Mat 13:24-50 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 13:24-30: 13:24-30 This story is explained in 13:36-43 .

Summary for Matt 13:24-30: 13:24-30 ^a This story is explained in 13:36-43 ^b.
13:25 ^c Weeds (or tares, bearded darnel) are almost indistinguishable from wheat and so were left until growth revealed their true nature. Malevolent contamination of crops in this manner was punishable by law.
Summary for Matt 13:28-30: 13:28-30 ^d Just as Jesus rebuked the sons of Zebedee for wanting to destroy unbelieving villages (Luke 9:54-55 ^e), he prohibited his followers from retaliating against enemies. Judgment is God’s work (see Matt 7:1-5 ^f). Jesus urges his followers to wait patiently for God’s righteous judgment (the harvest; see Luke 13:6-9 ^g).
Summary for Matt 13:31-33: 13:31-33 ^h Jesus used surprising, evocative imagery in these parables, either to emphasize the inevitable growth of the Kingdom through proclamation of the gospel or, more probably, to emphasize the contrast between insignificant beginnings and glorious consummation, and to exhort the disciples to patience (see also 16:24–17:13 ⁱ).
13:33 ^j Normally yeast refers to the influence of evil (e.g., 16:6 ^k; 1 Cor 5:6 ^l; Gal 5:9 ^m); here, however, it is positive, speaking of the all-pervasive influence of the Kingdom.
Summary for Matt 13:34-35: 13:34-35 ⁿ Even Jesus’ manner of teaching fulfilled Old Testament predictions. Psalm 78:2-3 ^o speaks of passing down the history of God’s revelation to children of the next generation. Jesus’ revelation is the climax of that history (Matt 13:10-17 ^p; 1 Cor 2:7 ^q).
Summary for Matt 13:36-43: 13:36-43 ^r These verses are the interpretation of the parable told in 13:24-30 ^s. The people of the Kingdom (wheat) coexist with nonmembers (weeds) in the world (field) until the end of history. The mystery of the Kingdom is that it is present in the world without weeding out the wicked in judgment; Jesus’ disciples must learn patience. 13:36 ^t They went into the house (see 13:1 ^u). Jesus taught in parables publicly, but the interpretations were reserved for his disciples in private.

• Please explain: Though the disciples were privileged to know the mysteries of the Kingdom (13:11-17 ^v), they did not understand the parables until Jesus explained them.
13:38 ^w The field is the world: The Kingdom includes all nations (28:16-20 ^x).

• The people of the Kingdom are those who follow Jesus (13:11-17 ^y, 23 ^z; 21:43 ^aa).
Summary for Matt 13:40-42: 13:40-42 ^ab The harvest of judgment, which began with the first coming of the Son of Man (3:12 ^ac), will be completed when he returns (Rev 14:14-16 ^ad).
13:41 ^ae his Kingdom: Not until the “end of the world” (13:40 ^af) will the rule of the Son of Man be visible over all things.
13:43 ^ag The righteous do the will of God as revealed by Jesus, in contrast to those “who do evil” (13:41 ^ah).
Summary for Matt 13:44-46: 13:44-46 ^ai Another mystery of the Kingdom (13:11 ^aj) is that its value exceeds all other treasures, and so everything should be forfeited to acquire it (see 19:21 ^ak, 29 ^al; Phil 3:7 ^am). 13:44 ^an treasure ... hidden in a field: Treasures were buried for protection against thieves and military enemies (25:25 ^ao).

• In his excitement: Those who discover the Kingdom find greater joy in it than can be found in any temporal pleasure (see 1 Pet 1:8 ^ap).
Summary for Matt 13:47-50: 13:47-50 ^aq This parable refers to God’s judgment at the last day (25:31-46 ^ar), which will eternally separate the wicked from the righteous. This note of warning reinforces the urgency of the previous two calls to decision.
13:49 ^as The wicked are those who do not do the will of God as revealed in Jesus, and the righteous are those who do (see 5:21-48 ^at; 6:1 ^au, 33 ^av; 7:13-27 ^aw; 12:33-37 ^ax; 16:27 ^ay).