anointed functions (cf. Hebrews 1:1-3). King Cyrus of the Persian Empire, who was an unbeliever, was even called God’s anointed (cf. Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

In this dark world we should come to see the light and all who are weary and burdened should find in this and following chapters how in front of them is the man they should share his yoke and should follow and not institutions or people like the Pharisees.

Several people in Jesus time were waiting for a super hero. They were blinded and did not come to see that the master teacher from Nazareth was the sent one from God. Today also are putting their hope in super hero’s or make Jesus their god, instead of accepting that man of flesh and blood as the promised anointed one of God, the Kristos or Christ, the Messiah who gave his life for the sins of many.

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Preceding

The Advent of the saviour to Roman oppression

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:7-12 – Opposition and Two Baptisms

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Nazarene Commentary Mark 1:1-8 – The Beginning of the Good News

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:3-6 – John Preaches Baptism of Repentance

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:7-9 – Vipers, Repent!

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:18-20 – John’s Teaching and Imprisonment

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:21-23 – The Baptism of Christ

Matthew 10:40-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Reception and Reward

 

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Additional reading

1. A rich history of ancient and Biblical Jordan to explore
2. The place where Jesus was brought up
3. Increased in wisdom in favour with God
4. Memorizing wonderfully 51 Acts 2:22-38 Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
5. The Right One to follow and to worship

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Related

1. John, The Baptist
2. Matthew 11丨John Calvin
3. Matthew 11丨C. H. Spurgeon
4. Matthew 11 – Praise and trust
5. Not of my choosing..
6. Meekness — Examples in the life of Jesus
7. The Light In The Darkness
8. Advent 3 Sermon, 2017
9. To Show God’s Faithfulness and Love
10. Come to me
11. Advent 12.13.17
12. Because We Matter – Matthew 11:4-5
13. It Was Marked Confidential
14. The Hero and the Fatal Flaw
15. The mixed messages of Jesus?
16. I Will Give You Rest Prophecy
17. The One Who Does Impossible
18. Save us from our selfish selves, a prayer of confession (Matthew 11)
19. Day 15 – Take my yoke upon you
20. Burdens heavy and light
21. Prayer for troubles, sorrow, pain (Matthew 11)
22. Learning the Unforced Rhythms of Grace [Mt 11:28-30]
23. Why are people important?
24. Easy Yoke on the Narrow Way
25. Prayer- Jesus, I Come (Matthew 11.28-30)