Matthew 13 · Verse 3

Matthew 13:3

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Matthew 13:3, King James Version

Matthew 13:3 in other translations

BSB	And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
WEB	He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
ASV	And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;
YLT	and he spake to them many things in similes, saying: ‘Lo, the sower went forth to sow,
DARBY	And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow:
BBE	And he gave them teaching in the form of a story, saying, A man went out to put seed in the earth;
Webster	And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

What does Matthew 13:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, &c.--These parables are SEVEN in number; and it is not a little remarkable that while this is the sacred number, the first FOUR of them were spoken to the mixed multitude, while the remaining THREE were spoken to the Twelve in private--these divisions, four and three, being themselves notable in the symbolical arithmetic of Scripture. Another thing remarkable in the structure of these parables is, that while the first of the Seven--that of the Sower--is of the nature of an Introduction to the whole, the remaining Six consist of three pairs--the Second and Seventh, the Third and Fourth, and the Fifth and Sixth, corresponding to each other; each pair setting forth the same general truths, but with a certain diversity of aspect. All this can hardly be accidental. First Parable: The Sower (Mt 13:3-9, 18-23). This parable may be entitled, The Effect of the Word Dependent on the State of the Heart. For the exposition of this parable, see on Mr 4:1-9, 14-20. Reason for Teaching in Parables (Mt 13:10-17).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verses 3-9. In parables. The word parable is derived from a Greek word signifying to compare together, and denotes a similitude taken from a natural object to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate. In early ages it was much used. Heathen writers, as AEsop, often employed it. In the time of Christ it was in common use. The prophets had used it, and Christ employed it often in teaching his disciples. It is not necessary to suppose that the narratives were strictly true. The main thing--the inculcation of spiritual truth--was gained equally, whether it was true, or was only a supposed case. Nor was there any dishonesty in this. It was well understood. No person was deceived. The speaker was not understood to affirm the thing literally narrated, but only to fix the attention more firmly on the moral truth that he presented. The design of speaking in parables was the following:

(1.) To convey truth in a more interesting manner to the mind; adding to the truth conveyed the beauty of a lovely image or narrative.

(2.) To teach spiritual truth so as to arrest the attention of ignorant people, making an appeal to them through the senses.

(3.) To convey some offensive truth, some pointed personal rebuke, in such a way as to bring it home to the conscience. Of this kind was the parable which Nathan delivered to David, 2Sam 12:1-7 and many of our Saviour's parables addressed to the Jews.

(4.) To conceal from one part of his audience truths which he intended others should understand. Thus Christ often, by this means, delivered truths to his disciples in the presence of the Jews, which he well knew the Jews would not understand; truths pertaining to them particularly, and which he was under no obligations to explain to the Jews. See Mk 4:33, Mt 13:13-16.

Our Saviour's parables are distinguished above all others for clearness, purity, chasteness, intelligibility, importance of instruction, and simplicity. They are taken mostly from the affairs of common life, and intelligible, therefore, to all men. They contain much of himself his doctrine, life, design in coming, and claims; and are therefore of importance to all men; and they are told in a style of native simplicity intelligible to the child, yet instructive to men of every rank and age. In his parables, as in all his instructions, he excelled all men in the purity, importance, and sublimity of Iris doctrine.

Verse 3. A Sower went forth to sow. The image here is taken from an employment known to all men, and therefore intelligible to all. Nor can there be a more striking illustration of preaching the gospel, than placing the seed in the ground to spring up hereafter, and bear fruit.

Sower. One who sows or scatters seed. A farmer. It is not improbable that one was near the Saviour when he spoke this parable.

(y) "sower" Mk 4:2, Lk 8:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 He spake many things unto them in parables - Parable, from παρα, near, and βαλλω, I cast, or put. A comparison or similitude, in which one thing is compared with another, especially spiritual things with natural, by which means these spiritual things are better understood, and make a deeper impression on an attentive mind. Or, a parable is a representation of any matter accommodated, in the way of similitude, to the real subject, in order to delineate it with the greater force and perspicuity. See more on this subject at the conclusion of this chapter. No scheme, says Dr. Lightfoot, of Jewish rhetoric was more familiarly used than that of parables; which, perhaps, creeping in from thence among the heathens, ended in fables. It is said in the tract Sotah, chap. 9. "From the time that Rabbi Meri died, those that spake in parables ceased." Not that this figure of rhetoric perished in the nation from that time; but because he surpassed all others in these flowers, as the gloss there from the tract Sanhedrin speaks. "A third part of his discourses was tradition; a third part allegory; and a third part parable." The Jewish books every where abound with these figures, the nation inclining by a kind of natural genius to this kind of rhetoric. Their very religion might be called parabolical, folded up within the covering of ceremonies; and their oratory in their sermons was like to it. But is it not indeed a wonder, that they who were so much given to and delighted in parables, and so dexterous in unfolding them, should stick in the outward shell of ceremonies, and should not have brought out the parabolical and spiritual sense of them? Our Savior, who always spoke with the common people, uses the same kind of speech, and very often the same preface which they used, To what is it likened? See Lightfoot in loco. Though we find the basis of many of our Lord's parables in the Jewish writings, yet not one of them comes through his hands without being astonishingly improved. In this respect also, Surely never man spoke like this man. Under the parable of the sower, our Lord intimates, 1. That of all the multitudes then attending his ministry, few would bring forth fruit to perfection. And 2. That this would be a general case in preaching the Gospel among men.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:1-23

The parable of the tares. (24-30; 36-43) The parables of the mustard-seed and the leaven. (31-35) The parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and the householder. (44-52) Jesus is again rejected at Nazareth. (53-58) Verses 1-23 Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:1-23 →

Matthew 13:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἐλάλησενelalēsenHe spokeG2980

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

πολλὰpollamany thingsG4183

ἐνeninG1722

παραβολαῖςparabolaisparablesG3850

λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004

ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400

ἐξῆλθενexēlthenwent outG1831

ὁhothe [one]G3588

σπείρωνspeirōnsowingG4687

τοῦtou<the>G3588

σπείρειν.speireinto sow.G4687

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 13:3

Mark 4:2-9
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: …
Mark 4:13
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Psalms 78:2
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Mark 4:33
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
Matthew 13:34-35
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
2 Samuel 12:1-7
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. …
Matthew 13:53
And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
Ezekiel 24:3-14
And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it: Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones. Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it. …
Matthew 13:10-13
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Matthew 24:32
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Judges 9:8-20
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? …
Luke 8:5-8
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

in.
10-13,34,35,53; 22:1; 24:32; Jud 9:8-20; 2Sa 12:1-7; Ps 49:4; 78:2
Isa 5:1-7; Eze 17:2; 20:49; 24:3-14; Mic 2:4; Hab 2:6; Mr 3:23
Mr 4:2,13,33; 12:1,12; Lu 8:10; 12:41; 15:3-7; Joh 16:25; *marg:
parables.A parable, [parabole ,] from [para ,] near, and [ballo ,] I cast, or put, has been justly defined to be a comparison or similitude, in which one thing is compared with another, especially spiritual things with natural, by which means those spiritual things are better understood, and make a deeper impression on a honest and attentive mind. In a parable, a resemblance in the principal incidents is all that is required; smaller matters being considered as a sort of drapery. Maimonides, in Moreh Nevochim, gives an excellent rule on this head: "Fix it as a principle to attach yourself to the grand object of the parable, without attempting to make a particular application of all the circumstances and terms which it comprehends."
a sower.
Mr 4:2-9; Lu 8:5-8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 13:2
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Matthew 13:3
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Matthew 13:4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y les habló muchas cosas por parábolas, diciendo: He aquí el que sembraba salió á sembrar.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il leur dit beaucoup de choses par des paraboles, disant: Voici, un semeur sortit pour semer.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er redete vieles in Gleichnissen zu ihnen und sprach: Siehe, der Sämann ging aus zu säen;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et locutus est eis multa in parabolis, dicens: Ecce exiit qui seminat, seminare.