Matthew 13

“He who has ears, let him hear.” – Matthew 13:9

In Matthew 13 we see the record of Jesus telling a number of parables. As a matter of fact, there are 8 of them. In previous chapters we see Jesus using parables to illustrate his teachings such as in 5:14-16 where Jesus says,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

And again in 7:13-14

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

There are so many other examples, which lead me to ask, “Why so many parables? And WHY parables? Isn’t there a more clear and direct way to explain these topics? I mean, Jesus, You are the Great Teacher, right?” Apparently I wasn’t the first to have those thoughts, because the disciples asked the same thing in verse 10. So Jesus begins to answer again in yet another parable. Just kidding, but that would be funny. Rather, he gives a clear and concise answer, and one that is rather lofty when you think about it. Look at the beginning of his response in verses 11-12.

“And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.””

Jesus is saying that only a select few have been chosen or entrusted with the “secrets of the kingdom”. Not everyone is treated the same. He goes on to explain that is all part of the plan. Some people will not be able to understand because their hearts have hardened. But, those that do understand,

“Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (v16-17)

How amazing it is that we are entrusted with something that the likes of Isaiah, Elijah, Moses and others didn’t get a chance to see or understand? So that leads us to the next question, exactly what is the ‘something’? Plainly put, it’s the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus explicitly references the Kingdom of Heaven in 7 of the 8 parables we read in this chapter. Jesus has moved from using parables as a tool to teach and illustrate points, to using them to give a glimpse of things to come. It’s here where Jesus lays some of the foundation of our future hopes. He reveals mysteries about the coming and workings of the Kingdom.

He shows us that the Kingdom of Heaven is grasped and understood using the heart and spirit, not by works. He shows us that not everyone will respond to His Word the same way (Sower). He shows us that both believers and non-believers will live together in the world until Judgment Day (Weeds). He shows us while the Kingdom had small and humble beginnings on the earth, it will grow into a large entity (Mustard seed). He shows us that the Kingdom will have massive influence over the entire world even though it makes up a fraction of the whole (Leaven). He shows us that the Kingdom is greater than anything we can posses (Hidden treasure). He shows us that pursuing the Kingdom will be worth the sacrifice (Pearl). He shows us that believers and non-believers will be gathered up for a final judgment (Net). And finally He shows us that this “new” revelation fulfils the old (House master).

That’s a lot of information to grasp and try to understand, but because Jesus IS the Great Teacher, we can know these things through descriptive and relatable stories. And because Jesus taught it, we can rest assured that it is true and accurate.

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear..” – Matthew 13:43

PRAYER

Father, I pray that my heart and the heart of those at Hutto Bible Church would be like the seeds that fall on good soil. I pray that we would live with the realization that one day we will stand in judgment before our King and because of that we would lead lives that stand in stark contrast to the standards of the world we live in. But let us never forget that because of the blood of Jesus, we would be counted righteous. Father, send your Spirit to spur our hearts and affections for You and Your Will. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see so that we would be counted as the righteous that will one day shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father. It’s in the matchless and glorious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ that I lift this prayer to You. 

Marty Pina | Elder

Marty and Cecily began attending Hutto Bible Church in August of 2008. They both began living out their faith in 2003 while attending Gateway Community Church in Austin. They were married there in 2004. Marty serves in children's ministry, as a small group leader, small group coordinator and as a shepherd. Cecily has served as a C-group leader in student ministry in the past. She currently serves on the worship team and co-leads a small group and co-shepherds with Marty. Marty is currently employed as a network engineer for Time Warner Cable. Cecily is a medical billing software trainer for Brightree. They have two daughters, Alexis (19) and Zoe (8).